New York Red Bulls vs Houston Fr-August 10, 2012 at 8PM/Red Bull Arena [R]

Rematch! Game will be on NBCSN again! Hopefully the Bulls can get their sh*t together for this one.

Dax is back, if Barklage is as well and Cooper starts up top instead of Le Toux I think we have a shot at a result. If we continue to shuffle guys into new positions to make up for the rotating door of injuries... not so much. I'll hazard a guess given that we have no reports from training yet:

--------------Coooper--------
---------Henry----------------
Lindpere--Cahill---Lade-----
-------------Dax---------------
Pearce--Conde-Holg--Bark-
-------Gaud/Meara-----------

At this point, I am OK with this, but if Marquez is healthy, I would start him over Holgerson. That is a big if on Marquez though. If healthy, he works well with a tough defender like Conde next to him. In a short while when Cahill is more fit, I think we should go with a 4-3-3 with Le Toux in there as well. Other than Cahill and McCarty, I am not quite sure who would be that 3rd midfielder.

If Marquez can play like he did against DC at home (and for 90 minutes for a change), then I definitely like him over Holgersson. As for the 4-3-3, Lindpere and Solli should be able to fill in there, but both of their forms this season has been... how to put this politely... disappointing.

Not question about that, and by the way, any body will play better than Holgerslush, but Marquez, if.... if Conde and pearce are in one of they day he is a good acest if he is healty and willing to play.....

But that isn't the case with the RBNY, last year we have one of the best if not the best CAM in MLS, but with the elements around him; he was playing crap, why, Marquez was playing like CM and he want to be the "carburetor" of the team and will not let any body, no even Cahill today or any other player, like he did against de Ro to get that title and name.... Marquez have not place in CB no more, no with Conde and Pearce around and Backe will play him instead of McCarty and that will be the beginning of the end of the 2012 season of the RBNY....

----Henry--Cooper
Lindpere--Cahill--Le Toux
------------Dax
Pearce--Conde--Hulk--Barklage
----------Meara

It's time for Meara to become the starter again. Although Gaudette has been good I think it will be smart to make a change and hope the rest of the backline responds.

Le Toux should play as a RM just like he played against Seattle and Philly

We lost the first game with Dynamo for the MF hodgepodge and if we go again with another mess like that in, we will loose again, so, we have to fix this mess and to do that we have to play our best soldiers in the best position they can play to try to stop the dynamos flat right there before come to our 18 yards, and to do that we have to include Lade, Lindpere and Cooper as starters. period.....

The bet option that I see is to sit Holgerslush and defend with a 3-1-1-3-2 formation, with Lade as a libero and McCarty as a Defense Mid Fielder, I think this line up will work wonders given the mobility and tenacity of Lade and McCarty, but Backe have to assign them a specific real state to each of his players when they have to defend:

Meara/Gudette
Barka......Conde......Pearce
Lade
McCarty
Le Toux......Cahill......Lindpere
Cooper....Henry

This with the only potential change being Solli for Le Toux. Gaudette or Meara doesn't make that much of a difference. We will see how Meara's injury is healing.

Obviously an important game. Probably the biggest of our season so far. Have to get the job done at home like we have been all season long.

Only thing I'd change is Holgersson. Ruthven in for him. I know I will get 110% out of him if he gets a chance to play.

I'd hold off on calling Conde tough given the last game and not being able to play through some injuries. The only thing tough about him is when he is drunk going after a police officer.

Participated in light training at the end of last week, should be back to full training this week. Hopefully he gets enough sessions in full training to come out sharper than guys like Pearce and Tainio did, our fitness level more than anything is what's killing us at the moment.

Meara have a issue with his back, let him get rid of that problem for one and ever before he back to duty....He is a young fellow and can spare the time....

You line up will hobbling if you will insist on playing Holgerslush, I think that will be better if we use Lade as a four defender as LIBERO in front of a line of three defenders Barka, Conde and Pearce and behind McCarty...

Never too late to sign a free agent. Carlos Marchena is now a free agent. Not sure how much it would cost, but I think it would help out our piss poor defense.

Barklage, Marchena, Mr. Glass, Pearce

Great match up this week.. The hottest team inthe league against a team that doesn't loose at home.

Should be a good one.

The hottest plus Clark team. ...??????

Is Ricardo officially back?

Yep, they announced it last week I believe.

The only they say they need is to waive some one or more to make room for his salary.....And that they will be ready from here to wednesday....

Actually they are waiting on Cameron's transfer to Stoke to go through. He is currently waiting on his work permit which is supposed to be finalized on Friday. I would doubt that Clark would play that quickly but who knows.

Lloyd Sam a Ganian via England a RW is here....

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/soccerblog/long_time_charlton_bulls_lloyd_sam_xhp6DNDNGglGDKEIERII0J

I'm not worried about him either way and I think i'd rather see him play tbh. If he plays his fitness and chemistry will be lacking.

This game is as close as a playoff game we'll get. We just lost the away leg and now lets win the home leg and I do think we'll get a win after that putrid performance. Although our defense was shaky their goals came off set pieces and stupid or lack of clearances. I think with a healthy Pearce and Barklage we get the clean sheet. The key will be Dax as his energy and aggression in the midfield was sorely lacking, Kandji tore us apart last friday.

2-0 Red Bulls goals from Le Toux + Pearce

That's what some of us said after the Montreal game! Dax is definitely the key piece though, Tainio let Kandji run at Pearce all game without the slightest bit of pressure. Dax wouldn't have let that happen.

I like new formations and all but I just don't think that will happen. Also I think Tainio will be better suited for that role instead of Lade atm. I think we need to come out attacking and with none of that long pass BS. Also I don't like playing a high backline as we probably have the slowest CB pairing in the league, we are just asking for trouble.

Also take out Miller and we'll atleast get a draw. Atleast Mehdi hustled and had a good game here and there but Miller just ********s everything up.. I also wouldn't mind seeing a Tainio/Dax partnership centrally

Yep, Pearce really was put in a bad position. I thought he was visibly not healthy or not %100 and applying pressure to Kandji would've got him beat. Not to mention he's playing completely out of position which is another story..

I really didn't like Pearce on the left, but mostly because he's way too left footed to distribute from that side. He has to either take the time to turn inside or just boot it down the line every time, he got caught in possession a few times simply because there was no comfortable way for him to pass out.