John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Paolo Maldini, Rafael Marquez and Fabio Cannavaro have one thing in common: None of them play for the Red Bull. Heck, Jimmy Conrad and Oguchi Onyewu aren't part of Bruce Arena's squad. And while Ronald Waterreus is playing well, 14 saves total in four matches, an average of 3.6 saves per game, is not exactly Brad Freidel-like, standing-on-your-head dominance. Yet, the Red Bull recorded a Major League Soccer-record fourth-straight clean sheet to open a season in last night's 1-nil victory over FC Dallas at Extra Cheese and Double Anchovies Park in Texas.
So, absent superstar defenders (Todd Dunivant, Hunter Freeman, Jeff Parke and Carlos Mendes are playing exceptionally, we'd vote all four onto the MLS All-Star Team, but even the most fanatical RBNY supporter would hesitate before arguing they are world-class players) and Petr Cech-style brilliance between the sticks, how are the Red Bull doing it? Is it the weather? Voodoo? Copious amounts of a certain energy drink with suspect origins and dubious medicinal value?
Sometimes the simplest minds hit upon the most elusive truths and last night's MLS Primetime Thursday telecast featured the following exchange (paraphrasing because we're too lazy to check the DVR, but we swear to Pele Almighty it was along these lines, and we DID NOT get anyone liquored up before misquoting him):
Eric Wynalda: "Look how deep Claudio is playing. The Red Bulls paid Designated Player money to get this guy and look how far back in the field he's setting up. It's like he's a defender, not a part of the offense."
Tommy Smyth: "Oi teenk dat's dee pwoint. Ee's back dair 'elpin' and dey 'aven't been scored on in TREE GAMES!"
Sure and Begorrah, we teenk Tommy may be onto something. Bruce Arena has the Red Bull defending as unit, with not only the goalkeeper and Back Four tasked with keeping the ball out of the net, but Reyna, Stammler, Kovalenko, Van den Bergh, Richards and Altidore -- all of them -- responsible for 1) pressuring the ball and 2) maintaining the defensive shape as a T-E-A-M. And so far, the results have been astounding, as Dunivant and Freeman continued to stifle any attacks from the flanks while Mendes and Parke (with a few exceptions more attributable to positive play by Carlos Ruiz, Kenny Cooper and Ramon Nunez than any glaring errors on their part) kept the middle of the pitch relatively traffic-free.
Wynalda was indeed correct -- c'mon haters, he ain't all bad (YouTube) -- Claudio was playing way, way deep, contradicting pregame prognostications he would move to the top of the midfield diamond in place of the red-card suspended Clint Mathis. If anything, it was Dema who spearheaded the attack up the middle, while the Red Bull concentrated most of their offensive forays through Van den Bergh and Richards on the wings, before whipping in crosses to Jozy. Given Arena's stubborn nature and terrific early results, this is the system the Red Bull will be playing, with minor adjustments along the way due to player availability (Angel's eventual inclusion, the return of The Cletus).
Quick hits on the match:
The Night of the Hunter: Congrats to Hunter Freeman, who returned to his old stompin' grounds and promptly stomped fellow Lone Star-Stater Kenny Cooper by scoring the lone goal of the match. It's always fun when the local kid shines in front of family and friends, especially when it's one of the good guys.
Punch-Drunk Love: Despite being too young to legally drink, 17-year-old Jozy Altidore is indeed the object of many obsessions, namely, every fullback in Major League Soccer wants to punch him, kick him, pull him and trip him. To his credit, Jozy took it like a man, and despite not scoring, did a good job as the target player up front.
Rumble Fish: This is in no way a call to violence, but rather a rhetorical, metaphorical expression of frustration: Someone needs to smack Carlos Ruiz. "El Pescadito" spent more time flapping around on the deck than the extras from The Perfect Storm. Enough. Play soccer and stop trying to bait the Ref. Sheesh.
Little Caesar: After missing one game due to injury and largely playing a supporting role in last week's victory over Houston, Claudio Reyna reasserted himself in Dallas, vociferously demanding the ball in space and castigating teammates he deemed not up to snuff. The glare he gave Van den Bergh after the Big Dutchman didn't properly (in Claudio's view) run onto a pass, was exceeded only by the dismissive head-shake employed after a heavy through-ball (again, in Claudio's view) missed the RBNY captain.
Broadcast News: MLS Primetime Thursday's coverage was pretty good, including Wynalda's personalizing Reyna's performance and demeanor. On the aforementioned through-ball which failed to hit Claudio in stride, Wynalda added (again paraphrasing, lazy not yellow journalism): "Oh, man, I remember learning that lesson. If it isn't right to Claudio you'll hear it." Commentary and analysis of American soccer broadcasts is overly critical in our view, but one pet peeve of ours is apparently becoming a key component of the ESPN offering, so we can bite our tongue (or stifle our keyboard, whatever) no longer. This tracking of the variable heights and speeds of crosses is asinine. Wynalda slammed one cross via the snazzy graphic element because, "that one could've come down with snow on it" or some such snarky slam. Check out the comparatively high and slow cross from Zidane to Henry (YouTube) which booked France into the 2006 World Cup Final. It's not how high or how fast a cross gets there, it's that it arrives at the same time as your teammate, and in the right spot.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
MLS Week Three: In Their Own Words
Patterns are emerging in Major League Soccer's 2007 Season. For instance, the Red Bull is good, and Real Salt Lake and Toronto are ... um ... NOT. Juan Pablo Angel and 15 Argentines have signed with MLS but Zinedine Zidane -- much like Generalissimo Francisco Franco still being dead -- is still not coming. Enough of all that, let's look at Week Three of the MLS Season through the eyes -- and words -- of the players and coaches themselves.
Red Bull 1, Dynamo 0 -- "Besides my brother, nobody else has beat me like that," Red Bull wunderkind Jozy Altidore after Eddie Robinson, Wade Barrett and Ryan Cochrane employed a Wedgies, Arm-Burns and Purple-Nurples strategy instead of the more conventional positioning, tackling and defending plan on Saturday night.
Revolution 2, Columbus Crew 2 -- "If you were sitting where I was sitting, it was absolute torture to watch, from the first minute to the last minute," Revs Coach Steve Nicol doing his bit to pump up ticket sales.
Chicago Fire 2, KC Wizards 1 -- "We're undefeated. You haven't seen our best soccer yet. The next three games will be hard games. Two out of three are on an artificial surface. They'll be tough. But we don't fear the road," Fire Coach Dave Sarachan gets all Blue Oyster Cult Meets FDR after nipping the Wiz.
Chivas USA 4, Real Salt Lake 0 -- "Obviously we did not show up today and we got taken advantage of right from the beginning, 30 seconds into the game they scored a goal and that was it," Freddy Adu coming to grips with his decision to leave a winning club so he could get more minutes with a crap expansion team.
FC Dallas 3, Rapids 1 -- "I told Steve [Morrow, Dallas Coach] that I was ready to go. Thank God I was able to prove it on the field because I would have been in trouble," Ramon Nunez after spending much of the week in his native Honduras completing his U.S. residency paperwork.
BONUS QUOTE FROM GAME ONE OF MLS WEEK FOUR
KC Wizards 3, Toronto FC 0 -- "Well, we are building, and building slow," TFC Coach Mo Johnston blaming the Teamsters for his train-wreck of a squad.
Red Bull 1, Dynamo 0 -- "Besides my brother, nobody else has beat me like that," Red Bull wunderkind Jozy Altidore after Eddie Robinson, Wade Barrett and Ryan Cochrane employed a Wedgies, Arm-Burns and Purple-Nurples strategy instead of the more conventional positioning, tackling and defending plan on Saturday night.
Revolution 2, Columbus Crew 2 -- "If you were sitting where I was sitting, it was absolute torture to watch, from the first minute to the last minute," Revs Coach Steve Nicol doing his bit to pump up ticket sales.
Chicago Fire 2, KC Wizards 1 -- "We're undefeated. You haven't seen our best soccer yet. The next three games will be hard games. Two out of three are on an artificial surface. They'll be tough. But we don't fear the road," Fire Coach Dave Sarachan gets all Blue Oyster Cult Meets FDR after nipping the Wiz.
Chivas USA 4, Real Salt Lake 0 -- "Obviously we did not show up today and we got taken advantage of right from the beginning, 30 seconds into the game they scored a goal and that was it," Freddy Adu coming to grips with his decision to leave a winning club so he could get more minutes with a crap expansion team.
FC Dallas 3, Rapids 1 -- "I told Steve [Morrow, Dallas Coach] that I was ready to go. Thank God I was able to prove it on the field because I would have been in trouble," Ramon Nunez after spending much of the week in his native Honduras completing his U.S. residency paperwork.
BONUS QUOTE FROM GAME ONE OF MLS WEEK FOUR
KC Wizards 3, Toronto FC 0 -- "Well, we are building, and building slow," TFC Coach Mo Johnston blaming the Teamsters for his train-wreck of a squad.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Zebras, Dynamo Can't Stop First-Place Red Bull
It was clear in the first few minutes of Saturday night's Red Bull-Dynamo showdown at the Meadowlands that Houston wasn't capable, willing or even interested in matching their hosts within the parameters of the Rules of the Game. Before we finished our first warm, watered-down beer, speedy winger Dane Richards was literally grabbed by the waist -- with both hands -- and thrown to the turf not once, but twice, by Dynamo defenders unable to dispossess the pacey Jamaican by conventional means. (We'll get to the Jozy Altidore situation later). Luckily for Houston, however, the myopic Referee thought this was perfectly OK, setting up the defining confrontation of the evening: Could the Red Bull keep their cool, stick to their gameplan and overcome both the officiating and the defending Major League Soccer champions? Answer: Yes!
It wasn't easy, though, as Dwayne DeRosario was inexplicably allowed to remain on the pitch after openly, blatantly, unquestionably, indisputably, purposefully handling the ball in the box in order to prevent a Red Bull goal. Clint Mathis' subsequent PK miss was a bit jarring, but more shocking, to the crowd and Red Bull players and staff, was DeRosario's continued participation in the game, despite his transgression. Making matters worse, the aforementioned Cletus was then harshly given a straight red for admittedly a foul, but in no circumstances worthy of a sending-off.
Down to 10-men against the defending champs, the Red Bull responded with the kind of grind-it-out and grab-the-three-points 1-nil home victory of which championships are made. We know...we know...it's way early, but the fact remains: Wins like this build confidence and character, two things that've been as scarce in the Land of the MetroStars-Red Bull as nice weather.
Quick hits on the match:
Catch Me If You Can: Jozy Altidore's combination of strength and skill is something to behold. With Eddie Robinson (a big boy with a nasty streak to boot) and Ryan Cochrane tag-teaming him, it got ugly fast. To his credit, Altidore kept battling and finally got the breakthrough via a terrific Hunter Freeman feed, but there were times Jozy took to the ground a little easily. The kid's only 17, and still learning, but when he figures out how to battle this rough treatment, without resorting to histrionics (a la the lamentable display of DeRosario, who cried to the Dynamo 12th Man ... er ... sorry ... Ref ... every time he lost the ball) he will be one of the most feared strikers in the league. Sadly, here's a prediction: Catch him now while you can, folks. This will be Jozy's last year with the Red Bull and MLS. A player with this much upside and youth is heading abroad for Big Money.
Undercover Brother: In case you hadn't noticed, RBNY captain Claudio Reyna returned to action after a one-game injury absence, but his subdued, understated performance (think Bill Murray in Lost in Translation) suggests he was not 100-percent. On the plus side, Reyna was out there, tracking DeRosario much of the evening, except for one or two occasions where the Dynamo talisman's superior speed left the erstwhile Captain America in the dust. Playing through injuries is a requirement of leadership and Claudio stepped up on Saturday night. Here's hoping he's better in Dallas.
Benchwarmers: John Wolyniec and Seth Stammler were stellar off the bench for the tiring Red Bull in the second half. With Altidore mercifully summoned to the sidelines after sustaining no less than 10 Robinson-directed muggings, Woly provided the perfect change-of-pace, chasing down loose Dynamo passes, setting up in good positions and generally keeping Houston's backline honest. Stammler came on and promptly blew up two successive Dynamo counterattacts, and despite not entering the game until the 54th-minute, he kicked every single Houston player (barring sheltered goalkeeper Pat Onstad) at least once. Great stuff. Joe Vide came on real late, but with too little time to get a fair reading.
The Thin Red Line: Three games, three clean sheets. The Red Bull backline and keeper Ronald Waterreus are stingier than Paulie Walnuts at the Best Western breakfast buffet. Freeman and Todd Dunivant allowed nothing ... zero ... zilch ... down the flanks, while Jeff Parke and Carlos Mendes were solid in the middle (full disclosure: we'd pencil in Stammler as a starter if it were our call.) Waterreus also displayed his much-heralded distribution skills, pumping balls up to Tall Drink of Water Dave Van den Bergh with accuracy and spraying the ball around to Richards and Altidore when Houston's Kelly Gray started man-marking the big Dutchman.
Ride With the Devil: Dema Kovalenko was demon on the night. The hard-charging 18-to-18 effort by the 29-year-old Ukrainian didn't directly contribute to the match-winning goal, but his indefatigable performance in the middle of the pitch was surely a key -- if not the key -- factor in the victory. Dema may not be racking up Fantasy Points, but he's shaping up as the most indispensable Red Bull of 2007.
Little Men Tate: Eight-year-old expert Leo (an EPL fanatic thanks to Fox Soccer Channel) summed up the Dynamo: "They're Bolton. They kick you and pull your shirt and throw you on the ground, and then when you take the ball off them, they dive (YouTube) and start crying to the ref. They're Bolton." Thank you, Leo, and now over to six-year-old expert, Deco, who questioned the officiating: "Why does the Ref hate the Red Bulls?" I don't know, Deco, I don't know.
It wasn't easy, though, as Dwayne DeRosario was inexplicably allowed to remain on the pitch after openly, blatantly, unquestionably, indisputably, purposefully handling the ball in the box in order to prevent a Red Bull goal. Clint Mathis' subsequent PK miss was a bit jarring, but more shocking, to the crowd and Red Bull players and staff, was DeRosario's continued participation in the game, despite his transgression. Making matters worse, the aforementioned Cletus was then harshly given a straight red for admittedly a foul, but in no circumstances worthy of a sending-off.
Down to 10-men against the defending champs, the Red Bull responded with the kind of grind-it-out and grab-the-three-points 1-nil home victory of which championships are made. We know...we know...it's way early, but the fact remains: Wins like this build confidence and character, two things that've been as scarce in the Land of the MetroStars-Red Bull as nice weather.
Quick hits on the match:
Catch Me If You Can: Jozy Altidore's combination of strength and skill is something to behold. With Eddie Robinson (a big boy with a nasty streak to boot) and Ryan Cochrane tag-teaming him, it got ugly fast. To his credit, Altidore kept battling and finally got the breakthrough via a terrific Hunter Freeman feed, but there were times Jozy took to the ground a little easily. The kid's only 17, and still learning, but when he figures out how to battle this rough treatment, without resorting to histrionics (a la the lamentable display of DeRosario, who cried to the Dynamo 12th Man ... er ... sorry ... Ref ... every time he lost the ball) he will be one of the most feared strikers in the league. Sadly, here's a prediction: Catch him now while you can, folks. This will be Jozy's last year with the Red Bull and MLS. A player with this much upside and youth is heading abroad for Big Money.
Undercover Brother: In case you hadn't noticed, RBNY captain Claudio Reyna returned to action after a one-game injury absence, but his subdued, understated performance (think Bill Murray in Lost in Translation) suggests he was not 100-percent. On the plus side, Reyna was out there, tracking DeRosario much of the evening, except for one or two occasions where the Dynamo talisman's superior speed left the erstwhile Captain America in the dust. Playing through injuries is a requirement of leadership and Claudio stepped up on Saturday night. Here's hoping he's better in Dallas.
Benchwarmers: John Wolyniec and Seth Stammler were stellar off the bench for the tiring Red Bull in the second half. With Altidore mercifully summoned to the sidelines after sustaining no less than 10 Robinson-directed muggings, Woly provided the perfect change-of-pace, chasing down loose Dynamo passes, setting up in good positions and generally keeping Houston's backline honest. Stammler came on and promptly blew up two successive Dynamo counterattacts, and despite not entering the game until the 54th-minute, he kicked every single Houston player (barring sheltered goalkeeper Pat Onstad) at least once. Great stuff. Joe Vide came on real late, but with too little time to get a fair reading.
The Thin Red Line: Three games, three clean sheets. The Red Bull backline and keeper Ronald Waterreus are stingier than Paulie Walnuts at the Best Western breakfast buffet. Freeman and Todd Dunivant allowed nothing ... zero ... zilch ... down the flanks, while Jeff Parke and Carlos Mendes were solid in the middle (full disclosure: we'd pencil in Stammler as a starter if it were our call.) Waterreus also displayed his much-heralded distribution skills, pumping balls up to Tall Drink of Water Dave Van den Bergh with accuracy and spraying the ball around to Richards and Altidore when Houston's Kelly Gray started man-marking the big Dutchman.
Ride With the Devil: Dema Kovalenko was demon on the night. The hard-charging 18-to-18 effort by the 29-year-old Ukrainian didn't directly contribute to the match-winning goal, but his indefatigable performance in the middle of the pitch was surely a key -- if not the key -- factor in the victory. Dema may not be racking up Fantasy Points, but he's shaping up as the most indispensable Red Bull of 2007.
Little Men Tate: Eight-year-old expert Leo (an EPL fanatic thanks to Fox Soccer Channel) summed up the Dynamo: "They're Bolton. They kick you and pull your shirt and throw you on the ground, and then when you take the ball off them, they dive (YouTube) and start crying to the ref. They're Bolton." Thank you, Leo, and now over to six-year-old expert, Deco, who questioned the officiating: "Why does the Ref hate the Red Bulls?" I don't know, Deco, I don't know.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Angel Joins Red Bull, Now What?
For starters, the Red Bull needed to make room for the classy Colombian striker on the roster and Marvell Wynne was the odd man out, reuniting with Mo Johnston and struggling (on the field, that is, ticket sales are reportedly brisk) expansion squad Toronto FC.
Why Wynne? Let us count the reasons:
1) Ability: The No. 1 pick of the 2006 MLS Draft, Wynne is mad fast and extremely athletic. But as his dismal display in the season-opener at Columbus demonstrated, he has not progressed to the point where he can contribute to a team seriously considering a run at the MLS Cup. He simply couldn't keep attackers in front of him, and the Red Bull were lucky the Crew didn't score on any of the three times Wynne was totally undressed. Wynne may indeed put it all together, a la Kerry Zavagnin who blossomed after leaving MetroStars-Red Bull, but the time is now for Arena, Marc de Grandpre and Dieter Mateschitz. Let Mo develop Wynne. The Red Bull need wins now.
2) Team Spirit: Nothing fractures a locker room like a guy getting minutes based on reputation, draft status or marketing considerations instead of his on-the-field performance. Arena has already taken a few shots at his predecessor, "We played and looked like a pub team," why not buttress the point by sending a popular, high draft-pick of the former regime packing after a crap game? Ruthless competition for playing time and roster spots is a hallmark of championship teams.
3) Money: Wynne reportedly made $150,000 last year, a pretty big nut, comparatively, for a guy who couldn't keep Joseph Ngwenya from traipsing into the Red Bull box with impunity.
Whattabout the Lineup?
OK, with the short-term roster change prompted by the Angel acquisition complete, another situation which needs to be addressed is the starting lineup itself. Soccer By Ives has an interesting interactive exercise along these lines, and the thinking here is as follows:
1) Stay Calm: Lineups almost always work themselves out, so there's no need for hand-wringing at this point. True there are seven guys (Reyna, Kovalenko, Richards, Van den Bergh, Mathis, Altidore and Angel) and only six midfield-forward slots, with Markus Schopp and Mike Magee convalescing in the background. So what? Angel hasn't got his visa yet and Claudio's thigh is purpler than Prince's nurple. Why borrow trouble?
2) Depth: Should Angel and Claudio be available quickly (April 26 at Dallas, or May 5 at Utah?) it's all good. Depending on injuries, current form and tactical adjustments tailored to opponents, Arena will probably start a formation featuring Reyna, Dema, Van den Bergh, Mathis, Altidore and Angel, with Richards as a terrific Plan B and motivation for the Dutchman, the Cletus and the Kid (Jozy) to keep producing or find a seat on the bench.
3) Chemistry: Angel makes the players around him better by holding the ball up and unselfishly dishing to the open man. Mathis, as witnessed by Sunday's match, has similar passing qualities. Reyna has always been a great distributor of the ball. Altidore is a budding star (YouTube) in the classic striker mode and Richards is one of the fastest players in the league. Dema tackles and releases with uncommon quickness, while Van den Bergh, at least initially, seems committed to keeping the ball moving into open spaces. On paper, an impressive mix of talents, but the undefinable alchemy necessary for winning team chemistry can't be forced, or rushed.
More Angel-Related Links
Big Apple Soccer: Player reaction | Free transfer, big salary
Official Red Bull site: Angel quotes
Why Wynne? Let us count the reasons:
1) Ability: The No. 1 pick of the 2006 MLS Draft, Wynne is mad fast and extremely athletic. But as his dismal display in the season-opener at Columbus demonstrated, he has not progressed to the point where he can contribute to a team seriously considering a run at the MLS Cup. He simply couldn't keep attackers in front of him, and the Red Bull were lucky the Crew didn't score on any of the three times Wynne was totally undressed. Wynne may indeed put it all together, a la Kerry Zavagnin who blossomed after leaving MetroStars-Red Bull, but the time is now for Arena, Marc de Grandpre and Dieter Mateschitz. Let Mo develop Wynne. The Red Bull need wins now.
2) Team Spirit: Nothing fractures a locker room like a guy getting minutes based on reputation, draft status or marketing considerations instead of his on-the-field performance. Arena has already taken a few shots at his predecessor, "We played and looked like a pub team," why not buttress the point by sending a popular, high draft-pick of the former regime packing after a crap game? Ruthless competition for playing time and roster spots is a hallmark of championship teams.
3) Money: Wynne reportedly made $150,000 last year, a pretty big nut, comparatively, for a guy who couldn't keep Joseph Ngwenya from traipsing into the Red Bull box with impunity.
Whattabout the Lineup?
OK, with the short-term roster change prompted by the Angel acquisition complete, another situation which needs to be addressed is the starting lineup itself. Soccer By Ives has an interesting interactive exercise along these lines, and the thinking here is as follows:
1) Stay Calm: Lineups almost always work themselves out, so there's no need for hand-wringing at this point. True there are seven guys (Reyna, Kovalenko, Richards, Van den Bergh, Mathis, Altidore and Angel) and only six midfield-forward slots, with Markus Schopp and Mike Magee convalescing in the background. So what? Angel hasn't got his visa yet and Claudio's thigh is purpler than Prince's nurple. Why borrow trouble?
2) Depth: Should Angel and Claudio be available quickly (April 26 at Dallas, or May 5 at Utah?) it's all good. Depending on injuries, current form and tactical adjustments tailored to opponents, Arena will probably start a formation featuring Reyna, Dema, Van den Bergh, Mathis, Altidore and Angel, with Richards as a terrific Plan B and motivation for the Dutchman, the Cletus and the Kid (Jozy) to keep producing or find a seat on the bench.
3) Chemistry: Angel makes the players around him better by holding the ball up and unselfishly dishing to the open man. Mathis, as witnessed by Sunday's match, has similar passing qualities. Reyna has always been a great distributor of the ball. Altidore is a budding star (YouTube) in the classic striker mode and Richards is one of the fastest players in the league. Dema tackles and releases with uncommon quickness, while Van den Bergh, at least initially, seems committed to keeping the ball moving into open spaces. On paper, an impressive mix of talents, but the undefinable alchemy necessary for winning team chemistry can't be forced, or rushed.
More Angel-Related Links
Big Apple Soccer: Player reaction | Free transfer, big salary
Official Red Bull site: Angel quotes
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
It's Official: Red Bull Land Juan Pablo Angel
UPDATE BELOW: Toronto FC, Mo Grab Marvell Wynne
Done deal. Juan Pablo Angel has signed with the Red Bull of Major League Soccer. We've already explained why we think this signing is fantastic, but listen to Angel, Bruce Arena and Jeff Agoos:
"I am delighted to be joining the New York Red Bulls," said Angel, age 31, who scored 62 goals in his six-year stint with Aston Villa and 45 goals for legendary Argentine club River Plate . "I cannot wait to start this new exciting challenge. I believe Major League Soccer is growing fast and I am very keen to be part of this."
"I am thrilled about acquiring Juan Pablo for the New York Red Bulls," said Arena, basking in the glow the blockbuster signing, especially when considering some of the lesser names bandied about the past few weeks. "It is no secret that we have been searching for a striker since the end of the 2006 season, and Juan Pablo has been at the top of my list since Day One."
"Juan Pablo has both the physical attributes and the intellect of a world class striker that will certainly help us become a better team," said Jeff Agoos, the oft-criticized, but ultimately successful point-man in the Red Bull Striker Hunt Sweepstakes. "He is a natural leader up front with the ability to finish plays off, which is something we have been looking for since the end of last season. We are extremely excited to bring a player of his caliber to the New York Red Bulls."
So there you have it. We'll post links below as they pop-up on the internet tubes (YouTube), especially those which try and ferret out the actual particulars of the deal (ie, when is Angel coming? how much did he cost? how long will he be staying? etc. etc). But for now the speculation is over and a squad featuring the versatile attacking talents of Claudio Reyna, Clint Mathis, Jozy Altidore, and now, Juan Pablo Angel, will soon be unleashed on MLS.
UPDATE: Soccer By Ives is reporting Marvell Wynne has been dealt to Mo Johnston and Toronto FC, as Bruce Arena continues to put his personal stamp on the Red Bull franchise.
Juan Pablo Angel to Red Bull of MLS Links Below:
Big Apple Soccer: Angel | Five Questions | Arena
Soccer By Ives: Nice new haircut | Who should start?
YouTube: Juan Pablo Angel Uploaded
Football.co.uk: Angel Exits Aston Villa
Soccernet: Martin O'Neill and Aston Villa
Major League Soccer's article | Official Red Bull release
Red Bull Rising: Why Angel Rumor Makes Sense | Deal Imminent
Done deal. Juan Pablo Angel has signed with the Red Bull of Major League Soccer. We've already explained why we think this signing is fantastic, but listen to Angel, Bruce Arena and Jeff Agoos:
"I am delighted to be joining the New York Red Bulls," said Angel, age 31, who scored 62 goals in his six-year stint with Aston Villa and 45 goals for legendary Argentine club River Plate . "I cannot wait to start this new exciting challenge. I believe Major League Soccer is growing fast and I am very keen to be part of this."
"I am thrilled about acquiring Juan Pablo for the New York Red Bulls," said Arena, basking in the glow the blockbuster signing, especially when considering some of the lesser names bandied about the past few weeks. "It is no secret that we have been searching for a striker since the end of the 2006 season, and Juan Pablo has been at the top of my list since Day One."
"Juan Pablo has both the physical attributes and the intellect of a world class striker that will certainly help us become a better team," said Jeff Agoos, the oft-criticized, but ultimately successful point-man in the Red Bull Striker Hunt Sweepstakes. "He is a natural leader up front with the ability to finish plays off, which is something we have been looking for since the end of last season. We are extremely excited to bring a player of his caliber to the New York Red Bulls."
So there you have it. We'll post links below as they pop-up on the internet tubes (YouTube), especially those which try and ferret out the actual particulars of the deal (ie, when is Angel coming? how much did he cost? how long will he be staying? etc. etc). But for now the speculation is over and a squad featuring the versatile attacking talents of Claudio Reyna, Clint Mathis, Jozy Altidore, and now, Juan Pablo Angel, will soon be unleashed on MLS.
UPDATE: Soccer By Ives is reporting Marvell Wynne has been dealt to Mo Johnston and Toronto FC, as Bruce Arena continues to put his personal stamp on the Red Bull franchise.
Juan Pablo Angel to Red Bull of MLS Links Below:
Big Apple Soccer: Angel | Five Questions | Arena
Soccer By Ives: Nice new haircut | Who should start?
YouTube: Juan Pablo Angel Uploaded
Football.co.uk: Angel Exits Aston Villa
Soccernet: Martin O'Neill and Aston Villa
Major League Soccer's article | Official Red Bull release
Red Bull Rising: Why Angel Rumor Makes Sense | Deal Imminent
Tuesday Morning Odds and Sods, Volume 9
It's a happy day in the Land of the Red Bull, as the Sports Gods have answered our prayers for an experienced, efficient striker with a Colombian Angel. In this spirit of celebration, our regularly scheduled Tuesday Morning Odds and Sods features the positive, wonderful side of The Beautiful Game.
Red Bull 3, FC Dallas 0 -- "Clint's a great player, so it's easy to play off of him. He has a great nose for the game and whenever he's around, you feel you can always put that one-touch ball to him and spin off," said teenage striker Jozy Altidore, who will be getting more one-touch passes than he can handle once Angel arrives and Reyna gets healthy.
FC Dallas 2, LA Galaxy 1 -- "We scored two great goals in the first half. In the second half we knew it would be a matter of standing up and staying calm against a forceful Galaxy attack and we did. Hats off to the defense for the way they stood up to it," said FC Dallas keeper Shaka Hislop, who probably kept his hat on after the Red Bull loss.
Columbus Crew 0, Real Salt Lake 0 -- "Freddy [Adu] played well. He was stuck playing a very good defender in Frankie Hejduk; the guy has played in two or three World Cups," said RSL Head Coach John Ellinger after his squad posted a second straight point off a draw.
KC Wizards 4, DC United 2 -- "Eddie [Johnson] and Scott [Sealy] were dangerous tonight. And I think we need to win every game we play because we're playing better than pretty much any team in the league," said Wizards captain Jimmy Conrad, challenging every other club in the league to try and beat the juggernaut from Kansas City.
NE Revolution 4, Toronto FC 0 -- Obviously (on the) the second [goal], it’s Rally (Ralston) and I doing what we do best, and Stevie (Ralston) played a dime. All I had to do was put it on goal … All 11 guys today were on the same page, and it showed," said Revolution striker Taylor Twellman, presumably keeping a straight face while referring to teammate Steve Ralston as "Rally."
Houston Dynamo 1, Chivas USA 0 -- "Brad Davis dropped in a good ball, and I was in the right place at the right time and headed it in. Brad serves in a good ball, and I was just trying to get free from my man and was able to put it in the back of the net," said Dynamo striker Brian Ching, describing (what else?) another headball goal.
Chicago Fire 1, Colorado Rapids 1 -- "We stuck to our plan, even after the red card, playing tight and compact. We wanted to choose our moments, maybe nick one and hold them and I think we did just that. It's unfortunate that (Chicago) scored that goal, but it's soccer and I think it shows our character coming back and playing a man down again a team like Chicago," said Rapids playmaker Herculez Gomez, after 10-man Colorado held Chicago to a draw.
Red Bull 3, FC Dallas 0 -- "Clint's a great player, so it's easy to play off of him. He has a great nose for the game and whenever he's around, you feel you can always put that one-touch ball to him and spin off," said teenage striker Jozy Altidore, who will be getting more one-touch passes than he can handle once Angel arrives and Reyna gets healthy.
FC Dallas 2, LA Galaxy 1 -- "We scored two great goals in the first half. In the second half we knew it would be a matter of standing up and staying calm against a forceful Galaxy attack and we did. Hats off to the defense for the way they stood up to it," said FC Dallas keeper Shaka Hislop, who probably kept his hat on after the Red Bull loss.
Columbus Crew 0, Real Salt Lake 0 -- "Freddy [Adu] played well. He was stuck playing a very good defender in Frankie Hejduk; the guy has played in two or three World Cups," said RSL Head Coach John Ellinger after his squad posted a second straight point off a draw.
KC Wizards 4, DC United 2 -- "Eddie [Johnson] and Scott [Sealy] were dangerous tonight. And I think we need to win every game we play because we're playing better than pretty much any team in the league," said Wizards captain Jimmy Conrad, challenging every other club in the league to try and beat the juggernaut from Kansas City.
NE Revolution 4, Toronto FC 0 -- Obviously (on the) the second [goal], it’s Rally (Ralston) and I doing what we do best, and Stevie (Ralston) played a dime. All I had to do was put it on goal … All 11 guys today were on the same page, and it showed," said Revolution striker Taylor Twellman, presumably keeping a straight face while referring to teammate Steve Ralston as "Rally."
Houston Dynamo 1, Chivas USA 0 -- "Brad Davis dropped in a good ball, and I was in the right place at the right time and headed it in. Brad serves in a good ball, and I was just trying to get free from my man and was able to put it in the back of the net," said Dynamo striker Brian Ching, describing (what else?) another headball goal.
Chicago Fire 1, Colorado Rapids 1 -- "We stuck to our plan, even after the red card, playing tight and compact. We wanted to choose our moments, maybe nick one and hold them and I think we did just that. It's unfortunate that (Chicago) scored that goal, but it's soccer and I think it shows our character coming back and playing a man down again a team like Chicago," said Rapids playmaker Herculez Gomez, after 10-man Colorado held Chicago to a draw.
Report: Angel to Red Bull Announcement Imminent
The Red Bull are on a roll, ladies and gentlemen, as fresh on the heels of a terrific home-opening victory on Sunday, the club is about to sign Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel (YouTube).
The Official Red Bull website currently refers to the acquisition of an unnamed player at 11 am ET, but Big Apple Soccer is once again all over the story with a published report confirming it is indeed Angel, the tricky, intelligent, potent forward from Aston Villa of the English Premier League. Villa boss Martin O'Neill chipped in with his blessing this morning, so it appears the Red Bull have made a giant leap toward challenging for an MLS championship this season. Yes, folks, Angel is that good. Stay tuned for official confirmation and links.
The Official Red Bull website currently refers to the acquisition of an unnamed player at 11 am ET, but Big Apple Soccer is once again all over the story with a published report confirming it is indeed Angel, the tricky, intelligent, potent forward from Aston Villa of the English Premier League. Villa boss Martin O'Neill chipped in with his blessing this morning, so it appears the Red Bull have made a giant leap toward challenging for an MLS championship this season. Yes, folks, Angel is that good. Stay tuned for official confirmation and links.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Perfect Storm: S.S. Red Bull Sinks FC Dallas
A funny thing happened on the way to another bad week for the Red Bull -- Clint Mathis and Bruce Arena, two people with about as much in common as Don Imus and Vivian Stringer, got together and said "No Way!" Mathis, called into emergency playmaking action because of the absence of injured captain Claudio Reyna, delivered an alltime clutch performance. And Arena, faced with the prospect of an empty stadium, horrible weather and irritable fan base, devised a lineup and gameplan which couldn't have worked any better.
Inspired by Bruce and The Cletus, the Red Bull recorded a thorough, dominant 3-nil victory over FC Dallas at rain-soaked Giants Stadium on Sunday, and perhaps set a new standard for this renamed, new-fangled, star-crossed franchise.
On offense, Mathis was a revelation in "the hole," that mystical place between the midfielders and forwards where unconventional, fluid, creative players go to work their magic. Jozy Altidore, the lone striker with John Wolyniec mercifully benched, flourished up top, deftly converting a nifty Mathis corner for the first Red Bull goal. Newbie Dane Richards jetted up and down the right flank with verve and purpose, assisting Mathis on the second Red Bull tally, and Dave Van den Bergh was rewarded for his hard work on the left with an injury-time score to complete the rout.
The Mathis-for-Wolyniec move will understandably get more attention, but the inclusion of Hunter Freeman at the expense of Marvell Wynne was a master stroke by Arena. Freeman's steady positioning on the right allowed Richards the freedom to do his thing on the wing, and the rookie improved greatly on his Columbus performance, causing Dallas all kinds of problems throughout the game. An added benefit of the Wynne benching is the signal it sends to the squad: Play as bad as Marvell did last week and you will sit. Period.
Defensively, Carlos Mendes joined Jeff Parke at center fullback, with Seth Stammler in the defensive midfield role and Dema Kovalenko slotting into the Claudio spot. All four did fine work shutting down the Dallas Big Two -- Carlos Ruiz and Kenny Cooper -- while Todd Dunivant and the aforementioned Freeman were stellar on the flanks.
For Dallas, there's not much to say. Granted, they just flew in from LA on Friday, but Ruiz and Cooper had very few touches and the team as a whole seemed overwhelmed by the horrible conditions and didn't come close to matching the Red Bull intensity.
Inspired by Bruce and The Cletus, the Red Bull recorded a thorough, dominant 3-nil victory over FC Dallas at rain-soaked Giants Stadium on Sunday, and perhaps set a new standard for this renamed, new-fangled, star-crossed franchise.
On offense, Mathis was a revelation in "the hole," that mystical place between the midfielders and forwards where unconventional, fluid, creative players go to work their magic. Jozy Altidore, the lone striker with John Wolyniec mercifully benched, flourished up top, deftly converting a nifty Mathis corner for the first Red Bull goal. Newbie Dane Richards jetted up and down the right flank with verve and purpose, assisting Mathis on the second Red Bull tally, and Dave Van den Bergh was rewarded for his hard work on the left with an injury-time score to complete the rout.
The Mathis-for-Wolyniec move will understandably get more attention, but the inclusion of Hunter Freeman at the expense of Marvell Wynne was a master stroke by Arena. Freeman's steady positioning on the right allowed Richards the freedom to do his thing on the wing, and the rookie improved greatly on his Columbus performance, causing Dallas all kinds of problems throughout the game. An added benefit of the Wynne benching is the signal it sends to the squad: Play as bad as Marvell did last week and you will sit. Period.
Defensively, Carlos Mendes joined Jeff Parke at center fullback, with Seth Stammler in the defensive midfield role and Dema Kovalenko slotting into the Claudio spot. All four did fine work shutting down the Dallas Big Two -- Carlos Ruiz and Kenny Cooper -- while Todd Dunivant and the aforementioned Freeman were stellar on the flanks.
For Dallas, there's not much to say. Granted, they just flew in from LA on Friday, but Ruiz and Cooper had very few touches and the team as a whole seemed overwhelmed by the horrible conditions and didn't come close to matching the Red Bull intensity.
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