Don’t tell anyone, but New York have now won three of their last five matches.  I know, I know, try to keep it on the DL, don’t wanna let it get to their heads.  On a night where DPs such as Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane would not be a factor, it was the Red Bulls whose star power shined the brightest.

Once again, it was Luke Rodgers who got the festivities started with a goal off a rebound in the six.  Hey may not always score in the prettiest way, but who cares.  The fact is, New York is a different team with the Englishman on the pitch, and there’s no debating that.  Hey always seems to get the job done when his team needs him.  After his goal, New York controlled the match and there was no looking back.  As Backe said post game, it was perhaps the most complete performance of the season, and the Bulls sure did look impressive.

With Rafa Marquez back in the midfield for the second consecutive match, there were plenty of skeptics as to how he would bounce back after a subpar night at TFC.  Here’s your answer.  Say what you will about his off-the-field comments and apparent appearance to not give two shits, but the man can still get it done.  I don’t know too many players in MLS that would see that pass, let alone get it to Henry with a perfectly weighted ball (that chip wasn’t too bad either).  Rafa and Tainio paired well together, building attacks and spraying the ball around the pitch helping to unlock LA’s stingy defense.

Unsung hero of the match? Gotta be Dane Ricahrds.  We all knew he had pace, but he was absolutely tearing up the wing, burning by anyone who dared to stand in his way.  The difference this year is that the speedy Jamaican isn’t just sprinting to the end line and losing the ball (usually), but actually feeding his teammates and creating chances.  Runner up goes to Frank Rost, who continues to impress and justify his DP contract.  He’s shored up the defense and lead New York to yet another clean sheet. I’m trying not to get too excited about this result.  After all, this was a weakened LA side.  But you can’t tell me that this team can’t go out there and beat anyone in this league with a performance like that.  That was an team win, from top to bottom.  Could the Red Bulls be hitting their stride at just the right time?  Is this a turning point in their season?  Lemme know down below.

***********************************************************************************

P.S. I’m looking to sell three tickets to the Philly game in October.  Reach me by email, Twitter, or Facebook if you’re interested.

Facebook – http://facebook.com/OffsideNYRB

Follow @OffsideNYRB

What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Los Angeles?

Talk about a homecoming for Henry.  Amidst the Red Bulls struggles domestically, the Frenchman lead the first MLS team ever to compete in the annual tournament to a tie against his former club Arsenal in a gritty 1-1 draw.  After Joel Lindpere netted the lone goal in a win against PSG, New York was in position to take home the Emirates Cup trophy with just a tie needed against the English powerhouse.  And despite playing like pure dogshit against MLS competition, the Bulls rose to the occasion against superior opponents, taking it to PSG and Arsenal overseas.

While this tournament win will be seen Theirry’s time, let’s give credit where credit is due.  Not only did this team fly out to London just hours after the conclusion of the All Star game, but many then had to play two straight games without any reprieve.  Jan Gunnar Solli comes to mind as one of those grinders who went out and did his job despite the obvious fatigue that was setting in.  Much respect to those who put in 180 minutes over the two-day tourney.

Now the attention shifts back on the MLS schedule, with RSL on the tap.  When I was listening to the PSG-RBNY match, I heard the announcer say something about the Bulls winning just 12 of their last 88 road matches (correct me if I’m wrong).  Sounds about right, considering we didn’t win a match in all of ’09 away from the friendly confines of Giants Stadium.  New York are desperate for points, and there’s not much time left to do it.  Even with games at hand, New York are looking up in the Eastern standings.

Side note: I’ll be live blogging the match tonight, so stop by tonight about 8:45 and put your two cents in.

***********************************************************************************

Twitter – http://twitter.com/OffsideNYRB

Facebook – http://facebook.com/OffsideNYRB

Who is your MVP of the Emirates Cup?

The Red Bulls last two games have sent mixed messages, granted they were against very different opponents.  Taking on a rather weak Toronto squad, New York took it to Aron Winter’s squad with an emphatic 5-0 win.  Gotta say, it was pretty nice to see the offense firing on all cylinders.  Henry, Rodgers, Lindpere, and Agudelo all got on the board and all seemed right in the world of Red Bull.  Perhaps most importantly, New York posted a zero on the defensive end.  Yes, that’s right, a shut out for the Red Bulls.  Funny how in the beginning of the year, I actually had the audacity to believe that their defense prowess would hold up throughout the season; el oh el.

Then with DC into, the Scum played a rather solid game and pulled out a win courtesy of a Dwayne De Rosario goal (did you expect anything else)?  But hey, at least we got to hoist the Atlantic Cup, right? Yeah, that’s what I thought.  In a game where New York deserved to at least earn a tie, the Bulls couldn’t find a way to equalize and earn a share of the points.  And although De Ro’s goal couldn’t be blamed on poor goalkeeping, the damage had already been done throughout the balance of the year thanks to the less than stellar work of Bouna Coundoul and Greg Sutton.  With neither keeper proving to be dependable, Erik Soler made his move.

Soler delved into the depths of the Bundesliga and found German keeper Frank Rost.  At 6 foot 4, Rost combines the size of Sutton with the shot stopping ability of Bouna, but it all comes at a price.  The Red Bulls have filled their third and final DP slot to sign Rost, but it could be just what New York needs to get back on track.  At 38, Rost is hardly a spring chicken, nor in his prime.  But if goalkeepers have taught me anything, it’s that age does not define them.  You can look throughout the soccer world to see seasoned vets who still get the job done.  From the recently retired Edwin Van der Sar (40) at Man U, to Brad Friedel (40) at Tottenham, to Faryd Mondragon (40) right here in the MLS who as helped turn the Philly Bimbos into a quality team.  My only concern is how quickly Backe is throwing Rost into the fire.  After signing with the team just a few days ago, he will fly cross-country to LA and start when the Bulls take on Chivas.

What do you think of the new DP? Will the Red Bulls avenge their early season loss to Chivas?  Let me know down below.

***********************************************************************************

NEWS: There’s no place like home for the Tin Man Greg Sutton, who gets sent to back to his native Canada on loan to the Montreal Impact, his former team.

***********************************************************************************

Twitter – http://twitter.com/OffsideNYRB

Facebook – http://facebook.com/OffsideNYRB

Will the addition of Frank Rost solve RBNY’s defensive woes?

Can Backe right the ship?

The three-game winning streak of last month seems so distant now, doesn’t it?  For that matter, so does my last blog post, but that’s neither here nor there (but apologies, nonetheless).  The Red Bulls now find themselves in a precarious situation.  They are no longer getting the results that seemed to come so easily earlier in the season, and the defense has been suspect to say the least.  The same backline (for the most part) that let in just four goals through eight games has now seen their GAA balloon thanks to poor set-piece defense.  In fact, the last six goals scored against the Red Bulls have come off set pieces.  And with the Gold Cup calling away five Red Bulls away from club duty, this coming month could be a very telling one for the future of New York’s 2011 campaign.

Well let’s take a look at what I missed.  New York disappointed at home, dropping a 3-2 decision to a surprising Chivas USA team in which Justin Braun torched the Bulls for a hat trick.  The home team showed resilience in tying the game not once, but twice, but asking for a third equalizer proved too much.  Dwayne De Rosario got his first goal in a New York uniform courtesy of a PK and captain Thierry Henry continued his hot form, slotting home a wonder pass from Rafa Marquez.  In the end, set pieces doomed New York, as Braun was the beneficiary of some sloppy defending twice on free kicks.  In one night, the Red Bulls had conceded as many goals as they had all season prior.  This game may have been written off as a fluke, if not for the events that transpired in the next few weeks.

Then came the midweek friendly against the Montreal Impact, who will become the 19^th team in MLS next year.  The team traveled north of the border on short rest, which proved to be perhaps an ill-advised move.  The first team played a solid 45 minutes, but Carl Robinson left the pitch with a knock and would not return.  The Red Bulls fell to the Impact 1-0, in what didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, until we fast-forward four days…

Where the team finds itself in Robertson Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamo.  Right off the bat, Dynamo killer Dane Richards took matters into his own hands, putting the Red Bulls up inside the first minute off a blast just outside the 18.  It seemed New York were controlling the tempo of the game until Will Bruin was sprung (from what looked to be an offside position) and was off to the races.  Rafa was fooled on a cut back and took Bruin down in the box.  Dynamo captain Brad Davis stepped up and made no mistake, leveling the score at 1.  Davis again bured the Red Bulls, this time off a corner kick, where Koke tapped in a ball spilled out in front by Greg Sutton, leaving New York reeling.  But just when all hope seemed lost, everyone’s favorite midfielder stepped up big time.  Backe’s favorite supersub Mehdi Ballouchy came in for a rather ineffective Juan Agudelo and promptly tied the game in the dying minutes off of a Joel Lindpere corner (yes, Backe listened to me, again).  That’s right folks; Mehdi Ballouchy saved us from the Rapture.  So the Red Bulls avoided their first losing streak of the young season, and returned home for another quick turnaround against the defending MLS Cup Champions.

Back home at the friendly confines of Red Bull Arena, New York was hoping desperately to get back to their winning ways.  The Rapids came to town looking to capitalize on the now seemingly mortal Red Bulls.  The game led to more frustration, but some hope for future matches as well.  Some poor officiating led to the Rapids getting a PK after Roy Miller committed a foul that was CLEARLY outside the box, but the referee pointed to the spot.  Jeff Larentowicz stepped up, and Sutton parried his shot away.  However, the ricochet sat up nicely for Larentowicz and he tapped it home to put the Rapids up.  In my frustration, I ran to the bathroom cursing under my breath and wondering what has happened to my beloved Red Bulls.  As I stared at the wall, I heard the crowd roaring and cheering, and Steve Cangialosi’s goal call.  Just my luck.  Literally moments after the PK, Henry leveled the score off of a nice feed from De Ro.  However, the lead didn’t last for long, as the Red Bulls fell victim to a set piece once more.  Larentowicz stepped up to take a free kick from about 20 yards out and slammed one through the wall and past Sutton.  The set pieces continue to be the downfall of New York.  Thankfully, Luke Rodgers would have none of it.  After latching onto a Roy Miller through ball, Rodgers chipped the oncoming Matt Pickens and knotted the score.  It was the fastest four goals ever scored in Metro Bull history.  From then on, the Red Bulls dominated possession and had their chances to get the victory, but failed each time.  With just three points in their last five matches, the Red Bulls aren’t looking much like Supporters’ Shield contenders.

Now, the Gold Cup possesses and even bigger threat with Tim Ream, Agudelo, Marquez, Richards, and De Ro all leaving to represent their national teams, New York will have to turn to their bench to get some results.  Vancouver is next on the slate, where the Red Bulls will have to be on top of their game to salvage points in a hostile environment.  What is a fair expectation of points while the team is missing so many starters?  Can the Red Bulls get back on track?  Let me know in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

***********************************************************************************

Twitter – http://twitter.com/OffsideNYRB

Facebook – http://facebook.com/OffsideNYRB

Is the Supporters’ Shield still attainable?online surveys

Be honest, how many of you were expecting a JPA jump-slash?

Seriously, is there anything better than going into D.C. and stomping them out?  I think not.  If last week’s performance against the Quakes was impressive, than we need to find a new word to describe the show that New York put on in RFK.  Much like last week, everything seemed to click, but it always seems so much better when dispatching United, doesn’t it?

Coming into Thursday’s fixture, both team’s had a fair amount of momentum on their side, both coming off of 3-0 wins, with D.C. taking care of TFC at BMO Field.  Charlie Davies got the starting nod from Coach Ben Olsen as D.C. looked to continue to find the back of the net at their league-best pace.  But Hans Backe countered with the same lineup that dominated San Jose a week before, and the same lineup that has conceded just two goals all year (both on defensive gaffes, but that’s besides the point).  The result was a wake up call United, a reaffirmation for the Red Bulls.

Now there are plenty of reasons to be clamoring after that 4-0 win.  There was Thierry Henry earning his first brace as a Red Bull and setting the tone for the evening, you had Juan Agudelo entering as a late sub and still managing to put one in the back of the net in fantastic fashion (doing his best Henry impression), and another great performance from the backline in yet another shut out.  But far and beyond the performance that stood out to me the most was that of Jan Gunnar Solli.

The Norwegian right back got forward time and time again, linking up with the speed of Dane Richards to wreak havoc on the D.C. defense.  Solli’s well timed runs and precision passing led to three of New York’s tallies, setting up Henry twice and Agudelo once late in the game.  His vision and ability to stretch the defense was something we really hadn’t seen up to this point.  Even from the right back position, admittedly not his preferred spot on the pitch, Solli was able to contribute to the offense countless times by whipping in crosses from the flank and playing 1-2 passes with The Great Dane near the sidelines.

Throughout my first trip to RFK, I made it a point to watch certain players throughout the game, namely Teemu Tainio.  I noticed that OptaJack reported that Tainio was the most accurate passer in all of MLS this season, and he truly is impressive on the ball.  Even with D.C. constantly pressuring him, Tainio was composed on the ball and almost always picked out the open man to play a picture perfect ball.  People may have been worried that New York’s midfield distribution would be hurt by Rafa Marquez moving to the backline, but I’d say that Tainio is even an upgrade from Rafa, as good as he is.  Besides, Rafa and Tim Ream still manage to make purposeful passes from their deep lying positions to kick start the offense (see Joel Lindpere’s goal).

Once again, Mr. Henry thoroughly impressed me.  He was active all night and constantly looking for the ball.  His ability to find open space in the attacking third was impressive (or perhaps it was D.C.’s defensive ineptitude, but I’ll give Henry the credit here).  This is the type of play that we all expected when he first signed last July, and I’m sure every Red Bull fan is happy that he’s finally proving the doubters wrong.  There should be no more questioning as to whether he still has anything left in the tank.

All in all, another great win for New York to vault them atop the table in the Eastern Conference.  Perhaps the most surprising tidbit of info from the night was both Backe and Henry’s praise of D.C. after the game.  Backe said that United was the best team the Red Bulls have faced so far and Henry said that the 4-0 score line wasn’t truly indicative of how the match went.  What do you think?  Were Backe and Henry being gracious in victory or was it truly their honest opinion?  Let me know down below.

P.S. I loved walking in with the RBNY supporters as we sung “D.C. United Went To Rome to See the Pope,” I only wish that I didn’t come with United fans so I could have sat with them.  Oh well, a win’s a win, and I’ll take a D.C. beat down any day of the week.

****************************************************************************

Twitter – http://twitter.com/OffsideNYRB

Facebook – http://facebook.com/OffsideNYRB

What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against D.C?online survey

Given Henry’s recent form, who do you prefer as his strike partner?survey software

Remember this?

That can go plenty of ways now, can’t it?  I’m sure many of you have some choice words for Mr. Henry (I’ll let you connect the dots) and some probably have a big question on your mind (again, use your imagination), but I have just three words for the entire Red Bull organization… Get It Done.

There’s not a whole lot to say after last week’s debacle in Philly.  Same ol’ story: New York dominates possession, New York fails to find the back of the net, New York heads into the locker room disappointed.  Enough is enough.  There are literally no excuses left, none whatsoever.  Henry and Rafa Marquez have had time to gel with the team and a full preseason under their belts.  Management has traded for a legitimate number 10 in the midfield to bolster the attack.  On paper, this team is the most talented in the MLS, but that’s not gonna cut it.  I’m getting tired of “playing well enough to get the result”.  Go get those results, go score some goals, make the big play, just get it done.

Some talking points from last week:

-       Tim Ream absolutely botched the hell out of that pass, but played an otherwise strong game.  If you boo him, get your head examined.

-       Henry claimed to have an Achilles problem but says that has been a chronic injury that he’s dealt with for years, so again, no excuses.

-       New York have become adept at playing keep away, but it’s not translating into goals.  Backe’s gotta tweak something to make this offense work.

-       Mehdi Ballouchy for Juan Agudelo? No comment.

-       Disappointing match all around, especially for a derby, but I’m not ready to panic just yet.

Now, San Jose makes its triumphant return to Red Bull Arena for the first time since knocking off the Red Bulls in last year’s playoffs.  The players and coaches say they’re not out for revenge, and I say that’s a load of crap.  That last game at RBA will be on everyone’s minds, and don’t tell me they won’t be playing with a chip on their shoulder.  The Earthquakes are a solid team, boasting last year’s Golden Boot winner in Chris Wondolowski, but New York are the more complete team (stop me if you’ve heard this one before) and should bring home all three points.

Backe has discussed possibly starting Luke Rodgers up top with Henry relegating Agudelo to the bench.  I’m sorry, but in what world does that make sense?  Agudelo’s been our most dangerous player in attack, hands down.  He works hard every minute and gives defenders fits with his cutting runs.  So naturally a spot on the bench seems fitting.  I hope Backe comes to his senses and includes him in the starting 11, because if any striker deserves to take a seat, it’s Henry.

I know we’re only four games into the season, but the Red Bulls need to right the ship.  This could snowball into something much worse than it is right now, New York can’t afford to drop more points at home.  Erik Soler has done his job, he’s assembled a supremely talented group of players and put a competent leader at the helm.  There’s nothing more to say right now, there are no more excuses to make, there’s only one thing left to do; get the win, get the results, get it done.

Who is to blame for New York’s early season struggles?online surveys

I gotta say, great comedic timing by both parties involved here.  Dropping the trade news on April Fools Day sure had Twitter abuzz, not to mention that I was losing my mind trying to confirm or deny the rumors.  Lo and behold, De Ro is indeed a Red Bull.  Admittedly, I was a big fan of Tchani and it’ll be tough to lose such a talented, young player in our midfield.  However, you can’t deny the quality that De Ro brings to the table.  Soler stated that he wanted to pick up a #10 that would make New York a very difficult team to beat.  The Canadian international certainly fits the bill, and has been one of the best players in the MLS in the past decade.

It has to be said however, that the Red Bulls seem to be in “win now” mode.  At age 32, De Rosario isn’t exactly a spring chicken, but I have a feeling no one will be complaining much if he’s the final piece that can make New York’s offense the formidable bunch that many envisioned it would be.  Sorry Coach Backe, but we all know that Mehdi Ballouchy just isn’t that CAM that you had hoped you were trading for last year.  Admittedly, he’s shown flashes of brilliance, but nothing substantial enough to warrant a full-time role at the top of Backe’s diamond midfield.

On the other end, De Ro has pretty much made a living as the attacking option in a four-man midfield.  He has the ability to take the scoring burden off of forwards Thierry Henry, Juan Agudelo, and/or Luke Rodgers.  Perhaps best of all, De Ro will not take up an international slot thanks to his green card, and our gracious friends north of the border are supposedly picking up a big chunk of his salary, leaving our third DP slot unfilled.

With all the commotion of the trade, we can’t lose sight of the fact that the Red Bulls still have a tilt with the Dynamo on the slate tomorrow.  De Rosario is due to land in New York some time tonight, and will be available for selection in the starting 11.  Regardless of whether he makes an appearance or not, New York will be welcoming back much of their original starting 11, who were away for international duty.  Houston have picked up just a point on the year after losing to Philly in their first game and drawing with Sounders at Qwest Field last Saturday.  With the Red Bulls back to full strength and playing in front of the home crowd, expect an impressive performance and a win from New York.

It’s still uncertain who will be starting tomorrow with Agudelo and Dane Richards coming off of serving time with their national teams.  In the future however, expect the Red Bulls to line up in a 4-1-2-1-2.  Here’s how I see the best-case-scenario-Bulls lining up:

Coundoul

Solli, Marquez, Ream, Miller

Tainio

Richards, Lindpere,

De Rosario

Henry, Agudelo

Damn, looking at that team on paper, that is a very impressive starting lineup, one that will pose problems to every team in the MLS.  I said before that this Red Bulls team might have the most talent of any Red Bulls/Metro team ever.  Now, I feel that’s undeniable.

Notes:

- Manchester United have been announced as the opponent for the MLS All-Stars this year at Red Bull Arena.  The All-Stars will be looking to exact revenge on the English giants after they were dismantled last year 5-2 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.  This team, however, Sir Alex Ferguson will have his entire squad at his disposal without the World Cup keeping key players out of the fixture.  Should be a great match at Red Bull Arena this summer.

- MSG and the New York Red Bulls have finally come to terms on a multi-year TV deal.  Every game will be broadcast in HD, and announcers Steve Cangialosi and Shep Messing will be on-site at all but four away matches in 2011 (in contrast to staying in the studio in New York City, which they have previously done).  There will also be a pre and post game produced by MSG for select Red Bulls matches.  You can watch tomorrow’s match against Houston on MSG2.

P.S. I made a Facebook fan page for those of you who don’t use Twitter.  I’ll post news updates and Offside post alerts here.  (http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-Red-Bulls-Offside/110570442358962)

What Will the Addition of Dwayne De Rosario do for New York?online survey

Breaking up the Baby Bulls

Since when was MLS preseason supposed to be this interesting/frantic?  Between trips to Mexico and Florida (and Arizona coming up), cuts, signings, trialists, more preseason matches than one could handle, and the recent slew of injuries, the Red Bulls have had plenty on their plate.  Now, reports have come out saying that New York has cut ties with long-time assistant coach and two-time interim head coach Richie Williams along with goalkeeping coach Des McAleenan.  Not to mention the club waiving two of their 2010 Superdraft selections in Conor Chinn and Irving Garcia.  Oh yeah, and it’s not even March 19^th yet.  What is going on in Harrison these days?

First things first, New York took on the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers on Saturday and got the 2-0 result against their NASL opponents.  Thierry Henry and Mehdi Ballouchy found the back of the net for the Red Bulls as they handled the Strikers with relative ease.  Backe said he was happy with the possession that New York maintained throughout the match and was pleased with their overall performance.  Ballouchy, who missed out on valuable time with the team in Mexico, attempted to win a spot in the crowded New York midfield, and did so quite well.  He played the role of playmaker and impressed as he led the charge most of the day.  Backe is already of fan of Balloucy, and this only furthered his belief in the Moroccan.

Another huge talking point this week has become the recent injury to striker Juan Agudelo, who suffered a groin strain.  With Agudelo hurt and Luke Rodgers still absent from Red Bulls training, it begs the question, “who will partner with Henry come opening day?”  When asked, Backe said he wasn’t quite sure.  Potential options included Ballouchy or Dane Richards.  Neither are true strikers, but Backe did rule out another forward in Salou Ibrahim.  Backe said that his lack of pace would not pair well with Henry and therefore was out of contention.  Neither Ballouchy nor Richards would be a great fit with Henry, but I feel Ballouchy would probably be the lesser of two evils, so to speak.  In the meantime, we’ll all hope for a speedy recovery for Agudelo.

In other news, the Red Bulls have parted ways with the aforementioned Garcia and Chinn, along with two members of their coaching staff in Williams and McAleenan.  The roster needed to be shorted by today’s deadline, so Chinn and Garcia were the unfortunate ones to go.  Both players showed flashes of brilliances throughout their stints with the Red Bulls making appearances in the U.S. Open Cup and friendlies against Juventus, Man City, and Tottenham.  Both players may have had bright futures in MLS, and it’s sad to see them go (especially for Garcia who was about to get welcomed to a warm reception by his hometown fans).  However, cuts needed to be made and, in retrospect, these picks probably do make the most sense.  With regards to the coaching changes, there is still an air of mystery surrounding this matter.  Both coaches were long time members of the NYRB coaching staff, and the reason for their firing was undisclosed, other than simply “repeated offenses.”  Red Bull has yet to announce what those offenses were, but it must be something serious in order for them to be fired so close to the start of the season.  Williams was cited as Backe’s right hand man last year as he showed the Backe the ins and outs of American soccer.

Alas, there’s more preseason yet to come, and more twists and turns likely in store.  The good news is, we’re less than three weeks away from opening day.  Counting down the days, how bout you?

P.S. If you vote “Other” in the poll, let me know who that person was in comments below.

Assuming Rodgers and Agudelo are out, Who Should Start as Forward with Henry?customer surveys

Don't stare directly into his eyes... just ask Carlos Mendes.

Holy hell, have you seen anything that terrifying in your life?  I’m damn convinced that this petrifying gaze is what led to the Red Bulls squandering a 2-0 halftime lead.  I think he might have broken into the locker room during the break and started wreaking havoc, terrorizing the players.  But then again, maybe not…

Of course, I’ve yet again jinxed another team I love.  New York’s loss to Chivas de Guadalajara Tuesday night marked the end of Hans Backe’s undefeated run in the preseason. But for one half, it seemed as though the streak would live to see another day.

Man, if I wanted to see one of my favorite teams collapse like that, I’d probably re-watch some footage from the 2007 Mets September debacle, then probably cry myself to sleep.  All things considered, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, far from it.  Here’s a team that’s in the middle of their season facing off against a team that’s only a few weeks into preseason.   I stayed up to watch the tape delayed game and I was rewarded with my first real look at the team this year, and I was impressed at times with some of the play, and not so impressed at other times.

First off, what was with that pitiful crowd?  I’m not exactly sure how many people actually showed up, but it the stadium looked empty, like Nassau Coliseum empty.  Now I’m not so pompous as to think that the Red Bulls deserve a much bigger crowd, but you’d think with Rafa Marquez in the building that more fans would file in.  I laughed a little when listening to the post-game interview with Juan Agudelo.  He claimed that at one point it seemed like the crowd was on their side.  Yes Juan, all seven of the Red Bulls fans in attendance could definitely be heard in full force.

Dane Richards had a strong game before his ejection in the 85th minute.

On New York’s second goal, just 10 minutes later, Richards again found himself in the middle of the action, this time playing the role of provider.  After having his first cross attempt blocked, Richards struck the ball out of the air and into the box, where an eager Agudelo was waiting to head it past the keeper.  Agudelo put himself in the right position and won the physical battle with his defender to make sure he would come out on top.  It was a nice delivery and even nicer finish that put the Bulls up 2-0.

Unlike the first two preseason games this year, Backe did not completely replace his lineup at halftime.  Instead, he only made five changes to the starting lineup throughout the game (only trialist Teemu Tainio was replaced at halftime).  The Red Bulls played a decent second half, but the home team got on the board in the 71^st minute, and that’s when the wheels started falling off.  The Red Bulls were under more pressure and began to buckle.  Eventually, Chivas was able to net the equalizer courtesy of a Carlos Mendes own goal in the 80^th minute.  Just five minutes later, Richards picked up his second yellow of the match, sending him to an early shower.  Finally, New York’s demise was complete after Jorge Mora headed in the winning goal deep into stoppage time to give the hosts the victory.  What a way to lose a game that started off with so much potential.

After the game, Backe said that although he was disappointed with the result, he was happy with the overall quality of play. “I think we should not be happy, but should be satisfied by the first half with two goals, the defending shape was excellent and I think if I look at the second half also, the defense did well. I don’t think (Chivas) created that many chances but they were very effective when they got these three goals. Overall, I’m satisfied with the effort,” Backe said.  Of course, I’d be inclined to agree with him.  There were some great things that happened on Tuesday, and if Backe’s happy, I’m happy.  Question is, were you happy?  What did you think of the game?  Did you catch the Telemundo broadcast?  (If not you can watch the entire thing on the Red Bulls website).  Lemme know what you think in the comments below or on Twitter.

What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Chivas?online survey

I just got a look at a few of the highlights from last night’s match, and my first reaction was, “Damn, we have the best back up keeper in the league.”  Greg Sutton was playing out of his mind in the second half making some huge saves including a double save of a close shot and the impending bicycle kick.  However, this did lead my to question whether we can expect to see Sutton in NY much longer.  With the Red Bulls now carrying three keepers, does this make the Canadian backstop expendable, and valuable trade bait?  Personally, I think it’s important to have someone of Sutton’s caliber as a back up, and it also pushes Bouna Coundoul to be at his best at all times, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

I liked what I saw and I can’t wait ‘til I can actually see them in person.  Backe said he was impressed with the defensive effort and I’d be inclined to agree, especially with the young unit that was sent out in the second half.  They seemed to play well off of each other, despite playing together for a relatively short amount of time.  You can read my immediate reaction and recap here.  What do you guys think?  Do you like what you’ve seen so far?  Lemme know in the comments.

P.S. MLS just released the 2011 schedules, go check it out!