The last time the New York Red Bulls played a competitive match, they were at The Home Depot Center making an unexpected first-ever appearance in the MLS Cup Final.
Following 50 training sessions and seven preseason games over the course of seven weeks, Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio believes the team that will take the field for the start of the 2009 season is better and more well-balanced than the one that lost to the Columbus Crew in the final.
But the proof comes against the expansion Seattle Sounders FC Thursday night at a sold-out Qwest Field.
"Thursday's game is a huge opportunity for us, for this club to make an early statement and I think that is the way we're preparing for it," Osorio said. "Hopefully the players will be up for the occasion."
The 2009 opener is an opportunity to make a loud and definitive statement that last year's deep playoff run was not a fluke.
"We know the pressure is on for us among ourselves because we have a responsibility within the group that we want to do well this year," Juan Pablo Angel said. "We would like to get it right. We want to send a statement. The way we want to play and the things we want to see, we have to do it step by step and this is the first one."
Osorio believes he has strengthened the attack with the additions of Dominic Oduro and Khano Smith, hoping the added speed will make the Red Bulls a more versatile team in the final third.
The Red Bulls are also more athletic and attack-minded with the addition of rookie Jeremy Hall and the imminent signings of Costa Rican international Carlos Johnson and Alfredo Pacheco from El Salvador.
But the revamped backline is not quite ready for the opener. Johnson is awaiting his P-1 visa and Pacheco, after visa issues in El Salvador, was scheduled to arrive in the United States later this week.
Osorio said newly signed central midfielder Albert Celades is still working his way back to match fitness and would likely only be able to play 45-60 minutes on Thursday.
Smith is also out, serving the final game of a three-game ban for a harsh tackle against Kansas City's Herculez Gomez in the final game of the 2008 regular season.
"As a player you never like missing games no matter who it is against, but this one is going to be extra tough because of all the hype around it," Smith said. "As a player, you always want to play in games like that. I'm disappointed I'll be missing out on that atmosphere."
Mac Kandji, who showed flashes late last season after being acquired from the Atlanta Silverbacks of the USL First Division, will likely get the nod on the left side of midfield, while Kevin Goldthwaite, who is expected to partner with Mike Petke centrally, will slide over to left back and Hall could get the start on the right.
Centrally, Andrew Boyens will likely partner with Petke, who views his second stint with the New York-based club as a second life.
"It's a reincarnation," Petke said. "I'm very excited. I just want to get (the first game) behind me and get down to winning a championship, hopefully."
Facing a team playing its first-ever game poses a unique problem for Osorio, who is meticulous in his preparation.
"I got myself some DVDs from Colombia on the Colombian players they have and showed my defenders so they get familiar with the kind of striker they will put on the field," Osorio said. "The other players, just for example (forward Nate) Jaqua, we're going to present some videos from Houston on the way he plays, same for (Tyrone) Marshall and the other guys that have been around."
Of particular concern for Osorio is Fredy Montero, the Colombian attacker who has scored nine goals in nine preseason matches for Sounders FC.
"Most of his goals come from combination play and from his ability to have one or two touches inside the box," Osorio said of Montero, who scored 13 goals in 26 appearances for Atletico Huila. "He's good as far as his ball control and his first touch is very good. I don't think that he will catch us by surprise."
Osorio doesn't need any DVDs to know the type of coach Sigi Schmid is. It was Schmid who coached the Columbus Crew to a 3-1 win against the Red Bulls in the 2008 MLS Cup.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "Good coach, I'm sure he will have a very good team on the field, but the point of the matter is that the players are ready for it because the players should relish this opportunity -- first game of the season in front of a full crowd. That should be incentive alone to play a good game against the Seattle Sounders."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com
