To Red Bull New York and Beyond!

New RBNY Signee Jorge Rojas

2008-07-03T18:01:00.003-04:00

Jorge Rojas must be Bruce Arena's son. I mean... just look at him!
(pictured on the left)

Separated and Birth?

2008-05-15T22:51:00.006-04:00

I guess I just can't help myself...

Maybe it's only because they both look stoned... but anyway:

Former Red Bull and current San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Joe Vide and Real Salt Lake defender Matias Mantilla:

Separated at Birth?

2008-04-30T23:21:00.003-04:00

Colorado Rapids right midfielder and former England U-21 player Terry Cook and that weird bulging-eyed kid from last season's American Idol:

Separated at Birth?

2008-04-30T10:29:00.005-04:00

Real Salt Lake's Scottish forward Kenny Deuchar and Vivian Wright from Dream Team (actor Philip Brodie):

Pre-game: Red Bulls vs. Earthquakes

2008-04-25T20:17:00.005-04:00

Too many times, Claudio Reyna has been tabbed the "key to the game" by Shep Messing and ESPN commentators. But not once has he been the most influential player on the field for the Red Bulls. I've been willing to wipe the slate of last season clean. But after three games this season, only during one half of one game has he controlled the pace of the game and performed at a high level. He has a good chance to make his presence known against a San Jose central midfield pairing of Ramiro Corrales and Ned Grabavoy.

San Jose comes to Giant Stadium felling pretty confident following their impressive 2-0 win in Colorado. But that's just it: it was the Crapids. Jean Philippe Peguero has officially signed for the Earthquakes, but he is not expected to play a part in the game on Sunday. Gavin Glinton and Kei Kamara possess great pace, but offer little in the air. This could lead to Juan Carlos Osorio to star Chris Leitch at right back.

But what worries me most is our left hand side. Can Dave van den Bergh contain a rejuvenated Ronnie O'Brien? I have my doubts. Maybe speedy rookie winger Danleigh Borman will start on the left wing, sliding van den Bergh inside next to Stammler. This would force Ubiparipovic to the bench, unless he has impressed enough this week in training to figure in at right midfield.

Having said all this, as long as the starting 11 is a winning team, I'll be satisfied.

TV: Telefutura, MSG.
My prediction: 2-0 Red Bulls.

Viva Metro!

Pumped-up Jozy

2008-04-21T22:55:00.010-04:00

A member of the U.S. Under-20 team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2007 Under-20 World Cup in Canada last summer ... has 20 caps and has scored one goal with the U20s … made two substitute appearances at the U20 World Cup … had five appearances for the U20s in 2006, scoring one goal ... joined U.S. Soccer's Residency Program at the IMG Soccer Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) in Sept. 2004 ... made 15 appearances - 11 starts - at left back for the U-17s in 2005, scoring five goals and adding two assists ... scored his first international goal against Canada on April 24, 2005.

That's Amaechi Igwe, the Revolution defender who was thrust by Jozy Altidore in the second half of Saturday's 1-1 tie against New England. The reason why I bring up his international resumé is because he was a longtime US U-20 and U-17 teammate with Jozy Altidore. But despite this, Jozy's desire for his team to triumph overpowered his kindhearted nature and inclination to befriend.

Earlier in the game, the young superstar started a scuffle with 6' 3" Shalrie Joseph after standing up for his teammate.

Isn't it great to see a rejuvenated Jozy Altidore willing to do whatever necessary to win? Hopefully it will continue. At Halftime, he cleared things up with Joseph (not a bad idea at all), and after the final whistle blew, gave Igwe a brotherly embrace. Let me close this post with a remarkably mature quote from Jozy following the match:

"I am not a guy for excuses, I just thought I could have been more effective and added more to the game to get a victory. I recognize that now and it's too late, so I need to recognize that through the game."

Pre-game: Red Bulls vs. Revolution

2008-04-18T22:46:00.005-04:00

Unfortunately, I don't have much for you this week. We'll most likely see an Angel-Altidore forward tandem for the first time this season. That alone could spell the difference in the game's resulting score.

... And my prediction for that score is:

2-1 Red Bulls.

Viva la Metro!

Most Entertaining Team

2008-04-17T11:33:00.010-04:00

Here's my World's Most Entertaining Eleven:

---------------------------------Torres---------------------------------
Messi-----------Ronaldinho----------Kaka-----------C. Ronaldo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------Pirlo-----------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
R. Carlos-----------Lucio--------------Puyol-------------S. Ramos
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------Buffon--------------------------------

Honorable mentions: Samuel Eto'o, Robinho, Sergio Aguero, Diego, Tim Howard (yes, I mean it), Iker Casillas, and... Chris Leitch (OK, I'm kidding this time).

Remember, I'm talking "most entertaining," so this isn't necessarily the best 11. Not all four defenders would fall under that category, but they make this list because of their attacking qualities out of the back.

Red Bulls Unable to Cancel Out an Early Deficit

2008-04-13T19:30:00.013-04:00

Final score: 2-0 FCD (goals by Arturo Alvarez and Kenny Cooper).

Post-game commentary:

Too many opportunities to shoot were passed up in favor of an intricate (and most often unsuccessful) final pass. But guess what? Juan Pablo Angel wasn't on the field, and we don't have midfield magicians like Schelotto, Gallardo, or Beckham to transmit the perfect ball. So start pulling the trigger, boys!

As soon as Magee is fit, I'd like to see him get extended minutes. His skill on the ball and distribution was exceptional in his short time on the Pizza Hut Park grass. I have always thought his better position is in midfield because his small body is not suited for the physicality of MLS defenses. His creative passing and timely runs into the attacking third could come in handy for this New York team yearning for more offensive exploitations from the midfield.

Is it just me, or is John Wolyniec's hair getting grayer and grayer each week...

The Red Bulls need a guy like Juan Toja pulling the strings in the midfield. His willingness to take chances and ability to use his creativity to make space for his teammates is invaluable. Oh yeah, and he can make that final pass -- something we cannot seem to do.

Player ratings:

Starters:
Jon Conway - 5 - Excellent save 1-on-1 against Alvarez, but failed to come out and cut off the angle on Cooper's goal.
Dave van den Bergh - 5.5 - Good distribution, bad defensive positioning.
Kevin Goldthwaite - 6.5 - Defended well, composed on the ball, but lacked the pace to keep up with FCD's speedy attackers.
Chris Leitch - 4 - Lost his guard twice resulting in Dallas' goals.
Luke Sassano - 5 - Good out of the back, solid defensively, but was somewhat at fault for Alvarez' tally.
Sinisa Ubiparapovic - 4 - Unable to maintain possession on a consistent basis.
Seth Stammler - 5.5 - Played too many long balls. Otherwise, solid effort from Seth.
Claudio Reyna - 5.5 - Much-improved first half followed up by a less-than-stellar second.
Danleigh Borman - 6 - Dane Richards 2.0? He's raw and needs to work on his crossing, but he's got promise.
Oscar Echeverry - 3.5 - Atrocious.
Jozy Altidore - 5 - Sluggish, but showed signs of his usual self at times.

Subs:
Mike Magee - 6.5 - Superb on the ball, should have put away the best chance of the game.
Woly - 6 - Revitalized the team upon his entrance into the game.

Separated at Birth?

2008-04-09T16:19:00.008-04:00

Actor Ryan Gosling and Houston Dynamo right winger Brian Mullan:

Red Bulls vs FC Dallas Preview

2008-04-09T15:49:00.007-04:00

Outlook: It's been a busy week in MetroLand. The Lider Marmol saga rolls on, while Jorge Rojas, Ernst Obster, and Chris Innes could be set to sign on for the club within the next few days. Chicago Fire owner Andrew Hauptman has lashed out against Juan Carlos Osorio, while Marc de Grandpre has resigned from his post as managing director. But at the moment, on the minds of Red Bull fans is the upcoming game in Dallas, as we look to discover if the team is really as good as they appeared against the lowly Columbus. First games don't mean much in sports. Just look at LA and the Revs -- the performance of their second games were in stark contrast to their season openers. The same could happen in New York. But keep your fingers crossed that this will not be the case.

Juan Pablo Angel is out due to injury, which means that Jozy Altidore will pair up top with Oscar Echeverry. Hopefully these two can form some kind of partnership, since neither have had a chance to jell. Moreover, with Jeff Parke suspended, most likely candidate to fill his shoes is Carlos Mendes. Expect the back three (or possible even four) to be shifted around to accommodate Coach Osorio's preferable approach.

I am officially on the Juan Carlos Osorio bandwagon (best coaching staff since the Bob Bradley era). However, I'm not yet sold on the team he's guiding. Beating the Crew is one thing; competing with the likes of DC United, Chicago, Kansas City, and Chivas is another. While the list of formidable forwards is top-notch, the defensive performances have been stellar, and the abundance of midfield options is pleasing, I'm not quite sure all the pieces are in place for this team to be a title contender.

Dallas' offense is clicking, but their defense has been in shambles. The back three is very experienced, but also extremely slow. Look for the speed of Echeverry and Altidore to exploit that weakness.

Probable lineups:

FC Dallas:
---------------------------Cooper---------------------------
------------------Toja---------------Alvarez---------------
Wagner--------Saragosa-----Ricchetti----------Rocha
---------Serioux---------Davino---------Moor-----------
-----------------------------Sala----------------------------

New York:
-----------------Altidore----------Echeverry--------------
----------------------------Reyna---------------------------
van den Bergh------------------------------------Sassano
-----------------Stammler-----Ubiparapovic-------------
---------Leitch--------Goldthwaite-------Mendes-------
----------------------------Conway--------------------------

Prediction: 1-1 (goals scored by Altidore and Abe Thompson off the bench).

Cornell Glen Update

2008-04-07T17:51:00.004-04:00

Trinidad and Tobago international and former Metro forward Cornell Glen is currently playing for T&T's San Juan Jabloteh. But in 2007, he was playing second division footie in England for Leeds United (Eddie Lewis' former club), and averaging a goal for every two games played.

... Alright, so he played only four games, registering two goals, but it sounded good, right? His Wikipedia entry has now been updated.

Always a Dilemma

2008-04-07T16:37:00.010-04:00

For years, this New York/New Jersey franchise has been marred by the lack of a pure double-digit goalscorer. From 2003 until 2006, an attacking maestro, whether it be Amado Guevara (2003-'06), or Youri Djorkaeff (2005-'06), roamed the midfield in search of the perfect ball. But never was there a forward with the impeccable prowess to take advantage of these passes. Let's go over the many forwards who have graced the synthetic turf at Giant Stadium:

2003: Clint Mathis (shell of his former self), Andrzej Juskowiak (tallied just one goal in limited time), Mike Magee (only a rookie), and John Wolyniec (...well, he's Woly).

2004: Cornell Glen (blessed with exceptional pace, but lacked the goalscoring touch), John Wolyniec (see above), Mike Magee (played midfield for the most part), Sergio Galvan Rey (a flat-out bust), and Fabian Taylor (not a consummate striker by any means).

2005: Ante Razov (an expert forward, but failed to demonstrate it during his short stint here), Sergio Galvan Rey (his play was much improved, but it still did not suffice), Mike Magee, Abbe Ibrahim (raw speed, nothing more), and Youri Djorkaeff (always dropped back to midfield when playing up top).

2006: Edson Buddle (horrible -- 6-0 win against RSL notwithstanding), John Wolyniec, Mike Magee, Jean Philippe Peguero (came and went in a matter of weeks), Youri Djorkaeff (see above, and couple that with the fact that his second season in MLS in no way compared to his first), Jerrod Laventure (see Abbe Ibrahim), Jozy Altidore (did not take part until the final few games).

But that is the past, and we're currently living in the present. And for the past year, the New York Red Bulls have had two distinguishably top-notch forwards -- Juan Pablo Angel and Jozy Altidore. These two have formed a dynamic duo -- the likes of which this club has never had (pardon the Alexi Lalas cliche). But there's just one problem; who feeds them the ball? Since the departure of Amado Guevara and Youri Djorkaeff, no creative midfielder has emerged to take the reigns. Claudio Reyna was purported to fill this role last season, but instead played as a withdrawn midfielder. Mike Magee does not (and probably never will) make defenders cringe. Claudio Reyna, now requested by Coach Osorio to serve as the provider, wont give defenders nightmares on Friday night.

So we have gone from one problem to another. But if the management of Red Bull can succeed in finding a first-rate #10, then the pieces will finally fall into place and for the first time in twelve years, a contender for MLS Cup will preside in the tri-state area.

Red Bulls Victorious in 2-0 Win

2008-04-06T01:06:00.009-04:00

Early goals from Dave van den Bergh and Kevin Goldthwaite were enough to claim victory vs. the Crew on opening day at Giant Stadium.

I guess it's time for me to eat my words, huh? But I'm happy to do so, as it was a pleasant surprise. Although we're only 1/30 into the season, my pessimistic views on the team might be pretty inaccurate. And who would have thought that Kevin Goldthwaite (yes, you read that right) would perform better than anyone else on the pitch! It was welcoming to see Juan Carlos Osorio constantly yelling out instructions and taking notes on the sideline. What a stark contrast to Bruce Arena, who's index finger propped up his chin as he would sit glumly on the bench showing absolutely no emotion.

I wasn't able to watch the full game, don't expect the recap quite yet. In the meantime, I'll let the people of Metrofanatic do the player ratings.

What a Sight!

2008-04-02T23:58:00.008-04:00

The funny thing is...
Jonny Walker did not sustain a concussion.

Does this photo lend memories of the good old days of Metro -- when we had Tony Meola, Tim Howard, and Jonny Walker manning the nets? Now the names Zach Thornton and Jon Conway ring loudly in our ears. And it isn't a pleasant sound...

New York Red Bulls 2008 Season Preview

2008-04-02T23:08:00.015-04:00

Head coach: Juan Carlos Osorio
Sporting director: Jeff Agoos
Assistant coach: Richie Williams
Assistant coach/GK coach: Des McAleenan

Key additions:
-Zach Thornton (GK) - veteran MLS old-timer looking to prove he's not completely washed up
-Eric Brunner (DF) - second round draft pick
-Luke Sassano (MF) - third round draft pick
-Danleigh Borman (MF) - first round supplemental draft pick
-Oscar Echeverry (FWD) - Colombian acquisition

Key losses:
-Ronald Waterreus (GK) - retired
-Clint Mathis (MF/FWD) - transfered to Ergotelis of the Greek Superleague after being traded to the LA Galaxy
-Joe Vide (MF) - chosen by the San Jose Earthquakes in the expansion draft
-Dema Kovalenko (MF) - traded to Real Salt Lake
-Francis Doe (FWD) - waived

Four big questions that beg for answers:

1. Can Reyna prove his worth?
There's no doubt Captain America underachieved last year. But this is a new season, and he'll look to meet the NY fans' expectations placed on him, and then some. Whether he offers sufficient service to star forwards Jozy Altidore and Juan Pablo Angel remains to be seen, as Juan Carlos Osorio has asked him to take on the unfamiliar role of playmaker. Which leads us to the next question...

2. Who is the attacking midfielder?
Osorio remains confident that two player will be signed before the April 15th transfer deadline. However, neither are assumed to be a #10, the one position the team is in desperate need to fill. Mike Magee has performed well in that role so far this year, but if past preseasons are any indication of the ensuing season, that's a moot point. Coupled with the fact that Magee tends to disappear during the most crucial parts of a game, it is doubtful that he can lead the attack on a consistent basis. If the management is unable to acquire a creative midfielder, the team will succumb to long balls blasted by the boots of the back three.

3. Parke, Mendes, and ______?
According to numerous sources, Carlos Mendes isn't even slated to start come Saturday night's fixture against the Columbus Crew. But it shouldn't be a problem for the Mineola, NY native; he will prove his worth to Osorio in practice as the season wears on, and will look to regain a starting job at right back. But with Seth Stammler set to play central midfield and Hunter Freeman unavailable due to injury, that leaves rookie Eric Brunner, the abysmal Kevin Goldthwaite, and the hardcore fans' least favored veteran, Chris Leitch to fill the final spot next to Parke. Although Juan Carlos Osorio is known as a particularly esteemed defensive tactician, he does not have the product on the field to contain the better offenses in MLS. Despite this, look for Jeff Parke to have a stellar all-star season.

4. Will insufficient depth be costly?
Already, both right-sided starters are sidelined due to injury. As a result, rookies Danleigh Borman and Luke Sassano will be starting on the left and right flank, respectively. Just as Dane Richards did last season, both of them must step up to the plate and deliver. After losing midfielders Clint Mathis, Joe Vide, and Dema Kovalenko, only a past-his-prime goalkeeper and a slumping and sluggish forward have been contracted. If barred by injuries, the Red Bulls will be in for a very long year.

Three players to watch:

1. Jeff Parke: The #60 will be relied up to anchor the three-man defense and develop good communication with his fellow defenders.
2. Claudio Reyna: The former national team captain must control the game at center midfield.
3. Jozy Altidore: The rising star will look to exploit the space vacated by double-teamed Juan Pablo Angel.

Prediction: The best forward tandem in league will not make up for a poorly constructed midfield, a mediocre defense, and limited depth. Assuming the roster is set, they will, along with the Crew and John Carver's Toronto FC, struggle to qualify for the playoffs.

Chris Leitch to start ahead of Carlos Mendes?

2008-04-02T14:22:00.002-04:00

Say it ain't so, Juan Carlos!

It has also been mentioned that Kevin Goldthwaite will most likely start at left back. I'm not quite sure what both Arena and Osorio see in these two. Prove me wrong on Saturday night, guys!

Angel speaks

2008-04-02T14:11:00.000-04:00

It's a good read.

He talks about the preseason, his partnership with Jozy, his future with the club, and MLS in general.

Red Bulls Links

2008-04-01T14:40:00.004-04:00

Great sources for team news:

Soccer By Ives - covering it all, but RBNY remains a priority
RedBullsReader - the newly-launched official team blog
New York Red Bulls - official site from MLSNet
The Offside RBNY - David M. with his insightfully insightful insight (Did I mention it's pretty insightful?)
Brian Lewis - shrewd and observant new blogger
MetroFanatic - best fan site out there
BigAppleSoccer - excellent coverage as well and savvy opinion

The Return

2008-04-01T13:38:00.002-04:00

Yup, I'm back. It's been an unusually quiet off-season, but I'm ready to blog again on a daily basis. Expect the Red Bulls season preview either tonight or tomorrow.

USMNT in a 3-4-3?

2008-02-08T19:34:00.001-05:00

-----------------------Altidore------------------------
------------Dempsey----------Donovan-------------
----------------------Feilhaber-----------------------
Beasley-------------Bradley----------Cherundolo
---------------------------------------------------------
-------Bocanegra----Onyewu-----???????----------
---------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
------------------------Howard------------------------

Fill in the question marks with the defender of you choice (Spector, Conrad, DeMerit, or Parkhurst), and there you have it.
Yes? No? Maybe so?

Like Father, Like Son

2008-01-27T19:41:00.001-05:00

Michael Bradley was recently interviewed by USSoccer.com. After hearing him talk, I noticed some striking similarities between his mannerisms and way of speaking and that of his father's, US MNT honcho Bob Bradley.

Here's Michael.
And here's Bob.

Listen to both of them speak, if only for a minute or two, and you'll be amazed at their identical speaking patterns.

Also, do I detect a slight Dutch accent in Michael's speech?

Separated at Birth?

2008-01-20T00:28:00.000-05:00

USA Men's National Teamer Ramiro Corrales and Mexican maestro Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

Maybe not so much in these pictures (especially the faces), but after watching two hours of him at left back for the USA this evening, Coralles' body language and movements closely resemble that of Blanco. There are similarities in the way they stand and run also. They both hunch their back a bit.

2007 World Best 11

2008-01-02T19:12:00.000-05:00

In a 3-4-3 formation:

Goalkeeper
Iker Casillas

Defenders
Carlos Puyol
Nemanja Vidic
Sergio Ramos

Midfielders
Michael Essien
Cesc Fabregas
Christiano Ronaldo
Kaka

Forwards
Lionel Messi
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Didier Drogba

It's a very offensive lineup, but this past year has been dominated by the attacking maestros like Messi and Christiano Ronaldo.

The toughest decision was choosing Puyol over Taylor Graham, who would be an automatic had he not cut his hair so short...

Fresh Look for the New year

2008-01-02T19:03:00.000-05:00

Let me hear what you think of the new colors.