Photo by Tommy Gilligan/USA Today Sports
By FRANCO PANIZO
HANOVER, N.J. — From Thierry Henry and Landon Donovan to Rafa Marquez and David Beckham, there’s always been a good amount of star power on display in recent years when the New York Red Bulls and LA Galaxy have collided.
Sunday’s showdown at Red Bull Arena won’t have that. Partly because of an injury to Galaxy forward Robbie Keane, and partly because of New York’s lack of a big-name player.
The Red Bulls are off to a hot and undefeated start in MLS this season, but the club has done so with an approach that differs from that of years past. Instead of surrounding one or two star individuals with a core of blue-collared players, New York is now relying on a team concept that requires everyone to do their part.
The results have so far been impressive – the Red Bulls have gone 3-0-2 to remain the only unbeaten team in MLS – but the absence of a star individual still has some fans yearning for a big-name Designated Player. New York brass has said in recent months that it is open to signing someone of that caliber in the summer, but the club is still not sure whether it will or not because of how well it has performed thus far.
“We’re still evaluating,” Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch told SBI on Saturday, feet away from visiting former DP Juan Pablo Angel. “I would say that, for me, the main focus is that we really like this group. If we add to it, we don’t want to add to it just because you have a DP spot or you have the ability to add. We want to make sure that everything we do here is very calculated, and regardless of it’s a DP or any player that comes in here, we want it to be the right fit.
“We want it to add to what we have because, like I said, we feel really good about the group we have and the way we’re playing and who we are. It’s a delicate balance, because you can sometimes subtract by adding, and we want to make sure that we add by adding.”
New York does have a Designated Player on their books right now in forward Bradley Wright-Phillips. But while Wright-Phillips is a productive player, he’s not the type that draws the big bright lights or brings out fans to the stadium in droves in the way that an Henry, Donovan or Beckham did or that future Galaxy DP Steven Gerrard likely will.
Still, the Red Bulls are not worrying too much these days about filling seats with the allure of a big-name player. Not even as neighboring New York City FC touts Spanish striker David Villa and awaits the arrival of English legend Frank Lampard.
The emphasis is simply on fielding a winning team. Yes, New York might be a city that’s synonymous with star power, but the Red Bulls could very well go through the entire 2015 season without having much of it.
“Obviously we have the ability to (add DPs), but that’s not the main focus,” said Marsch. “The main focus is to continue to round out this team and this organization in a way that makes us better.”
For most MLS teams it’s a race to the bottom, investing in players won’t pay off financially so you might as well field as cheap a team as possible.
I think a perfect DP would be Dante. He’s 31 and doesn’t have any place with Bayern. He has two years left on his contract but I don’t know how much of a transfer he’d fetch now, so maybe they’d let him out of it. His salary would probably be about $1.5m, so, not outrageous.
Sounds great, sign him up!
If the NYRB do not fill out a third DP slot, they will not win the MLS Cup, much less the Eastern Division.
It’s true that some teams, including NYRB have has mixed success with DP’s, BUT team management and the coaching staff are partly to blame for DP selections that are not a good fit.
While the NYRB should earn plaudits for still remaining undefeated, they have only played 5 games and the majority of their wins have come from the “cupcake” division. And two of their games against DC United were played when DC were involved or finishing in their participation in the CCL and they may have not fielded a team at full strength. While The Red Bulls seem to have a good midfield and are playing good cohesive football, it will be a test to play against the Galaxy, even if LA is not at full strength and have not done well on the road. And while most pundits have given the edge to the NYRB for this game, I feel they are ripe for an upset.
Funny stuff.
I think most of MLS teams need dps to elevate their team play and red bull has 2 dps spots right, and their rival nycfc is getting Lampard halfway season and have a DP spot opening.
So what happens is nycfc, which is going to happen, given how nycfc is lacking offense or defense, get Luca Toni or tevez.
Another fact, red bull can possibly win the east with that team they have now but not MLS cup.
I actually have revolution winning the east again, if not some team that will get hot towards the end like red bull, crew or tfc.
The west is a different story and if red bull think they can compete with the west, then they might be smoking some good stuff.
I got fc Dallas winning the west and galaxy with Gerrad might be a very string team.
So once again. Red bull should be looking at some dps and if they do, then they might be the best team in the east.
Tim Ream
Zlatan
I doubt they’ll add one and cheapness is the reason. Whatever system you use, a well chosen DP that fits that system will be better than some of the journeyman they’re running out there now. Personally, I’d like to see a DP center back.
I’d much rather the team be a cohesive unit than have a DP just for the sake of having a DP. They’re the only undefeated team in MLS with one of the most effective midfields in the league. You don’t fix something that ain’t broke just because you’re worried your fickle fans will think you’re cheap.
You guys actually agree with each other (well, maybe except for the “cheapness” part) — the right DP, who fits the system, would help, but a player that doesn’t fit the system, even a great one, may do more harm than good. And given this team’s strengths and weaknesses, a defensive DP may make sense.
I totally agree with Brain guy. A dud DP signing like Marquez does more harm than good. But there are areas where this team can improve and they should use their financial might to do so. This isn’t a team in some podunk town like the Rapids for example so they should stop acting like it.
I haven’t missed a home game in four years so “fickle” is hardly an apt description. I think the great start has made some blind to the fact that this team still has flaws and can be improved upon. If we’re halfway through the season and still unbeaten (or close) then I’ll change my tune. You’re telling me this team wouldn’t be better with a high-level defender from a European league?
+1
I agree the Bulls are not flawless but I get the sense that Marsch realizes the importance of team chemistry. Bringing in a d-bag DP or International star (like Marquez) will do the team absolutely no good. It has got to be the right guy and there is no way to know that prior so I understand why Marsch is hesitant and don’t think it has to do w/ cheapness. I would have a great team with no DPs than a mediocre one w/ 1 or 2.
Rafa was a high level defender from Europe, so caution is always a good thing no matter the position. I don’t like DP defenders personally unless the player is a left/right back with attacking ability. Me, I think they could use a real winger or attacking player as an upgrade on the other side of the field from Sam. But as with any DP decision, it’s tough to talk about outside the context of a specific player.
Why? Defenders are really important. Rafa was a disaster but does that mean they should never sign another DP defender? Stopping goals is every bit as important as scoring them.
I agree. This team still has flaws. The backline has been doing the job so far, but a stud CB would make this team MUCH better.
I must say, I don’t know where the Red Bulls could really use a DP upgrade. Maybe on the wings? Because, with their Central midfield 3 and BP up top, I would find it hard to find an upgrade in those positions in a reasonable price range.
You don’t think there are better strikers or midfielders than the guys they have now? And why, as a NY team with a huge company as its owner, should RBNY set such low limits on the money they’re willing to pay?
Because of all the money they’ve spent and what little they have to show for it. They lost more money than any other team last year and probably most years they’ve spent on all those duds.
I’m all for their current strategy (minus the Petke situation).
Throw out some names almighty slow. Maybe they could use some defensive upgrades, but who can you sign that is better than Sascha, or Dax for a reasonable price? And why would you replace the leading goal scorer from last year this early in the season? Who is out of contract and willing to come here that you know of? This is your MO, question somebody else’s point of view, without really adding any insight yourself.
This is the problem with your thinking in my opinion – why should RBNY limit itself to a “reasonable price?” This is a New York area team. Why do you care how much money they lost (assuming that is even true)? Maybe central midfield isn’t the greatest area of need but are you seriously telling me there are no better central defenders on the planet Earth than the guys they have now? Left wingers? Strikers? Come on! This team has played really well these past five games but are you actually convinced they don’t need anyone else? Wow!
The obvious answer is the backline, probably CB, maybe RB. But that won’t happen since no one spends a lot of money on defenders in MLS. A high profile left mid is probably the most realistic thing, if anything.