A new beginning? Granted, it is a little premature to be drawing too many conclusions but, given the mediocrity they were forced to endure throughout 2009, Red Bulls fans can be forgiven for being a little giddy one game into the new campaign. A crowd of 24,572 -- a figure that exceeded the franchise's largest attendance (23,238) at Giants Stadium last year -- was on hand at the impressive Red Bull Arena to witness New York show a number of positive signs in its 1-0 win against Chicago on Saturday. In contrast to the side that kept just four clean sheets last season, New York looked more organized at the back, with Tim Ream and Roy Miller impressing on debut. The new man who really caught my eye, though, was midfielder Joel Lindpere, whose winning goal capped an impressive all-around display that combined industry with no little ability. There will be tougher challenges ahead than a Chicago team in transition itself, but first impressions suggest that new coach Hans Backe has plenty to work with. Furthermore, if the Thierry Henry-to-New York rumors prove to be true, then perhaps "next year" has finally arrived for this hitherto underachieving franchise. San Jose stumbles out of the gate From last season's wooden spoon winners to a club showing early signs of being favorite for that not-so-prestigious accolade in 2010. Of the seven sides that were beaten on the first weekend of the season, surely the one to take the fewest positives from its game was San Jose, which was comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Real Salt Lake. Granted, the Earthquakes were playing the defending MLS champions, but it should also be noted that throughout the last regular season RSL won just two road games. Given that, Jason Kreis' side could not have hand-picked a better venue to visit on opening night and, led by Javier Morales, it certainly took advantage. Much as I said regarding crowning New York, it is similarly too early to totally write off San Jose. Indeed, given that it was unbeaten in six preseason games, Frank Yallop's side may have more to offer than Saturday's disjointed effort, which goalkeeper Joe Cannon called "embarrassing." Cannon himself now has other things on his mind, following the signing by the Quakes of Jon Busch. It's an odd move given that, of all the positions in the starting XI, Cannon's was one of the few that appeared certain. Now Yallop has two men with three Goalkeeper of the Year awards between them (Cannon in 2002 and 2004, Busch in 2008) fighting it out for one spot. To me, Busch's arrival creates another problem for a franchise in search of several solutions. A thing that made me go hmmm Speculation is increasing that Manchester United will provide the opposition for the MLS all-stars at Houston's Reliant Stadium in July. Sir Alex Ferguson's side is rumored to be planning a four-game preseason tour of the USA and Canada which would culminate in the league's annual mid-summer exhibition. United last visited these shores in 2004, when it took on Bayern Munich in Chicago, Celtic in Philadelphia and A.C. Milan in New York. Get tough, key man New Hull boss Iain Dowie has had good things to say about Jozy Altidore -- "He can run, he has power, a cool finisher, lovely feet" -- but is demanding more from the young American: "I will be driving [him] mad and getting at him to get an intensity in his training. He is a laid-back lad. That is not a criticism, we love him to death, we just need to get a bit of devil in his stomach." Dowie forged a Premier League career by getting the most from his modest ability through hard work and determination. If he can keep the Tigers up and is given longer to work with his young charge, he may be just the man to help Altidore take his career to the next level.