Juan Pablo Angel will lead the Red Bulls again, who else will step up? (Getty Images)

Its been a little while since we did a preseason look in on a MLS club. We hammered out about half of the league already but with the on-going CBA issue things like this had to take a backseat for a little while. Well today we’re back on the horse and continue on our preseason coverage here.

Today we have the New York Red Bulls. A lot of talk always surrounds this club each year and 2010 will be no different as the club has a new arena (finally) and a new direction in terms of management (yet again). Hans Backe is now the manager with Eric Solar leading the charge in the front office when it comes to player moves. No longer is it Juan Carlos Osorio making ill-advised moves with Jeff Agoos.

The thing is will it actually matter? Will the Solar/Backe move actually pay off and New York shines in their first season in the mecca that will be Red Bull Arena? Time will tell but we can say that anything should be an improvement on last year’s product.

So let’s see where New York is with each part of their roster and what further moves are needed to be made before the season kicks off.

Keepers:

Who they have:  Bouna Coundoul.

Notes: First of all they do have guys like former TFC keeper Greg Sutton in camp right now. Good thing too because Coundoul is not the answer for their keeping situation. I know some folks like him but I just don’t believe he is a solid #1 in this league. His time in Colorado was decent but never great. If the Red Bulls go with him all year their success on the field won’t be too great. But if their defense improve from last year then it may be a gamble worth taking.

Sadly at this point with the CBA issues at hand it will be tough for New York to get a real solid keeper in camp. If I were them I’d be doing everything possible to get Kevin Hartmen from KC. Or I’d be tossing some trades around to someone like San Jose to get Joe Cannon.

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Defense:

Who they have: Kevin Goldthwaite, Chris Albright, Tim Ream, Carlos Mendes, Roy Miller, and Andrew Boyens.

Notes: A decent bunch with the pickup of Albright and Miller. If Mendes can turn his play back into what it was a couple years ago they may be set in the back.

So far in preseason play this group hasn’t played too bad. As long as Albright gets to be 100%, Miller proves he is a good signing and the rest of the group does their stuff right this team could surprise a few folks. I still think they are a little weak in the back though, plus I’m not entirely sure their centerbacks are good enough to keep up with some of the better offenses in the league just yet.

One guy to keep an eye on is Ream, I really think he’ll be one of the surprise rookies from this year.

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Midfield:

Who they have: Seth Stammler, Siniša Ubiparipović, Danleigh Boreman, Irving Garcia, Austin de Luz, Jeremy Hall, Dane Richards, Joel Lindpere, Ernst Öbster, Tony Tchani, and Luke Sassano.

Notes: This group is really the make or break group for me with this club. If the new additions from Europe pay off it will make Backe and Solar look like geniuses. For the last couple years we’ve seen this club go strictly after South American talent here and none of them payed off (except for their DP Juan Pablo Angel).

Enter Lindpere and Obster, two guys far from their usual reaches in South America. Some preseason talk of those two have been positive and the rest has been okay, nothing too negative at this point. Lindpere is a hard worker in the center of the park, which has been lacking from this club.

Also let’s not forget the two rookies de Luz and Tchani. I have to think both will see plenty of action this year and Tchani has to be in the early discussion for ROY.

I do worry about this club on the wings a bit. I know Miller has played decent on the wings in preseason but still seeing Boreman and Richards on the roster worries me that the club is going to lean on their speed over everything else. Neither really bring anything else to the table in my mind but maybe Backe can figure out something more to do with each of them that Osorio couldn’t.

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Forwards:

Who they have: Juan Pablo Angel, Macoumba Kandji, John Wolyniec, and Conor Chinn.

Notes: I do believe that Angel will return to a better year now that he isn’t playing 15 home games on turf. Getting his home games on natural grass will go a long way in getting his production back up. I look for a big year out of him right away.

After that I wonder who will help lead the charge. You can always count on Wolyniec for a few goals but that’s usually off the bench. Kandji is good but I’d really like to see more out of him this season and prove to the league why the Red Bulls paid a transfer fee from a USL club to get him.

The big thing will be interesting to watch this summer, will the Red Bulls use their second DP slot at the transfer window? I think this may be the year they do it, especially if they are close to a playoff spot going into the ladder half of the summer.

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Overall:

I think this club will improve under Backe and no that’s not the Swedish biased in me talking I really believe that. I think for once this club isn’t going into a season with a load of hype built up by the media and that is a good thing. The only hype they have is with their new digs at Red Bull Arena, which will be special.

Is this club a playoff contender right now? I doubt it, but if their defense shows up a little more this year then we have to think it is possible. Unlike last year they won’t have a crazy schedule that puts them on the road for four games in a row or weird stretches of going from coast to coast. Its a more do-able schedule for them.

I think they are improved but they still have some ways to go with their wing play and in the back. I still don’t like their keeper situation and I’d love to see them go after Hartman or Cannon. I’d also really like to see them make a move for another ex-Wizard in Claudio Lopez. He’s a guy I really think would do a lot of good in New York. But I doubt either of those moves will take place until a CBA gets worked out.

Jimmy Conrad and Josh Wolff will try to keep Columbus winless. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Week eight has already kicked off with a bit of a bang with two draws on Wednesday night in Kansas City and in Salt Lake City. The RSL-LA draw was something to talk about for sure while the DC-KC draw was pretty much expected.

Time to shift focus to the weekend however as we have plenty of games on the menu to keep us going. Seven games this week, on three straight days. We have all conference battles except for one match tonight in New York with San Jose and the Red Bulls. Also this weekend we have a couple rivalry games like in Texas between Houston and Dallas. And in the east we get to see a lovely battle with Chicago and New England, two clubs that really don’t like one another.

As always feel free to post your score predictions for this weekend’s action below.

San Jose Earthquakes – at – New York Red Bulls

1. What can San Jose do to turn things around in Giants’ Stadium?

One thing going against San Jose so far this season is not sloppy defense or poor offense it is injuries killing Frank Yallop’s bunch. The loss of Jason Hernandez early on hurt the defense in a big way while having Darren Huckerby out for some time hurt the offense just as bad. Right now it is time for Yallop to step up in the locker room and get his troops back to square one here. He also needs guys to step up on the field like Bobby Convey or Romario Corrales.

In this game they face a Red Bull club that is also just as bad as they are this season so getting on the board early will definitely help. Offensively they just need a spark out of anyone at this point. If someone like Ryan Johnson or Pablo Campos can find a way through the Red Bull defense, which has been very shaky this season we could see a surprise tonight in the Meadowlands.

2. Is this the right time for New York to get things going this season?

One would think that this is the perfect time for Juan Carlos Osorio’s bunch to turn the page on this season and get their act together for once. So far this season we just haven’t seen enough solid play for 90 minutes to think they can do it though. While San Jose is just as bad as they are they haven’t been able to beat bad clubs like themselves this season (the loss to LA proved just that a couple weeks ago).

Mainly what needs to go down is some better control in the midfield. No one is servicing the ball into Juan Pablo Angel like last season, which has lead to many questions about this club’s offense. It mainly comes down to quality of service from the wings I think. They just haven’t gotten that so far this season. With how poorly San Jose has been in defense this season this could be the right time for Dane Richards to have a big game.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I’m watching New York’s Macoumba Kandji in this one. He has all the tools and skills to be super dangerous here. I think its a matter of him realizing that too here. Once he and Angel get on the same page consistently this club will really start piling on the goals…and maybe the wins.

Quick Thoughts:

Honestly it is hard to pick a west coast club that is playing so poorly coming over to the east coast to play. Then again both clubs have given us very little reason to believe in them so far this season. Each sit near the bottom of the table with near identical records on the year and even the same goal differential on the year. And oddly enough neither club knows how to score on the road. I think with that the advantage has to go to the homeside, which lucky enough for New York means they should win this one. And in reality they should win this one.

While I am picking the Red Bulls to get their second win of the year I doubt it will be too convicing here either. I also wouldn’t be at all shocked to see a 0-0 result out of these two. Especially considering the fact that New York only has five goals on the year (one of which was an own-goal).

WVH Prediction: New York 1, San Jose 0

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Kansas City Wizards – at – Columbus Crew:

1. Once again, will the Crew finally break through here?

Honestly this looks like the one for you Crew fans. At home against a club that played in the midweek and expended themselves a bit at home in the process. Yeah, it could be the one but will it be. A lot needs to happen and the biggest is for the Crew to close out the game if they get the early advantage. Too many times this season the Crew have gone up early and fallen late due to poor defense or sloppiness in general.

Defensively they should be able to get a better pickup once Frankie Hejduk is back in the lineup for good. Hejduk is said to be fit enough to go on Saturday and that should lift this club a lot with their veteran leader back in the lineup.

2. What can KC do to keep Columbus out of the win column again?

For the visitors they need to control the midfield and shut down Gulliermo Barros Schelotto. Easier said than done but the Wizards have been able to slow him down a decent bit before. Secondly they need better service into their attack and better finishing. I wasn’t overly impressive with how they handled DC on Wednesday night for the better part of the game. They had a decent attack but nothing that would really set them apart in the east. I am starting though to think this club is one good striker away from being a really title contender.

Rattling the Crew early also won’t hurt in this one. Emotions could be high for the Crew since they are still searching for that first win so getting under their skin could go a long way.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I’m looking out for Columbus’ Pat Noonan on Saturday. I honestly feel he is due for a goal or at least an assist with the way he’s been playing as of late. He’s finally fit and I think once he and Alejandro Moreno link up together it could be a good combination going forward for the Crew.

Quick Thoughts:

Yes, I am drinking the Kool-aid that this is the game for the Crew to get their first win. For one they are throwing a big bash to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Crew Stadium and a lot of key guys are coming back to the lineup. Some stars just seem in line but if anyone would ruin it I think the Wizards are very capable of pulling it off. I just think the Crew are too hungry for a win at this point to let another slip by.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, Kansas City 1

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Toronto FC – at – DC United:

1. With Dwayne De Rosario back in the line up, how does TFC stack up against DC?

Without DeRo the Reds looked pretty good, in fact they sort of turned their season around after a bad two game spell against Dallas. Now that DeRo is fit again the club is continuing to play well. Both clubs are coming off a midweek game where each played fairly well so each should be just as tired as the other when it comes to Saturday’s game. The thing for Toronto is, DC has owned them in the past at RFK Stadium.

Toronto needs to work the ball through DeRo early in this one. He has to be the X-factor that controls this game for them or DC will take full advantage of TFC just like they always have at RFK.

2. How can DC control this game from start to finish?

Something DC failed to do on Wednesday was close the game out. That’s been a problem here and there for them so far this season, closing out games. And with Toronto not being a pushover these days finishing out the game in a good manner is a big thing right now for DC, especially since they are the leaders in the east right now.

Keeping the ball in the midfield and getting good runs out of the back from guys like rookie Rodney Wallace will definitely go a long way. We saw on Wednesday that when Wallace makes his runs he can be very dangerous for DC.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I think a big game could come from DC’s Luciano Emilio. He didn’t go the full 90 on Wednesday so he could be fully ready for Saturday’s game. That’s a good thing too as he’s done fairly well over these last two years against Toronto.

Quick Thoughts:

This one really has game of the week potential written on it. Toronto is playing some good soccer these days and DC is right up there with them. Hard to believe that these two are contending for the top spot in the east right now.

I think in the end DC gets the best of Toronto. RFK has never been a friendly place for the Reds and right now I just don’t see that changing. Toronto has been decent on the road so far this year but until they can prove they can win in places like DC it will still be hard to take them very seriously on the road. This one will be tight but in the end DC marches on with a win.

WVH Prediction: DC 2, Toronto 1

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New England Revolution – at- Chicago Fire:

1. Does Chicago continue to get draws here or will a dose of New England be the cure?

Let’s face it the Fire are in a little bit of a rut right now. Yes they aren’t losing a game but they also aren’t winning at the same time. That’s a problem no matter how you look at it, especially when they aren’t closing out games that they should win.

But if last year is any indication, the Fire playing New England is something the Fire look forward too. Maybe the Fire have been overlooking the past few games for this weekend’s clash with the Revs. It comes at a good time too since the Revs are still very banged up and are in a bit of a funk due to the major injuries on their roster.

2. Can we even expect New England to be competitive in this one?

Last year the Fire spanked the Revs all over the place during the regular season and even in the playoffs. With the amount of key guys still out to injuries it is hard to look at New England seriously here right now. I do love a Steve Nicol coached club but right now he is struggling to find a way out of the pile of injuries that is club has, which is understandable.

But to the question, they will be competitive in this one. Its a rivalry game for one and you know Nicol is posting scores from last year in the locker room this week to get the guys pumped up.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

No one more to watch than Chris Rolfe for me. For some reason Rolfe has had New England’s number in the past and I doubt that will change at all this season.

Quick Thoughts:

Its really hard to pick New England right now. I want to but I just know it would be a waste of a pick with the amount of injuries this club has. Its a shame too because when healthy they are still a very good club. Thing is they don’t have the depth to do much right now and offensively they just aren’t scaring anyone. On the flip side Chicago has as good of an offense as anyone in this league and defensively they are pretty sound right now.

I think this one goes to the homeside pretty easily. Still too many key guys missing all over the field for Nicol and in the end Chicago just has more talent on the field.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 3, New England 0

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FC Dallas – at – Houston Dynamo:

1. Is this the time that Houston starts to turn things on here?

I think last week was a good indication as to how well Houston will start playing here. They controlled a lot of the game against New England and even though this is a rivalry game I still think Dallas has a very small shot at beating Houston in Houston. Stuart Holden is proving he can carry the load for the Dynamo in the middle and really that is something great to finally see.

2. How can Dallas sneak in and get the three points?

Luck may be one way but in all reality they need better midfield play. They have guys getting balls in the box but not to Kenny Cooper and not in ways that allow this club to be good on offense. Its kind of like having too many chefs in the kitchen. Its just messy. Plus defensively Schellas Hyndman still hasn’t figured out which combination of players works well enough to hold teams off.

Let’s not forget Houston has practically owned Dallas in this series. Only one Dallas win in three years between these clubs.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

If Dallas is to get any sort of success in this one it may have to come from Dave van den Burgh. He’s been a big lift to this club on the wings so far this year and I’m sure folks in New York miss his service too. Dallas needs a big game from him is they want to get on the board in this one and come out with any kind of points.

Quick Thoughts:

The El Capitan series kicks off for 2009 but it just doesn’t have that same bang to me as it has in recent years. Maybe it is the lack of De Rosario for Houston that is doing that to me or maybe it is because Dallas is a tough club to get behind these days. I don’t know what it is but its a good rivalry nonetheless even if Houston has won most of the games in it.

I think Houston will start to roll here with this game. They showed a lot of promise last week in their win at New England and I think it will continue this week at home against Dallas. I see Houston getting on the board early with Brian Ching and never looking back from that.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, Dallas 0

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Real Salt Lake – at – Chivas USA

1. What will it take to knock off Chivas?

RSL is a club that can do it really. They get Javier Morales back in the midfield after his suspension and that will help. The thing is I’m still not totally convinced this club can do anything of note on the road. Three games on the road this year for RSL and they haven’t even mustered a single goal. That isn’t very good. Its showing that their defense really isn’t as good as advertised. Against a club like Chivas that exposes weaknesses easily RSL has to clamp down in the middle of the park in order to shut Chivas down.

The thing that Chivas is doing well right now is spreading their attack out to multiple people. Plenty of guys have goals this season for this club and that is always tough to defend. On any given night one guy could be the hot hand and as a defender that can be very tough to defend. RSL has to get more out of guys like Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave. But in all reality they need a bigger game out of Kyle Beckerman and Clint Mathis in the midfield.

2. What does Chivas need to do to control this game?

From the start Chivas just needs to continue playing their style of soccer. Its worked for them through eight games and there is really little reason why it won’t continue to work tomorrow night. Preki has gotten the most out of this bunch so far this season and I wouldn’t expect anything different now that some veterans like Sacha Victorine are coming back. Plus it doesn’t hurt if Sasha Kljestan continues to improve on his form. I thought last week he got himself involved a lot more and that can only lead to bigger and better things for this club if he continues to show interest here.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I think a guy to watch has to be the AmeriGoats’ Maykel Galindo. He will likely be coming off the bench still but look for him to be a second half sub that could give this club a boost late in the game. If he can regain that form he had two seasons ago this Chivas club could go from really good to something amazing.

Quick Thoughts:

Another potential game of the week here leads me to wonder if we will ever see RSL show up on the road this season. Chivas has been a very good home club these last couple of seasons while RSL has stunk up the place outside of Salt Lake City. Plus was anyone really that impressed with the way RSL finished the game at home against LA on Wednesday? I know they didn’t get a call go their way but still if you can’t close out LA at home then something must be up.

I’ll keep saying it, until RSL shows me they can do it on the road I won’t pick them when they are visiting. Plus this is a big stretch for Chivas I believe. They’ve made it this far and I know Preki will want them to continue pushing forward in attack and continue getting these wins. I like Chivas is this one. It will be close but I think Chivas at home in a physical game should do it.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, RSL 1

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LA Galaxy – at – Seattle Sounders FC

1. Will LA continue to improve on the last two results?

Four points in the last two games would normally mean a club is doing something right. Plus not to mention how Bruce Arena’s club got the draw on Wednesday. That should be a big boost going into Seattle on Sunday. They need to carry that momentum into Qwest Field in a big way and get the expansion Sounders off their guard early in this one. LA is showing they have a decent club right now. Let’s not forget here that they haven’t lost a lot of games this season…but they’ve again only win a single game too. If they can rattle the Sounders early with something from Landon Donovan they could see another positive result.

2. What will Sigi Schmid do without Fredy Montero?

Well Montero is suspended for this one from his cheap shot a week ago. Probably a good thing too because he really hasn’t done a lot for this club in recent weeks in my opinion. Schmid needs to get more out of guys like Nate Jaqua anyways. More than likely rookie Steve Zakuani will be in place of Montero and we will see a decent amount of offense through him. Which hasn’t been a bad thing so far this season.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I want to see more out of Seattle’s Sebastian Le Trox here. So far he’s been involved a lot in the attack but has only produced an assist on the season. I’m still waiting for him to break out a little bit and start scoring some here for the Sounders. Against a young defense like LA it could be a good time for that.

Quick Thoughts:

This game will probably be more competitive than most think. LA’s defense is really starting to come together I think but that’s only if the young three (Gonzalez, Franklin, and DeLaGraza) play well and on the same page as veteran Gregg Berhalter. Like I said if they can get under the skin of the Sounders early and take the crowd out of it as well they could be in for a good battle.

In the end however I think Seattle takes the points from this one. Seattle has a few more weapons up top and defensive are better in the midfield than LA is right now. It will be tighter than most think but I see Jaqua sticking it to his old side.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, LA 1

Expect a big night out of KC's Josh Wolff. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Unlike last week where I totally goofed on the date of the game, there is a Thursday night clash this week. That I promise you. This week we get an eastern conference clash between two up and coming teams as New York travels to Kansas City.

New York finally found the net in their last game in the win over RSL, while KC came from behind on the road against Chicago.

As always feel free to leave your score prediction below.

1. Can New York consistently keep up what they started last week at Giants Stadium?

Honestly that is a big question of this club. A year ago they were largely one the worst road clubs in the league, and when you fast forward to this season not much has changed in two road games (two losses and four goals against). But a lot has been said about how this club bounced back last week at home and actually played good soccer for once this season.

Consistent play will be key tonight for New York on the shorter field at CAB in Kansas City. Not to mention the fact that this club hasn’t won a game in KC since 2005. Also double the fact that this starts a big stretch of games for the energy drink club. New York will play the first of four matches in a 10-day stretch tonight, with games against DC on Sunday, at San Jose the following Wednesday in the USOC, and at LA next Saturday.

Getting off to a bad start on a stretch like that can really set a club back.

2. What does KC have to do to keep up their production offensively?

Keep Josh Wolff as a striker. It is as simple as that, when Wolff is free to float around the penalty box he is as dangerous if not more dangerous than most players in this league. I know the Wizards have a long list of guys who’s lead position on the pitch is at striker but Wolff is best when positioned there. Not on the wing. We saw that against Chicago last week, when Wolff was on the wings the Wizards’ offense was stagnent and nearly non-existent. One quick change to move him up top lead to two goals.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

For New York be be successful in the midfield tonight they need a big game out of Seth Stammler and Jorge Rojas. If either of those two fails to keep possession in New York’s favor it will be a long night on a New York defense that is still a bit shaky. Plus keeping the possession means more chances on Kevin Hartman’s goal for Juan Pablo Angel and Mac Kandji.

Quick Thoughts:

The Wizards are either hot or at least luke warm depending on who you talk to right now. Their offense is clicking like it should and their defense is playing some decent soccer as well. But truth be told their midfield is really been stepping up and Curt Onalfo has been making some big time subs in the second half in recent games.

New York needs this win to keep rolling here but I don’t like their chances on the road. For me its one of those things, if they can prove to me that they can consistently put it together for a full 90 on the road then I will feel better about picking them in games like this. But they haven’t done so yet. I like KC in this one due to another strong performance out of the big four of Hartman, Jimmy Conrad, Claudio Lopez and Josh Wolff.

WVH Prediction: KC 2, NY 1

Over the weekend I jotted down a few thoughts while I was watching all the action. Some of you may have noticed some random twitter updates over the weekend, I’ll try to keep up with that in the coming weekends as well. I won’t however be doing too many live blog/chats though, enough folks are doing it and probably at a better rate than I’d do.

Anyhow, if you have a comment from the weekend that was week five, please post below.

Fire Can’t Hold Lead

I’ve been saying for a while that Kansas City needed Josh Wolff to be the striker that they can go to for their scoring needs. Well, after a terrible first half he and his club came out of the locker rooms at Toyota Park and really took it to the Fire. It wasn’t a matter of the Fire blowing the toughest lead in soccer (2-0) but it was the manner in how Kansas City faught back.

It was with speed and wing play that did it. Quality service into the box where Wolff was able to not score once but twice to get his club back into the game.

As for the Fire, defensively they turned it off for a half and it cost them dearly. Yet at the end of the day they are still undefeated, though I think anyone around that club would tell you that Saturday night’s result was more of a loss and a draw.

Brian McBride, Marco Pappa, and Blanco really carried this club early on. I have to say I love that trio in the midfield of Pappa, Blanco, and John Thornington. Something about that group just makes me think it could be one of the best midfield trios in all of MLS.

Chivas Could Very Well Be For Real

The cast of no-names does it again. In front of a very quality crowd for a Chivas game in the HDC, the AmeriGoats got an early own-goal and a late finish from Chukwudi Chijindu (who scored his first MLS goal) over visiting Seattle.

Preki’s club continues to plug away and after this many games of proving themselves I think people will finally take notice after this big win.

Funny how the Sounders were holding clubs scoreless with Kasey Keller but in a game and a half without him (due to a red card suspension), the Sounders have now given up three goals. I guess it will be interesting to see how the club handles this loss.

And speaking of the loss, which is now two straight, have the Sounders just cooled off or are they just hitting a dry spell here? I thought the offense would run more through Fredy Montero and Freddie Ljungberg but the tough defense from Chivas put an end to the attack rather quickly.

RSL Road Struggles

One thing I’ve been saying for a couple weeks about Real Salt Lake is that I want to see them do well on the road before I rate them high on any sort of rankings. Yes, they are good at home, no doubt about that. On the road is another story though.

RSL is now winless in 10 games all-time in New York. Then again the road hasn’t been a friend to the club it’s short history. Looking back the club only has eight wins all-time on the road. If there is one thing that this club needs to make sure of this season to become a legitmate contender is they have to win on the road and win consistently.

New York Comes Alive

About bloody time is what some were thinking. Two minutes into the game and the Red Bulls finally got their first real goal of the season. Still history is against this side even with the win on Saturday. I don’t know if it was a combination of poor road play on RSL’s part, New York’s midfield actually looking decent for once or maybe even a slight boost of having Jon Conway back from suspension that did it for New York.

Speaking of Conway, maybe the suspension did him some good. He actually made me think he was a decent MLS type of keeper. Before I really never felt he belonged in MLS as a starting keeper but maybe I will change my mind on that. Just maybe.

Also, Macoumba Kandji and Juan Pablo Angel…did it really take Juan Carlos Osorio this long to figure out that they’d be a good match or did it just take this long for those two to figure it out? Either way it worked. They looked like a very good duo together.

Pat Onstad to the Resuce

Houston goes up early with a Brian Ching header. And first of all let me be clear, even as good as Houston is that offense still doesn’t scare anyone like some may think it could. Ching is still good in and around net but they still need some scorers on their roster. But saying so they could be the best club at placing balls in the box for headers and what not.

But to the real point here, Colorado tried to mound the come back yesterday. Conor Casey stepped up and did his thing too to lead the charge, which still gives me a glimmer of hope for this club going forward. Casey drew the PK (good call too), but Pat Onstad came to the resuce not only once but twice with the rebound shot after the PK was taken. By far one of the best two saves I’ve seen all season.

Had Casey scores it would have been another late road point steal for the Rapids. Instead Houston got their first win of the season. Where have we seen this before folks, the slow start leads to a gritty win, which leads to the Dynamo winning the west right? They still have work to do to catch Chivas but there is no reason to count this club out yet.

Benny Leads The Charge Like Old Times

One thing I love is a good story, and Ben Olsen is definitely that. Finally healthy enough again in 2009, Olsen could be the single best thing that DC had happen to them in the offseason. Getting him back and healthy was probably more of a boost offensively and defensively than getting someone like Christian Gomez. Now not to knock Gomez, he brings plenty to the field but not the same toughness that Olsen does.

New England nearly looked as if they would steal three points in DC on Friday night but in extra time Olsen heads home what could end up being a saving grace for the Black-and-Red early on this season. I honestly believe that could be the kick in the butt that DC needs to get going here. And like I’ve said before they needed Olsen to lead that charge. As long as Olsen is doing that, DC will continue to improve this season.

Dallas Finally Looks Decent

While on Sunday the FC “Please don’t call us Hoops” Dallas finally looked like a side that wanted to win. While I thought the late PK call was a bit crappy Dallas did earn three points. The first half was all Dallas as Kenny Cooper and Drew Moor lead the club with two first half goals. However former Red Stripe Adrian Serioux put his new club Toronto on the board just before halftime, and only a couple minutes after Cooper’s goal.

I thought Toronto controlled a lot of the pace in the second half. They got their attack more in gear and even came even with Dallas after a nice goal by Chad Barrett. I told you all to keep an eye on Barrett, it was a must score-game for the Wayne Rooney look-a-like.

What does it mean for Dallas? It could mean things are slowly starting to turn around for them here. While I am still holding on to the belief that it was a series with Toronto these last two weeks it was still four points for the North Texas club. Four points that they really needed.

Toronto on the other hand really needs to quickly get their stuff in gear here. This was to be the first of eight games in a few week stretch that most Reds fans are calling the main part of their season. Stumbling out of the gate in that isn’t the way to start. They need to get their act in order not only offensively but defensively. They just looked a bit out of sync yesterday evening.

Finally the butts-in-seats look

Yeah, not very good this weekend I am afriad. No Toronto, Seattle or LA home games to speak of. DC gave us a usual 14k+ on Friday and Chivas put up a surprising 15,463. The San Jose-LA game in Oakland only drew a weak 15,862. Not bad considering the lack of David Beckham for that one.

The worst however was New York, Chicago and Dallas. I don’t think we will see great numbers in New York until next year anyways. The 8,000+ on Satuday wasn’t any bit of a shock to me as the terribly low figure in Dallas last night (6,000+…which looked more like 2,000). But Chicago’s number of just a shade over 10,000 was definitely sad to see. I guess the economy is now to blame since the weather was nice.

Here are some more detals on the trade: It includes a clause that will force TFC to give the Red Bulls a 2011 second-round MLS SuperDraft pick if Freeman re-signs with Toronto FC at any point in 2009 (Freeman’s MLS contract is up on Dec. 31 and he is set to join Norwegian club IK Start on Jan. 1). If Freeman returns to MLS after 2009, his MLS rights would revert back to the Red Bulls, with no compensation being owed to Toronto.

The move for Toronto means they are trying to add some sort of depth now after seeing their roster get picked apart a week ago by national teams. Honestly its a bit too little too late here from the Reds. Plus they won’t even get to keep Freeman after the season is up as he is set to head to Norway after his contract ends in January.

I guess desperation breeds trades like this.

Obviously the move for New York frees up some space to still try and sign Macoumba Kandji from USL-1 side Atlanta. With the MLS roster freeze deadline set for Monday at 5pm, New York sees this as a final chance to add some depth to their attack going into the final month and a half of the season. They’ve already been making offers to other clubs out there during their striker search and are now said to be in some early talks with Kandji about a contract agreement.

Reports are also saying they made a serious offer to Colorado for striker Omar Cummings, its a move we’ve talked about for a few weeks now. New York wants a speedy striker and Cummings would certainly fill that need. I’ve also been hearing that they are set to make a pitch to Dallas for Dominic Oduro. That’s a name that has been out on the table for a little while with New York as well.

Some are saying the club could end up bringing on as many as three new players by Monday’s deadline. Its sort of a wait and see kind of thing. I still doubt the club will land Kandji this year.

Its clear that New York wants everything they possibly can have in line for a serious playoff push this season. While I think their chances are pretty good at getting into the post season dance it is how they perform in that opening quarterfinal round that will be the big question. Does adding a Kandji or a Cummings really help their chances on the road in a place like Columbus or New England? It may but I see a club like Columbus or New England with plenty of their own speed to counter that kind of attack from New York.

Plus, let’s not forget New York hasn’t been too great on the road this season.

What do you all make of these moves? Does Freeman fit in Toronto? Will New York finally land Kandji or will they have to settle for someone that’s currently in the league?

According to SBI, the league denied the New York’s club bid for a USL player. That means the league basically passed on the 23-year-old Senegalese striker, who was probably more MLS ready than the league would even admit.

You can’t blame Atlanta for the high transfer fee. USL clubs rarely, if ever, get transfer fees for players they lose. So putting a price tag on a guy that is getting a lot of press makes total sense on their part. Plus that kind of cash would easily come in handy for any USL club which would probably help attract some of the younger developmental players from MLS who aren’t getting paid as much.

The Red Bulls secured the necessary funds to pay the asking price for Kandji when it traded goalkeeper Zach Thornton to Chivas USA for an allocation. The league didn’t like the idea of paying that much to a USL club, thinking it would set up a bad precedent for all of the league.

You know, I get where the league is coming from but it makes little sense for them to step in like this and say no to a club who wants to spend their money like this. Its one of those nit-picky rules wrote in pencil that the league really needs to take a hard look at here real soon and change. The issue wasn’t really the transfer fee itself, I think it was the league not wanting to do that sort of business with the “minor league”. Unfair really all around to both sides.

New York is still looking on the market for a speedy forward. Some have thrown out Dallas’s Dominic Oduro and Colorado’s Omar Cummings. Neither make a lot of sense for their current clubs to trade at the moment. he Red Bulls may wind up adding Gambian Sainey Touray, who has been on trial with the Red Bulls. Its also said that the club is looking into another USL player, Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) Matthew Mbuta, a Cameroon-born winger/midfielder. Most Red Bull fans may recall Mbuta from their US Open Cup loss to Baltimore back in July.

What do you all make of the league stepping in like this? See their point or find them missing the mark on a potential sud of a striker?

The three Osorio is looking at right now, Colorado’s Omar Cummings; Dallas’s Dominic Oduro; and USL-1 side Atlanta’s Macoumba Kandji.

Osorio is hopeful to get something done next week but as we all know landing Kandji will not come easy as there is still a $200,000 transfer fee for him. The Red Bulls are hoping a sale of Michael Bradley will go through to allow the club to get enough allocation for the transfer fee. Those who don’t remember Bradley was a member of the Metrostars before he went to Holland. When he was transfered the league tacked on the usual claus to get a portion of a transfer fee to the next club that Bradley goes to. Its a typical practice that the league usually tried to do for outgoing players.

Anyways, if Osorio isn’t patient enough for Bradley’s transfer, they are hoping either Cummings or Oduro can be the quick fix (no pun intended).

According to the New York Post’s Brad Lewis, Osorio is hoping that recent trades and signings for Dallas will help land Oduro in the Big Apple since Oduro has fallen into the late-game sub for the Hoops. Cummings may be tougher to sign now that Colorado is going through a bit of a coaching change.

In all honesty, I highly doubt Oduro is going anywhere right now and the same can probably be said for Cummings. Both speedsters still have plenty of vaule to their clubs and I can bet their coaches aren’t looking to ship them off anytime soon. Plus, what exactly will New York give up in return? Draft picks? While both would take them, I would hope each would as for a high draft pick in return since both Oduro and Cummings were surprise picks for each club.

I think each getting mentioned is just a plan B and C for the Red Bulls if they don’t land Kandji.

More than likely the Red Bulls will try to be patient as possible here and sign Kandji once the money situation sorts itself out. They want to get a striker in before the end of the year to pair up with Juan Pablo Angel. The thing is I feel this could be too late for the club and in the end it could be a difference of making the playoffs and not.

Either way its just a quick fix for the club, who looks to sign another Designated Player in the off season.

What do you all make of Cummings and Oduro being mentioned out there? While both are good are they really what New York needs right now?

New York has submitted formal proposals for USL-1 side Atlanta Silverbacks striker Macoumba Kandji. If you haven’t seen this young Senegalese play in the USL yet, do so, because he is a special talent that will follow the links of Maykel Galino and Brian Ching that have made the jump from USL to MLS.

At 23, Kandji has 12 goals in 27 games for the Silverbacks. Not bad, not bad indeed.

Apparently the Red Bulls have to put in a heavy offer to Atlanta for Kandji. From what I’ve heard they are going to be offering around $200,000 or maybe even more for the striker. Sounds like a lot for a USL player but believe me this kid can play.

New York is also said to be looking at Panamanian forward Gabriel Torres. His rights are currently owned by Chepo F.C in Panama, and he was most recently on loan to Colombian club La Equidad, where he scored 5 goals in 18 appearances.

The 19-year old Torres was apart of Panama’s team in the 2007 U-20 FIFA World Cup.

I don’t recall much of this kid but judging by his age it sounds like a smart move as he should still be a decent project at just 19-years old.

No word yet on who the final striker of those three are but the club has brought in Sainey Touray, a Gambian Under-20 striker, on trial. He most recently led Wallidan to the Gambian League title leading the league in scoring. He won the Golden Boot as the Gambian U-17 team won the Ivorian four-nation Football tournament last year, and has been playing for the U-20s this year in the CAF Youth Championship playoffs.