Photo by Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports
BY MICHAEL PENG
Following their latest loss on Saturday to the Vancouver Whitecaps, the New York Red Bulls are left once again looking for answers as to how to halt their current four-game skid.
Instead of making drastic tactical changes, though, the team is thinking of something more introspective.
“You can talk about tactics all you want, you can talk about technical ability all you want… but I think when it’s all said and done, it just comes down to our mindset, it comes down to our mentality,” team captain Dax McCarty said after training.
“Winning is contagious, just like losing. Right now, it seems like nothing is going our way… When you’re on a bad run, it’s a snowball effect. Everything is just going against you.”
The case in point being the 2-1 loss to the Whitecaps, which came particularly frustrating for the Red Bulls as they saw two penalty chances go to waste due to Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted’s impressive saves on both attempts.
However, McCarty said it’s situations like these where players “really show character.” And one of the ways he thinks he and his teammates can do that is to be more aggressive physically on the pitch rather than focusing on the technical aspects of the game.
“If you want to outplay a team, that’s great, but if three points doesn’t come out of it, it doesn’t really mean anything,” the 28-year-old midfielder said. “So our mindset has to change from play well, try to win and hope we win, to screw it, if we have to play like bastards, if we have to play cynical, if we have to kick people, if we have to be physical, if we have to get up to guys’ faces, then we need to change that.
“As far as I’m concerned, we haven’t been mean enough this year and teams are bullying us a bit,” McCarty added. “So once we change that mentality, that mindset, I think the wins will start to come.”
Manager Jesse Marsch said there are certain guys that have shown they are “hungry” and “ready to do whatever it takes” to help turn things around. He just needs to figure out how to utilize those players’ services properly ahead of Wednesday’s home game against Real Salt Lake.
“We are figuring out how to put 11 guys on the field on Wednesday that are going to go out there and win, period,” Marsch said. “Win ugly, win pretty, win in whatever way possible to come out with three points because that’s where we are at right now. We’ve got to figure out a way to stop the bleeding.”
Anatole Abang, who scored Red Bulls’ lone goal in the recent loss, along with Sean Davis, Connor Lade, Manolo Sanchez and Leo Stolz are some of the names Marsch mentioned who are making him consider giving more playing time going forward.
“There is a lot of different young guys that I think are now showing they are ready to help us,” Marsch said. “So some tough decisions to make, but we are putting a team on the field that’s going to go after it.”
The current slide has pushed the Red Bulls down to seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 17 points at the halfway mark of the season, but McCarty said the team has remained calm through the tough stretch.
“We are certainly not panicking,” he said. “We know we are a good team, but it doesn’t mean anything if you’re not winning games, so we need to start winning games.”
Being aggressive gets you a stupid red card in the 10th minute. Especially from a “star” caliber player.
The “organization” will not get any better until Red Bull sells, Ali, and Jesse are shown the door, and smart hires are made top to bottom. Too much needs to happen.
When will Ali Curtis address any of this? Is he in the witness protection program?
“If you want to outplay a team, that’s great, but if three points doesn’t come out of it, it doesn’t really mean anything,” the 28-year-old midfielder said. “So our mindset has to change from play well, try to win and hope we win, to screw it, if we have to play like bastards, if we have to play cynical, if we have to kick people, if we have to be physical, if we have to get up to guys’ faces, then we need to change that.”
“We are figuring out how to put 11 guys on the field on Wednesday that are going to go out there and win, period,” Marsch said. “Win ugly, win pretty, win in whatever way possible to come out with three points because that’s where we are at right now. We’ve got to figure out a way to stop the bleeding.”
Why is it that for these guys, the answer always is to “get more physical?” And that “all that matters is the result?” I can’t remember the last time I heard a manager here say something like “we need to play more positively.” Gregg Berhalter is probably the only American manager in history that said something like that to his players. Just saying.
Red Bulls need a new team. Period. Our midfield is terrible. McCarty is a ham-and-egger that cannot complete a forward pass. Felipe cannot beat the first defender on a set piece kick. Sasha is the American Per Mertesacker – he is so slow he is almost immobile. Sorry to say, BWP is a hack. Plain and simple. He cannot score goals without Henri’s service. Sam is OK, but you can’t build a team around him.
It’s so frustrating to support this club. They play ugly ugly soccer.
Someone please tell Sasha that being aggressive does not mean the BS that we saw in the box last game. Marsch needs to make it clear the offensive aggression is what he was talking about.
this team needs a new left winger, a striker, and an attacking midfielder. I was hoping they would try to someone like corona since apparently they wanted to get american players but no discussion.
Red bulls need better wingers and another decent striker. Need more creativity up front. Pressing style will create chances but Grella should be a sub.
Agreed. The New York Red Bulls are just another winger and a second striker away from being a legit contender. MIke Grela, Dane Richards and Zizzo are our only serviceable players from the bench running at tired legs and pressing for defensive turnovers. The New York Red Bulls really need to go after a mid-major winger who can absolutely fly or someone who can create for himself and others on the dribble. They play too narrow far too Often.
Grella has actually been a bright spot this season, especially lately. He’s definitely not the first player I would take off the pitch. There are too many guaranteed starters who are not so elite as to deserve that status.
The three CM’s are all “untouchable” yet they’re the ones who aren’t working out. Dax has a firm role and does it well. The trick is finding something different for Felipe and Klejstan. I’d try one of them as the “super-sub” and give Sean Davis a start.
The Red Bulls concede too often, even when they are dominating possession and dictating pace. They miss having a consistent back line. Injuries, call-ups, and suspensions are unlucky; still, the team is missing a reliable 30-game presence. There is now a glut of decent CB’s in an endless rotation, so maybe target a steady RB to replace the weakest link (Duvall) with a strength.
Here is a better idea!
Bring the Metrostars back!!!
Btw SBI says Bravo is from Costa Rica and he used to play for Real Madrid!… LOL…
I second that. Bring back the MetroStars. Get this crap drink over with.
Really? And play in what stadium?
seriously just stop.
Here’s a couple ideas:
Sacha leaves his attitude at home.
BWP remembers that he’s one of the best finishers in MLS. Don’t get in a slump.
Actually, he is not a good finisher. His goal to strike ratio last year was atrocious. Henry even hinted that if his finishing was better he would have had almost twice the amount of goals he scored last year.
I love the internets. Up is down, down is up.
So the 2014 MLS Golden Boot winner is not a good finisher, huh? Ok chief.