New York Red Bulls
Giants Stadium (MLS Capacity: 26,500)
2006 Record: 9-11-12, 39 pts. (4th in Eastern Conference)
GF: 41 (8th in MLS)
GA: 41 (5th in MLS)
Finish: Lost to D.C. United 2-1 on aggregate in Eastern Conference Semifinals
Head Coach: Bruce Arena (2nd year with club)
Key Departures: Youri Djorkaeff, Amado Guevara, Tony Meola, Chris Henderson, Danny O'Rourke (expansion draft), Edson Buddle, Mark Lisi, Steve Jolley
Key Additions: Claudio Reyna, Dave van den Bergh, Ronald Waterreus, Clint Mathis
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
GOALKEEPER
Ronald Waterreus: He's a former international 'keeper and he's 36 years old. Wait, didn't the Red Bulls have one of those in goal last year? True, but the Red Bulls have replaced Tony Meola with a Dutchman who played for Rangers and Manchester City and who craves touches on the ball, with both feet.
DEFENDERS
Todd Dunivant: With an injury-plagued 2006 behind him, Dunivant is raring to go and with his ability to join the attack, Red Bulls fans should be salivating about the combination of Dunivant and Dave van den Bergh up the left side.
Jeff Parke: The quick and athletic Parke has a new number this year - 60, which represents the number of the last pick of the 2004 draft - but he has the same central defense partner in Carlos Mendes again. That means there's no on-the-job training. Don't be surprised, though, to see Seth Stammler start here.
Carlos Mendes: With so many players walking out the door in East Rutherford - 12 to be exact - Mendes returns for a third season. He'll open the season alongside Parke, as was the case last year when the Red Bulls allowed just 21 goals against in 32 games.
Marvell Wynne: The No. 1 overall pick in last year's SuperDraft did a lot of learning on the job as a rookie. We already know his recovery time is impressive, but the speedster has shown a better understanding of the intricacies of playing right back. If his touch has improved as well, the Red Bulls might have one of the most exciting fullback combinations in the league.
MIDFIELDERS
Dave van den Bergh: The Dutch winger didn't live up to the lofty expectations heaped on him in Kansas City, but he's ready to shine in New York. He is deceptively quick and is a deft crosser of the ball from the left side - something the Red Bulls lacked in recent years.
Clint Mathis: Clint Mathis scored an MLS-record five goals in one game and ran through the entire Dallas team in a 70-yard jaunt that won him an MLS Goal of the Year award, but that was a long time ago. Recently, Mathis has scored a grand total of five goals in the last two years.
Dema Kovalenko: Apparently rejuvenated by his second stint in the league, Kovalenko has had a monster training camp. "He comes out every day like it's game day. Day in and day out, he's been one of our best players," Arena said.
Claudio Reyna: Captain America has come home and will wear the No. 10 jersey and armband for the Red Bulls. His calming influence in the middle of the field and his leadership in the locker room will be invaluable, but will the oft-injured midfielder last the long MLS season?
Markus Schopp: He came to the Red Bulls late in the season from the Red Bulls' sister team in Salzburg and was slowed by injury. Schopp, though, has been impressive in the preseason and, along with van den Bergh, can quickly turn the Red Bulls' 4-5-1 formation into a 4-3-3.
FORWARD
Jozy Altidore: After exploding on the scene last year to score some huge goals to help carry the Red Bulls into the postseason, the big question coming into this season is: Can the 17-year-old do it over the length of an MLS season? Of course, if rumors of a second designated player signing are true, Altidore will likely start the season on the bench.
OUTLOOK
With Reyna patrolling the center of the park, the midfield is vastly improved and the backline has a year of experience but the strikers? It's been no secret the Red Bulls have been shopping far and wide for help and dealt for Clint Mathis. But is Cleetus, who scored five goals in the last two years, really the answer?
GRADING THE SEASON
Arena's definition of success is pretty clear cut. "We told our team our job is to win more games this year and lose less," Arena said. "If we do that we're making progress and hopefully one day we're able to bring a championship to the metropolitan area." Long suffering Red Bulls fans, though, have been hearing "one day" since the league's inception.
NEWCOMER WITH THE BIGGEST IMPACT
Dave van den Bergh. Projected as a big late-season signing by Kansas City last year, van den Bergh didn't quite live up to expectations as the Wizards failed to make the playoffs. But the Dutch winger should break out this year, providing service, speed and a quality strike from the left side.
