Good morning to you all! Well, it's gameday and the Red Bulls are away at Seattle. The great Matt Conroy (aka Who Shot Sam) is in Jet City and will be at the game tonight (with his Sounders-loving mom, of course). We'll look forward to his report, with any pictures and video he might take.
We've decided to start a predictions league here at TVN. A week late, I know, however we all predicted a win last week against Chicago. None of us, however, got the score right at all, with the great You Suck Corrales even predicting a 6-0 Red Bulls victory (after having one too many). Ok, So here goes:
In a telephone conversation yesterday, Who Shot Sam (live from Seattle) game me his prediction of a Red Bulls loss by the score of 2-1. I can't remember any of his expert analysis at the moment, and for that I must apologize, but I do remember the scoreline he game me. Hopefully, he's wrong.
I'm predicting a Red Bulls loss as well, by the score of 2-0. I just think that the Sounders have too much firepower for the Red Bulls to withstand. They are also at home and their 12th man, the great Seattle home support, will come into play. It looks like Freddy Ljunberg will
The great You Suck Corrales, who's on a business trip down in DC at the moment, gave me his prediction just seconds ago. YSC is predicting a 2-1 Red Bulls victory. He says, and I quote:
The Red Bulls are not that team that rolled over at Seattle last year. Mr. Backe has them playing with total organization. They will concede a goal, but will score at least two today. My prediction, Red Bulls 2, Seattle 1.Now, Homebrew Tim thinks the Red Bulls will come out of this one victorious as well. Here is his analysis and prediction:
OK, so we couldn't get together for our video predictions this week, so I'd like to ask our readers to please imagine us out on the sidewalk on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Does our speech sound like it might be just a wee bit slurred?... well, it just might be! And the camera pans over to me. Viper says, "Tim. Homebrew. Please. Give us your predictions."
This is a tricky one to predict. We received the unfortunate news that Welsh international, the stabilizing force of our midfield, Carl Robinson, has not recovered from his injury he sustained in the Santos game. Who is going to get the start? Ubi does always manage to find a couple key passes every game, but he also manages a couple real bonehead mistakes kicked right to the opposition, too. The risk/reward might be ok at home, but we really need a guy who is going to be able to hold the ball and keep their cool in the unfriendly confines of Qwest Field. I still think it will be Ubi, but, man, he's got to be better this week. I think we'll see the same starting XI as last week, even if I'm hoping to see Juan Agudelo get the start in place of Mac Kandji. (Juan A. and Juan A. up top!)
Then we have the matter of Seattle's potent offense, reinforced this week with "Red Bull Killer," Pat Noonan. But they are going up against a mighty Red Bull defense that has been nearly impossible to break down. It will be a good test of both sides.
Now, we all know about the Red Bulls woes on the road. They haven't won on the road since May, 2008! They're something like 0-20-7 during this, frankly, horrid... ugly... stretch of away matches. I want... as all Red Bull fans want... to see that streak come to an end this week... and I'm going to call it! After reading this most awesome quote from the heart of our defense, Mike Petke, this week, I believe that Coach Backe will lead this team to victory this week. Here's what Mike said:
"We have to find a way, no matter what. It doesn't have to be pretty. It doesn't have to be great soccer. We have to find a way to grind something out. We have to find a way to be effective in Seattle. whether its sitting in our whether it an all-out attack."
"Listen, when I was in junior high school, it was about becoming a better player; results didn't really matter. Later in high school and in college, it was still about becoming a better player; results started to matter. I'm 34-years-old. I'm not going to become a better player. I want to win. I don't care how it looks. I don't care. If I have to kick the ball 60 yards every time I get, if that's going to make us win, I'll do it."
See, this Red Bull team, besides playing something that is clearly identifiable as football this season, and with a style that the players understand and work towards perfecting every day... they also have redisovered their confidence and their desire to win. And that is why we will see: New York Red Bulls, TWO. Seattle Sounders, ONE.
Do you have a prediction? If you do, please feel free to post it in our comments section below. Lets Go Red Bulls...
In other Red Bulls News:
Well, this one isn't really news, just a Rumor. Former Arsenal Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann to the Red Bulls???
Also, the folks at MLS Daily have started an 2010 Attendance page. Through one home game, Red Bulls attendance is up an incredible 97% from last year (although, I still don't believe that all 24,572, who bought tickets, showed up last week are RBA). Anyway, we'll put a link to this one on the right side of TVN for your convenience.
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