Red Bulls Practice report

I made my way to Montclair State today to see the Red Bulls hold their first training session since returning from Charleston. Here are some observations:

Clint Mathis trained today and looked fit but it was just one day of training so its tough to say how he fits in. As I suggested over the weekend I think Bruce Arena will use Mathis, Claudio Reyna and Dema Kovalenko in a central midfield triangle.

Seth Stammler practiced with the first team defense, teaming with Carlos Mendes in central defense. Jeff Parke is recovering from an injury and is healthy again but he may just get Wally Pip'd because Arena likes Stammler and has never reallly been Parke's biggest fan.

The club didn't play any 11 V 11 so there wasn't a full starting 11 playing together but based on what I did see out there you just might see the following starting 11 on Saturday:

---------Wolyniec-------Altidore---------------

Van Den Bergh---------------------------------

-------------Reyna---------Mathis--------------

-------------------Kovalenko-------------------

Dunivant--------------------------------Wynne

--------------Mendes----Stammler------------

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

Wondering who is on the right flank? Try Wynne, who will have the task of covering an acre of space (which he certainly can with his speed). This formation could work because Wynne has the speed and stamina to cover the flank and it gives Mathis more room to operate. This may have just been a bit of an experiment for Arena but I wouldn't be surprised to see him use it at some point this season. I seem to recall Octavio Zambrano trying a similar formation but with no left winger. The France 98 team played a similar style, with Lilian Thuram rampaging down the right flank back when he was three steps faster than he his now. This can work because Kovalenko has the tenacity and work rate to cover for Wynne's runs forward.

If I had to guess the starting lineup I would expect the same 11 players listed above, perhaps with Mathis working off the wing and if his fitness is an issue then the club can bring in Dane Richards in the second half. Richards has certainly played well enough to start but I think Arena is liking the idea of Mathis and Reyna working off each other in the middle.

Markus Schopp was not at practice and although he is listed as probably for Saturday you shouldn't expect him to start and I would bet against him playing at all.

Ansu Toure wasn't around and I'm still trying to figure out if he's done. I would say that it is likely he is now that the club added Mathis.

The Red Bulls trained on the turf field at Montclair State because their grass practice facility at Montclair is still not done and won't be done until at least late April. So basically the front office folks had all off-season to secure a temporary home, and had MSU in its sights in November, but managed to drag its feet so long in completing the deal that the team will have to wait another month to practice on grass. Nice work guys.

Bruce Arena pointed out that there could be snow and sleet on Saturday in Columbus. Oh boy.

Arena had the line of the day when asked about whether his club was more fit than last season. He replied with a resounding yes and said, "Last year we looked like a pub team." Wow.

That's all for now. I'll be there again on Wednesday and will report again tomorrow.

Comments

[bill]

sounds good. i think the barometer on altidore will sink or boil depending on saturday. i have a feeling he will either score one/two goals easily or hammer the ball into the boards on an open net one/two times. yeh it is the first match however i think josmer will be out to prove his worth with all the emphasis on signing an impact forward with the second dp.

being a crew season ticket holder for a few years now apparently the dysfunctional play of the side on the pitch has permeated into the sales office because four days from opening day and i still have not received my season tickets.

Ives are you making the trip to CCS on saturday?

[Johnny G]

What about mark Lisi? Will he be playing Saturday?

[DCU Fan]

I think Arena used Hejduk in a similar way. Basically playing with no outside mid in front of him

[Jonathan G. (JonnyG)]

I'm sorry, Ives. Somebody is posting something stupid in under my name. I'll apologize for him.

[Brian]

Bruce also did that with Regis, especially in the Honduras home loss in 2001 which elicited the always entertaining pissy interview with Will Kuhns (when he was with Soccer America).

http://robots.cnnsi.com/soccer/world/2002/world_cup/countdown/news/2001/10/03/what_now_sa/

[Lalique]

What a painful interview to read.... Kuhns got chewed up and spit out like a 10th grade yearbook reporter interviewing a head of state.