The Red Bulls season is over

So it's another year and another painful disappointment for the Red Bulls and I know you Red Bulls fans out there are ready to vent your frustrations. It was a roller coaster season, with glimpses of brilliance and moments of painful sheer pain.

Here is your chance to vent. Feel free to talk about this year and what you hated and loved about it. Talk about tonight's match or the whole season. Call it a support group if you will. I'm sure some of you need it right about now.

Fire away (just try to keep it clean).

Comments

[metrobouts]

what i loved about this season- how they changed it up a bit and exited the playoffs in the first round....

[josh]

pleeease give me another new york team to root for!!

:'(

[Neumannator]

I'm struggling to not be sarcastic, but what the hey:

I loved having a renewed sense of hope with Arena and Reyna and Angel and Altidore and I loved having that renewed sense of hope knee me in the face, and as I tried to recover in my family room, my wife questioned why I put so much emotinal energy into this team.

[Miguel]

Reyna Out!!! Now is the time to get an actual DP playmaker. Did you see the play of Shalrie Joseph from your seat on the bench, Claudio? That's the way to earn a salary and I believe Joseph is making 1/8 of yours this season.

[nath]

Another DP for next season please Arena...Whatever love affair you have with Reyna needs to stop. He is not a DP.

Any word on Angel yet? I hope he's ok

[Xiphosis]

I'll sleep better tonight knowing old Brucey's probably crying.

Nothing against NY, that guy just bugs me.

I'm actually pretty surprised NE won. Going into it with their first leg game in mind I thought NY was going to steamroll them.

[MarkVA]

angel is the man. he really makes me look foward to next season. I JUST HOPE HE IS OK! and doesn't have to wear one of those goofy head gear things.

[BMW_4_ever]

Reyna must go. He's not worth more than 200K/yr. And no more Euro over-the hill, charity type DPs, ever!! Yeah, he was Captain America but what did he accomplish this year?

Mathis is not worth $400K either. He should be let go or cut his pay to $100K/yr.

Angel should be re-signed. Does he have another year on his contract?

Bruce gets a C- for this season. What a disappointment. iirc he makes close to $1 million/season. Ouch.

[Tim]

I've just returned from my biennial end-of-season ritual to Foxboro. I don't know why I do it; seppuku would probably be less painful and at least warmer.

Every year, DC and/or New England are a little bit better (and/or luckier) and you wonder what it will take for New York to get past one of them in the first round of the playoffs if not beyond.

On the one hand, I can't say I was disappointed with the play of the team or any player tonight. On the other hand, on the goal the back line got caught out of position and Conway (like last year) did not make the stop the team needed (though Conway has played fairly well this year); the team has not found a way to break this curse and not scoring a single goal in 180 minutes of play is unacceptable. THERE ARE TOO MANY BALLS PLAYED IN THE AIR; THE TEAM NEEDS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ATTACK WITH CRISP GROUND PASSING AS WELL. In some ways New York was more of a threat to New England in 2005 when the MetroStars were up 2-0 in the series well into the second half of the second game before the team fell apart. So close and yet so far...

Who has Agoos found? The team has had almost a year for the TD to scour the globe for players to add to this roster to make a difference; to hopefully help the team become at least one of the "top four" in MLS. We're still waiting...and it is even more important now with Superliga.

Since we are not in Superliga, RED BULLS OFFER TWO INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES NEXT YEAR -- THERE WERE NONE THIS YEAR!!!

I see four priority areas for New York - an attacking mid; an imposing d-mid; an impact defender (or two) and a left winger. New York needs an answer to Shalrie Joseph.

Jozy Altidore, I hope you stay with New York for at least one more year.

Joe Vide, thank you for pumping in energy into the club the second half of the season.

Claudio Reyna, thank you for your efforts this season and we hope you stay with the club but we hope you can renegotiate your contract so that New York can sign another Designated Player. To be successful soon, New York needs to acquire another impact player. The Red Bulls cannot just build through the MLS draft the way New England has (however New York still needs to draft well in order to have a deep enough roster given the league's low salary cap); otherwise it would take too long.

Finally, thank you Juan Pablo. We hope you are not seriously hurt and that you like it here. You have given New York fans many reasons to cheer and to have hope. May next year bring players who can play good balls to your feet (as well as effective crosses).

[MattMathai]

Interesting match vs. NE. I thought NYRB had the better of play for much of the match, but couldn't match NE's speed on wide play. I think that the stronger overall team won, but it took a wonder pass from Joseph to do it against a 10-man team.

If they can keep a consistent lineup next year, NYRB is going to be very dangerous.

I know I'm a DCU fan and am supposed to hate all things NYRB, but Juan Pablo Angel deserves huge respect from every fan in MLS. His desire to come back into the match, and his anger at being substituted against his will spoke volumes about him and his commitment to the team and league.

I just hope every DP brings that same attitude.

[Joamiq]

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some year, things will not go wrong.

[Joamiq]

you spend so much time watching and thinking about this team
year
after year
after year
after year
after year
after year
and you know it will pay off someday

right?

[Ze]

Claudio Reyna, worst signing ever and there's been ALOT of really bad signings but none as high stakes combined with a piss poor performance as this one.

[Johnny B.]

Ugh! The Morning After. I still don't feel better. I'm a Red Bulls fan from Philly so I'm used to being a loser. Why do all the teams I root for stab me in the heart at the end. Year in and year out!

-Reyna must retire!
-Spend the money on a real DP, not an Arena sentimental favorite.
-In my opinion that was a soft goal that could and should have been saved!
-JPA getting injured is tragic because I really thought it was there for the taking.
-F New England!

Wow! I feel soooo much better now! NOT!

[Michael F.]

I loved that they definitely got better.

But here's what needs to happen:

Whoever traded Dunivant and Wynn needs to get fired, be it Agoos or Arena. If neither of them are responsible, it's always fun to fire Stillitano.

Altidore - stay.

JPA - stay.

Conway -Stay. He's better than he gets credit for.

Doe - stay.

Freeman - stay as a sub, not starter.

Goldthwait - go, far, far away.

Kovalenko - stay.

Leitch - go, far, far away.

Magee - are you still here?

Mathis - should have been starting over Reyna all season. Everytime he's in, there is creativity. They must find him a spot on the field. And yes, he is worth 400K. They just have to pay play him to justify it.

Mendes - stay. One bad play does not make a career.

Parke - stay.

Reyna - stay, not as a DP.

Richards - stay.

VDB - he helped at left back. But he is not the guy. Time to find better.

Vide - besides bringing good energy he is a NIGHTMARE. Nearly ever pass he makes is off the target. Time to move on from Arena's pet project.

Waterreus - goodbye, good riddence.

Wolyniec - stay.

Everyone else is a scrub.

Until the suffering begins again...

[Tom]

As someone said in the other thread, and it was classic -

Can't wait to see who BA throws under the bus after this.

He always does. He will blame someone or something but tnot himself. Never does, class guy that he is.

Well, he will eventually. He will blame the league, players, turf, the poor quality dinut shop for several hours and then say, without any real conviction or belief at all in his voice -

None of that matters however because ultimately it's my fault.

Should be classic.

[Tom]

Oh yeah.

Claudio. Joke. Anyone who defends this is a clod.
For the cash a joke.

The league has changed Bruce. Organization and a couple of competent players can't win for you anymore. The league is faster and more athletic and there are no more complettely clueless players outt here.

You have to actually be able to understand the game now. Whether here or internationally. That's why yo signed CR to that huge contract. Isn't it? On brains alone you figured he could make a huge impact like in th eold days when 6 or 7 starters on a team didn't even know the game all that well. Guess what? You are wrong and you have been found out.

Good organizer and manager who knows little about tactical soccer. That won't get you far anywhere anymore. Internationally other teams scout us now and prepare for us unlike your day, and coaches and players here now actaully have a semi-clue now.

You were complelety right place right time back then.

Good for you, but the "old days" are over. For you and CR.

A quality DP and we are in the final right now. That is what it truely comes down to. A quality DP middie and we are in.

[Tom]

Oh yeah Ives.

How you gonna defend him?

What are the uncultured types here missing? I know I just don't see what's happeneing in the locker room, and I've only grown up in Europe with my dad playing pro ball, so what the hell do I know about the game?

You spun midseason about how many here don't appreciate CR. We don't see how much influence he has, etc, etc...

Waiting for the article.

Write it. Do what needss to be done. It is freaking obvious to al now.

CR has not been worth the money. A joke for the money. He is an albatross with that guaranteed contract next year.

Write the article. We need to get him under DP or gone for the good of the team, and you know it down deep. I know you do.

Write it. Be honest and don't be a home boy to BA or CR. It is what is needed for this team.

Desperately needed.

[Paul Lorinczi]

I think the Red Bulls could do better with their DP spot than what Reyna produced for them.

There were only a couple of games that he had a real impact on the field. You would expect more from him even though he was a great player in the EPL.

Alas...it is a business that says, you are only as good as the last goal you scored. When was the last goal or assist from Reyna?

[Mark]

It's a shame as the team played well enough to win the game and the series, but this team has little luck.

To echo some previous comments, the team definitely has some areas of need that I hope can be addressed through the draft and transfer market. I also hope they can re-negotiate Reyna's contract, as I still think he is valuable, just not DP valuable. If he won't re-negotiate, they seriously have to think about moving him if anyone will take him.

And can we get a good keeper? Conway stinks, and Wattereus was terrible after his ankle injury.

I also hope Mathis returns, though he'll need to accept a reduced salary to do so. He's still my favorite Metro...

[manny]

As an outside observer, I have to say I really though you guys would have a chance if Reyna stayed healthy, a HUGE if. At the beginning of the year it looked like it was your year...then...the wheels fell off Reyna and there was no contingency plan.
For those calling to keep him for less than DP; it's not possible barring a rules change that would have a catastrophic impact on the league. Think about what would happen if every contract was $2 million up front, $200K/year after that; which is what a system that allowed you to 'demote' DPs would create. We'd be talking fondly of NASL redux in 10 years time.
Angel was the DP you got from Chicas if memory serves me right so dumping Reyna would give you your DP back.
However, once a DP, always a DP under current rules and Reyna would have to go to another team as a DP(which I don't see happening)
Someone pointed out earlier that Arena in his typical arrogance thought he could toss 2 'DP Caliber' players on the field and be handed the trophy. It's not 1996 anymore, Bruce. Tactics have evolved. Technical ability has increased. In short, it's a MUCH higher standard of play than it was 11 years ago. His stratagems simply don't reflect that change.
I hope you guys figure out how to win some sort of title (USOC, MLSC, CCC, Superliga, SS) because it's really not even fun to make fun of RBNY anymore.

[Derek (Brooklyn)]

First round Best XI:

Ching - Rolfe
B. Davis - Gomez - Ralston
Conde - S. Joseph
Conrad - Parkhurst - Freeman
Reis

[Matt]

Positives - Good attacking football. Angel coming in and fitting in so comfortably. Jozy's progress. Dane Richards really impressing with his speed down the flank. Francis Doe, who gave the team a shot in the arm toward the end of the year.

Negatives: Defending, from just about everyone save Parke. A very disappointing season from Reyna. Goalkeeping, though Conway impressed in some games and Waterreus was good early. Bruce's passivity. Lack of real progress on the stadium front. Poor attendance for a pretty entertaining team.

[Peter]

All season I was saying that this would be same old Metro, going out in the first round to either NE or DC.

And just like every year, they got me believing during the playoffs that this would be the year things changed.

And just like every year, they found a way to make the loss even more depressing than the year before.

And in about 12 hours, I'm going to start getting ready for next year...

which will be The Year.

[sol kesslar]

reyna has not been the same since the tackle in nurnberg, i was there, it was an explosion...no excuses just not the same player,not his fault,just now learning the limitations. New england is just better?