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The revamped New York Red Bulls open the 2012 MLS season on the road Sunday against FC Dallas (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN). Head coach Hans Backe will still have star strikers Thierry Henry and Luke Rodgers on his front line, but there have been many roster changes since the Red Bulls concluded a disappointing 2011 season.
Among the biggest moves moves made by the Red Bulls was the acquisition of striker Kenny Cooper from the Portland Timbers. The team also added Swedish defender Markus Holgersson. In goal for New York at the start of the season will be rookie Ryan Meara, selected out of Fordham in the MLS SuperDraft.
The Red Bulls will rely on Henry and Rodgers up front, and will hope that Cooper regains the the form that made him one of the the league's premier players only a couple of seasons ago. In the nmi midfield New York will hope for a better, more typical, season from Rafa Marquez.
Defensively, the Red Bulls brought in Holgersson and Wilman Conde to join Stephen Keel. Defensive breakdowns were an issue for the 2011 Red Bulls.
The 2012 season-opening Red Bulls' roster is as follows:
Goalkeepers
Ryan Meara
Jeremy Vuolo
Defenders
Jonathan Borrajo
Wilman Conde
Markus Holgersson
Stephen Keel
Connor Lade
Roy Miller
Tyler Ruthven
Jan Gunnar Solli
Midfielders
Mehdi Ballouchy
Brandon Barklage
Joel Lindpere
Rafa Marquez
Dax McCarty
Victor Palsson
Dane Richards
Teemu Tainio
Forwards
Juan Agudelo
Jose Angulo
Jhonny Arteaga
Kenny Cooper
Thierry Henry
Corey Hertzog
Luke Rodgers
The complete Red Bulls 2012 schedule is below.
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