The reports are out that New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry will be at EPL side Arsenal for a loan. It will be similar to Landon Donovan’s loan at Everton which will last about two months and have him back for the start of the 2012 MLS season.

The deal was confirmed by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in late December.

“It was my idea because I decide and he was happy with it. It was his idea as well to come here, but I had to make the decision to do it.

“He is certainly very happy and modest about it as well. He just wants to help us get through a period where we lose two strikers.

“First of all we do it because Gervinho and Chamakh go to the African Nations Cup and to cover for two months is ideal.” 

“He is experienced, he is quality, he knows the Club, he can help the players on and off the pitch. He has vast experience.

“No one can measure that but I know it can only be positive. He has exceptional talent; he is a very intelligent man and has a desire to help the Club, so it can only be positive. But it is difficult to measure how positive an influence he is.”

New York Red Bulls General Manager Erik Soler also spoke of the loan deal around the same time.

“It was more like the total package. You sort of need to travel to Arsenal to understand the meaning he has to everybody inside and outside the club. We feel it’s a good honor for a guy who’s been with us 18 months. This is something he thought he wanted to do, and it’s easy to see,” Soler told the Post. “And on sporting side, it’s better for him to train at Arsenal, than if we turn something like that down. I couldn’t find a single reason to say no.

“I was approached by them, and of course I wanted to check if that was what Thierry wanted, and make sure my ownership was happy with it. I did the necessary calls on my part, and on the sporting side both Hans (Backe, coach) and myself think it’s a very good idea. Thierry will be working hard. He’ll be coming to our Phoenix trip. He’ll be coming straight from training and playing with Arsenal, which is a good thing for us. In the end, it’s very easy for us to see this as good idea.’’

“If its finalized, the idea would be to have him from Sunday Jan. 1 approximately that date in February. They have a Champions League game on the 16th, and he would come after that.”

As with most loan deals, Arsenal will pay a pro-rated portion of Henry’s salary to NY (about $5 million base per year).

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New York Red Bulls Striker Thierry Henry On Two Month Loan Deal To Arsenal - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

It was a year of good and bad for the beautiful game. As 2012 nears, it’s time to reflect on this past year in the world of soccer. Who was the worst transfer, the worst moment, miss, and more? Below is my list of the worst of 2011 soccer awards.

Worst Transfer - Fernando Torres

This wasn’t too hard to pick as Torres cost roughly 50 million pounds (around $75 million) and has scored three goals in 28 appearances. Torres has looked a shell of the player he was at Liverpool and lately has been relegated to the bench. He could still turn things around but for 2011 it was clearly a poor transfer for Chelsea. There shouldn’t be a ton of blame placed on Chelsea for making the move as Torres, when in form, is still capable of being one of the top strikers in the world.

Worst Moment - Sepp Blatter

Blatter made headlines, for all the wrong reasons, when he spoke about racism in the sport. He said the following:

“There is no racism [on the field], but maybe there is a word or gesture that is not correct.The one affected by this should say this is a game and shake hands.”

Now, anyone can make misguided or insensitive comments, but this is just one of several missteps from FIFA and Blatter. They continue to lose credibility and trust from fans, media, and players. The fallout from picking Qatar for 2022 is still there and few believe there wasn’t some money or bribes involved with the decision. This statement might not have been enough to been the worst this year but based it being Blatter and all the problems with FIFA, it adds up to be the worst of 2011.

Most Disappointing Team - NY Red Bulls

At times, the MLS side looked unstoppable but ended up struggling to make the playoffs and eventually eliminated in the quarterfinals. On paper, the team has lots of talent but consistently underachieved on the pitch. It’s not totally clear what went wrong but certainly deserves some blame. The Mexican defender was given a large contact but was a bust and even called out teammates for not being good enough. The team could be losing Tim Ream in the transfer window but could use that money to bring in another top player.

The Red Bulls serve as notice that bringing in top players doesn’t always translate to victories. It’s important to have chemistry and consistency, something that that Red Bulls never had in 2011.

Worst Miss - Fernando Torres

Torres is an easy target these days but his miss on September 18th against Manchester United was poor. The Spaniard had dribbled around the goalkeeper and had an open net from inside the box. He missed in several feet wide and while the goal might not have changed the result (3-1 Man Utd win), it certainly would have helped to give confidence to Torres. There are probably other misses that were easier but Torres’ is the worst based on several reasons. Torres has been a top notch striker (look at Liverpool scoring record), his transfer fee cost, and the fact it was in a crucial EPL match.

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The Worst Of 2011 Soccer Awards: Torres, Blatter, and More - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Arsenal and the NY Red Bulls played to a 1-1 draw in the 2011 Emirates Cup on Sunday, July 31, 2011.

Arsenal 1-1 NY Red Bulls Video Highlights

The match highlights can be viewed here at Free Soccer Highlights.

Arsenal 1-1 NY Red Bulls Recap

The NY Red Bulls won the Emirates Cup with a 1-1 draw against the Gunners.

After taking a 1-0 lead on a 42nd minute Robin Van Persie header, Arsenal conceded the lead with a Kyle Bartley own goal in the 84th minute. It was the second match in as many days where Arsenal had a lead but was unable to hold onto it. It was a match where the Gunners were clearly the better side but had to settle for the draw.

The draw clinches the Emirates Cup trophy for New York while Arsenal finished third (just ahead of Boca Juniors) in the table. Thierry Henry, who became a legend playing for Arsenal, play the entire match.

Arsenal 1-1 NY Red Bulls Match Stats

SCORING SUMMARY

ARS – Van Persie (Rosicky), 42’
ARS – Bartley (own-goal) 84′

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

None

LINEUPS:

Arsenal –– Wojciech Szczesny, Laurent Koscielny (Kyle Bartley, 74’), Bacary Sagna (Emmanuel Eboué, 74’), Thomas Vermaelen, Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere (Benik Afobe, 7’, Andrey Arshavin, 74’), Tomas Rosciky, Aaron Ramsey, Alexandre Song, Robin van Persie (Marouane Chamakh, 65’), Gervinho (Carlos Vela, 65’)

New York –– Frank Rost, Roy Miller, Chris Albright (John Rooney, 78’), Tim Ream, Rafa Márquez, Carlos Mendes (Stephen Keel, 45’), Teemu Tainio (Juan Agudelo, 55’), Dax McCarty, Jan Gunnar Solli, Dane Richards, Thierry Henry

Arsenal 1-1 New York Red Bulls – Video Highlights, Recap, Match Stats – Emirates Cup – 31 July 2011 - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

The Emirates Cup, an annual pre-season competition, has announced its schedule for the 2011 edition. Arsenal, who are the hosts, will be joined by French side Paris Saint-Germain, Argentine side Boca Juniors, and US side New York Red Bulls. The most anticipated match will be the Red Bulls against Arsenal as it will feature Thierry Henry. The French player had a long successful run with Arsenal and now is playing in MLS for the Red Bulls.

The 2011 Emirates Cup will be televised by GolTV (USA), Sky Sports (UK), and on Al Jazeera Sport (Middle East).

The full schedule is below with the start times in BST (UK time).

2011 Emirates Cup Schedule

Saturday 30th July

New York Red Bulls v Paris Saint-Germain (2pm)
Arsenal v Boca Juniors (4.20pm)

Sunday 31st July

Boca Juniors v Paris Saint-Germain (2pm)
Arsenal v New York Red Bulls (4.20pm)

Arsenal, NY Red Bulls, Boca Juniors, and PSG To Feature in 2011 Emirates Cup - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

It’s not an April fools joke as Toronto FC’s Dwayne De Rosario has joined the New York Red Bulls in trade between both clubs on Friday. In return for sending De Ro to New York, TFC will get Tony Tchani, Danleigh Borman, and a pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.

The move helps to bolster an already stacked Red Bull team that has Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez, Juan Agudelo, Luke Rodgers, Joel Lindpere, and Luke Rodgers. Below is an excerpt from the press release along with a quote from NY GM Erik Soler.

(press release from NY Red Bulls)

HARRISON, NJ– Red Bull New York announced today that it has acquired five-time MLS Best XI midfielder and four-time MLS Cup winner Dwayne De Rosario from Toronto FC. In exchange, Toronto FC received midfielder Tony Tchani, midfielder/defender Danleigh Borman and their natural first round 2012 MLS SuperDraft selection.

“Dwayne has been one of the league’s best players over the past several years and we are thrilled that he is a Red Bull,” said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “He is one of the most dangerous players MLS has seen in the attacking third and he is a true leader both on and off the field. We had to trade Tony and Danleigh – two very talented, young players who both need more playing time with a first team in MLS to develop their potential. At the end, we think this is a massive step in our quest towards the MLS Cup title.”

De Rosario, who has one goal and one assist in two games this year, has enjoyed a successful career on the club and international level. Last season in his second year with Toronto FC, the Scarborough, Ontario native recorded a career-high in goals scored with 15 to go along with three assists in 27 games played, being named to the MLS Best XI and MLS All-Star Team for the fifth time. Over his time in Toronto, the 32-year-old amassed 27 goals and 10 assists over 57 appearances.

New York Red Bulls Acquire Toronto FC Midfielder Dwayne De Rosario - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Thierry Henry will train with his former club, Arsenal, as he prepares for the 2011 MLS season. Henry, who joined the New York Red Bulls last summer, will likely return to the United States in February or early March. It’s a similar situation to David Beckham as both will train with EPL sides but return in time for the 2011 MLS season.

Below is the official statement from the Arsenal FC website on the story.

The Gunners legend returned to London Colney on Monday to train with Arsène Wenger’s squad. The short-term arrangement will help Henry maintain his fitness ahead of the new MLS campaign, which begins in March.

Henry joined the New York Red Bulls last year and helped them reach the play-offs where they lost on aggregate to San Jose Earthquakes in November.

The former Arsenal captain scored a record 226 goals during a glittering career in north London and was a member of the ‘Invincibles’ squad that completed an unbeaten campaign in 2003/04.

NY Red Bull Thierry Henry Training With Arsenal During MLS Offseason - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Below are my predictions for the upcoming 2nd leg matches in the MLS 2010 Playoff Conference Semifinals.

MLS 2010 Playoff Conference Semifinals 2nd Leg Predictions

Thursday, November 4, 2010

New York Red Bulls v San Jose Earthquakes (1-0 after first leg) – NY wins 1-0 (2-0 on aggregate)

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Real Salt Lake v FC Dallas (1-2 after first leg) – RSL wins 3-1 (4-3 on aggregate)

Columbus Crew v Colorado Rapids (0-1 after first leg) – 1-1 Draw (Colorado advances 2-1 on aggregate)

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Los Angeles Galaxy v Seattle Sounders FC (1-0 after first leg) – 1-1 Draw (2-1 on aggregate)

Major League Soccer 2010 Conference Semifinals 2nd Leg Predictions - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Thierry Henry, who has been out recently with a knee injury, could return for the New York Red Bulls on Thursday, November 4, 2010. Since joining the Red Bulls in July, Henry has played 10 matches but missed the first leg against San Jose last Saturday.

While he’s clearly a player that improved the Red Bulls, the team did earn a 1-0 victory in the first leg. Rushing Henry back into the line-u wouldn’t be a wise decision and they are more than capable of getting at least a draw to move into the Conference Finals.

The most realistic and probable outcome would be to bring on Henry late in the second half to give him a few minutes and reduce any risk of another injury. This could change depending on how the match is going and whether the Red Bulls are needing to score any goals or have a comfortable lead.

The Frenchman spoke on Tuesday about his prospects of playing in Thursday’s match

“I think I am going to be available to the boss,” Henry said on Tuesday. “I don’t know if I’m going to start.”

NY manager Hans Backe also spoke on the subject.

“His turning was excellent, looked really sharp,” head coach Hans Backe said after training, also noting that Henry’s finishing is lacking due to rust. “But just to hit the ball, to kick the ball, he feels some pain.”

Will Thierry Henry play in Thursday’s match? Should he play or will the Red Bulls not risk him if they are ahead?

Thierry Henry Could Play For NY Red Bulls In Eastern Conference Semifinal 2nd Leg - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

The MLS 2010 Playoffs are about to start with the first leg of the conference semifinals this upcoming weekend (along with a match on Thursday). So, what will happen in the first legs of all the matches. Below are my predictions and feel free to share your own with a comment.

MLS 2010 Playoff Conference Semifinals 1st Leg Predictions

Major League Soccer 2010 Playoff Conference Semifinals 1st Leg Predictions - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Two of the biggest teams in Major League Soccer met on Friday, September 24, 2010 as the LA Galaxy hosted the NY Red Bulls.

Los Angeles Galaxy 0-2 New York Red Bulls Video Highlights

The match highlights can be found here at Free Soccer Highlights.

Los Angeles Galaxy 0-2 New York Red Bulls Recap

The Red Bulls would get a solid 2-0 win at the Home Depot Center while the Galaxy struggled.

The home side never seemed to really find their form and always appeared to be a little off. The Red Bulls, who were without Thierry Henry (knee injury), would get goals from Dane Richards and Juan Pablo Angel.

Richards would prove to be the most dangerous player in the attack for New York as he drew the penalty converted by Angel. The penalty was in the 59th minute while Richards goal was in the 35th minute. The goal by Richards was a bit of luck as Joel Lindpere had a shot hit off the post and then fall towards Richards where it bounced off him and into the net.

The Red Bulls were the better side and deserved the result. It will be a disappointing result for LA but they are still in good position to win the Supporter’s Shield (most points in regular season) and have already clinched a spot in the playoffs. NY hasn’t clinched a playoff spot yet but are now level with Columbus for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

David Beckham started his first match for the Galaxy since his achilles injury and ended up playing 90 minutes. His best chance of the match was a free kick which he tried to curl into the corner but it was saved by the goalkeeper.

LA plays Chivas USA next Sunday while the Red Bulls play the Wizards next Saturday.

Los Angeles Galaxy 0-2 New York Red Bulls Match Stats

Los Angeles Galaxy 0-2 New York Red Bulls – Video Highlights, Recap, and Match Stats – MLS – 24 September 2010 - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog