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Pálsson (#44): The Newest VikingThe New York Red Bulls made the signing of Icelandic
international Victor Pálsson official today, confirming the player's recent comments on his
Twitter account that he had put pen to paper on a two year agreement. Pálsson, a rangy, physical
player a bit in the style of Tony Tchani, joins a crowd of holding midfielders that includes Rafa
Marquez and Teemu Tainio.
Hans Backe wants to go for it all. (Getty Images)
File this under "we've heard this before".
New York Red Bulls manager Hans Backe made a sweeping declaration yesterday to reporters while
in Mexico. He plans to go all-in this season.
"I say we should go for it all: the Open Cup, the Shield, the MLS Cup," Backe told reporters in
a conference call on Thursday from Mexico, where the Red Bulls are training.
Hans Backe wants to go for it all. (Getty Images)
File this under "we've heard this before".
New York Red Bulls manager Hans Backe made a sweeping declaration yesterday to reporters while
in Mexico. He plans to go all-in this season.
"I say we should go for it all: the Open Cup, the Shield, the MLS Cup," Backe told reporters in
a conference call on Thursday from Mexico, where the Red Bulls are training.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
By DAVE MARTINEZ
There will be no hero's send-off for Thierry Henry.
After Henry scored the final goal in a 7-1 Arsenal victory over Blackburn last weekend, Arsenal
manager Arsene Wenger eluded to the possibility of extending Henry's loan up to the London derby
against Tottenham on Feb.
It's now official, Thierry Henry will not be staying with Arsenal longer than Feb 15th. In fact
the New York Red Bulls striker is expected back in the United States just two days later
There was hope that the veteran Arsenal player would stay with Arsenal until at least the end of
the month but according to New York Red Bulls boss, Hans Backe, Henry is bent on returning to to
the MLS side on 17th.
Coop Didn't Take Long to Get His FirstThe New York Red Bulls prevailed in the first of their
2012 preseason friendly matches, defeating FC Dallas 2-0, thanks to a first half goal by Kenny
Cooper and a late penalty from Corey Hertzog. Despite Dallas striking the woodwork three times,
RBNY goalkeepers Ryan Meara and Jeremy Vuolo combined to keep a clean sheet.
Photo Credit: Alfonso Jimenez via Wikimedia Commons
Ever since Amado Guevara was shown the door, I've been clamoring for an actual #10 Creative
Midfielder for our team - to absolutely no avail. That genius Bruce Arena (besides destroying our
pretty good backline in 2007) saddled us with the perenially injured Claudio Reyna, who (as a
defensive midfielder) was absolutely not the creative player we needed.
By DAVE MARTINEZ
As the New York Red Bulls opened their preseason camp two weeks ago, coach Hans Backe surveyed
the landscape of his young goalkeeping ranks and assessed the need for an established veteran to
take a leadership role.
Despite being heavily rumored to be grasping that role, Venezuelan netminder Renny Vega will not
be the one manning the posts at Red Bull Arena this season.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
By DAVE MARTINEZ
New York Red Bulls manager Hans Backe will be able to count on Luke Rodgers after all.
After suffering a lapse in his U.S. visa status that left his future with the Red Bulls up in
the air, the English striker is no longer a question mark entering the 2012 MLS season after having
his visa approved and renewed.
By DAVE MARTINEZ
Though the New York Red Bulls were once considered clear-cut favorites to win the 2011 MLS
Eastern Conference crown, the team imploded with a host of problems on the field, and in the locker
room.
The defense became a porous mess that forced head coach Hans Backe to retool tactically in the
final quarter of the season with a crude system he dubbed "cynical soccer" in order to stay
competitive.
Agudelo: One Foot Out the Door?When the New York Red Bulls' disappointing 2011 season drew
to a close, both Hans Backe and Erik Solér assured fans that they had identified the team's main
weaknesses and would be taking steps over the winter to address them. But with 2012 preseason
training camp having opened this week, the RBNY roster is still a work in progress, with question
marks hanging over the heads of several players and doubts remaining about key positions and bench
depth.
Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com
As a new season approaches for the New York Red Bulls, it is still very uncertain who will be
standing between the goalposts for a team looking to surpass its results from 2011.
According to multiple reports, manager Hans Backe definitively said that German goalkeeper Frank
Rost would not be returning to the club, weeks after sporting director Erik Soler said there was a
"good possibility" of Rost coming back.
Brian Nielsen Playing Soccer: A Rare SightThe bulk of the New York Red Bulls squad gathered
today at Montclair State University for the first training session of the 2012 season. It was a
chance for new arrivals such as Ryan Meara and Jonathan Borrajo to meet their new teammates (well
most of them anyway) and begin the process of building up fitness.
Kenny Cooper is moving east to New York. (Getty Images)
The draft day is here and the trades are starting to come in. This one, thanks to Fox Soccer,
says that the Portland Timbers and the New York Red Bulls have struck a deal.
New York will acquire Portland Timbers forward Kenny Cooper.
It's been a week of news for America's soccer league, but, as fate would have it, most of it has
taken place in the UK. With Henry making waves, Donovan about to face off against Dempsey, and Ream
possibly about to make a move, the Combine has been more than overshadowed by MLS's action in
Britain.
Poor New York Red Bulls. In a season when it was all supposed to come together (young stars!
established DPs! weak conference! newish stadium!) it all fell apart. New York struggled all
season and barely made the playoffs, defeating a ...
Visit http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com for the rest of the story.
With the Red Bulls poised to sign Swedish defender Markus Holgersson, I had the chance to exchange
e-mails this afternoon with Torbjörn Dencker, editor, presenter and reporter at Helsingborg
Dagblad's TV channel, 24HD. Torbjörn also contributes to a Helsingborg IF-focused blog, which can
be found here.
Holgersson: Defensive Help on the Way?"Quiet" doesn't begin to describe the New York Red
Bulls media profile since the 2011 season ended. The only addition to date has been young homegrown
signing Connor Lade, while a whopping ten players have departed, according to the club's official
"Transaction Central" page.
We all talk about New Year's resolutions. You know what I say about them: view ‘em as
"guidelines" more than "rules" and you'll live a far more guilt-free year. So that's that.
But I'd like to start out 2012 with another kind of "resolution." As in, I'd love to see some
quick resolutions to vexing issues in the domestic game.
Today, the New York Red Bulls GM Erik Solér confirmed to the New York Post that Thierry Henry
will join Arsenal on a two-month loan:
"[The loan deal was] the total package," the Norwegian told the Post. "[...] We feel it's a good
honor for a guy who's been with us 18 months.
Seattle Sounders FC signing Adam Johansson fills the hole at right back left open from the loss
of James Riley, but Technical Director Chris Henderson sees him as adding more to the role rather
than a like-for-like swap;
I think losing James Riley, a seasoned veteran in our league, it's tough to lose
James.
A couple days after seemingly every news outlet in Sweden announced the signing, the Seattle
Sounders made it official: Adam Johansson has joined the team on a multi-year deal. Johansson has
played most of his professional career with Swedish power IFK Goteburg and has seen semi-regular
time with the Swedish national team since making his international debut in 2009 against the United
States and playing in three World Cup qualifiers that year.
Ream Just Looked at the EPL TableIf reports in multiple British tabloids are to be believed,
English Premier League relegation favorites Bolton Wanderers will be signing New York Red Bulls
defender Tim Ream once the January transfer window opens, for a transfer fee of somewhere close to
£2 million, or approximately $3.
Ream: West Brom Bound?Following a turbulent 2011 regular season for the New York Red Bulls,
General Manager Erik Solér and Head Coach Hans Backe have played their cards very close to the
vest as they look to reshape and add depth to the squad for 2012. Apart from sanctioning the
departure of a half dozen fringe players and exposing highly-paid veterans such as Carlos Mendes,
Bouna Coundoul and Chris Albright to this year's Re-Entry Draft (Mendes has since been snapped up
by Columbus), there has been little to no action to report.
Mendes: Le Dernier MetroCarlos Mendes, the last squad member to have played for the New York
MLS franchise as a MetroStar, was selected by Columbus Crew in phase one of the MLS Re-entry draft
this afternoon. Mendes, Arturo Alvarez and former Red Bull Danleigh Borman were the only three
players taken in the first round, when teams are on the hook for the full amount of players'
contract options.
Pssst... There's a Massive Clearance Sale on RBNY Reserves!As insane hordes of shoppers rip
each other to shreds in search of bargains, while others remain paralyzed in a Thanksgiving food
coma, the New York Red Bulls are busy reshaping their squad. They got in the holiday spirit early
on Wednesday by axing a half dozen players, none more prominent than midfielder John Rooney, whose
selection in the 2011 MLS Superdraft was a bit of a surprise.
James Grossi gets us back into the swing of things by rewinding and pressing play on
what happened in this year's MLS playoffs and the lead-up.
The first twelve matches of the 2011 MLS playoffs have been played; one remains to determine who
will take the honours as Champions.
A Veteran's Day Thank You, especially our friends serving in the armed services
and ECS' Armed Services Group. It's a quiet weekend in MLS as everyone is on break for
international games. The Los Angeles Galaxy will take on the Houston Dynamo next Sunday at the Home
Depot Center. Tickets are up over 640% over regular prices as Galaxy fans have a rare opportunity
to see their side clinch the Cup at home.
- Dynamo fans gobble up MLS Cup Final tickets [Houston Chronicle]
- Goalkeeper Tally Hall gets his shot in Houston [USA Today]
- Dynamo's Hainault keeps Euro interest on back burner [MLS Soccer]
- Defensive switch propels red-hot Houston [MLS Soccer]
- Davis-less Dynamo accustomed to adversity [Houston Chronicle]
- Despite quad injury, Davis calls 2011 "surreal" [MLS Soccer]
- Unlikely heroes Taylor, Moffat provide winner at KC [Houston Dynamo]
In Other News:
Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com
It appears that Frank Rost's time in Major League Soccer has come and gone.
Hans Backe told the New York Post Tuesday that he expects New York's midseason acquisition and
Designated Player goalkeeper to return to Germany, leaving the Red Bulls with an unresolved
situation in goal yet again.
Get Used to It: They're StayingIt was bound to happen. It might even have happened if the
Red Bulls had found a way to progress beyond the Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday and make it all the
way to MLS Cup. What am I talking about? The boatload of scathing editorials asking for Hans Backe
and Erik Solér's heads on a plate as a result of the Red Bulls' failures this season.
Get Used to It: They're StayingIt was bound to happen. It might even have happened if the
Red Bulls had found a way to progress beyond the Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday and make it all the
way to MLS Cup. What am I talking about? The boatload of scathing editorials asking for Hans Backe
and Erik Solér's heads on a plate as a result of the Red Bulls' failures this season.
New York has a lot of talent but little depth, which could be good for them in the expansion
draft. (Getty Images)
It wasn't the year that most had expected out of the New York Red Bulls. A fast started turned
into a long summer drought followed by a late season push into the playoffs. Expectations were high
and the team failed to reach them.
By JONATHAN VERA
CARSON, Calif. – The Western Conference final second leg between the Los Angeles Galaxy and
New York Red Bulls certainly lived up to its much-anticipated hype. Aggression was high, tempers
flared and drama unfolded after a quick start by the Red Bulls, but in the end, New York took the
long plane ride home broken and defeated.
After the feistiness of the first leg of the two-game Western Conference playoff series between
the Los Angeles Galaxy and New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on Sunday, the return leg at the
Home Depot Center on Thursday night was sure to be entertaining.
The two teams delivered alright. An early New York goal, followed by one player who quickly
asserted himself as the Galaxy fans' public enemy No.
The second leg of the Galaxy/Red Bulls series started off with a bang. Luke Rodgers found the back
of the net just four minutes in and brought the teams level on aggregate. From there, MLS fans were
treated to a fantastic display worthy of the playoffs.
Mike Magee played hero in responding with his second goal of the series.
A single goal set up by David Beckham and slammed home by Mike Magee saw the Los Angeles Galaxy
overcome the New York Red Bulls in the first round of the two leg conference semifinals. The
conditions at the stadium were very cold (the East Coast just had their snow storm) but the match
ended up being quite fiery.
There were talking points galore on the first legs of the four MLS quarterfinal playoff series.
I tried to hit as many as possible in the SI.com review, which should be posted later today.
But I didn't get to one issue that's sitting out there, kind of by itself, like a shy kid at a
big, fancy dance.
By CALEB SONNELAND
The New York Red Bulls are "cheaper" than any team that Landon Donovan has ever played against
in MLS.
The USMNT attacker laid seige to Hans Backe's Red Bulls following the post-game fracas that
ensued after Rafa Marquez took the ball and flung it at Donovan which resulted in a mass
scuffle.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
By AVI CREDITOR
The New York Red Bulls began the season playing as advertised, producing a high-octane style of
play, outpossessing teams and using their cavalcade of international stars to try and overpower the
opposition.
