MLS IS BACK!!!
NY Red Bulls at Seattle
- This will be Seattle's first match in MLS and the stadium is sold out so huge adrenalin challenge for the Red Bulls to overcome. If you read my preview you'll see this match is the worst team in the league against one of the best, yet Seattle is favored? Clearly bookies are expecting an out-of-body experience from the home team in their inaugural match and it will have to be if they were to defeat the Red Bulls.
Seattle's midfield tonight consists of Le Toux, Alonso, Evans, and Nyassi. Le Toux and Alonso played in USL last year, Evans started for the Crew, and Nyassi is a 145 pound 19-year old. Thus, you have 3 out of 4 guys making their first starts at this level. Up front you have Montero and Jaqua. I think nothing of Jaqua but Montero led Colombian league in scoring so is obviously a threat. The centerback tandem of Hurtado and Marshall is a huge question mark as Marshall was awful with Toronto last year and Hurtado will make his first start in MLS. No reason for Marshall to improve as he's nearing 35 years of age. This is not a good problem to have when facing the league's best player, Juan Pablo Angel, and the league's quickest attack. Seriously they have 3 guys up front that would be just as comfortable running track as they are on a football field
Seattle will be jacked up for this match and new teams have been able to perform really well in this situation. Even the terrible 2005 RSL team won their first home match 1-0 but they beat ended up just 3 spots ahead of them in the standings. The Red Bulls are one of the top teams in MLS and, despite their horrible road performance last year, should take down the expansion Sounders. The last 4 expansion teams won 5, 4, 6, and 8 games and without Ljungberg Seattle is no better than any of those teams. Red Bulls have a full squad except for Khano Smith but his replacement, Mac Kandji, is solid. Unless they just can't handle the enthusiasm that Seattle will surely play with I can't see New York losing this game. Seattle will probably press early which plays right into the Red Bulls' hands with Richards, Kandji, and Angel killing them on counter attacks.
RBNY +1/4 5u -120
NY Red Bulls at Seattle
- This will be Seattle's first match in MLS and the stadium is sold out so huge adrenalin challenge for the Red Bulls to overcome. If you read my preview you'll see this match is the worst team in the league against one of the best, yet Seattle is favored? Clearly bookies are expecting an out-of-body experience from the home team in their inaugural match and it will have to be if they were to defeat the Red Bulls.
Seattle's midfield tonight consists of Le Toux, Alonso, Evans, and Nyassi. Le Toux and Alonso played in USL last year, Evans started for the Crew, and Nyassi is a 145 pound 19-year old. Thus, you have 3 out of 4 guys making their first starts at this level. Up front you have Montero and Jaqua. I think nothing of Jaqua but Montero led Colombian league in scoring so is obviously a threat. The centerback tandem of Hurtado and Marshall is a huge question mark as Marshall was awful with Toronto last year and Hurtado will make his first start in MLS. No reason for Marshall to improve as he's nearing 35 years of age. This is not a good problem to have when facing the league's best player, Juan Pablo Angel, and the league's quickest attack. Seriously they have 3 guys up front that would be just as comfortable running track as they are on a football field
Seattle will be jacked up for this match and new teams have been able to perform really well in this situation. Even the terrible 2005 RSL team won their first home match 1-0 but they beat ended up just 3 spots ahead of them in the standings. The Red Bulls are one of the top teams in MLS and, despite their horrible road performance last year, should take down the expansion Sounders. The last 4 expansion teams won 5, 4, 6, and 8 games and without Ljungberg Seattle is no better than any of those teams. Red Bulls have a full squad except for Khano Smith but his replacement, Mac Kandji, is solid. Unless they just can't handle the enthusiasm that Seattle will surely play with I can't see New York losing this game. Seattle will probably press early which plays right into the Red Bulls' hands with Richards, Kandji, and Angel killing them on counter attacks.
RBNY +1/4 5u -120
hno:
