Big Apple Soccer had the chance to speak to Juan Carlos Osorio about the status of rumored signings.

+ The Bulls will not be signing Diego Jimenez, fullback, from Mexico, mainly because he is completely unfamiliar with the three man backline

+ Osorio is hopeful they will be able to announce something by next week with Vinotinto veteran and captain Jorge Rojas

+ Osorio also stated that the Bulls would be once again exploring past options at the left back position.

For the third time this season, United has picked an ex-Red Bull off the MLS scrap heap, adding midfielder Joe Vide to the roster. Of course, Vide doesn't come to us direct from the Bulls, but in some ways that's even more disturbing. He was waved by the expansion Quakes after only five appearances for a club with a wafer-thin roster.

Another exciting game tonite at Giants Stadium in front of a boistorous crowd of nearly 47 thousand tonight, as Landon Donovan manages to find the back of the net near extra time to steal a point away from the Bulls.

Down 1-0 early, the Bulls desperately fought back. Dave Van Den Bergh buried a back heal pass from Jorge Rojas.

Grant Wahl has another excellent article on SI.com - this one focusing on Heather Mitts. Who knew that she ran with the bulls at Pamplona? ... and from the St. Petersburg Times, another take on this evolving USWNT - this by John Romano. He offers a nice summary of the challenges faced by [...]SHARETHIS.

Ladies and Gentlemen, left back may have just been filled. With a left foot.

Young Mexican Diego Jimenez, former starter for Tecos and the Mexican Under 23 Nationals, is on his way to New Jersey, so says Brian Lewis at the Post (great blog by the way). The best part? He already has a green card - so none of that waiting forever to see him on the pitch stuff.

So this theory has gone from a comical hypothetical to a head slapping reality: Every Bulls loss seems to result in some International signing.

This weeks band aid is Gabriel Cichero. Cichero will be with us through the end of the year, and has an option year for 2009. ABN in Bolivia broke the story yesterday.

Brian Lewis of the New York Post always seems to have the scoop. And this week is no different.

For those who have been asking, here is the dealio:

- The Atlanta Silverbacks are still asking for the absurd transfer fee of 200k for their elite forward, Macoumba Kanji (just a side note - his first name is pronounced the same way as an ancient Brazilian voodoo practice).

After the DC game, I was calling for changes - even if it went as far as benching Conway a game - to do whatever it takes to wake this team up. But Osorio took it to another level, and it nearly paid off with a W. An excellent effort by the midfield, good stand up play by Goldthwaite and the backline, and the Bulls were one mistake away from a win.

Bobby Abreu and Jorge Rojas. Together.

Had they known I was at the Stadium too, they would have definitely called me over. For sure. Right?

In hard news, they are reporting that, if all goes well, Rojas should be training with the team next week, and is aiming at a Los Angeles debut.

CURRENT SITUATION

The Bulls find themselves six points behind Chicago, and two over DCU. In this pivotal playoff chase, the Bulls, on paper, have the safest challenge of the above teams this week, facing an underachieving and unstable Colorado side. United finds themselves on the road against a resurgent Dallas squad.

Last night at Jalan Besar Gombak United suprisingly held leaders Super Reds 1-1. Emmanuel Emuejeraye gave the Bulls the lead on 36' but an early second half goal by Joo Ki Hwan levelled things. The Super Reds couldn't find a winner so now sit just two and three points clear of SAF and Home respectively.

Ouch.

So. A player who hasn't been able to hit the back side of Rosie O'Donnell looks like the reincarnation of Pele out there. As has been the theme since Jozy left last week - they need three immediate and urgent signings in order to get this squad back to respectablility. If not? Expect more of this all season.

WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF HORRORS

This is yet another Metro graveyard, right below RFK. The last time they won in Gillette was when Mathis was on the team the first time around!

And the lovely memories of this wonderful place! The Mendes / Conway debacle?

The team continued with the Osorio Mantra - it doesnt matter if you do it ugly, just so long as you win. And for yet another week, the Bulls flirted .500 and somehow managed to avoid going under.

The team featured the same 4-3-1-2 formation, which fluctuated to a 4-4-2 at times on the defense.

A physical battle in the midfield, and a hard fought road performance is all for naught on one UGLY play.

Kevin Goldthwaite was on the far left side. Parke was taking central, but was trotting slightly forward. Jon Conway was standing by in nets.

How Ironic - the Bulls lose by 4 on the Fourth.

Wonderful.

Player of the Game is Joey Chestnut - great job defeating Kobayashi yet again.

Comments?

I am in shock. Seriously. I mean, we all expected Reyna to pull a "Djorkaeff" and simply fade into the history books. This is something else all together.

I have to credit ESPN with this gem. Though Ives also says he was the first to report.

Reyna is gone folks. For reals.

So the question now remains - what of the DP?

The first edition on checking up on Ken Roberts' Sports Club Stats page for the Quakes. Let me try to break down some of the jargon for you: Last week's tie against the Bulls shot our chance of making the playoffs up 4 percent, from .74% to 4.74%! Next we have the "What If", which [...]

It was bad enough that I found Gabriel Cichero's elbow as innocent as a babies coo, but even the league thinks it was bad - bad enough, actually, to suspend our new stud centerback for not one, but two league games.

To quote a legendary duck,"Ah Phooey!" How that elbow deserves two games is beyond me.

Rams win Invitational - Roanoke-Chowan News Herald 8/18 Comets open season with win at S. Stanly -The Stanley News and Press 8/21 North Stanly forward Zack Xiong and South Stanly defender Bradley Bice get ready to collide in the midfield during Wednesday's match. Xiong scored three goals in the 6-1 win over the Rebel Bulls.

I predict that this match will be an easy pessimist/optimist test for our fans out there. And since I try to stay away from equivocation, let me come out and make the optimistic case. D.C. United owned the majority of this match, but didn't totally dominate it. There was about five minutes in the first half, and the last ten minutes, when things looked dicey for the home side.

Everybody's favorite unemployed American soccer coach apparently has that coaching itch again.

You already knew about Bruce Arena's public interest in the Scottish National Team job. Now there are rumblings out of Chicago that the former U.S. national team and Red Bulls coach has put himself in the mix for the Chicago Fire head coaching vacancy.

The US Open Cup is upon us as once again, New Yorks bastard sports franchise gives a go at the gold!

A second trophy in our trophy case? Dont count your chickens just yet.

Feel free to share any live streams here. I will be busy till 7, so if I find something, I am using the old iPod touch to let you all know.

The speculation may now officially be laid to rest. Oscar Echeverry has been playing injured. Quite injured.

According to Brian Lewis at the NY Post, Eche will go under the knife for season ending knee surgery. This leaves the forward options extremely thin up top - with Wolyniec and Megaloudis being the top forward options (since Magee seems to be considered a midfielder now adays).

Balestier Khalsa remained at the foot of the league table, after losing 1-0 to Gombak United at the Jalan Besar Stadium. In a match filled with missed opportunites from both sides, Nigerian import Kingsley Njoku's spot kick in the 70th minute was deemed enough to seal all three points for the Bulls.

Join me here, tonight at 7pm, as I have a couple of Bud Lights (Im on a diet), devour some sushi and take in the fixture that Juan Carlos Osorio calls "The most important game of the season."

Will Kandji take the pitch?

Will Schelotto actually play?

Will the Bulls at least emerge with a point?

QUICK RECAP:

Columbus pwned. Straight up. Especially in the second half. There was no fight.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

+ Play Rojas centrally.
+ Put Parke back in the middle of the defensive back 4 with Cichero.