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The Galaxy take a 1-0 lead home, thanks to a goal by Mike Magee. Josh Saunders was the man of the match, while a nice little fight broke out at the end of the game.
If you haven't heard, there was a wee bit of a contretemps at the end of New York Red Bulls-LA Galaxy. Following the Galaxy's narrow 1-0 win, the hosts were pretty upset, and tensions that were evident throughout the game boiled over after Alex Prus blew for full time.
There was a far bit of pushing, shoving and punching involved - all very uncivilized. Rafael Marquez and Juninho would eventually be issued red cards for their roles in the fight (which was mostly the former's fault). However, the fighting wasn't the most embarrassing thing that Marquez did at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday...
Rafael Marquez has been a pretty massive disappointment. But he may have just given the New York Red Bulls a huge boost, albeit for acting like a complete ass. The New York Red Bulls Designated Player basically started a post-match fight when he threw the ball at Landon Donovan for no apparent reason. Moments later a full-blown fight had broken out at midfield. Once order had been restored, it was learned that referee Alex Prus had issued red cards to Juninho and Marquez.
@MLS_Analyst
Matthew Doyle Marquez and Juninho picked up red cards after the match. RBNY wins that trade-off.
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To say The Red Bulls would be happy with that trade-off is probably a understatement. Juninho has looked like a potential DP candidate at times and is the guy who lets Landon Donovan and David Beckham have a lot more freedom in the attack. Chris Birchall and Paolo Cardozo would be the most obvious replacements.
Marquez has mostly been a massive failure. He proved to be a complete bust as a center back and was a non-factor as a center midfielder. Dax McCarty would likely get the start in his place, which could be argued as an improvement.
It is, of course, possible that the league will decide on further punishment or possibly even overrule Prus' on-field decision. Adam Cristman and Teemu Tainio also looked to be involved in the situation.
For the latest updates on this situation, be sure to follow this StoryStream. For the Galaxy perspective, check out LAG Confidential. For the Red Bulls angle, check out Once a Metro.
In a bit of a bizarre game with some great saves by both goalkeepers and a truly abysmal pitch, the Los Angeles Galaxy snatched a 1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena, setting up the home side for an extremely difficult task in the second leg later this week at the Home Depot Center. Mike Magee scored the only goal of the game early in the first half, but both teams probably should have had more.
A snowstorm in the northeast dumped a lot of slushy, wet snow on the Red Bull Arena pitch, and the combination of that substance and the necessity to plow it led to the pitch at Red Bull Arena being almost completely trashed, to no fault of the grounds crew or RBNY organization. This made it very difficult to pass the ball on the ground and turned the game into an extremely sloppy one that featured plenty of slips by defenders.
Magee's goal came in the 15th minute, and New York's defending was shambolic. On a free kick, Magee was left completely unmarked as he ran onto a ball into the box from David Beckham. Red Bulls goalkeeper Frank Rost had terrible positioning and made little effort to make a save when Magee ripped it past him at a narrow angle. On every level, it was a terrible goal for the Red Bulls to give up.
This came just minutes after Magee missed a sitter following a hit of the post by surprise starter Robbie Keane. While the Irish international was impressive in the first half, he was obviously a bit tired from his recent lack of game time and had a poor second half before he was eventually removed for Chris Birchall in a defensive move.
The second half started with a flurry of chances for the Red Bulls, but they couldn't convert on any of them. Josh Saunders made two great saves as the Red Bulls created four clear-cut scoring chances in the first five minutes of the second half, with the other two being misses. These opportunities would be the best the Red Bulls had all game.
Rost redeemed himself slightly with a brilliant save on another slightly surprising starter, Landon Donovan, in the 56th minute. This chance followed a slip by Tim Ream, who had a poor match. Donovan looked fitter than Keane, but was also slightly off the pace and likely would have finished his chance on a different day. More likely than not, both Donovan and Keane will be looking fitter and quicker in the second leg, which doesn't bode well for New York's chances of reversing a 1-0 deficit. Ream and Stephen Keel struggled at home against players with questionable fitness, which is a seriously bad sign for Hans Backe's team.
Rafael Marquez was extremely poor on the night, but almost saved the day. In stoppage time, the former and still occasional Mexican national team captain hit a great shot from 25 yards out, but Josh Saunders came up big with a great save, sealing what should be a man of the match performance.
Unfortunately, after the final whistle, a fight broke out at the center of the pitch with Juninho and Adam Christman of the Galaxy, along with Keel and Marquez of the Red Bulls appearing to be the instigators. This has developed into a serious rivalry over the years and this was a physical match, so it's not surprising that tempers flared over a bit.
In any event, the Red Bulls were solid going forward, but didn't do enough to win. Their defense and goalkeeping fell apart at the worst possible time, while Saunders was arguably the best player on the pitch. The Galaxy will take a 1-0 lead home, and it would be surprising to see them fail to defend it.
For more on these two teams, check out LA Galaxy blog LAG Confidential and Red Bulls blog Once A Metro. We'll have live coverage of this game in our Red Bulls vs. Galaxy StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS playoffs action, check out SB Nation Soccer.
Perhaps Hans Backe gave an excellent motivational speech at halftime? The New York Red Bulls have come out like absolute gangbusters in the opening minutes of the half and have already created a number of fantastic scoring chances. Josh Saunders has made great saves on Luke Rodgers and Joel Lindpere in the first three minutes of the half, while Thierry Henry just missed a bicycle kick attempt.
The Los Angeles Galaxy have to wake up, as their defense is in shambles and they're lucky that they're not already tied up at 1-1. Lindpere, Henry and Rodgers look determined to get a goal and LA look totally shell shocked at the pace and effort they've shown to begin the second half.
For more on these two teams, check out LA Galaxy blog LAG Confidential and Red Bulls blog Once A Metro. We'll have live coverage of this game in our Red Bulls vs. Galaxy StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS playoffs action, check out SB Nation Soccer.
Because the New York Red Bulls have a lot of money, play in the biggest market in the United States, have no trophies and MLS wants to put a second team in the area, they get a lot of shtick from fans. A lot of it is deserved. Today, the pitch at Red Bull Arena is really bad. It's really easy to get pissy and complain that it's another thing the Red Bulls have screwed up, but this one really isn't their fault. There was a lot of snow in New Jersey yesterday, and it was that really nasty super wet snow. This isn't their fault. We should be happy they can play today.
But, that doesn't change the fact that this pitch is really, really bad. It's causing a lot of problems. Neither team can pass on the ground to save their lives and players are slipping on the parts that were particularly chewed up by the giant bulldozer that plowed the snow. This game would probably be played primarily on the ground if the pitch were in perfect condition, but this pitch is downright awful. Both teams would be best served getting some big boys on the pitch and playing as direct as possible.
For more on these two teams, check out LA Galaxy blog LAG Confidential and Red Bulls blog Once A Metro. We'll have live coverage of this game in our Red Bulls vs. Galaxy StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS playoffs action, check out SB Nation Soccer.
After 12 minutes, the Los Angeles Galaxy should have been ahead on the New York Red Bulls. Robbie Keane hit the post and Mike Magee had an easy chance to score, but put his header over the crossbar. After 15 minutes, they are ahead, and Magee has redeemed himself. Mike Magee has a goal against his old team in the first ever playoff meeting between LA and New York, and the Red Bulls now have a bit of an uphill climb, down a goal at home.
David Beckham provided the assist with a fantastic ball over the top. While Beckham's ball and Magee's finish were very good, the defending and goalkeeping by New York were questionable. Their line was all over the place as Magee beat a poor offside trap, then Frank Rost was beaten at an extremely narrow angle. This looks like the Red Bulls team who dropped way down the table in late summer, not the one who surged towards a playoff place and defeated FC Dallas.
For more on these two teams, check out LA Galaxy blog LAG Confidential and Red Bulls blog Once A Metro. We'll have live coverage of this game in our Red Bulls vs. Galaxy StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS playoffs action, check out SB Nation Soccer.
There are 12 minutes gone in the MLS Cup Playoffs first leg matchup between the New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy, and the road team have missed a huge chance to go ahead at Red Bull Arena. If you had questions about Robbie Keane's fitness and whether or not he should be starting, he put those questions to bed with a fantastic strike that narrowly missed going in for LA's opener.
On a counter-attack, set up by a great run by Mike Magee, Keane picked up the ball at the top of the box and placed a shot towards the back post, completely beating Frank Rost but hitting the post. Magee had a chance to finish, but couldn't react quickly enough and put his header of the bar. A huge let off for LA, who should be ahead.
For more on these two teams, check out LA Galaxy blog LAG Confidential and Red Bulls blog Once A Metro. We'll have live coverage of this game in our Red Bulls vs. Galaxy StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS playoffs action, check out SB Nation Soccer.
During the last international break, Ireland international and Los Angeles Galaxy striker Robbie Keane picked up an injury. It was supposed to, at the very least, keep him out through the quarterfinal round MLS Cup Playoffs and was supposed to threaten his chances of playing for Ireland during the November international break. Instead, Keane is on the field against the New York Red Bulls in the first round of a playoff series, on October 30.
Not that I want to get all sentimental and get into intangible things like "grit" and "heart", but holy crap. What a tough, determined dude. And not only tough and determined, but determined to play in an important game for a team who he's been with for a couple of months. Scoring goals makes strikers popular and well-respected, but Keane's toughness and work rate are what made him a Tottenham and Ireland legend.
I don't have any rooting interest in this game, but I'm happy for Robbie Keane.
For more on these two teams, check out LA Galaxy blog LAG Confidential and Red Bulls blog Once A Metro. We'll have live coverage of this game in our Red Bulls vs. Galaxy StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS playoffs action, check out SB Nation Soccer.
So according to 75% of MLS fans*, the playoffs are now over after Seattle's 3-0 humiliation at the hands of Real Salt Lake last night. For the rest of you, though, I have good news! There's still an MLS Cup to be won, and the favourites are playing against the New York Red Bulls in New York. Yes, it's NYRB against the LA Galaxy, which means we'll be seeing the two most expensively assembled MLS teams on the planet doing battle.
*Measured in anti-playoff indignation. May not be accurate.
NYRB (4-4-2): Frank Rost; Roy Miller, Tim Ream, Stephen Keel, Carlos Mendes; Joel Lindpere, Rafael Marquez, Dane Richards, Teemu Tainio; Luke Rodgers, Thierry Henry.
Substitutes: Bouna Coundoul, Stephane Auvray, Juan Agudelo, Dax McCarty, Mehdi Ballouchy.
LA Galaxy (4-4-2): Josh Saunders; Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Sean Franklin; Juninho, David Beckham, Mike Magee, Landon Donovan; Chad Barrett, Robbie Keane.
Substitutes: Donovan Ricketts, Frankie Hejduk, Chris Birchall, Dasan Robinson, Michael Stephens, Paolo Cardozo, Adam Cristman.
For more on these two teams, check out LA Galaxy blog LAG Confidential and Red Bulls blog Once A Metro. We'll have live coverage of this game in our Red Bulls vs. Galaxy StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS playoffs action, check out SB Nation Soccer.
Sunday sees a Major League Soccer playoffs tripleheader, with the One Percent Derby kicking us off. MLS rich kids New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy play the first leg of their playoff series in the first game of the day, and both teams' stars are expected to play, for the most part. David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez are all completely healthy. Landon Donovan is just recovering from an injury, but will at least be in the 18. Robbie Keane will be unavailable. Here's all of the information on where to catch the game on TV and streaming live online.
Game Date/Time: 3:00 pm ET, Sunday, October 30
Venue: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ
TV: ESPN2 (USA), ESPN (UK)
Online: WatchESPN.com/ESPN3
Both this game and the later Houston Dynamo-Philadelphia Union game are on ESPN in the UK. Go UK!
For more on these two teams, check out LA Galaxy blog LAG Confidential and Red Bulls blog Once A Metro. We'll have live coverage of this game in our Red Bulls vs. Galaxy StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS playoffs action, check out SB Nation Soccer.
In 2010, Donovan Ricketts was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. He wasn't around much in 2011 though as injuries took their toll. A broken forearm and strained quadriceps kept him out for long stretches of the season, opening the door for Josh Saunders. The Los Angeles Galaxy's longtime backup took advantage of the opportunity and showed why many in the organization felt he could start for many teams in the league. He anchored the best defense in MLS as the Galaxy won the Supporters' Shield.
Now Ricketts is back, but Saunders is still hanging around there and like Ricketts, he has a strong claim to the starting job too. That leaves head coach Bruce Arena with a decision to make heading into the playoffs. Does he go with his former Goalkeeper of the Year or the guy that spent most of the time between the sticks for LA this season?
"They’re both great goalkeepers," Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez said. "It shouldn’t matter who is in goal. The backline has faith and trust in both of those ‘keepers. They’ve both done well these past three years and we’ve just got to worry about protecting them. We’ve been doing that the whole year by not allowing that many shots and when [teams] do get chances on them, they come up big."
One question that Arena will have to answer is whether Ricketts is in form. He just recently returned from his quadriceps injury and hasn't gotten much match time. Another thing making things more difficult is that like Ricketts, Saunders has big game experience too. He's been in goal for LA's CONCACAF Champions League matches this season and came off the bench for an injured Ricketts in MLS Cup 2009. He's no stranger to the pressure.
So who will Arena go with? He's not tipping his hand. He has old reliable in Ricketts and the new hot thing in Saunders, but until Sunday's lineup is announced, Arena won't give us any idea which way he's leaning. I guess you can do that when you have two good goalkeepers and Gonzalez marshaling the back line. Lucky, Bruce.
When it comes to playing away from home, the New York Red Bulls have been absolutely horrible. They won just two matches away from home all regular season and while they did win at Dallas in the wild card round, playing away is hardly the Red Bulls' forte. That's why as they head into their two-legged conference semifinal, the first leg is so vital. When they welcome the Los Angeles Galaxy to Red Bull Arena on Sunday, they can't go searching for a draw. They will need to play for a win and get that win because an entire season's worth of results indicates that they won't be able to get the win they want on the road in the second leg.
The Red Bulls and Galaxy squared off at the Home Depot Center once earlier this season with the two teams playing to a 1-1 draw. That was due in part to an incredible goal line save by Tim Ream to keep Landon Donovan from scoring the winner, but the point is that New York got the draw in Los Angeles. It's a result they can get again, but that means they need to get a win at home on Sunday.
New York did win their last three home games of the season, including a 2-0 triumph over LA and a 1-0 win in their final regular season match to clinch a playoff spot. They're on a bit of a roll now, especially at home, setting them up for a very winnable home match in the first leg. Do that and their putrid road record might not matter much because while they've struggled to win away, the Red Bulls can certainly draw. Win on Sunday, draw on Thursday. Sounds like a good formula for New York.
Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane have been in the spotlight this week as they look to recover from injuries in time for the LA Galaxy's playoff opener against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday afternoon. While Donovan battles a quadriceps problem, Keane continues he recovery from an abductor problem, but they are hardly the only Galaxy players battling injury. In fact, it feels like half of the LA team has some sort of injury.
David Beckham joins his fellow Designated Players Donovan and Keane in the injury column as he deals with a bad back. It's given him problems for months now as he gets occasional spasms, but for the most part he's managed to play through it. Those spasms can creep up at any time though and it's kept him listed as "questionable" for two months now, including for tomorrow's match.
Two members of the Galaxy's back line are also having problems with injuries. Sean Franklin missed a month with a knee injury and while he did make his return in from injury in last week's season finale when he came off the bench, he's also questionable. He has inflammation in his knee and that goes along with Gregg Berhalter's foot sprain. If neither of the two can go then the Galaxy are in trouble because Bryan Jordan is out with an injury so Frankie Hejduk would be LA's only available right back.
The good news for the Galaxy is that Jordan aside, everyone who is battling injury is back or close to back so they have a chance to play on Sunday. The problem is that the term "injury doubt" applies to almost half the team. That's not exactly what you want heading into the playoffs.
Maybe MLS has finally found the magic bullet that will get New Yorkers to slum it all the way out to Harrison, N.J.: Unmatched star power. Early indications are that Red Bulls Arena will be sold out for Sunday's match between the New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy, according to Once a Metro.
An email from Fan Services said they're "anticipating a sell-out crowd" and are suggesting "fans give themselves a little more time to get to the arena" (also from that email: "If it has a sign that says 'you will get towed', most likely you will get towed.") As of this writing, the "best available seat" online is the very last row in 227. Heaping some anecdotal evidence onto the development, as of Friday afternoon, the lower bowl was sold out, with only 200-level seats available (alas, I had to get tickets for 203, instead of the South Ward).
As Once a Metro points out, selling 25,000 seats on just a few days notice is no small feat. At the very least, it sounds as if the Red Bulls will surpass last year's figure of more than 22,000, which represented a franchise record for a playoff game.
The Philadelphia Union, it is worth noting, are also apparently expected to sell out their roughly 19,000-seat stadium. It's an undoubtedly positive sign that two East Coast markets, both of whom have NFL teams playing at home the same day, will be selling out playoff games.
For the latest updates on the MLS Cup playoffs, be sure to check out SB Nation Soccer.
Visiting players, in particular, were probably a little surprised when snow starting falling in both New York and Philadelphia on Saturday. Luckily for them, neither the Philadelphia Union-Sporting Kansas City nor the New York Red Bulls-LA Galaxy matches appear to be in any danger of being cancelled. Forecasts for Sunday, when both games are being played, currently call for clear skies all day.
@chrisbirchall7
Chris Birchall Just looked out of my hotel window in New York and it's snowing!!! It's not Christmas yet!!!!
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Not only will there be clear skies for both games, but it won't even be all that cold. Forecasts call for temperatures in the low-40s, which might be slightly uncomfortable for the people in the stands, but should be just fine for the players.
In Colorado, who just got a pretty significant snowfall the day before their wildcard game against the Columbus Crew, forecasts predict game time temperatures to be in the 50s. Weather is unlikely to be a concern in the Real Salt Lake-Seattle Sounders match, either. Temperatures for the 8 p.m. local time (10 p.m. Eastern) kick off are predicted to be in the high 40s, with only a 5 MPH wind blowing through.
For the latest MLS Cup Playoffs updates, be sure to check out SB Nation Soccer.
Luke Rodgers sat out the New York Red Bulls' 2-0 wild card round win over Dallas on Wednesday, but it looks like the striker will be fit to take on the Los Angeles Galaxy in the first leg of their conference semifinal tilt. According to Brian Lewis, Rodgers trained on Friday and head coach Hans Backe expects him to be ready to start on Sunday. That would complete his recovery from an inflamed knee, which kept him out of New York's playoff opener.
Injuries limited Rodgers to just 23 matches this season, but when he did play, he was a menace. He scored nine goals and his high work rate not only made him a fan favorite, but also helped create chances for Thierry Henry. With Rodgers back in the team, Dane Richards will be able to move back to the midfield, as opposed to forward, where he played in Rodgers' absence. That is especially important with Dax McCarty a doubt for Sunday's match and the team short on midfielders.
Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane were both back in training with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday, buoying hopes that they will be ready to go for the first leg of the Western Conference semifinal on Saturday against the New York Red Bulls. Neither players has appeared in MLS action since Oct. 1.
Of the two, Donovan appears to be closer to full fitness as he has actually played for the Galaxy as recently as Oct. 20, logging 30 minutes against Montagua. As seems to be usual, Donovan has had a busy schedule this summer between the Galaxy and United States national team duties, and told MLSSoccer.com the time off may do him well.
"I feel great, actually," Donovan said on Thursday. "My body feels as good as it has since probably the first day of preseason sometimes these things are a blessing in disguise. As painful as it is to have to watch, I’m eager to play, my fitness is good and hopefully I’ll be able to play a part on Sunday."
Keane's availability is a bit more of an open question. He strained his abductor while playing for the Ireland national team during a Euro qualifier on Oct. 8 and has not played at all since then.
For the latest Galaxy updates, be sure to check out LAG Confidential.
Last year, when the MLS Cup runner-up LA Galaxy had just made the playoffs again, this time with a Supporters' Shield on their resume, I asked Landon Donovan what made this year's squad different. He said the team had grown together, that everyone was on the same page. Things looked good after the opening series with Seattle, but then LA laid an egg against FC Dallas.
So what's changed from last year to this year? If last year was marked by the holes the Galaxy had that were eventually exposed, this year has seen the Galaxy play like a team that doesn't know they're supposed to be human.
Not that the season has been perfect, but it's come as close as any in some time. The Galaxy's 67 points ties the MLS record set by the Galaxy in 1999. Over the last six years there have been three Supporter's Shield winners, and only one has won the MLS Cup, but to call the Galaxy just another Shield winner is selling them short.
The Galaxy have the third best defensive record in MLS history, allowing 28 goals in 34 games (0.82 per contest). Only last year's Real Salt Lake and the 2007 Houston Dynamo can boast a better defense.
LA became just the third MLS team in history to go unbeaten at home (another thing RSL did last year), and only gave up 8 goals in 18 MLS contests (only last year's RSL gave up fewer). The Galaxy ride an 18-game home unbeaten streak dating back to last year into the playoffs despite also qualifying for the Champions League Quarterfinals in arguably the competition's hardest group. Including those CCL games, the Galaxy went undefeated in 21 home contests.
Two things are becoming increasingly clear: last year's Real Salt Lake team was really good, and this year's Galaxy team might be better. One thing the Galaxy did better than last year's RSL is record shutouts, as the Galaxy tied the MLS record for shutouts in a year (17 set by 2000's Kansas City team).
The Galaxy finished fifth in goals scored; despite spending half the season without a real strike threat up top. LA also finished third in accuracy. Landon Donovan stepped up his game at the mid-point of the season, when it was clear Juan Pablo Angel wasn't going to become a goal threat. He was also comfortable stepping back once Robbie Keane was brought over, but surprising the Galaxy's best threat up top has been Chad Barrett. Barrett hasn't been the most accurate man on the pitch, but he's quietly scored as many game winners as Donovan (4 each).
David Beckham, in really just his second full MLS season, was the offensive star this year with 15 assists; seven of those were game winners. Baseball has a stat called Wins Above Replacement, and setting up almost half your team's wins certainly places Beckham well above replacement level. Really playing an offensive minded defensive midfielder for most of the year, Beckham has been one of MLS' best this year.
Despite what happens this offseason, this will be the Galaxy's third straight year leaving some mark on the MLS season. While the Beckham experiment started rough, the contract is finishing on the highest of notes. Surely, everyone in the organization wants to end it the right way.
Josie Becker is the managing editor of Galaxy blog LAG Confidential. Follower her on Twitter at @RocknJosie.
For the first time in MLS history, the league's two richest teams, the ones with the most famous players and who play in the biggest media markets will finally face off in a playoff game. When the New York Red Bulls host the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday, it will only be a conference semifinal game, but it will be a fulfillment of a 16-year-old dream.
It is being called the "1 Percenter Derby," and for good reason. The combined payroll of the Red Bulls and Galaxy (roughly $28 million) is essentially the equivalent of the next eight biggest spending MLS teams combined. The five highest paid players in the league all play for one of these two teams. Their combined salaries are more than double that of the league's other 18 Designated Players combined and the rough equivalent of the collective salary of the league's next 57 highest paid players.
In other words, the Red Bulls and Galaxy are simply unlike the other 16 teams in parity driven MLS. A league which was built on principals that all teams should have an equal chance at the resources, has bent to the wills of these ownerships, all with the hope that this very matchup would be the result.
Well, maybe not exactly this, but in a way having the Galaxy and Red Bulls meet this early in the playoffs is even better for MLS. Instead of one winner-take-all championship game, we'll get to see two games between the would-be titans of North American soccer.
And if you squint hard enough, it really does seem like a titanic matchup. Thierry Henry, Joel Lindpere and Dane Richards have all had quality seasons for the Red Bulls. Tim Ream, Jan Gunnar Solli and Rafael Marquez are, theoretically at least, some of the best passing defensive players in the league. Juan Agudelo, when Hans Backe deems him worthy of playing time, can still be as exciting a player to watch as the league has. Luke Rodgers, when he's healthy, has become a legitimate weapon. Frank Rost is a highly decorated international goalkeeper.
Look at this team with open eyes, though, and you can see why they were the 10th and final team to qualify for the playoffs. The Red Bulls offense is prone to disappearing. The defense leaks goals at an alarming rate. Agudelo is barely used, mainly because he's inconsistent. Rodgers is battling a knee injury, and missed about a third of the Red Bulls' games for a variety of reasons.
When it's all going well for the Red Bulls, they are as good as any team in the league. But it has so rarely gone well. Their win over FC Dallas in the wild card round doesn't change any of that. As much as they would have us believe otherwise, it's hard to believe that the locker room tumult has disappeared. Coach Hans Backe has blamed international call-ups, injuries and a heavy travel schedule on this team's struggles, but other teams have had it just as bad or worse in every area and have somehow managed to perform at consistently higher levels.
The Galaxy, on the other hand, have just as much star power and have dealt with just as many distraction, but Bruce Arena has managed to keep his team playing like a well-oiled machine. David Beckham has finally shown just how good he can be. Landon Donovan is having another perfectly solid season. Robbie Keane has fit into the team almost effortlessly. The defense has been almost impossible to score upon.
It has all added up to a regular-season that ranks among the best in league history. Their 67 points were the most of the post-shootout era. They became just the third team to go undefeated at home (12-0-5). Their 17 shutouts were more than any other team in MLS history.
The Galaxy don't always look pretty doing it, but they are brutally effective. Beckham has made them deadly on set-pieces. Donovan is the league's most efficient scorer. Omar Gonzalez and Todd Dunivant are the two leading contenders for Defender of the Year. Juninho has quietly become one of the best central midfielders in the league.
The big question for them is how many of those players will be available against the Red Bulls. Beckham, Donovan, Keane and starting center back Gregg Berhalter are all listed on the injury report. Of those players, Beckham and Donovan seem likely to be able to play, while Keane and Berhalter are more questionable.
Whether these two teams have their full complement of players, this should still be an interesting matchup. The Red Bulls actually won their season series (4 points to 1), but their win came late in the season when the Galaxy had nothing left to really play for. Clearly, that won't be the case this time.
Make sure to check out SB Nation Soccer for the latest playoff news and updates. For Galaxy news and analysis, check out LAG Confidential. For Red Bulls coverage, check out Once a Metro.
Rafael Marquez Suspended Two Additional Games, Would Miss Remainder Of Playoffs
Rafael Marquez will be suspended two additional games, in addition to Thursday's New York Red Bulls match against the Los Angeles Galaxy, and fined a total of $2,250 for the role he played in the post-match fight on Sunday. Marquez started the incident when he threw a ball at Landon Donovan. At the time, Marquez was shown a red card, along with Galaxy midfielder Juninho. Galaxy forward Adam Cristman and Red Bulls midfielder Teemu Tainio were also fined undisclosed amounts.
MLS Executive Vice President Nelson Rodriguez oversees the Disciplinary Committee and speaks on its behalf had this to say: "After thorough examination of the incident that followed the Oct. 30 game between the New York Red Bulls and the LA Galaxy, the Disciplinary Committee strongly believed Rafa Marquez must be punished above the red card he was issued for throwing the ball after the final whistle because of the following actions: attempting to head butt Adam Cristman, attempting to punch Adam Cristman; striking Cristman, and simulating that he had been struck in the face."
The suspension means that even if the Red Bulls advance beyond Thursday's match, Marquez would have to miss the remainder of the playoffs. If the Red Bulls are eliminated, he would miss the next two games for which he is eligible.
Nov 03 8:45p by Jeremiah Oshan - 0 comments