New York’s (0-1-0) season did not start out the way the team had hoped for. A 2-1 loss at FC Dallas last Sunday was painful to take in. The Red Bulls need to move past the result and quickly. Saturday night NY continues their opening road trip out west by taking on a very dangerous Real Salt Lake (1-0-0). The Red Bulls have had a tough time at Rio Tinto in the past. They have lost the three previous games away at RSL without even scoring a goal. Last year, the aggregate was 6-1 in favor of RSL, with Joel Lindpere scoring the lone goal for NY at home in the 3-1 defeat heard round the world. The game is infamous for making the state of NY’s locker room public, along with Rafa Marquez’s version of Frank Costanza’s “Airing of Grievances”.
The Red Bulls will be without four players for the match in Utah. Forward Juan Agudelo is currently with the US U-23’s ahead of Olympic qualifying. Luke Rodgers still has not hears one way or another on his visa renewal. Rafa Marquez is serving the final game of his three game suspension. Lastly, Wilman Conde is still out with his injury but is hopeful to start training Monday.
New York’s starting lineup will more than likely remain the same they fielded against FC Dallas. Well, with one change in Kenny Cooper coming on for the absent Agudelo. Defenders Conor Lade, Jonathan Borrajo, and Tyler Ruthven along with midfielder Victor Palsson and forward Corey Hertzog all made the trip as well. Lade and Palsson are best poised to break the starting 11 for Saturday’s tilt. Lade would most likely come on for leftback Roy Miller. Miller’s errant and foolish no look back pass eased FC Dallas into their 2-0 lead last Sunday. Palsson, being more of a physical defensive midfielder, could replace Dax McCarty and be used to slow down the speed of the attack. Will either of these changes take place? Well, Backe has done stranger things with his lineup (like starting Agudelo over an inform Kenny Cooper last Sunday).
The Red Bulls fight an uphill battle at Rio Tinto. With RSL having one of the best home records over the last few seasons and having never lost a home opener (3-0-4), The Red Bulls may not come back with a single point on their opening road trip. There is good news for the Red Bulls. RSL came into the season with the injury bug for a few of their starters and they are still seeing their way fit. As of Friday, Will Johnson is listed as OUT, while Tony Beltran and Javier Morales are doubtful. Nat Borchers is listed as questionable but played 45 minutes in a reserve match earlier this week. Forward Alvaro Saborio is probable for the match after picking up a knock in training earlier this week. This doesn’t mean RSL is trotting out second tier players. Their first team will still consist of Rimando, Olave, Wingert, Beckerman, Gil, and Espindola. With newly acquired Sebastian Velasquez and his rat-tail, RSL will be dangerous on the attack.
The key factors to this game will be midfield play. After last Sunday, you’d expect someone to say defensive gaps or unforced errors. Those will sink any team on any day and has done so to the Red Bulls more times than not. RSL tied LA to spark their comeback win off an LA own goal. No, if NY wants to come away with a result, their midfield play will be see them through. They will need to move the ball through RSL’s diamond midfield to find Henry and Cooper up top. NY generates most of their attack down the wings but Miller and Solli were in poor form against Dallas. Lindpere and Richards will need to move forward and take players on, which they are equipped to do, to get the ball to Henry and Cooper. NY’s defensive mids will need to keep an eye on the buildup from RSL’s midfielders. Between the switching of sides between Velasquez and Grabavoy, the speed of Gil, and the vision of Beckerman, NY will have its hands full.
I’m staying away from a prediction for this one. While I had the score line correct for the FCD-RBNY game, the teams were swapped. At the beginning of the road trip, I had hoped NY would return home with at least a point and I thought they would get it in Dallas. It is hard to picture this NY team, with the way they have so far played, waltzing into Rio Tinto and walking out with a result. Hey, crazier things have happened though.
(image courtesy of New York Red Bulls)
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