Red Bulls need to be pushovers

No revenge, only 3 points needed, as RBNY hosts Houston tonight

Mike Petke humbly took the blame for the Red Bulls' early form that saw them winless through six matches before its 2-1 win at Red Bull Arena last Wednesday over the Philadelphia Union. But surely his players are having none of that.

You sensed the grittiness and hard work that Thierry Henry & Co. displayed in their first victory last week as players walked off the pitch, with Henry limping and Tim Cahill huffing and puffing more so than usual. However, there was relief as the increasingly-versatile Eric Alexander produced an intelligent and quiet yet effective display on the field.

Now the Houston Dynamo roll into town--a team that New York has had success against during the regular season here in nearby Harrison, N.J. and in Texas. The Dynamo have problems of their own, starting out slow once again and scrambling to get back on track much like the Red Bulls are. On the other hand, this is a script that supporters have seen from Houston. Even Henry knows it as he watched the Dynamo's goalless draw in Philadelphia, a game that he feels Houston should have put away.

It doesn't matter that the Dynamo stole a 2-1 win in the second leg of last year's playoff series at Red Bull Arena that eliminated New York, stinging the team and supporters alike. Right now what matters is a win at home for Petke and his side, a result that could kickstart a positive streak in this year's campaign. The playoff loss as well as its Supporters Shield is in the past; their main focus is turning around early-season woes.

That will take focus, commitment and maybe some bullying. New York will be missing some pieces tonight but have the depth to control proceedings, especially against a demoralized Dynamo side that have lost three in a row before its goalless draw in Philly. Houston will be missing a key piece in defense that the Red Bulls can look to exploit.

It's still early in the season but the sole game in MLS tonight will be watched by many. A win by either would catapult them higher up in the Eastern Conference table. 

-Tio Pelotas

@TioPelotas74

Pelotas' Ponderings: Reflection on historic win in NY

Recovery ends after fans, team celebrate first trophy

(To view additional photos by Danissa Alvarado from Sunday's match, click here)

                                                     
                                           Photo: Danissa Alvarado

As Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" served as the soundtrack to celebrations in and around the stadium Sunday evening, many supporters old and new were seen high-fiving, hugging, crying and exhaling profusely. Was this real?

For it was the MetroStars side that was formed for the league's inception in 1996 that gave fans a chance to connect, assemble, unite and support a top-flight side that hasn't been seen since the infamous Cosmos spectacle that brought massive crowds to the old Giants Stadium in the 70s and early 80s.

The city's own Carly Simon had her "Nobody Does It Better" track blared around the stadium's speakers at the conclusion of all Cosmos matches at home. The Cosmos won titles, brought in superstars and were the talk of the town until the party ended in 1984.

It was natural that Major League Soccer would've wanted a revival of New York's famous team by bringing back the Cosmos but it's been widely discussed that bureaucratic bickering prevented it from happening. Enter the MetroStars.

To say the Metros endured a tumultuous relationship with the soccer gods would be an understatement. Anything and everything occurred on and off the field leading to the "That's So Metro" phrase that caught on with supporters, casual and hardcore. 

The Metros were able to ink well-known players and provided home-based players as well in all of its years but that elusive MLS Cup--hell, any trophy for that matter--was on everyone's minds from equipment manager to the front office to the most ardent of all supporters.

In 2006, when Red Bull came calling to purchase and rebrand the team to its namesake product, debates ensued. The team lost some fans and in-fighting reached new levels but management made its attempt to continue its focus on the field, splashing out cash for Juan Pablo Angel, Shakira and Wyclef Jean. OK, maybe, the latter two wouldn't solve its trophy aspirations but the Austrian empire wanted to show it meant business.

Before Red Bull Arena finally opened in 2010, a team video showed Angel gawking at its surroundings and boasting about how the environment would do wonders for any team and its quest for professionalism and potential projects for dominance.

The latter years up to Sunday provided glimpses of a "superclub," as former general manager Alexi Lalas dubbed them before unofficially retracting and labeling his next employer, the Los Angeles Galaxy, as the rightful owner to that name. For now. 

The run to MLS Cup in 2008 was a Cinderella story as they were crowned Western Conference champions but came up short under the California sunshine to Argentine legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto and his Crew side. Nevertheless, away wins at Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake showed the league's parity and although the chance to lift silverware came so crushingly close, it was possible. Something was missing.

When favoritism towards European managers died this year, native New Yorker and Metros/Red Bulls ex-backline roughneck Mike Petke was appointed manager after the team's flirtations with overseas candidates. He made sure that Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill knew the ins-and-outs of the long-suffering club. The team combined to produce a chemistry that helped it win its first trophy over the weekend in front of its dedicated supporters, all of whom partied well into the night.

Tonight, the playoffs begin. Ten sides will vy for MLS Cup. For the first time in the league's short history, New York's local side is the team to beat.

Party just getting started as MLS season concludes

Lots of viable candidates to raise American league trophy

The great Football Geezer is curious to see how the MLS playoffs will come about, come next week, but yours truly has already begun the party in anticipation of Sunday's massive clash at Red Bull Arena, which is apparently sold out ahead of a potential first trophy for not only the big city side but New York's long-suffering supporters as well.

Bias aside (and putting on the bravest journalist face), let's take a peek at the final round of the 2013 regular season:

Four spots are still open for the taking with three in the East up for grabs. Only three points separate third-placed Montreal Impact and seventh-placed Philadelphia Union with 1998 champions Chicago Fire, New England Revolution and two-time champions Houston Dynamo all squeezed in between. The Red Bulls and 2000 champions Sporting Kansas City are in.

In the West, one spot is available but 2010 champions Colorado Rapids are all but assured of that final ticket. Why? Because they'd have to lose and have the San Jose Earthquakes--three points behind them---score 13 goals against FC Dallas. And my boy, the Texans' netminder Raul Fernandez, is not going to let that happen. I think. 

Safe to say the Denver side will join 2009 champions Real Salt Lake, a red-hot Portland Timbers, four-time champions L.A. Galaxy and a Jeckyll-and-Hyde Seattle Sounders team in the postseason.

Out of all of the aforementioned teams in the East, Philly is the only one with a home finale as the Impact travel to Toronto, the Dynamo are in Washington D.C, the Revolution go to Columbus and the Fire will be in beautiful Harrison, N.J. Two of these sides will have their MLS Cup 2013 aspirations crushed at the conclusion of this weekend. 

But the big story is in New York (well, New Jersey) as the Red Bulls are in the driver's seat to clinch the Supporters Shield trophy--its first piece of silverware for the team previously known as the MetroStars that played in the horrendous climates of the old Giants Stadium.

The 2013 campaign is probably the most memorable conclusion to a season in the league's short existence. Hopefully, that continues into the playoffs until the final on Dec. 7.