The 2011 MLS season did not end the way the New York Red Bulls or its supporters wanted. A 16th consecutive season without a trophy was not how Hans Backe and Erik Soler thought the season would have ended. The 2011 preseason went so well, that a debate in the locker room broke out of which was more important, MLS Cup, the Supporter’s Shield, or the US Open Cup. This pre-season, the Red Bulls are not focusing on results, but cohesion and team play. This is the third and what some believe to be final, year of the Soler-Backe built team and all agree it’s now or never. If 2012 ends in anything but winning MLS Cup, or a trophy of importance; Soler and Backe may be looking for new gigs.
A look at the depth chart for the Red Bulls shows they yet again have the potential to lift the MLS Cup, but looks can be deceiving:
Goalkeeper
- Ryan Meara (2012 SuperDraft Pick)
- Jeremy Vuolo
Goalkeeper is the biggest question mark for the Red Bulls heading into the 2012 season. Vuolo, a Syracuse University product, played one year in Finland with AC Oulu. Meara, picked in this year’s SuperDraft out of Fordham, has no professional experience. Two weeks ago NY was close to brining in Luis Robles, one time capped USMNT keeper, through a discovery claim. MLS decided that Robles needed to go through the allocation process and Robles backed out. Soler and Backe have both said they are looking for a third GK, hopefully a veteran, but it looks like Meara or Vuolo will be between the sticks in Dallas on March 11th. Meara played with the first team in their 0-0 draw against Pumas last Thursday. Vuolo played with the reserves and trialists in both of the Red Bulls loses at the Desert Diamond Cup.
Defense
- Jan Gunnar Solli
- Jonathan Borrajo
- Stephen Keel
- Wilman Conde
- Markus Holgersson
- Connnor Lade (Homegrown Signing)
- Roy Miller
New York, notorious for its ability to give up goals on set pieces, added some good physical depth to remedy this problem for 2012. Two concerns, however, do present itself for NY’s backline; a backup for Roy Miller and Wilman Conde’s health. Connor Lade, out of St. John’s University, is touted as a center back. No offense to Lade, but he’s too short to be an effective center back in the physical MLS. As of now, he provides a great backup option for Roy Miller. The Red Bulls last year had to rely on Carlos Mendes, who’s naturally right footed, to fill in for Miller during international call ups and injury. Hopefully Lade, who has played a bit in the midfield for NY in pre-season, can up his game to fill in if needed. Wilman Conde is coming off a foot injury and he finally saw minutes on the pitch for the first time since April 2011. Originally, he was not going to play against New England because Soler and Backe did not want to rush him before the season opener. Conde started and went 35 minutes against NE and said he may play upwards of 60 minutes versus LA on Wednesday. Now Conde wasn’t a shining star on the pitch against NE but that’s to be expected after having almost a full year without playing time. Borrajo, a Clifton, NJ native comes back home and looks to make an impact and find his place on NY’s backline. A natural right full back, Borrajo may look to move to left back if Lade moves into the midfield. This leaves NY once again with a non-left footed backup for Roy Miller. This could not only pose a danger on defense but in NY’s attacking third as well. More often than not, NY moves the back up field through their outside midfielders and fullbacks. Lindpere-Miller and Richards-Solli combinations were highly effective last year and without a true central playmaker, may need to be again this season.
Midfielders
- Joel Lindpere
- Rafa Marquez
- Teemu Tainio
- Dax McCarty
- Victor Palsson
- Mehdi Ballouchy
- Dane Richards
NY’s midfield remains relatively intact from last season. The only addition is Victor Pallson, who is touted as a young Teemu Tainio. Backe has said Tainio could play about every five to six games and then miss the following two to three games and that is where Palsson comes in. Lindpere and Richards both had great years last year and look to improve this year. Lindpere just signed a multi-year deal with NY, where he received a nice bump in salary (finally). Linpdere says he has only one thing on his mind, winning MLS Cup before leaving NY. The only thing missing from NY’s midfield is a true, central playmaker, a number 10 to feed their striking core. NY has a third DP slot and the money to bring in a big name from Europe during the summer transfer window. Hans Backe on Extra Time Radio recently wouldn’t confirm it was a true number 10 they would bring in out of fairness to players on the current roster. Only time will tell.
Forwards
- Thierry Henry
- Kenny Cooper (obtained on draft day from Portland)
- Juan Agudelo
- Luke Rodgers (visa issues)
- Corey Hertzog
Through the 2011 season, one of the most dangerous striking partnerships in the league was Henry and Rodgers. That partnership is in danger this season as Rodgers is still over in England due to visa issues. He has a hearing set for March 8th, just three days before first kick in Dallas. Kenny Cooper brings in a work rate that rivals Luke Rodgers and Cooper has a shot from distance to boot. Fans of Agudelo will be watching more USMNT/Olympic games than Red Bull ones it seems this season. Hans Backe on Extra Time Radio said he’s not sure how much Agudelo will feature with the Olympics and World Cup Qualifying. Agudelo was injured coming into pre-season and only featured for thirty minutes in one match. Henry is coming back from a loan spell with his beloved Arsenal. He scored three goals, two of them game winners. Many thought Henry would come back exhausted and/or injured but he was kept to only playing in the second half of games. If Rodgers cannot come back to the states to ply his trade, NY said they would either sign one of the trialists or go out and sign another striker. Let’s hope that’s not the case but NY fans better prepare themselves for Rodgers not returning.
Starting XI vs Dallas
March 11th is first kick against Dallas and NY’s lineup will be a bit different from 2011’s opening game starters. Barring any injures over the next two weeks, this should be who takes the pitch for NY.
GK- Meara
DF- Solli-Holgersson-Conde-Miller
MF- Richards-Tainio-McCarty-Lindpere
FW- Cooper-Henry
Meara starts in goal unless NY signs a veteran now. He has had two solid outings, with first team players, against Tecos and Pumas without making a mistake. Conde seeing minutes against New England and hopefully against LA shows he is fit to start, maybe even go a full 90 against Dallas. Why is there no Rafa Marquez in this starting XI? He’s suspended for the first two games continuing his punishment for his actions following the first leg of the Western Conference Semi-Finals at home against LA. Victor Palsson has a knee injury keeping him out for up to the next 14 days so Dax gets the start. Cooper and Henry will likely start up top even if Rodgers is back in camp. If Rodgers visa gets approved, he’ll only be back with the team for a max of two days.
X Factor
It’s easy to say Rafa would be the X factor for the Red Bulls, but not for me. The X factor will be that third DP signing, especially if that player is a attacking central midfielder. Michael Ballack, Stephen Ireland, and Frank Lampard are some of the names to be thrown around for NY’s third DP. If it were Ballack, he would not join the team until after anchoring ESPN’s coverage of Euro 2012 this summer. Either way, this player needs to come into camp and be an instant impact. NY has not scored in their first two Desert Diamond Cup games or against Pumas. It was apparent that NY lacked that attacking creativity in the middle against Pumas. The 2011 summer months were the pits for the Red Bulls and if 2012 is going to be different, a third DP, with new blood and a desire to win, should give them a bit of a boost through the drag of the summer.
Season Goals and Prediction
The goal is simple: win a trophy. Whether it is the Supporters Shield, The MLS Cup, or yes, even the US Open Cup; win one of them. The Red Bulls have, on paper, a better roster than 2011. The new MLS schedule with less travel to the west coast, not playing on FIFA international dates, and no Gold Cup is also a check in the pro column. This means Hans Backe and Erik Soler will have no excuses at the end of the season if the New York Red Bulls end yet another season trophy less.
The Eastern Conference is not going to be a slouch like it was last year. Many teams that were just trailing NY in the playoff standings only got better. Sporting KC is looking more dangerous than last year when they won the East (in the regular season). No team should take the Montreal Impact lightly because they are an expansion side; just look to Portland last year to avoid that mistake. That being said, NY should finish top 3 in the East, if not win the East. In its third season, Red Bull Arena will be the loudest it has ever been with more home playoff games. Could we be sitting in Harrison, NJ on December 1st watching soccer? I wouldn’t doubt it.
(image courtesy of newyorkredbulls.com)
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