It seems that while our team has made a decent turn about since last season, our fans posting here haven't. Here we are, sitting on the top of the Eastern table with a team that has more depth than I've seen in a long time, and all many of us can do is cry out for changes. No, Angel is NOT the same as he was his first season. And, no, Dane Richard's does not surprise anyone anymore. And Petke is not a spring chicken (or even a summer chicken) anymore. And Bouna does have a brain fart or two during each match. But, folks, come down off the ledge. If we start changing every little thing that is wrong, we might as well bring back Osorio to do this for us. It takes time for players to gel into a team, and even Chelsea lost a few games this past season. It seems that our many of us are prone to knee jerk reactions (some without the knee altogether...) Why not try something new for once? Why not support our players to encourage them to play better? Why not try to be proud of our team, win or lose? Or is whining that much more attractive than dignity?
I'm preparing for the worst! but seriously. we had a strong start, we're in first on the basis that we're in a sh1t conference and we've been pretty lucky in squeaking out the victories we have. 2 league losses in a row really shouldn't be a surprise considering the shortcomings JB just described. I mean.. our season hasn't even started yet really...
Panic not people. Smile, and let Hans get it all sorted. A few purchases and victory will become a regular thing! It's all in hand.
It's never good to lose 2 games in a row the way they lost but the season still has a ways to go, we are still in first, and some high profile players (or maybe just Henry) will be added so the team can only improve from there. Sure we haven't looked great all the time but who is. Who else in the east is playing well and scares you? I'll give you Columbus but who else. Everyone else in the east seems like they have more problems than we do.
Well, not to put to sharp a point on it, but we're in second league-wide right now. Only LA has better record.
When talking about personnel or the big picture, it's definitely important to look at the actual performances and not just the results. Is the Red Bulls points total: a) flattering when compared to our performances? b) about right when compared to our performances? c) unfair when compared to our performances? I think we would be hard pressed to find a single person who would respond C. Less that would respond B, and a majority that would respond A. We have won a few games we rightfully deserved to draw or lose. While the points have come, there is plenty to be concerned with. Honestly, i don't see too much panic around here. Most player criticisms have been fair and due to repeated performances game over game or season over season. The real raving lunatics are people calling for rookies to start after 1 US Open Cup game, or dismissing all evidence pointing to a player being poor (Bouna, for one).
Fair enough. But I will criticize the critics. A bunch of Osorio's, the bunch of them. Let's take a winning team and tinker because things aren't perfect. And those replying to these posts are a bunch of Agoos, looking for out of shape 37-year-olds to replace the functioning players. Hell, I wonder sometimes if we fans are this way because of our history, or if our history is a product of who we are? Anyway, I'm tired of having one of the best seasons so far and seeing all the negative whiny posts on these boards.
Well, if you let-me say what I say about Angel, Petke and Richards, is because I has been for to years asking for the head of Angel and Richards and about Petke I say he is to old to play 90 minutes of futy in MLS, all this I have been saying since last year, isn't because the RB lost two games....
In 2007 when Arena announce the coming of Angel and they say will sign him for two and a half years I say in that time, that this was a good deal, but not for more of 2-1/2 years because he will be to old by 2010, now with Henry I will say the same, sign him for 2-1/2years will be one of the best ideal, but no for more because he will be to old by 2013.... Richards always I has been saying the man have not vision for a futy, he is a very good rod runner, but that's all, and like the fellow in the movie, he doesn't know why he is running....And that is why since 2009 he has been in my list of the player that have to go in the first opportunity... Petke is to old and slow period.....
I think there is certainly room for improvement. Constructive criticism is not the same as pointless criticism. Yes, there is negativity in the posts but being in first place does not mean we have the best team. Even if we did have the best team but had one weak link, we'd all be suggesting that the weak player be replaced. I think Backe has done a great job and is bringing in great assets (Lindpere, Ream). But the fact is that some players' time has come to move on (JPA,Ubi). Juan has been a great asset but his performance has been deteriorating since last season and he has become more of a liability than an asset. You could argue that we would be better served to acquire midfielders than could provide perfect services to JPA but I'd disagree. I think we all have the success of the team at heart. They are playing better and with more heart. I actually loof forward to games and anticipate they will win - a nice change. Despite our record though, there is plenty of room for improvement.
i'm relatively certain that all of us got caught up in the unexpected, successful, and enjoyable preseason and first month of the mls season. maybe being undefeated for a month or so got everyone's expectations a bit too high too quickly. before the season, i believe we all wished for a team that is not embarrassing, a club that doesn't look pathetic on the field, a manager that isn't a joke, and hopefully challenge for and get into the playoffs. so far, so good. while our bulls are by no means a model of perfection, they're much better than last year (and throughout most of rb/metro history) from top to bottom. our players have deficiencies, very true. hi, this is the mls, not champions league. dane has always been a one trick pony. angel has a bad back. angel and petke have lost a gear. bouna is shaky at times. ubi likes to make the simple things difficult. robbo is not the player he used to be. stammy has been, well, not as good as years past. etc etc etc... and yet, despite shortcomings and a recent run of poor form, they are still way ahead of goals for this season. we are all freaked out by a 2 game losing streak and getting positive results when the team hasn't played good soccer... really?! good teams secure points when playing poorly. thus, so far, rbny has been a good team this season. is there room for improvement? abso-friggin-lutely. however, they are in good shape so far and jpa hasn't done much yet. like everyone else, i have my own opinions about players who should go and who's not good enough anymore and when players should be or should have been let go. but, imo, too many have become too reactionary to what happens game to game. maybe we rb/metro fans don't know how to deal with a team that is doing well. an analogy - yanks are in 2nd place, in a playoff spot, fans are relatively happy (except regarding vazquez) despite some injuries and disappointing starts from guys like granderson (before the injury). mets are a mess, fans are not happy and calling for changes including the gm, manager, and any notable player except for ike davis and mike pelphrey. which group do we sound like?
I'm a fan that don't get in love with players, I love my team and if, if is a little chance to improve I don't give a rat ass who, which player or players has to go if with his outing the team will improve, no matter how big is his hart or how good person hi is or how many (300 games) games he has played, that doesn't matter to me...
Three straight losses. This is bad. I was really hoping our team wouldn't be an embarrassment this year, but now I don't know.
This is exactly what I was worrying about. I didnt panic yet before tonight but now this is snowballing and turning into a losing streak which was what I feared. We need to get healthy and ********ing get our asses in gear.
bring van den bergh back and maybe the red bulls will get some attack going the Columbus game tonight the attack was better but still too much post.
Just kidding ....I'm not ready to hit the panic button. I think most of us understood a few weeks ago that the Red Bulls were not a 5-1 team and realistically, are a .500 team at this point. A few weeks later, that's what they almost are at 5-4. Once they add another attacking midfielder and a "legit" scoring threat and a guy like Tchani gets more experience as the season goes on, they should be ok.
Let's put things into perspective. When we were winning, we were getting extremely lucky. Take Dallas game as an example. We were completely outplayed and out shot throughout the game. Dallas missed chance after chance, and we scored on a 90th minute PK to win the game. Yesterday against the Crew it was the opposite of that. We had the run of play the whole game, they had three chances and scored three goals. Bottom line is, there will be times the ball does not bounce our way. Even at 5-1 record, we weren't playing like a 5-1 team. We were lucky, and now luck is starting to balance itself out. But we're not a terrible team either, so at this point in the season there's no need to panic. Let's just see what reinforcements we can get after the world cup.