Looks like Mr. Backe has some decisions to make come opening day in Dallas. With a surplus of forwards and central midfielders, it'll be interesting to see what formation and personnel makeup the starting XI. With so many options and possible configurations at his disposal, how will Backe manage his depth?

Soler Swag for days

After what can only be described as a highly disappointing season in 2011, the Red Bulls, and more importantly their front office, certainly had their work cut out for them. A roster filled with so much talent but woefully underachieved had to be revamped somehow. And it was Erik Soler's job to fit together the right pieces to assert New York as a top team once again.

I have to admit; I've pronounced the season to be dead more than once before. But you gotta cut me some slack, I wasn't counting on the absolute ineptitude of the rest of the Eastern Conference. Thanks to their shortcomings, the Red Bulls found themselves clinging to the tenth and final playoff spot after a draw away to Toronto.

Well, here I am, once again reeling from another disappointment, trying to figure out just how to sum up yet the latest uninspired performance by New York. I swear, with all the talk of how great this team is better on paper, I propose we so all go out and cover RBA in 8 ½ x 11's on Saturday...

Another week, another disappointing performance for RBNY. Par for the course, I would say (No Backe reference intended). With the lowly Fire in town, you'd probably expect a win in front of the sell out crowd at RBA... who am I kidding, we were all pretty much expecting the worst the way things have been going lately.

That's right, folks; to go along with the laundry list of accomplishments the Metro Bulls have attained in their illustrious history, you can add 2011 Emirates Cup Champions to it. Now while it's no La Manga, it ranks right up there with the Mickey Mouse Cup of 2010. Hey, this is about the only Red Bulls news I can get excited about nowadays, so get off my back.

Wow, well hopefully you haven't been using the Offside as your sole source for MLS news (as I know many of you do), because I haven't been very diligent in updating you on all things Red Bull New York. With the Bulls facing some adversity (understatement of the year?), the front office has taken action and enlisted the help of German backstop Frank Rost.

Can Backe right the ship?

The three-game winning streak of last month seems so distant now, doesn't it? For that matter, so does my last blog post, but that's neither here nor there (but apologies, nonetheless). The Red Bulls now find themselves in a precarious situation. They are no longer getting the results that seemed to come so easily earlier in the season, and the defense has been suspect to say the least.

Apparently, it can buy you damn entertaining 90 minutes of soccer, though. Throughout the week, everyone in MLS was hyping this game to be the greatest game of the year, and while hype is usually unsubstantiated, this game lived up to all the buzz surrounding the league's two marquee franchises.

Luke's aeroplane celebration... yea or nay?

Take a deep breath folks; the Red Bulls took home all three points tonight... but just barely. In a win that was very much different from the two matches that preceded it, New York played an incredibly strong first half that saw Luke Rodgers get on the board once again.

Remember when I said that it was MLS Cup or bust for New York this year? Well folks, that sentiment should be felt now more than ever. Erik Soler made a huge splash this afternoon in anticipation to their clash with Houston by trading away Tony Tchani, Danleigh Borman, and a first round draft pick in 2012 for five-time MLS Best XI midfielder Dwayne De Rosario.

Can TH14 be the player Red Bull paid for?

That's the label that's pretty much been put on this Red Bulls team by fans and "experts" alike (please note the quotes). With all the expectations that come with having two world-class DPs along with the addition of quality European talent, New York has no other option but to go all the way.

Breaking up the Baby Bulls

Since when was MLS preseason supposed to be this interesting/frantic? Between trips to Mexico and Florida (and Arizona coming up), cuts, signings, trialists, more preseason matches than one could handle, and the recent slew of injuries, the Red Bulls have had plenty on their plate.

Well, it looks like Backe's decision to make Thierry Henry the next Red Bulls captain is official. After seeing Henry wear the armband in Wednesday's friendly against Atlante, there was some speculation as to whether the decision would be carry over into the regular season.

MLS has undergone a pretty drastic transformation right before our very eyes this offseason, one that has left me asking, "Where have all the stars gone?" alla Hershey's Cookies and Cream commercials circa 1998. Many of the league's big name stars have hit the road for various reasons, leaving behind an opportunity for many of the leagues budding young talents to take their place.