Angel on the way

The Red Bulls long and arduous search for a high-profile forward has finally come to an end. The well-publicized courtship of Juan Pablo Angel succeeded as the Red Bulls landed the Aston Villa striker. The team will hold a press conference on Tuesday afternoon to announce the move.

As for when he actually arrives, I have heard that he could potentially be here in time for Saturday's game, but that sounds pretty fast considering the visa issues that usually await these types of deals.

All of a sudden the Red Bulls go from being painfully thin at forward to having three very solid options after Clint Mathis served notice on Sunday that he was back and ready to be his old goal-scoring self.

Is Angel a can't-miss? Given his strengths--he's instantly one of the best in the league in the air and he's faster than most MLS strikers--and the Red Bulls midfield, I see him having a 12 goal season at the very least. He should be at least as successful as the last high-profile Colombian striker to pass through here, Adolfo Valencia. Here's hoping his MLS career is a wee bit better than 'El Tren's'.

What will the Red Bulls lineup look like with all hands on deck, here's an idea:

--------Altidore-----Angel---------

-----------------Mathis-------------

VDB-----------------------------Richards

-----------------Reyna--------------

Dunivant------------------------Freeman

-------------Parke--Mendes--------

----------------Waterreus-------------

Obviously this group would mean a bench including Schopp, Kovalenko, Stammler and Wynne but I think this is what we will see. Schopp probably replaces Richards when he gets healthy but with Richards looking like Shaun-Wright Phillips from his Manchester City days it's tough to justify benching the Jamaican winger.

here is another potential lineup:

---------------Angel--------------

VDB----------Mathis--------Richards

-------Reyna---------Kovalenko

Dunivant-------------------Freeman

----------Mendes---Parke--------

A more practical starting 11, I just find it difficult putting Altidore on the bench when he has looked so good early on. And no, I'm not shoveling dirt on Marvell Wynne's Red Bull career, it is just clear that with the presence of Richards on the right flank, Freeman's solid form there and Wynne's struggles with the attacking aspect of being a right back for Bruce Arena, we may see Wynne on the bench for a while.

Some nice problems for Arena to have. He has built himself a pretty decent team.

Comments

[ag nigrin]

Great news... Welcome JP Angel!

[Lalique]

Granted Arena has the ability to sign DP caliber players this year, but seriously, the starting 11, 4 top subs, and the rest of the roster is so much deeper than anything MoLexi was able to put together last year.... Now that JPA is on board there's depth to every facet of the team... that's something even DC can't say since they have a crap defense with no depth to it and a journeyman keeper with serious question marks attached.

[A Diddy]

Ives,
Do you think this is the most depth a MLS team has ever had?

[Tony M]

As a Nat fan as opposed to a Red Bull fan I oppose any line up that benched Wynne. I want that kid to develop!

But also as a Nat fan I love Josy being paired with a smart, successful strike he can learn from.

[Uncle Dave]

Thank you ives. I can sleep well tonite!!!! And I am glad Mathis wont be riding the bench

[kpugs]

I have a hard time seeing Wynne on the bench for long. I'm not sure why, it's just a hunch.

[Uncle Dave]

kpugs - he is an investment, thats why. Freeman better not get comfortable. Hell, no one said it was his spot anyway. Maybe Wynne comes back next game.

[lojo]

Exactley the lineup I want to see with Altidore, Angel and Mathis together on the field. Reyna is a fine holding mid and doesn't need a partner back there.

Funny, I made the exact Shaun Wright Phillips comparison to Richards the other day.

[Lalique]

Wynne and Freeman are two different types of outside backs. Freeman has the ability to match up better against larger forwards and midfielders but he does not have the speed to match against speedy guys like Mapp. I could see the two of them rotating from game to game depending on Arena's strategy and the opponent.

[Steve]

The Road to the championship runs through NYC! So we are moving closer and closer to acquiring stars in their prime. Lothar and Youri at 37! Reyna and Angel at 31! Our next step is getting some monster clubs youngsters ala the Dutch Erevidese. Slow but steady!

[Ives]

Deepest in MLS history? Don't know about that. Best roster in Red Bulls/MetroStars history, without question.

Wynne will get his chance and if anything I think the benching and time out of the lineup might just be the fire he needs under him to really break out.

[Trex]

Thank you!! I've been waiting for this post all day. What a great monday! Angel is the cherry on top of a great weekend. 4 points clear of DC and tied at the top of the table!

[Pete]

Obviously competition for spots can only be a good thing. I think the 2 DM in Stammler and Dema were the key to success yesterday. They prevented Dallas from getting anything going in the offensive half. It'd be foolish to break that up.

I think with Richards looking like a keeper at RM, we should be looking at Schopp having basically a 1-month trial when he gets back. If he proves better than Richards, fine, otherwise, back to Austria. That way, maybe RBNY can work can use the SI slot and cap space to sign a player to fill a hole midseason (ie central defense). Also, preparing Wynne to play a little more offensively as a RM would be nice. He could cover for Richards in a pinch and from Wynne's persepective, more versatility is rarely a bad thing.

[ronen]

Gotta find a place for Dema.

Sit Mendes...and have Dema play in front of Parke.

[AndrewK]

Any dollar amounts given?

[Nick]

Great signing. MLS is getting better and better. Metro is gonna be better than ever since year 1...

[Dannyc58]

I'll be very upset if Altidore is benched, but I'd understand it.

[danny]

altidore will be an excellent understudy for angel. this takes a lot of pressure off the young forwards shoulders. i think with all the international tournaments both for altidore and angel (possibly copa america) there should be enough games for everyone to play.

[bill-v]

what a great sunday for rbny. very glad to see it. fans have endured entirely too much in those parts with making it to one eastern conference final over eleven years as a high point and suffering through the bs that is aka the meadowlands.

mathis had a great showing. altidore had a great showing which was important after having been stopped on some top notch saves by grunenbaum last week.

the first goal i must differ from every press release i have read. the corner from mathis was driven very low and altidore was running at the top of the six to meet it. the ball continued to dip and when altidore met up with it he was at the near post - corner of the six.

the ball was probably about five and change off the ground when altidore made his header. a dallas guy was on his back as well pretty much holding onto altidore's shirt along for the ride.

somehow someway altidore put it in goal. that was totally amazing. the press releases that i read all say it was a pinpoint cross from mathis. it was a piss poor cross that altidore literally turned into gold.

mathis had a great match, just a poor cross on that specific play. altidore had an equally great match.

ives thank you for your pre season insight on dane richards. i have had him in my fantasy league team from the start based on your analysis and -bam- gold mine. i don't care how healthy schopp is, he can go snuggle back to red bull austria.

i think altidore has to be given the start until the u20 cup when he will most likely be gone for that time. coach has some decisions to make which is exactly why he makes the big bucks. reyna is a fine player whom i met at a signing in chicago a few years back however he is not going to be there every match given his age and the physical play of our league.

[Todd R]

All the pieces are in place. I am hoping for a season as good as 2000 or…gulp…even better?

[Doobie]

Does anybody know if Angel is playing in Copa America? It does not seem like they have a deep striker pool in Columbia and I don't he has retired from international competition either. Correct me if I am worng.

[sublicon]

NO! KOVALENKO DOES NOT RIDE THE BENCH! BLASPHEMER!!!

[Bwild]

As a Revs fan, it's exciting to see high profile players coming to MLS even if we don't have one yet.

[Joamiq]

I am so excited. The attack is now officially scary.

Although I have to say, I'm not ready to give up on Wynne after just one game this season. And I don't think sitting on the bench is going to improve his play going forward. He needs to get game experience to get more comfortable making crosses and even just completing passes under pressure.

I personally would go with the second lineup you posted, as I think the central defense would be exposed with just Reyna in front. Dema has to be in the middle. And I think it would be very wise to put on a lot of pressure early, get first half goals, and pull Reyna whenever possible in the second halves of games in favor of Stammler to further strengthen the defense up the middle (and preserve Reyna's health).

[Derek]

Exciting...I have to say that Altidore was very good this weekend (at only 17). It should make it interesting at the forward position with this much depth.