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Richards sidelined with hip flexor strain

Dane_richards_mlsnetcom

Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards has been diagnosed with a hip flexor strain. Richards suffered the injury during the Red Bulls’ 2-2 tie vs. Los Angeles tonight. No time table on how long he will be out. Richards will be evaluated on Monday.

Richards missed the first six weeks of the season with a torn meniscus suffered in pre-season, but had been playing well in recent weeks, providing a speedy threat on the right flank.

If Richards is sidelined for any extended time, Hunter Freeman and Luke Sassano will be in the mix to replace him.

Comments

  1. Ted – at the current time, I mostly agree. (if Jimenez is better than Goldy, then Jimenez)

    But with a new striker (or when we want to put Woly in there)…

    —Angel — New Striker—-

    -VDB – Rojas – Richards(Freeman)-

    —Pietravallo – Stammler—

    Jimenez – Chichero – Parke (Freeman)

    ———–Conway————–

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  2. Not a Red Bull fan, but…

    VDB needs to play on that left side, not in the middle. Not that I think he plays badly in the middle, but he has been plenty dangerous on the left side of midfield and in the back.

    I think people are too quick to put a faster player out there because they see Richards giving defenders problems. The fact is, VDB has been more productive than Richards despite his lack of pace.

    Also, I don’t think Stammler deserves to lose his spot. NY would be even more lost without him.

    Angel

    VDB Rojas Richards

    Petra Stammler

    Goldy Cichero Parke Freeman

    Conway

    From an outsiders standpoint, I think that is your best line-up, provided those players are healthy and signed. I put Petra there instead of Mendes based on speculation.

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  3. @SC

    Lol, yeah tried to sneak an extra defender in there…

    Ok, here’s the redone proposed backline:

    —Stam/Jimenez—Cichero—-Parke—–

    So if Stammler can’t cross, can’t shoot, isn’t good in set pieces, and there are better defensive midfielders… looks like we just need an upgrade over the guy…

    Re: VDB, my comment was not to take him off the pitch, but rather to put him in a place where the team can make use of his best attributes — long range shot and playmaking. To really create an offensive threat on the left wing, you need a faster player there, someone who will stay out wide and can race down to the end line.

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  4. I think that VDB showed the most speed he has ever shown in MLS last night. I think having some decent players around can help him shine just that much more.

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  5. Actually, last night was the first time all season that I had hope for the Red Bulls. I think it was a very encouraging performance.

    For one thing, the team was back in a 3-5-2 formation at home. For another, Jorge Rojas had 2 assists in his first game and he created a host of other opportunities. True he had 2 opportunities to score and didn’t capitalize on them — the header was well placed and well saved, but the other ball over the cross bar was just a plain miss — but I was encouraged that he had the opportunities in the first place. Give him a little time to learn the other players and the team should be performing much better soon.

    On top of those, we’ve got 2 more defenders that will soon be starting/in the mix and potentially 1-2 new forwards coming.

    In light of all that and what I saw last night, I think players should be moved around a bit (at home):

    ——Angel—–new forward——

    Borman——Rojas——–Richards

    ———Van den Bergh———–

    —–Pietravallo/Stammler——–

    Stam/Jimenez————–Freeman

    ——-Cichero—-Parke———-

    ————Conway—————

    VDB has some good qualities that he can contribute to this team, clearly, but I think he’s too slow for left wing and doesn’t give us enough width there. So I suggest he be moved into a free/2-way central midfielder role where the team can best utilize his long range shot and playmaking.

    Borman should come back onto that left wing since he’s fast and showed promise earlier in the season.

    In the little I saw of Pietravallo, he looked good in the d-mid role. I would switch off him and Stammler there and put Mendes back on the bench.

    Stammler’s best qualities are defensive. I think he could make a good left back where he gets to use those defensive skills and gets to put in some crosses, but is not expected to shoot.

    What to do about Richards not being available… Freeman I thought was bad as a right wing… I think, if possible, the team should get Quavas Kirk from DC, if he’s on the trading block. Otherwise, do we have another option off the bench?

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  6. “Just lovely. It would be a miracle if guys like Richards were told by the league to be protected by refs. You know, the way guys like Landon Donovan are. For example, dribbling around 3 guys, getting stripped of the ball, raising his arms and crying like a baby, and getting a foul call.”

    Is this the same treatment that Carlos Ruiz got back in April against Colorado?

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  7. Sorry snake…misinterpreted your post, it was about the specific players.

    Maybe the fact that I assumed you were talking about my team just shows my current mood even more. :

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  8. Just lovely. It would be a miracle if guys like Richards were told by the league to be protected by refs. You know, the way guys like Landon Donovan are. For example, dribbling around 3 guys, getting stripped of the ball, raising his arms and crying like a baby, and getting a foul call.

    Oh wait…no, Richards will continue getting the everloving crap knocked out of him every game, and we as fans continue to be terrified every time he goes down.

    KingSnake…unfortunately I don’t think we’re even in the mix at this point. We are too busy donating points in the standings to *insert any club here*.

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  9. Don’t see how anyone can think Freeman is comparable to Richards as a right wing. Freeman was atrocious tonight in that spot. Rojas had to be pulled over towards the right to cover.

    Freeman is at his best as a right back.

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