@ WHERE: ShiTurf of New Jersey WHEN: 5/24/09 2:00 pm TV: Telefutura For the third year in a row, the Red Bulls have gotten substantially worse. Once again, Osorio has purged the team of some of the little talent it has and replaced it with overpaid foreign signings that are not fit for this league. The only players on that team that are even worth a damn are Angel and Kandji. I don't know if the Red Bull front office is realizing their mistake or not, but Osorio is certainly acting like a coach that's feeling the heat. In case you haven't seen it yet, after NY's last game against Houston, Osorio reportedly called MLS refs racist against Hispanics. He then later had to backtrack on his statements, saying that he didn't really say what he was thinking. What he supposedly really wanted to say was that he didn't want to deal with stereotypes about hot-headed Latinos, even though he's the first person to even mention it. For me, the whole situation has the stink of a man sweating the hot seat. As a result of that Houston game, New York will be without two of their starters. Carlos Johnson, Osorio's big offseason signing to improve their backline, was injured with a broken foot. Jorge Rojas, the big signing last year that was supposed to make the team competitive, will be out with a red card suspension. About the play, Rojas had the audacity to say, "It was not my intention at all to make any aggression. I’m not that kind of player.” This is the play: [quickkicks]&p=501294&s=5018761&i=536164[/quickkicks] On our injury front, Roman is reporting that Sega and Mapp both fully participated in practice today. With the turf at Giants Stadium, I don't know if Hamlett will want to bring Segares back in this one, but it is nice to now that he probably could if necessary. Speaking of the turf at the swamp... I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but it's shit. Seriously, if you think that it was bad at BMO last week, then you haven't seen anything yet. The turf is so bad that it turns the Red Bulls, one of the worst teams in the league, into a great team at home simply out of familiarity. In all but one home game this year, the Red Bulls have severely outplayed their opponents. However, we still have a lot of things going for us. Even when NY plays well at home, they still aren't a lockdown, dominating team. We will definitely get our chances. In addition, playing at BMO last week gave us a nice warm-up on how to deal with green-painted concrete. Last year, we certainly were able to handle it as we kicked the shit out of them 5-1. It also doesn't hurt our cause that New York has a midweek Open Cup game, but who knows how many starters will play in that. In the end, none of this should matter. We are simply a much better team than they are and should come away with the win. Honestly I don't expect to shut them out as long as they have Angel and Kandji, but there's nobody on that team that can stop our offensive talent. Anything less than three points will be a disappointment. My projected line-up: ----------------------------Busch---------------------------- ----Ward---------Soumare------------Conde-------Prideaux---- ----------Thorrington-------Pause----------Pappa------------- ----------------------------Blanco----------------------------- ----------------McBride---------------Rolfe-------------------- Rolfe had an off game in his one start this year against New England, but was the MOTM last week as a halftime sub. With Nyarko in a bit of a slump, it's the perfect time for Rolfe to get a second shot at starting. This makes all the more sense when you consider how Rolfe torched New York last year. My guess: 3-1 Fire.
I'll say a repeat from last year's game at the swamp. 5-1 FIRE Rolfe '34 (Blanco,McBride) Rolfe '44 (Blanco,Pappa) Rolfe '58 (Blanco,McBride) Own goal '67 (Soumare) McBride '68 (Blanco,Rolfe) McBride '79 (Blanco,Rolfe) P.S. Redballs have a US OPEN CUP game against DC United on Wednesday also, but JCO probably won't play any of there starters.
Wow. I don't even know where to start: Osorio, Rojas, ridiculous accusations of racism (I forget: are the refs supposed to be racist against or racist for Latinos in this league, or does that change each week?), the rumored impending sale of the team once RedBull Stadium is built,.... I'll just get to it: I think it will be a 1 goal victory, and a tough, tough match. As far as Osorio is concerned, honestly, I don't mind him being gone. Between the two coaches who left us for the Big crApple, Bob Bradley is the one we should miss. We should send RedBull a thank you card for taking him off our hands. Guy's a loser and a pathological liar who can't keep his story straight, but that is beside the point. The fact that both teams are in the East, and we are in 1st place, is the only thing that makes RedBull relevant, imho. ChivasUSA, who we must beat if we want to win the Supporter's Shield this year, are more relevant than RedBull. Angel scares the hell out of me, so as much as I want our back line to have Sega, I'll trust Denis on this one, only because of the plastic grass. Our D has got to keep their minds focused if we want to win. Mapp? I could care less, and judging from the lack of "OMG, I HOPE JUSTIN HEALS UP QUICKLY!!!" posts on these boards, so do most of the other fans. If he gets in, he might just have the motivation to step it up and be consistent in order to have a shot at the starting XI again. Who knows? But I'd keep him on the bench come kickoff. Start Rolfe. Good post, 6K. Wanna take Luis' role in predicting league results?
----------------------------Busch---------------------------- -------Pause------Soumare------------Conde-------Segares---- ----------Mapp-----------Thorrington----------Pappa------------- ----------------------------Blanco----------------------------- ----------------McBride---------------Rolfe-------------------- hope Segares is fit
I worry that Angel has been too quiet lately. But I'm confident that we're a much better team up and down. Also, I'm excited for the one time that the Fire are going to be in New York. I'll be at the game and around to hang out with visiting Fire fans. Go Fire!
I think that Angel has been so quiet because Vandenbergh is in Dallas now. New York actually had a decent thing going with Vandenbergh on one wing and Dane Richards on the other, but they ********ed that up and tried to just go with a bunch of speedy players, and old foreign scumbags. Still you can't ever count Angel out, he's one of the only players in this league that can consistently take a half chance and turn it something.
Oddly enough, the random speed is about the only thing helping them on that bouncy home pitch. However, a little skill and speed ourselves and I think we'll be alright.
I think that losing Vandenbergh was definitely a factor, but Angel was doing fine before he arrived as well I think.
Well said about Vandenbergh! He really added a dimension to that team last year. And you're right, with a healthy, focused Richards (a dubious assumption, given JCO's mismanagement of his playing time), they had a good thing going....Would like to see Sega in the match just to control Richards (as he ALWAYS has)...would also like to see some more solid play out of the backline: in many ways, the TFC game was one of their best matches as a unit this season. (AND...I say this grudgingly, one of DH's best games too...OUCH, that hurts me)
6:04 or so... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAmEj72D6Dk&feature=channel_page"]YouTube - segares 1(1)[/ame]
------------------------------------Busch-------------------------------------------- -------Ward----------Soumare-----------------Conde--------------Segares------ -------------Thorrington------------Pause----------------Pappa------------------- ------------------------------------Blanco------------------------------------------- --------------------------McBride--------------Rofle-------------------------------- I would like to see Segares in there also but I think you have to keep Ward in the game. He has made a few mistakes but after they way he played lockdown defense on DeRo last week I think you need to keep him in the game.
i think Ward is one confused player ..he is confused about his skill and position....poor marking and bad communication with Soumare..... @Toronto , many times he left his position open and that sleazy back heel is not helping either
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6rUUALSnhA"]YouTube - Chicago Fire Beat Down Juan Carlos Osario[/ame] What the ffuucckk is a MetroStar???
I agree with SixKick’s lineup (Minus the Sega thing). I just wonder ~ is the field really as bad as I hear? I agree with burningfire, TimManJoshua, & AEaton4… Segares I would like to see play. Nyarko did play pretty abysmally vs. Toronto, his greatest asset is speed and that doesn’t help out much on a poor field. Not to mention his poor performance vs. Toronto. Rolfe should get the nod with no questions asked. Ward I am starting to like more and more too I should mention. I love how he goes forward and has the run of the field so often, his defensive prowess (or lack thereof) however often leaves the back line at 3. So yeah love his playing style, but his defense makes me cringe at times. I expect a pretty close game as per usual regardless. And I don’t see us getting another shutout. 3-1 is my hope, 2-1 ~ if I were a betting man ~ is the most likely result. (But then leave it to the Fire to find a way to snatch a tie from the jaws victory of defeat).