Is Thierry Henry the Best Designated Player Signing in MLS History?

With two goals—including an MLS Goal of the Week nominee—and an assist in the New York Red Bulls 4-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Sunday Thierry Henry was named MLS Player of the Week.

It’s the third week in a row he’s earned those honors and is the first player in MLS history to ever win three consecutive Player of the Week awards.

His historic run and impressive start to the season—seven goals and four assists—has New York Red Bulls fans excited. Since coming to the team in the middle of the 2010 season he has delivered the goods and has been a great Designated Player signing, worth his hefty contract (second-largest in the league).

Signing a player as a Designated Player contract has not historically meant success on the field. Many players, such as Luis Angel Landin, Blaise Nkufo and Geovanni have been failed signings.

Henry has been a success. In 42 MLS regular season games he has 23 goals and 11 assists. Has the Frenchman been the best DP signing in league history, though?

To properly gauge his impact we first have to exclude guys that graduated to DP salaries. Players like Landon Donovan, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alvaro Saborio, Fredy Montero and Shalrie Joseph came into the league on normal contracts. They played so well that they earned a raise, one that put them over the DP threshold. While they’ve had great careers in MLS they weren’t typical DP signings. They were given the contract because of past success in the league, not as high-profile transfers from teams around the world that have an uncertainty if they can adapt to MLS.



Robbie Keane had a nice run at the end of the season for the Galaxy, scoring four total goals in nine appearances across all competitions but he needs to play more games in MLS for us to be able to really determine his impact.

The real competition for best DP signing is between Henry, Juan Pablo Angel, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and the man the rule was created for, David Beckham.

Blanco was a huge success for the Chicago Fire. In all three seasons his team made the playoffs and in 2007 and 2008 Blanco was selected as a finalist for the MVP award. He was an exceptional talent with a fiery attitude to match.

There could be two slight downsides to his time in MLS—and it could just be nitpicking—but one was that the Fire never made it past the conference finals. In 2009, his last year with the team the Fire were upset by wild card (and eventual champion) Real Salt Lake.

He also played forward but only scored 16 goals in three seasons for the team. A player’s value is not measure in goals alone, but as a forward it is your main job and Blanco did not light up the stats sheet.

Angel was a lethal scorer for the Red Bulls. He owns the record for most goals scored for the franchise in all competitions with 62 and was a fan favorite.

Angel was eventually moved out in favor of Henry however, and the Frenchman hasn’t disappointed especially with Angel slowing down in past years. Angel spent a lot of time in New York with injuries, struggled mightily with the Galaxy only scoring three goals all year and now finishing with Chivas.

As for Beckham, the English-midfielder was the reason the DP rule was made. Off the field he has lived up to all the hype. Beckham-mania has hit the country with all the commercials, magazine covers and jersey sales.

He’s sold out MLS stadiums on the road and his presence has gotten the league more attention, more respectability and influenced others, like Henry, to come over and play in the league. It’s hard to imagine any player ever making the kind of commercial-impact Beckham has had on the league.

His play on the field however has been more tumultuous. Yes, he was on the league’s Best XI last year and was a major component in the Galaxy winning the MLS Cup. That being said there has been so much negativity associated with Beckham’s on-field performance.



For the first four years of Beckham’s MLS contract he spent time either on the bench injured or on loan in Italy. He openly talked about his desire to go back to Europe in order to continue to play for the English national team. He fought with teammates, most notably Landon Donovan. All in all, he didn’t look like he really wanted to be in or play in America or with the Galaxy.

It wasn’t until his final year in his first MLS contract that Beckham seemed engaged and committed to Los Angeles and MLS.

Since coming to MLS, Henry has fully committed to the Red Bulls. He has retired internationally and is giving his full attention to his club team. He’s sometimes cantankerous as a player, has high expectations for himself and his teammates and he has no problem unleashing his emotions.

What he has done however is score lots of goals and he is always the hardest working player on the pitch for the Red Bulls. He knows when to take charge himself or when to set up his teammates. He was also part of the MLS Best XI last season.

He still needs to score more goals in big games (like Angel), dominate the league and receive individual attention for his play (like Blanco) and win a championship to go along with his ability to bring in more fans to games (like Beckham) but Henry has only played in 42 games, just a bit more than one full season.

What he has done in a short amount of time has been incredible. He is absolutely one of the best DP signing in league history and still has a lot of time to do even more.



Video from YouTube.
Photo Credits.
Thierry Henry: AP Photo/Mel Evans
Cuauhtemoc Blanco: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
David Beckham: AP Photo/Jonathan Moore

Who Will Lead the New York Red Bulls in Goals in 2012?

After another early exit in the playoffs, the New York Red Bulls underwent sweeping changes to its roster.

The defense is a mystery. Will the endless revolving door at goalie ever be settled? With Rafa Marquez moving to the midfield and Tim Ream moving to England who will step up in the center of the defense?

But something the Red Bulls did in abundance last year—although not always opportunistically—was score goals. The team was tied for second in the league in goals scored (50) with Sporting Kansas City and behind only the Seattle Sounders (56).

The team’s biggest acquisition in the offseason was another forward. It now has four forwards that would start on any club. The depth is necessary though due to the constant questionable status of the players’ availabilities.

The logjam on offense combined with the uncertainty of who will actually be around to play makes for one good question the Red Bulls should be excited to answer: who will score the most goals on the team in 2012?

Right away, with so much depth up top, it’s fair to say that forwards Corey Hertzog, Jose Angulo and Jhonny Artega won’t get much playing time and won’t be in the running.

Last year six players—Thierry Henry, Luke Rodgers, Dane Richards, Joel Lindpere and Juan Agudelo—accounted for 43 of the team’s goals, or 86-percent. Add in Kenny Cooper to that group and there should be a large outpouring of offense.

Henry was the team’s leading goal scorer last year with 14 goals. He is the favorite to lead the attack again this year. With so much big game experience and talent at his feet, the French Designated Player is in the elite class of MLS players.

He’s fresh off a loan with Arsenal in the offseason, where he proved some critics wrong and showed that he still is a top-level player. In seven appearances with the club he scored three goals, including two game-winners. He returns to the Red Bulls in shape, in form and healthy.

That health question is the big one for Henry though. He played in only 26 games last season and his injuries seemed to flare up when the team went on the road and was going to play on artificial turf. Players coming over from Europe don’t like playing on that surface, but Henry is obviously an important player to the team and will have to play more games to really help the Red Bulls get over the hump.

Cooper, with Portland last season, scored eight goals. With greater individual talent surrounding him he should be able to continue his success. His ability to use his size and play as a target forward should not only help the possession-obsessed Red Bulls, but allow Henry to make runs off of him and create great combination play.



Cooper has a lot working in his favor as far as playing time goes: He stays healthy and the other top options at forward could miss a lot of action this year.

Luke Rodgers was a revelation last year for New York. He scored nine goals (second on the team) and gave the team a toughness and attitude that has been missing for quite some time. He works well with Henry and brings a lot of energy to the pitch.

The problem is that his attitude in the past has gotten him into trouble in his past. Those issues have come to head now as they have held up Rodgers’ work visa approval and return to the country.

A verdict was supposed to be reached Thursday but no concrete outcome came of it. He will miss at least the season opener. No one is sure how long this process will take, reducing the number of games he could play in. This issue comes on top of Rodgers inability to stay healthy; he played only 23 games last year due to various injuries.

Rodgers can’t score if he can’t get on the field, and right now his outcome is not looking too good.

Juan Agudelo scored six goals last season but he fell out of favor with the coaching staff fast. The emergence of Rodgers kept Agudelo on the bench. But even when Rodgers was injured the coaching staff preferred to go with Richards as a forward and use Mehdi Ballouchy in the midfield then start Agudelo.

There is some speculation that coach Hans Backe is not a fan of young American players, which certainly does not bode well for Agudelo. The forward will also miss time this season to be with the US U-23 team in Olympic qualifying and possibly the Olympics.

It will be tough for the coaching staff to feel comfortable playing Agudelo knowing he will be leaving them for a lengthy period of time and have to fill his spot. The more time Agudelo spends on the bench the more frustrated he gets and there have been some whispers that he will soon make a move to Europe.

The situation with Agudelo and the club could get ugly.

On the wings Lindpere (seven goals) and Richards (7) provide a lot of offense. Lindpere is the team’s most valuable player; he started every game, played all but 12 minutes the entire season, provides great service to the forwards (he was also tied for the team lead with seven assists) and knows when to go forward himself. His effort and durability keep him in the game and always makes him a threat.

Richards uses his great speed to get behind the defense or blowing past them with the ball. He’s very attack minded but often makes poor decisions on the ball. He also is not as talented individually as some of the other players and relies on other teams focusing on them as well as their vision and passing skills to create more opportunities for himself.

So who stands out for the Red Bulls on offense? Henry seems to be the favorite with Cooper and Lindpere giving him a run for his money.

But with a defense as questionable and untested as the Red Bulls have, the New York offense will have to once again be a strong unit and score often to keep the team on the right track as they fight for their first ever MLS Cup.

Photo Credits.
Thierry Henry: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Kenny Cooper: AP Photo/Don Ryan

For New York Red Bulls, Patience is a Virtue

AP Photo/David Banks

Designated Players can bring a lot of short-term things to the franchises that sign them.

There are the headlines, the extra revenue generated from an increase in tickets and merchandise, and the experience from years of playing the sport in the world’s top league with the top teams and teammates.

The New York Red Bulls are learning that what they won’t necessarily bring, right away at least, is wins.

Since July 15, the Red Bulls have signed former Barcelona stars Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez to go along with their first Designated Player, Juan Pablo Angel.

In the four league games Henry has played in, the team has gone 1-1-2 and has been shut out twice, scoring a total of only three goals—two against the Houston Dynamo in a game that they blew a 2-1 lead in the final minutes of the match.

In the two games Marquez has played, the team has not scored or won.

It’s not an encouraging sign for a team that many are jumping on the bandwagon as serious MLS Cup contenders.

However, it is not time yet for the long-suffering New York fans to go into a panic.

Henry and Marquez are just beginning to get their feet wet in MLS. They are transitioning to a new team, a new league, and a new city to live in. For the two stars it is simply an adjustment period.

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Submit Vote vote to see results Henry has already showed what he is capable of. He assisted on all three goals the team has scored in his four matches. He is linking up with Angel extremely well, and he himself is attacking the goal strong but is just unlucky in the finishing department.

Marquez, a defensive-minded player, has been a major part in why the Red Bulls have only given up one goal in his two games. He helped anchor the defense hold the Chicago Fire, with Designated Players Freddie Ljungberg and Nery Castillo, scoreless, and surrendered only one goal against the Los Angeles Galaxy, the league’s top team and second-highest scoring team.

While the Red Bulls cannot afford to let up, they are in a good position with the tiniest bit of leeway, enough to win some points and let their superstars get comfortable.

What the fans need is patience.

Had this been last year, who knows what former coach Juan Carlos Osorio would have done. The never-happy constant-tinkering could have delayed the progress of the team gelling and the players getting comfortable.

But Hans Backe is different. He generally keeps the lineup and formation consistent, and he rides the hot hand. Backe knows the stars the team has acquired and fully understands there is necessary adjustment time. And he will give them that time.

A franchise long infamous for bad luck and silly decisions finally has some hope. There is the second place standing after last season’s debacle, the new stadium, and the commitment to winning bringing in an additional two Designated Players. There is plenty for Red Bull fans to be optimistic about.

Rough patches happen. Some fans may be thinking, “Same old Red Bulls.” But there is plenty of reason to keep hope.

Henry and Marquez will get it together sooner rather than later, and the team will certainly be a dominant force when it does happen.

Strike Force

On Wednesday, the city of Houston played host to the Major League Soccer All-Stars.

Tonight, the Houston Dynamo will host the biggest star in the MLS today, who was ineligible for the “showcase” against Manchester United days earlier. Thierry Henry, the French International, will make his New York Red Bulls and MLS regular season debut.

On the heels of a World Cup that received a lot of attention, Henry has attracted a lot of focus to the Red Bulls and the league. Much like David Beckham in 2007, the high-profile star Henry will bring in a lot of money from jersey sales and extra fans to the games. He’ll also make a big difference on the field.

Henry played in two Red Bulls exhibition matches last week against English Premier League sides Tottenham and Manchester City and he impressed. He scored in the 25th minute of his debut against Tottenham and in both matches showed creativity and a great vision with dangerous passes that sprung forth a strong attack.

In both those games Henry only played the first 45 minutes. Against Houston however he will see increased time.

But what makes his MLS debut more special is that it will be the first pairing of him and New York captain Juan Pablo Angel.

Angel, another Designated Player with EPL experience, is the Red Bull’s all-time career goals leader (even though he has only played in three and a half seasons with the club). He is a quality finisher who the team has heavily depended on.

However they have yet to find a strike-partner for him. The team has paired him with ten different players—Jozy Altidore, John Wolyniec, Salou Ibrahim, Macoumba Kandji, Dominic Oduro, Dane Richards, Francis Doe, Oscar Echeverry, Mike Magee, and Clint Mathis—before landing Henry.

The pairing could easily be the most potent in all of MLS. Henry played on the wing for much of the beginning of his career which has helped him become a great passer and crosser.



They are both dangerous scorers so defenses will not be able to key on one and double him. They will have to respect both forwards which should create more space than either is used to as well as open the field for their teammates, especially the wings like Richards, Jeremy Hall, and Danleigh Borman, who all have good speed.

Henry also has good pace and is able to get behind the defense. All of those skills should help the two players find each other and wreck havoc on their opposition. The opponent in their first game together could help expedite the process.

Houston—in seventh place in the eight-team Western Conference— has given up 25 goals, tied for most in the Western Conference, and will be further weakened.

Veteran goalkeeper Pat Onstad missed practice on Thursday and is not expected to start. Central defender Bobby Boswell will also miss the game due to a suspension he must serve for receiving a red card in the Dynamo’s previous game against Columbus.

If Henry and Angel can capitalize on the opportunity of playing together and against a vulnerable defense then the team can gain some much needed momentum as they head into the end of the season pushing for a playoff spot.

Not only will a successful Henry-Angel tandem generate plenty of buzz for the league and the team off the field, but it may also finally bring home a trophy.

What once was a dream—not only landing Henry but also winning the championship—becomes, at least partly, a reality tonight.

Photo Credits.
Thierry Henry: AP Photo/Mel Evans
Juan Pablo Angel: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

2010 FIFA World Cup: 11 Players American fans NEED to know

The 2010 World Cup is seeing genuine interest from American fans like never before. ESPN is providing extensive coverage of the World Cup and, possibly equally as important, leading up to the tournament in an effort to familiarize the common fan with the enormity of the tournament and its participants. There are many diehard soccer fans, but for the newcomers to the sport, here are 11 players American fans absolutely need to know.

Thierry Henry, France

His production has slowed down a bit, a perfect example being his inability to get onto the field much this season for Spanish league side Barcelona. And fans of the Irish team must think he’s a villain for his hand ball that went uncalled and directly lead to not only a goal, but the French National Team advancing to the World Cup over Ireland.

To Americans though, Henry is a very important player.

Henry scores a lot of goals, something the casual American fan appreciates. He also is a skilled passer and does a good job setting up teammates.

Now, Henry is at the center of reports that have him signing with the New York Red Bulls of MLS after France’s run in the World Cup.

Henry is an extremely skilled offensive player who would make a huge impact on the league. American soccer fans will get a preview of Henry’s skill set during the World Cup.

Nemanja Vidic, Serbia

Vidic is considered one of the world’s best defenders.

He is the backbone of a strong Manchester United defense and the leader of a traditionally tough and gritty Serbian defense. The six-foot-two-inch center back has an exceptional blend of strength and skill.

He was part of the Serbian defense that conceded only one goal in the 2006 World Cup qualifying. He is a three-time member of the Premier League Team of the Year. In 2008-2009 he was a major contributor in Manchester United’s streak of 14 consecutive games without allowing a goal, earning him the Barclays Player of the Season Award. He has also named to the FIFA World XI in 2009.

Serbia is in a challenging group with Germany, Australia, and Ghana, and the team will depend on continued stifling defense from Vidic.



Gianluigi Buffon, Italy

How successful Italy is in defending its 2006 World Cup trophy will depend on goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

A lifetime Serie A player—he’s been named Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year eight times—Buffon has made over 100 appearances for the Italian National Team since 1997.

His most impressive performance came during the 2006 World Cup. En route to winning the championship, Buffon kept opposing teams scoreless for 453 consecutive minutes—a World Cup record—and conceded only two goals the entire tournament (one being an own goal).

Considered a top three goalie in the entire world, Buffon will look to be as unbeatable as he was four years ago.

Frank Lampard, England

Many consider this year’s England squad to be one of the most talented and deepest in a long time. Lampard leads the charge in midfield.

Continually one of the best all-around players in the English Premier League, Lampard is coming off his best season with top-team Chelsea. In league play he scored a career-high 22 goals as well as dishing out a career-high 17 assists.

He scores at the international level as well, netting 20 goals in 78 appearances, including four in 2010 World Cup qualifying.

He has been nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year award each of the past six consecutive years.

And for those Americans whose interest has grown thanks to the EA Sports video game FIFA, Lampard is one of the cover boys for the 2010 version.

David Villa, Spain

Spain’s roster is really loaded with players you should know: Carles Puyol, Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, Xavi, and Iker Casillas. It’s why they are the favorites to win the 2010 World Cup. The biggest star on Spain, arguably, is David Villa.

Torres gets more mention in the press, and not that the attention is undeserved, but Villa is Spain’s biggest goal scoring threat. His 37 goals for the Spanish National Team—in only 57 appearances—ranks him second on Spain’s all-time leading scorer list behind only Raul.

He was the Bronze Shoe winner in the 2009 Confederations Cup and was part of the FIFA.com User’s Top 11.

Villa has spent his entire club career in Spain’s La Liga and in 384 career league games, Villa has scored 202 times. A 20-goal scorer with Valencia the past two seasons, top-La Liga side Barcelona acquired Villa for €40 million and he signed a four-year contract, with an option for a fifth year, with the club.



Kaka, Brazil

Brazil’s players are famous for not only their talent on the field, but also for being referred to by only one name: Gilmar, Cafu, Robinho, Dunga, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Pele. Kaka has joined that list.

He signed his first professional contract with Brazilian club Sao Paulo in 2001 at the age of fifteen. The 2010 World Cup will be his third. A former Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, Kaka embodies the image people have of Brazilian soccer players essentially dancing up the field with the ball. He has great footwork and good speed.

The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the first international tournament Kaka played in since the 2006 World Cup, but played exceptionally. He scored two goals, was named “Man of the Match” against the United States in the final game, was on the FIFA.com User’s Top 11, and was awarded the Golden Ball as the top player in the tournament.

Lionel Messi, Argentina

Simply put, he’s the best soccer player in the world.

The Argentine is gifted with fantastic footwork, good pace, and creative dribbling and attacking moves. He also scores at will. In 44 appearances for Argentina he’s scored 13 goals and in 144 league games for Spanish La Liga superpower Barcelona he’s scored 88 times. One stretch in 2010 saw him score 11 goals in five games, including the first player to notch back-to-back hat tricks in consecutive La Liga games.

Messi has earned numerous individual accolades, including 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year and 2009 Ballon d’Or (best soccer player in the world judged by a panel of international sports journalists), and is still only 22-years-old.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

Another popular candidate for best player in the world, Ronaldo is the star and captain of a good Portuguese team.

Fast footwork, a creative mindset, and a blistering shot make Ronaldo an extremely dangerous player. He has youth at only 25-years-old as well as top-flight experience, starting not only for the Portugal National Team, but top club teams Manchester United of the English Premier League and Real Madrid of Spain’s La Liga, dating back to 2003. Ronaldo has also previously won the FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or awards.

Want to know just how valuable Ronaldo is? His transfer fee from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 was a whopping $132 million dollars, making him the most expensive soccer player in the world. His contract is also believed to make him the highest-paid soccer player.

Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast

Drogba is arguably the best goal scorer in the world. No one has a nose for goal quite like him.

The Ivory Coast captain is the nation’s all-time leader in goals, with 44 scored in 68 appearances. His 131 goals in all competitions for Chelsea make him the club’s seventh leading goal scorer of all-time and the top international scorer.

Unfortunately for Drogba, he broke his forearm in a World Cup tuneup against Japan June 4th and originally told teammates he wasn’t going to be playing in the tournament. That being said, he rejoined his teammates after surgery with arm in cast and has not been listed as out of the tournament just yet. Whether he plays or not will play a big role in if the Ivory Coast can get past Brazil and Portugal in group play.

Another reason you should know Drogba though is for his impact off the field. Ivory Coast had been in a brutal civil war. When the Ivory Coast qualified for the 2006 World Cup Drogba got on his knees on live television and pleaded that the nation lay down their arms. He also played a role in getting an African Cup of Nations qualifier in the rebel stronghold city of Bouake.

For his involvement, Drogba is recognized as helping the peace movement in the nation and was listed as one of the world’s 100 most influential people, as named by Time magazine.

Tim Howard and Landon Donovan, USA

American fans need to know the best players on their own team. Donovan and Howard are the class of the United States.

Howard, who plays at the club level for Everton of the English Premier League, has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He shines at the biggest moments, against the best competition.

Case in point against Spain in the Confederations Cup, who was then unbeaten in their previous 35 games and ranked number one in the world, Howard made eight saves and was a huge factor in the United States upsetting Spain 2-0. Howard would go on to win the Golden Glove award as the best keeper in the tournament.

Donovan is the face of American soccer. After so many accolades he is arguably the best player in Major League Soccer history. For the national team, he is the all-time leading goal scorer for the United States and is the active leader in caps. He is a six-time Honda Player of the Year—the only player to ever win the award six times—and was named Honda Player of the Decade.

After a successful winter loan stint with Everton, a good World Cup could get Donovan a transfer back to a top team in Europe.

Photo Credits.
Lionel Messi: AP Photo/Eduardo Di Baia
Gianluigi Buffon: AP Photo/Massimo Pinca
David Villa: AP Photo/Paul White