New York Red Bulls

In their most recent MLS match, the New York Red Bulls dominated the New England Revolution 4-1.

A brief look at two statistics and this would appear to be a more even game than the score suggests.  In terms of possession and duels, these teams were similar.  They each won 49 individual battles and held the ball nearly 50 percent of the time.

These metrics are misleading, though, as New York was the clearly superior side.

Advanced study is required to determine why New York was able to win so soundly. 

So rather than using pure numbers, this analysis examines the MLS Opta Chalkboard from the match.  The Opta Chalkboard displays nearly every touch of every game and reports exactly where it happened on the pitch. 

A deeper look into the Opta Chalkboard in this match explains three key tactical elements in New York’s victory.

All Chalkboard data gather directed from MLSSoccer.com and powered by Opta. 

 

Dax McCarty and Winning the Midfield

Since arriving via trade from D.C. United, many believe Dax McCarty to be New York’s best and most consistent player over the past two seasons. 

Marred slightly so far this campaign in trying to figuring out spacing with Juninho, McCarty looked far more comfortable than he has been all season with the Brazilian out of the lineup due to suspension. 

The American was free to playing his holding role as he’s done so in the past, allowing the rest of the midfield to attack at will.  Not only did McCarty have the most touches of anyone on New York, his midfield play distribution was sublime. 

Here’s a look at his pass attempts in the midfield. 

He also picked up five ball recoveries in the midfield (half of his 10 total), and chipped in one interception and four tackles. 

McCarty’s play offered New York the chance to either slow the pace of play when necessary with his more basic sideways and backwards possession, or to counter quickly with forward passing.  His perfect pressure-releasing pass into space lead to his team’s third goal. 

It was simply a clinic on how to boss a match through the midfield. 

 

Thierry Henry and the Left Side of the Attacking Half

A quick look at all of Thierry Henry’s touches makes it clear that the Frenchman was stationed on the left side of the attacking half of the pitch.  That is not to say that Henry did not float, as he is wont to do, but the majority of his time on the ball was spent on the left.

That makes sense.  Henry has mastered the art of fake-shot cutback to his right.  He also spent much of his prime starting on the left and drifting in for Arsenal. 

The tactics were clear as a result: get Henry the ball on the left side of the field and let him create.

As such, Revolution fullback Roy Miller had more touches than his counterpart on the right, Brandon Barklage.  Not only did Miller see the ball more, it was in more advanced areas too. 

Manager Mike Petke did his best to surround Henry with as many teammates to combine with as possible.  This worked quite well, too, as Jonny Steele, another left-sided player, contributed a goal of his own.

Simply stated, Henry is critical to New York’s possession: he knows exactly when to play one-touch and when to draw defenders by holding the ball.  His five lay-offs gave attackers the chance to get forward and his four key passes illustrate how accurate and incisive his passing can be.

 

Defensive Third Positioning: Reading the Game

The Red Bulls did a fine job of stifling the New England attack when forced to defend in their own defensive third. 

Rather than relying on tackling, New York’s backs and midfielders effectively spaced themselves to shut down passing lanes and tighten gaps between lines allowing New England nowhere to play.

New York’s 16 interceptions, 26 clearances and two blocked crosses in the defensive third of the field suggest a synced defense.  They were disciplined, too; only conceding one foul.  

Such a small figure may be the result of attempting fewer tackles (only five) and relying on superior positioning.  Regardless, it worked, as they only allowed two corners in addition to the singular goal.

It’s no wonder that New England had difficulty connecting passes and crosses as they ventured closer to New York’s goal.  The Revolution only completed 65 percent of their final third pass attempts.

The New York coaching staff will certainly be happy with the result and look to continue to build on some of the trends discussed above that provided them with such success. 

The biggest question for New York the rest of the season is figuring out if Juninho and Dax McCarty are best-served playing together or not.  Their roles do not seem clearly defined when the two are both on the pitch at the same time.  It will be intriguing to see if Petke continues to deploy these two next to one another in the midfield, or if he instead considers a different strategy. 

Amongst the plethora of international matches on Friday, the New York Red Bulls made a crucial move to add depth to their goalkeeping ranks. 

The Red Bulls announced on their website that they signed Kevin Hartman, a longtime veteran of MLS at 38 years old, as cover while Ryan Meara is still out injured.

Before the signature of the former LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas keeper, the Red Bulls had Luis Robles and 17-year-old Santiago Castano as the only healthy keepers on their roster. 

Bringing in Hartman benefits all parties involved in the transaction. Hartman has been looking for a new team ever since his contract was not renewed by FC Dallas at the end of the 2012 season while the Red Bulls needed to bolster their depth at the position. 

The Red Bulls' first-choice keeper, Meara, has been out with a hip injury that he suffered last summer during the regular season.

The Red Bulls do not want to rush the progress of their keeper of the future, especially if they have two valuable keepers on the roster that are capable of playing at the highest level (via Talk). 

Robles has started the first three games of the season for the Red Bulls and has conceded five goals. If Robles is unable to hold down the fort in front of the goal, Hartman could slide into the starting role. 

As Ives Galarcep of Soccer by Ives points out, Hartman will see some familiar faces when he joins up with the Red Bulls as he will be playing with three former FC Dallas teammates. 

Red Bulls make the signing of veteran GK Kevin Hartman official. Adding yet another member of 2010 FC Dallas (Pearce, McCarty, Alexander).

— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) March 22, 2013

Other reactionary tweets showed plenty of concern for Meara's spot on the depth chart as the first-choice keeper.

https://twitter.com/davisjsn/status/314938115309584384

The Red Bulls ink 38-year-old Kevin Hartman, the most accomplished keeper in #MLS history. Not a good sign for Ryan Meara's recovery

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) March 22, 2013

Hartman, who will also serve as the goalkeeping development coach for the Red Bulls, has played over 400 matches since his 1997 debut with the Galaxy. 

The 38-year-old has two MLS Cups, two Supporters Shields and the 1999 Goalkeeper of the Year award. 

Follow me on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

D.C. United spoiled the New York Red Bulls home opener on Saturday afternoon, earning a 0-0 draw largely through the spectacular efforts of their goalkeeper Bill Hamid.

The matchup was the first game on tap for Major League Soccer’s rivalry week and, despite the scoreline, provided more than its fair share of excitement.

New York clearly dominated the contest, out-possessing D.C. United 57 percent to 43 percent, respectively, and outshooting their rivals 24-4.

However, D.C.’s defense held strong through most of the contest and was saved from danger when it did break down through several spectacular efforts from Hamid.

Hamid’s remarkable effort had to be particularly satisfying for him after his bungled own-goal howler and sending off in last year’s D.C. United-New York playoff series nearly cost his team a chance at playing for the Eastern Conference championship.

Hamid was busy right from the get go, parrying away a beautiful effort from Thierry Henry in only the eighth minute.

Then, right before the half, Hamid had a nice punch on a long service into D.C. United’s box.

In the second half, Hamid picked up right where he had left off. In the 67th minute, he impressively swatted away a chance by Tim Cahill as Cahill got on the end of a beautiful Red Bulls cross to the back post.

Finally, in stoppage time, Hamid had his most important save, preserving the shutout with a stunningly athletic effort pawing a ball headed for the net off his own goal line.

For New York’s part, again despite the draw, they put together their best effort of the 2013 season on Saturday.

From the opening whistle, Henry was active, creating chances for himself and his teammates with superb runs, touches and passes.

However, both Henry and New York struggled throughout the game to take advantage of their opportunities.

In the 24th minute, Henry put in a cross for Fabian Espindola, but Espindola’s header was stopped by the crossbar.

In the 32nd minute, Henry got on the end of a long ball in behind D.C.’s defense, but took a poor first touch and lost the initiative.

In the 52nd minute, Henry put Espindola in on goal, but Espindola took his first touch into traffic and the chance was snuffed out by D.C. United.

In the 56th minute, Espindola brilliantly danced through two D.C. defenders in the area and hit a cracker of a shot—only to be denied once again by the crossbar.

In the 58th minute, Henry found himself in behind D.C.’s defense once again, but skied his left-footed attempt well over the goal.

In the 74th minute, Henry found himself behind D.C.’s defense for a third time, but Brandon McDonald was quick to recover and blocked Henry’s shot.

The combination of Espindola and Henry’s efforts should give the Red Bulls continued hope that they can have a successful season, but they are now winless in three games. And although Henry easily had his best game so far in the 2013 season, he looked frustrated with himself throughout the contest. He appeared to have the look of someone who is realizing that he can no longer play at the level that made him an international superstar.

Tim Cahill also continues to look like a shadow of his former self, being culpable on three of New York's biggest wasted chances of the night.

On a positive note for New York, midfielder Dax McCarty had a great game for the Red Bulls, breaking up D.C.’ attacks, starting possession out of the back for New York and even getting into the attack on several occasions.

D.C. United, despite earning the tie, has to be worried about their continued lack of offensive production so far in 2013. In three games, United has only scored one goal.

Even with the return from suspension of attacking midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, D.C. United’s offense was non-existent for most of the match.

D.C. United only created two solid chances on the night.

In the 10th minute, Chris Pontius toe-poked a ball forward for De Rosario who was able to beat New York goalkeeper Luis Robles to the ball. However, Robles, outside his box, managed to stand De Rosario up long enough for help to arrive behind him.

D.C.’s other good chance came off another De Rosario-Pontius connection in the 59th minute when Pontius took a De Rosario pass and used a deft touch to turn the New York defense. However, Robles was once again quick off his line and smothered Pontius’ shot.

Both teams will be looking for better efforts as they head into Week Four.

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This Saturday, Major League Soccer has scheduled its first-ever “Rivalry Week.” The day will feature seven of the league’s top rivalry games starting at 12:30 p.m. ET with the New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United match and concluding with the Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders match at 8 p.m. ET with five other games sandwiched in between.

The center-piece of this day-long soccer fiesta will be “The Breakaway”, a two and half hour show that MLS is deeming as their version of the NFL’s “Red Zone” show. “The Breakaway” will run concurrently through four of the mid-day matchups.

While there are many tantalizing matchups on the docket for Saturday, particularly the game between Seattle and Portland, the Red Bulls-D.C. United game is definitely the one not to miss. Here’s why.

Mike Petke v. Ben Olsen

One of the best storylines coming out of the New York-D.C. game is the coaching matchup between former teammates Mike Petke and Ben Olsen.

Petke and Olsen played together for parts of three seasons with D.C. United, winning the MLS Cup in 2004 together.

Although Olsen struggled a bit in his first full season as D.C. United manager in 2011 with the team going 9-13-12 (win-loss-draw format), Olsen turned things around radically for the club in 2012 leading the team to a 17-10-7 record, second place in the Eastern Conference and the Eastern Conference finals in the playoffs.

It would not be surprising if Petke, in his first year as coach of the New York Red Bulls, faces a similarly difficult first season.

The Red Bulls have squandered first-half leads in both of their games so far this year and have looked poor doing it. In Week One, the Red Bulls lost a two-goal lead away to the Portland Timbers in a match that striker Thierry Henry looked like he didn’t want to be playing in.

In Week Two, the Red Bulls, once again up in an away match, let San Jose score two goals in the final ten minutes.

Petke’s comments after the San Jose match show that he may already be feeling the pressure. After the game, Petke called out his players saying, "We need guys to man up and take control and battle. That’s what we need, especially late in games.”

The Red Bulls 2012 season was deemed a failure by many pundits and Red Bulls’ fans alike. However, in 2012, much of the blame was dropped at the feet of Rafa Marquez. So far in 2013, Thierry Henry is off to a poor start and Tim Cahill has yet to produce. Whether or not Petke can get his star-studded team to perform remains the team’s biggest question mark.

What happens with Roy Miller?

Roy Miller had what can only be described as a shocker last Sunday night against the San Jose Earthquakes.

First, in the 83rd minute, Miller was beaten on the back post as he failed to track his runner and Adam Jahn put away the equalizer.

Then, in the 90th minute, Miller was called for a handball after stopping another effort by Jahn with Miller bringing his hand above his head for the block.

To make matters even worse, Miller then encroached on the ensuing penalty which Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles saved, so the kick was retaken. Chris Wondolowski scored on his second chance and New York went down in defeat.

To make matters even worse than that, on Wednesday, Miller told MLSSoccer.com that he encroached on the first penalty on purpose saying “I did it so that if [Wondolowski] made it, he would have to do it again and then he [would] miss. I had the unfortunate luck that Luis saved the initial attempt.”

Miller’s statement, however, makes no sense because encroachment by the defending player on a penalty that is scored does not force a retake.

Seeing if Roy Miller retains his starting place in New York’s lineup remains to be seen.

The D.C.-New York Rivalry Just Keeps Getting Better

Finally, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls have one of the oldest and best rivalries in Major League Soccer.

In 2012, that rivalry showcased some of the craziest and most bizarre storylines of the season as the two were matched up in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

In the playoff series, D.C. United, because it was the higher seed, was supposed to have the advantage of playing the second leg of the home-and-away series at home.

However, D.C. gave up that advantage and hosted the first leg because of the after effects of Hurricane Sandy.

When the first leg took place in D.C., it turned out to be an absolutely jaw-dropping affair. The game ultimately ended 1-1 on two separate own goals and featured one of the stupidest red cards in the history of the game. And, all of this happened in a ten-minute span.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVbPdIHJJSA

First, in the 61st minute, Roy Miller, fired home a D.C. United cross into his own net.

Then, just four minutes later, D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid somehow bungled the ball into his own net on a New York corner kick.

Six minutes after that, D.C. United right-back Andy Najar committed an act of madness picking up two consecutive cards by fouling the Red Bulls Joel Lindpere from behind and then, while being carded for that offense, threw the ball at the official.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrpQ7CmVPpI

In the second leg of the matchup, when D.C. finally did travel to New York four days after the first leg, the New York leg of the series was once again cancelled.

This time the delay came in the form of a massive snowstorm. MLS kept hope alive until just before kickoff that the game might be played and MLS Commissioner Don Garber was even out of the field shoveling off the snow as it came down.

Eventually, the game was called off and rescheduled for the next day, but D.C. United manager Ben Olsen still managed to heat the rivalry up even without a game being played. He stated that D.C. wanted to play the game, “My concern is that my boys wanted to play, and I thought it was a playable field at this point.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bvJTlBGo1k

In contrast to Olsen’s willingness to go at it despite the weather, then New York Red Bulls coach Hans Backe was repeatedly and publicly pleading that the match be cancelled saying, “It’s a different sport… it’s, in a way, a joke and all about luck. It’s a conference semifinal; it has to be more serious.

Olsen’s will to play fired up D.C. United supporters, especially the group of 700 fans who made the trip by bus only to see the game cancelled again. United players, before going back to the locker room once the game was officially called off, went into the stands to thank their traveling fans.

The next day, when the game was played, the wildness of the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup continued.

In the 69th minute, Bill Hamid was shown a red card after taking out Red Bulls forward Kenny Cooper on a breakaway. Cooper scored the ensuing penalty, but it was called back for encroachment and the second attempt was saved.

Still, with the series tied 1-1, New York had a man advantage with 20 minutes to play in regulation, plus extra time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xds5TcPLQTQ

However, New York only kept that advantage for all of six minutes. In the 75th minute, Rafa Marquez, who was already carrying a yellow card, went into United winger Chris Pontius with a studs up challenge. Marquez received his second yellow and gave D.C. United a reprieve from the man-down situation.

Then, in the 88th minute, United winger Nick DeLeon found the winner with a beautiful finish, ending New York’s season and adding another great chapter to this wonderful rivalry.

Make sure to catch the first installment of this year’s D.C. United vs. Red Bulls matchup this Saturday.

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In their opening match of the 2013 season, the New York Red Bulls and Thierry Henry played to a 3-3 away draw against the Portland Timbers.

But, despite the fact that earning a point on the road is certainly a positive for team, the Red Bulls earned that point with little to no help from Thierry Henry.

Henry started the match and even played the full 90, but struggled the entire evening to make an impact on the game.

Throughout Henry’s MLS career, his modus operandi has always been that he can be brilliant when he wants to be, but downright pedestrian when he isn’t in the mood.

This exact idea was expressed by ESPN commentator Taylor Twellman during the pregame broadcast of Sunday night’s match when Twellman said, “The question for the Red Bulls and (New York Red Bulls head coach) Mike Petke is which Thierry Henry are they going to get?”

Henry was listed in the opening lineup as the central striker in New York’s 4-2-1-3, but he quickly drifted out to the left side of the front line and remained there for the first 45 minutes of the game.

In the first half, Henry was a non-factor, as most of New York’s dangerous attacks came down the right side of the field. When Henry was involved, he repeatedly lost possession and displayed an uncharacteristic poor first touch. He also struggled to find any sort of a rhythm with Red Bulls left-back Roy Miller.

Credit must also be given to the Timbers, who put a body on Henry nearly every time he touched the ball. Henry struggled with the constant pressure and even looked annoyed that the Timbers wouldn’t give him the time and space on the ball he clearly wanted.

Henry’s best moment of the first half was when he got behind the Timbers defense on a nice run in the 39th minute, but couldn’t find Fabian Espindala with the ensuing centering pass.

In the second half, Henry played much more centrally and was more involved, yet still completely ineffective.

Henry did link up play on a couple of occasions in the second stanza, but still continued to commit the cardinal sin of a striker—running away from his midfield rather than supporting them.

In the second half, Henry also had three shots, two of which he sent well over and wide of the Timbers net and one that he drove hard, but straight at Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.

The worst individual moment of the game for Henry came in the 80th minute. With the Red Bulls still up 3-2, Henry wasted an opportunity to give New York a cushion wasting a breakaway opportunity. On the play, Henry took one of the worst first touches one could imagine from a professional footballer and Ricketts came out to end the play.

Perhaps even more troubling than Henry’s missed breakaway was his poor defensive effort. The Timbers were able to get continued possession out of their back four in the middle third of the field because Henry spent much of the second half standing in the center circle like a traffic cone.

As the Timbers built possession out of the back—a Caleb Porter trademark—New York’s midfield became overrun. After the game, Henry blamed New York’s lack of second-half possession on heavy legs, saying that New York “ran out of steam.”

There is no doubt that Thierry Henry has world-class talent—he scored 15 league goals for the Red Bulls last season—but with New York just removed from the designated player disaster that was Rafa Marquez, they need a much better effort from Henry going forward.

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The New York Red Bulls unveiled their 2013 home jersey on Monday in a special VIP Season Ticket Holder event at New York City’s Pier 59, per NewYorkRedBulls.com.

The bright red from 2012 appears to be replaced with a maroon color. There is also a distinct maroon cut on the collar, as well as on the sleeves and under the arms.

The new jersey can be purchased at the Red Bull Arena's Bullshop between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The Red Bulls finished third in the Eastern Conference last season with 57 points, going 16-9-9. They reached the quarterfinals in the playoffs, as well as the Round of 16 in the Open Cup.

The Red Bulls begin the 2013 campaign on the road, visiting the Portland Timbers on March 3 and the San Jose Earthquakes on March 10. Their first home game will be on March 16 against D.C. United. 

There are always those who will say, "You have to look good to play good," but changing jerseys has historically been more of a money-grabber for teams, instead of something that single-handedly boosts a club's play.

Of course, given the Red Bulls haven't advanced past the quarterfinals in the MLS playoffs since 2008, every little bit of mental advantage could help. The new jerseys, albeit with minute changes, do appear to look better overall, and the change to maroon is a nice touch.

Hopefully for the Red Bulls, the new jerseys will give them wings in 2013.

The New York Red Bulls are a team loaded with talent but no head coach. It is the perfect blueprint for yet another disappointing, trophy-less season.

(Update: Mike Petke officially named head coach) 

On-the-field preparations are already being made for the 2013 campaign.

Cleats are laced. Fitness is being tested. Cohesion and team unity are carefully nurtured.

Just not in New York. At least not in the traditional sense.

The enigma that is New York's head coaching position has overshadowed what is—at least on paper—a championship roster.

But games are not played on paper. They are played on the field.

And there’s usually a head coach there, or so I’ve heard.

Since the firing of Hans Backe last November, the Red Bulls have done a better job of being linked to potential head coaches than actually hiring one.

Potential suitor No. 1 was Scotland’s own Gary McAllister.

Following the appointment of Andy Roxburgh as Sporting Director, McAllister’s hire seemed inevitable.

It fit the European model that New York has been synonymous with, and his connection with Roxburgh dated back to his days on the Scottish national team.

But the hire never came to fruition. The Red Bulls never extended an offer to McAllister.

Potential suitor No. 2 was Portuguese manager Paulo Sousa.

Rumors swirled earlier this month following Sousa’s departure from Hungarian club Videoton FC. On an episode of his podcast, The Shot, Alexi Lalas cited his sources, calling Sousa “a good bet” to be the next coach of New York.

An American assistant for Sousa was also in line.

Former Red Bulls star and current US Soccer youth technical director Claudio Reyna was offered a position as Sousa’s top assistant.

But in the past week, New York has been rejected more times than Ty Lawson in the paint.

Reyna has declined the Red Bulls’ offer (via soccerbyives.net).

And now, reports out of Portugal have forced New York back to the drawing board.

According to reports from Portugal, Paulo Sousa turns down the Red Bull coaching job. Drama continues. #RBNY #MLS bit.ly/10FitnP

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) January 22, 2013

Reyna’s decision to turn down the opportunity to be an assistant for the Red Bulls is surmountable. But Sousa’s decision is not.

Not in the short term.

New York does not benefit from rejection or hearsay. Those two appear to be the only options at this point.

The latest rumor has named Eric Wynalda, Paul Lambert and Teitur Thordarson as the next batch of potential suitors.

Red Bull linked with Lambert, Eric Wynalda & ex-Vancouver boss Thordarson, dysfunction hurting their search. #RBNY #MLS bit.ly/Um2Rl5

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) January 24, 2013

At the moment, that is mere speculation. When it comes to New York, what isn’t at this point?

Whatever the scuttlebutt may be, Roxburgh is in no rush to officially name the 12th head coach in franchise history.

We’ve been talking to a number of people, a lot with really interesting backgrounds and we’re still in discussions. We appreciate the fans’ patience, but we don’t want to rush to judgement here. There will be an announcement soon about it.

The front office is not rushing to judgement, but it did not refrain from overhauling its roster.

Roxburgh and Gérard Houllier spent the offseason conducting an intemperate number of transactions. But they forgot the one with the most consequence: naming a new head coach.

The 2013 version of the Red Bulls is essentially a hand-picked team with no regard to tactics, formation or style of play.

Whoever New York selects as its next head coach will be greeted with this message on day one: "Welcome. This is your team. Now go win with it."

It is in direct contrast to what the Los Angeles Galaxy—another big-market team with money to spend—have done since Bruce Arena’s arrival.

It is a blueprint that is doomed to fail in MLS.

Many have forgotten the turmoil that surrounded LA before Arena’s arrival. The Galaxy were a team without a playoff berth since 2005.

All the money and talent could not keep LA from finishing next-to-last in the league in 2008.

But in the four years that followed, Arena led the Galaxy to three MLS Cup Finals. Two titles have been lifted in the process.

Those championships were not “bought” as some have alluded to. Vital pieces to LA's championship form were drafted and acquired to mirror Arena’s vision.

Omar Gonzalez, AJ DeLaGarza and Mike Magee were not the lavish additions the Galaxy are typically lambasted over.

The Galaxy have proven it takes more than money and household names to win an MLS Cup. Stability at the top is a characteristic of a championship team.

As of now, it is not a characteristic New York has in spades.

That’s what separates the four-time champions in LA from the empty trophy case in New York. (No, the Emirates Cup does not count as a legitimate trophy.)

True, the Red Bulls are not the only team entering the preseason with no head coach. Toronto FC bears the distinct "honor” of joining the Red Bulls in that regard.

But even Kevin Payne has an exact timetable for Ryan Nelsen’s arrival.

Ryan Nelsen to leave QPR and join Toronto FC permanently on Feb. 1: bit.ly/USr7KC

— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) January 23, 2013

Toronto FC has answers New York does not. 

But for every report written on the Red Bulls' inability to hire a head coach, there is always one consistent caveat: Mike Petke is still the interim head coach.

Many have argued that it is in New York’s best interest to remove Petke’s interim tag. New York's bitter rival DC United can attest to the success of having a former MLS veteran lead your team.

But as Ives Galarcep points out, that move may soon be one of necessity rather than innovation.

Still think Petke is very much still better as an assistant than head coach, but RBNY's inability to land a HC could leave them w/no choice

— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) January 22, 2013

The MLS season is 36 days away, New York.

Whether it's Petke, a European commodity or your local AYSO volunteer, the time to make a hire is now.

Better late than never.

Follow Eduardo on Twitter for more insight on a variety of sports topics. Follow @Mendez_FC

Reports out of France have the New York Red Bulls signing little used PSG striker, Peguy Luyindula. If these reports are true, then it will be the second major signing of the week for the Red Bulls.

Luyindula has seen little time with PSG this season as he has only logged 11 minutes in a league cup game. With his contract set to expire, the 33 year old has not been a part of the PSG project that is in progress.

During the early part of his career, Luyindula was one of the hottest prospects in French football. His potential caught the eye of Lyon.

Luyindula saw his best seasons while with Olympique Lyon during the early years of their championship run. There he was teammates with Red Bulls' latest signing, Juninho. After producing 33 goals in 91 appearances for Lyon, the striker was sold to Marseille for financial reasons.

After bouncing around France and Spain the next few years, Luyindula found a home at PSG in 2007. It was during his early years in Paris that he worked his way back onto the French National team for a few appearances.

It is during his short time with Les Blues that Peguy befriended current Red Bull designated player, Thierry Henry. It is his friendship with Henry that may be the driving force behind the Red Bulls interest.

While Luyindula has seen his best years pass, he could still be a serviceable second or third strike option. Luyindula has very good speed, and a solid understanding of the game. His experience at top clubs along with France give testament to the ability as a player he has.

While this will not be met with a great deal of excitement from Red Bull and MLS fans, it could be a very solid investment. Experienced, affordable attack options are at a premium in MLS.

Luyindula spent his time in Paris (prior to the new regime) playing the role of a supersub. Red Bull can use him in the same manner to inject life into the game. His familiarity with Juninho and Henry will also make him a valuable addition as a spot starter.

It appears the Red Bulls are looking to add the much-needed role players as opposed to the talented cancers we have seen on the pitch in recent times. Luyindula may not be a frontpage name, but do not underestimate the impact he can have in New York.

After a frantic week of MLS transfers, the New York Red Bulls must ascertain whether Fabián Espíndola, Jámison Olave and Kosuke Kimura can help deliver the first title in franchise history. 

With less than a month in office, new sporting director Andy Roxburgh has left his mark on the team. A multitude of trades have been completed in hopes of bringing the MLS Cup to New York.

Even in the offseason, the Red Bulls manage to entertain.

On Monday, New York traded allocation money to Real Salt Lake in exchange for defender Jámison Olave and forward Fabián Espíndola.

On that same night, the Red Bulls traded allocation money and the homegrown rights for defender Bryan Gallego to the Portland Timbers in exchange for defender Kosuke Kimura and a second-round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft.

On Thursday, New York traded forward Sébastien Le Toux to the Philadelphia Union in exchange for forward Josué Martinez and allocation money.

That’s three bold moves in the span of four days. Netting 57 points and clinching the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference is not enough.

Roxburgh is determined to build a championship-caliber team.

The question is: What do these trades mean for the 2013 version of the Red Bulls?

The trading of Le Toux comes as no surprise.

After failing to make an impact (one goal in 708 minutes), the Frenchman was relegated to the bench for seven of the team’s final eight matches.

The Red Bulls have a plethora of talented strikers (Thierry Henry, Kenny Cooper and Espíndola), so Le Toux was expendable for New York.

That was a sentiment the Frenchman welcomed:

"The only team I wanted to play for was Philadelphia." --Le Toux #DOOP

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) December 7, 2012

New York did not improve by trading Le Toux. It didn't worsen either.

It’s the trade with Real that is the focal point for Roxburgh’s new direction.

Last season, the Red Bulls back four was more patchwork than anything.

Former head coach Hans Backe started 16 different defensive combinations in 34 matches. New York failed to start the same back four more than five times all season.

The acquisition of Olave was crucial for the Red Bulls. If healthy, the 2010 Defender of the Year will bring stability and leadership to New York's back four.

The Colombian international started 119 games and clocked 10,320 minutes during his four-year tenure with the Claret and Cobalt—more than any Red Bull defender on the 2012 roster. 

The other half of the trade with Real is good news for Henry, but bad news for Cooper.

Henry has another dynamic forward to pair with up top. Espíndola recorded 19 goals with 10 assists the last two seasons. 

Unfortunately for Cooper, rumors surrounding New York indicate he is likely to be traded before the 2013 season (via soccerbyives.net).

All of the allocation money the Red Bulls have recently acquired would help pay Cooper’s $500,000 salary in 2013. But with Espíndola's arrival, that's a hefty price for someone who will see the bench.

Remember, not even 18 goals was enough to give Cooper the start in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals against DC United. 

As for Kimura, his acquisition signifies the end of Roy Miller in New York. 

Miller was a fixture in New York's defense since his arrival in 2010 (71 starts). 

But after being subbed off in the 36th minute of the Red Bulls' 3-2 victory over the Timbers on Aug. 19, Miller recorded only two minutes for the remainder of the season.

The development of Conor Lade and the arrival of Kimura means more bench time for Miller, should he remain with the team.

So, what will New York’s starting XI look like in 2013?

That question is tough to answer. It is not known if Roxburgh has finished overhauling the roster. 

But based on the current crop of players, here is a potential starting XI:

Goalkeeper: Ryan Meara

Defenders:  Heath Pearce, Rafa Marquez, Jámison Olave, Kosuke Kimura

Midfielders: Lloyd Sam, Tim Cahill, Dax McCarty, Brandon Barklage

Forwards: Thierry Henry, Fabián Espíndola

A note to the Rafa Marquez cynics (myself included):  It's time to place a moratorium on the "Rafa bashing." All signs point to his return in 2013 (via empireofsoccer.com).

The Red Bulls have a formidable starting XI, but no head coach. It’s time Roxburgh addresses that vacancy.

Someone has to make sense of all this madness.

Follow Eduardo on Twitter for more insight on a variety of sports topics. Follow @Mendez_FC