For All Its Fearsome Offense, Red Bulls Defense is a Nightmare
July 31, 2010 
1 Comment
BY SHAWN FRANCIS
Let tonight’s match against Houston stand as a warning to New York’s remaining opponents this season: their is attack is bad and so is their defense. Problem is the former is bad-meaning-good while the later means exactly what Webster says it does. For however potent the hydra of Juan Pablo Angel, Thierry Henry and Mac Kandji appear to be, the Red Bulls defense seems to negate their ability to run away with games…or at least that was the case tonight.
Offensively, Angel & Henry couldn’t even wait 10 minutes to prove the effectiveness with which the two can combine as Angel finished a ball provided by an Adrian Serioux-skinning Henry to take an early 1-0 lead. They would connect again later in match -sublimely, beautifully- and it was enough to make you wonder why New York would ever entertain trying to find a true number 10 or trading Juan Pablo Angel to get him. Having said that it must be noted that while Henry played provider he had two chances to put the game away and misfired uncharacteristically on both occasions.
And let’s not forget the presence of oft-capable wing men Mac Kandji and Dane Richards.
But for all that sizzle, all that firepower, New York still drew in a match that seemed to be gift-wrapped for them: Houston’s missed PK, playing a man up for 45+ minutes and several defensive gaffes by the Dynamo all set the table for a much-desired road win. But it was a pair of cock-ups by the Red Bulls D -with center back Carlos Mendes at the heart of both- that gave Houston a share of the points in the 2-2 draw. If New York is going to make all of their lavish spending pay off they’re going to have to address their issues at the back as unsexy as that may be. Perhaps their new signing will be the answer to their questionable defensive decision-making.
