ROCK FLAG AND EAGLE 9:49 am that was quite the national anthem spectacle.
For today's games I am going to steal some Bill Simmons idea and do a running diary of all the rivalry week action.
DC has taken off sanchez and added DeRo which should improve their attack from the RSL game.
for NYRB no Roy Miller, not in the 18 and from the comments of Petke he might finally be done with the team. They bring in Holgerson to partner with Olave, Pierce moves out left while Barklage stays in at Right. Personally think that Kosuke Kimora has shown more than Barklage and will eventually be the starter. Henry and Espindola up top, with Steele on the left, Dax and Cahill in the middle and Alexander on the Right. Good attacking line up.
Kick off 9:53 am will go with time on the clock from now on.
3rd minute and Henry with a free kick, off the wall into the air, Henry and Pajoy tangle a bit Henry called for a foul. Thinks Pajoy facked it from the intense stare down.
8th minute DC draws a fould outside of box nothing comes of it.
onthe counter Henry with a shot from outside Hamid pushes out for a corner.
10th Henry looking active today.
15th Henry gets another good look, shot deflected up in the Air, bit of a scrum but DC gets it cleared.
17th Espindoal on the channel... steel get ins a good cross cleared but only to barklage. who takes a crack/cross? inot the D ad clarerd.. sustaind NY presure..
18th Cross to Cahill heads back to espindola... Tangles with **** calls for a PK go wanting...
H19th more pressure Henry and Cahill one two Henry with the shot from angle.. scooped up by Hamid
So far all NY
20th DC early Cross headout by pierce for a corner. scuffed shot.. half clearted to DeLeon who strikes it high and wide
23rd Henry heads down the route one to a oncoming DAx who scuffs a shot well wide instead of playing back to Henry.
24th Good step up and slide tackle from Olave breaks up s a DC attack... Good cross Espindola header off the cross bar. Over Hamid but did not drop enough to sneak under the bar.
27th DeRo with a good pass into Pajoy who takes it wide and then passes to Dax. I Know Pajoy battles and runs the channels tirelessly but Carlos Ruiz is much more likely to score.
28th.. not sure what happened there, but good pressure and no shot from NY..
29th to much passing in the box from NY Steele crossed to Cahill who tries to settle instead of shooting when Steele should have take the shot.
30th DeLeon with a good move around Steele on the right sideline.
32nd NY clears a lose ball from right in from of Pajoy. ball crossed int by DeRo. Holgersson deflected Pajoy almost gets to it but cleared
Snow continuing to fall.
33 corner by Henry falls near the penalty stop.
NY still looking more active.
38th Cross headed down but harmlessly.
NY needs to have more of a killer edge in front of goal
Corner Hamid bobbles but falls on his own drop before Alexander can get a boot on it.
40th Cross cleared.but kept in...Henry to Cahill.. get knocked off. Steele on his shot deflected to Henry who fires off balanced high. NY looks likely to score but needs more
41st Henry back to steal the back pass ... Dax with a good ball to the right channel for Espindola but Espindola gets is isolated with no where to go with the ball
43rd Steele into Henry who knees his first touch and goes for an over the shoulder shot right at Hamid.
44th. can NY get anything before half.
Henry with good ball across the face of goal but no one on the far post in time to get to it..
Half Time NY with lots of good pressure and some decent looks on Goal. both Henry and Cahill look engaged and active for NY. A good sign for the Red Bulls. DC will continue to try to live on the counter. Other than Juninho, not sure what changes NY will make they seem to have their most offensive team out there. As for DC expect to see Carlos Ruiz at some point and possible Santos for some speed.
Back under way and the snow is relentless. Lets see if NY can put together a solid whole game.
Nice to see Petke ditched the hoodie for a jacket but He looks cold.
48th odd sequence Cahill heads back to Steele who chipped towards Goal, Henry tries to just redirect but ended up directing right to Hamid.
51st. foul in a dangerous position DeLeon with a good ball int.. Robles punched away right in front of DeRo head, eventually deflected out for a corner by Espindola. corner comes to nothing
52nd Espindola shouldered off the ball in the box.
55 great cross eventually .. but Cahill can't get the shot off after bringing it down. To be fair thought Henry would take it.
56th Espindola with a blast off the cross bar. 2nd time today for him.
58th Henry with a speculative shot at Hamid from about 35
Then Henry with a shot that goes just wide off an acute angled shot on the left.
60th Pontious with a good shot but A better play from Robles to close down and block the shot.
61st Henry earns a corner. Corner cleared.
65th Alexander almost strikes a Golazo. Ball falls to him that he hammers that moves just wide of the upper 90.
67 good cross from Steele that finds Cahill making a great run from deep. Only to be stonewalled by Hamid on the line. Great chance after great chance for the Red Bulls.
68th Junniho in for Steele.
69th Cleared off the line for DC other wise Henry would have had a goal.
70th Henry heads back over the goal Line.
71st Ruiz now in for DC.
74th two more chances for Henry broken up before the shot can get off. This is really good Defense from DC paired wiht some NY looking to pass first a few too many times.
76th. Sanchez now in for DeRo. must not think he is fully fit and DeRo does look gassed walking off the field.
79th Olave with a good challenge to break disposses an charging DeLeon.
80th Barklage with a cross that floats out for a corner.
82nd. Espindola and Jakovic tussle getting Chippy.
83rd. NY lossing a little steam. To bad they have played well and really pressed forward for a goal. but good Defense from DC and great play from Hamid have stymied the Red Bull attacking talent.
87th Henry chips it towards Espindola but takes a deflection right to Hamid. Another good chance cleared by DC.
89th Henry goes down in the Box, with really no contact. and holds his knee in some obvious pain. Hopefully it is nothing.
90th Connor Lade on for Alexander. NY looks tired and frustrated.
91st Looked like a goal and a goal line clearance by Hamid. But it was close. Would have been an own goal but do to pressure from DC.
92nd. Henry who came back on the field was subbed out and went straight to the locker room.
Final whistle. Way more shots on goal from an exhausted NY and some a great defending and Goalkeeping from DC.
Last thoughts. Hope Henry is okay. NY has a lot to be proud of and played there best game of the season even if they get no goals to show for it. Other than the backline and Hamid DC was thoroughly out played. 24 shots to 4 on the day.
I am not sure NY knows what to do with Juninho yet. He played in an advanced role with Cahill back which is not a bad call. Figure that eventually he will play in a withdrawn forward or in more of a Pirlo role eventually.
What should not be a surprise to anyone, Henry looks much more comfortable and involved playing alongside Espindola than last year playing alongside Cooper. Cooper, despite his size, is not a target forward and really thrives when he has another forward to clear the line for him and he can hang around the box and poach. Espindola, although not a hold up player, leads a line by making runs into the channel that open up space for Henry to make runs in behind. His dynamic movement is a much better front line partner for Henry.
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