The New York Red Bulls, coming off a 2-2 draw with SJ, are looking to explode early against Atlantic Cup rival DC United. In three of New York’s six matches, they have scored within the first five minutes of play winning 2 and drawing the third. In the three games they have not scored early, New York was only able to get a result against the expansion side Montreal Impact, a 5-2 win. However, with holes in their defensive third due to injury and suspension, defense is in question for the Red Bulls.
New York heads down to DC knowing they would be without defender Wilman Conde and midfielder Teemu Tainio but were not expecting other starters to join them. Mexican captain and Red Bulls DP midfielder Rafa Marquez has been the main talking point all over MLS this week. During the game against San Jose, Marquez bear hugged Earthquake Shea Salinas to the ground and kicked the player as he was rolling off him. Salinas is out at least two months while Marquez will miss the DC, New England, and LA games. Toward the end of the 2011 campaign, New York played well without Marquez on the field, better than they did with him on. This was only the case when Tainio was healthy though and Rafa has looked a player trying to make amends for a horrendous 2011. Losing Rafa for a few games would not have been a big deal if Tainio and Conde were healthy. The three of them are able to calm things down for the backline, and provide service lane from the backline to the attacking portion of the midfield.
New York will also be without fullback Roy Miller for at least the DC game. Rookie and homegrown product Connor Lade will start in Miller’s left back role. Lade came on for Miller against San Jose and was constantly pressured by Wondolowski and Marvin Chavez and held his own. Lade played cautiously, not pressing into the attack too much as he tried to gain his feet. Lade will need to pressure more up the field and get into the attack, especially if Mehdi Ballouchy is on the left wing. Ballouchy likes to tuck in allowing Henry to sweep wide left and combine on plays with Miller. Lade looked a threat during preseason and has continued to impress during training. He has to quickly understand the play of New York’s left-wingers and Henry for the movement going forward to flow smoothly.
The other issue facing Hans Backe after the Marquez suspension is who patrols the center of the field alongside Dax McCarty. A lot of talk this week has surrounded Estonian Joel Lindpere and his possible return to the middle of the park. Lindpere came to New York in 2010 and played in the center of the park for the Red Bulls, earning team MVP honors on the way to winning the Eastern Conference. Backe, however, still sees Lindpere as a winger along with Mehdi Ballouchy. Lindpere told the media he would love to return to the middle one day but would want it to be more of a permanent switch than filling in a gap. However, he’ll play wherever Backe requires him to play. Outside of Lindpere and Dax, young Victor Palsson is the only true center mid option off the bench. I imagine Lindpere and Dax will start in the midfield with Ballouchy and Richards on the flanks.
On the other hand, DC sits third in the Eastern Conference, coming off a tough midweek draw against the Montreal Impact. Put aside the NY-DC rivalry, and there is still much to be excited about in this match. There is the possible rookie of the year battle between New York’s goalkeeper Ryan Meara and DC’s midfielder Nick DeLeon. DeLeon has been a force in the midfield for DC with two goals and three assists. Meara comes into the match with 22 saves on 32 shots and 1.67 goals allowed and is still searching for his first career shutout. The Red Bulls made two blockbuster trades last year, both involving the reigning league MVP, Dwayne De Rosario. The trade was long talked about last year but De Ro definitely had a bone to pick with New York upon DC’s return leg to Red Bull Arena. DeRo scored the lone goal to silent the crowd at Red Bull Arena last year and even though he hasn’t been his MVP self, playing a team that discarded him only three months into a partnership will motivate him. Lastly, DC has a great offensive threat in Maicon Santos, who leads the team with four goals on the season. Against Montreal, he came off the bench to score the goal that drew DC level with Montreal.
Come this Sunday, it will come down to New York being able to outscore their defensive mistakes. On 32 shots on goal, New York has 16 goals while DC is only 8 of 27. Henry knows his team needs to put together complete games to win silverware but that won’t happen this week. A makeshift backline will need to once again be on the shoulders of their French captain and forgotten American striker. If New York is to succeed, Henry and Cooper cannot go a full half with barely any touches of the ball. Against San Jose, Henry and Cooper were practically cut off and that can simply not happen against DC. Henry seemed a bit off and slow against San Jose but I doubt that would be the case in this derby. I believe New York goes into RFK stadium and scores another 3 or 4 goals but unfortunately give up a couple of goals, leaving Meara still searching for his first shutout.
(image courtesy of newyorkredbulls.com)
