There really wasn’t much to be said following the loss to rival DC United this past week. A 4-1 loss, almost identical in fashion to the way New York beat up DC at RFK last season, has hopefully brought NY back down to reality. New England now comes into Red Bull Arena off two weeks rest also with their last result being a loss to United.
A makeshift New York backline against DC United became a lot younger and inexperienced this past week. Defenders Stephen Keel and Jan Gunar Solli both picked up injuries. Keel is definitely out for the next three weeks with stress factures in his back. The defender had been playing through the pain for most of the season when the he took too many knocks against DC. Solli also picked up a toe injury during the game and missed practices this week. He is listed as questionable for the match on Saturday. Without Keel and Solli, where does that leave the Red Bull backline? Tyler Ruthven will be slotting into the middle alongside Markus Holgersson. Ruthven came on at halftime against DC and played okay. He was wrong footed and slow on a few plays but he was physical on the ball for New York. Without Solli as the right fullback, many thought Jonathan Borrajo, a local signing, would fill in. Hans Backe doesn’t seem to believe in the youngster as he is set to slot Brandon Barklage in that role. Barklage, a natural midfielder like Solli, has played late in games for New York this season. At home Backe has said he wants his fullbacks to join in the attack more so maybe slotting another midfielder at right back makes sense to him. With Roy Miller still out, the short round Connor Lade will be getting his second start at left fullback. Lade, who’s mishandling in the box against DC led to Nick De Leon’s goal, will be looking to redeem himself and show why everyone from Backe to Henry are praising his play. Going into the 8th game of the season, New York barely has ten games of MLS experience through its back four. It will be tough on goalkeeper Ryan Meara who has yet to really play with a consistent back four. Last years German veteran Frank Rost had trouble with this and Meara is a young rookie. He’ll feel he should have done a lot more against DC and 4 goals against stings but the midfield and backline play was missing. Meara also missed a few training sessions this week due to the various knocks he has taken over the season. The youngster out of Fordham is expected to start.
New England will be getting midfielders Shalrie Joseph and Benny Feilhaber back for this game. Joseph served a one game suspension and Feilhaber is returning from injury. New York’s Dax McCarty will have his hands full with two very capable midfielders. Not only that, no one knows who will slot in next to McCarty in the midfield. Mehdi Ballouchy looked like his old self and Victor Palsson still had soft touches for back passes. Joel Lindpere just sits on the bench becoming more enraged he is not out there. I believed he would have done well in central midfield for New York but Backe still only sees him as a winger. No one in the midfield proved their right to start against NE this week so why not Lindpere. Like Cooper coming off the bench early in the season, Lindpere is now hungry and rearing to get at whoever is in his way.
New England’s forward pairing of Jose Moreno and Saer Sene may not be as flashy or prolific as Red Bulls Henry and Cooper but they’ll be playing against a very inexperienced backline and rookie keeper coming off a jarring loss. The Revs, in six games, has scored only 5 goals, three of which came in the win at the reigning MLS Cup champs, LA. New York’s Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper have had a hand in all 17 of New York’s goals, 11 of which came at home. New England has only leaked eight goals while NY seemingly has four nets for opponents to score on letting in 14 goals.
It is hard to predict a positive outcome for New York, not only with the injuries, but also with the play on the field in the previous week. New York’s loss mirrored the two opening loses to the 2012 campaign. If the New York midfield can lend some sort of hand to the backline and elevate the pressure that will be put on them, New York can travel to LA with a result. It won’t be a pretty one and on The Rebel Alliance podcast I said the game would be 3-3, or 3-2 and I’m sticking with that. I think New York comes out early once again and gets the opening goal but lets New England back into the game multiple times. New England is going to get a lot of chances on Ryan Meara and they will need to be better than him to keep up with NY. We know the stats about Henry and Cooper’s finishing percentage but for that to matter they have to receive the ball near the 18 yard box first. Depending on an inexperienced back line, young rookie keeper, and the most prolific scoring partners in MLS will lead to a long and hopefully exciting day at Red Bull Arena.
(image courtesy of newyorkredbulls.com)
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