When you lose four games in a row, you need to either change players or change tactics to shake things up. And with coach Jesse Marsch steadfastly sticking by his playing philosophy, that only means one thing when the Red Bulls take on Real Salt Lake Wednesday night at Red Bull Arena.
“Certain guys have shown that they’re hungry,” Marsch said. “It’s not that we’re going to change the philosophy, but we need to look hard at which guys right now are ready to step up and do whatever it takes. We’re figuring out how to put 11 guys on the field that will go out there and win, period. Win ugly, win pretty, win in whatever way possible to come out of there with three points, because that’s where we’re at right now.”
The Red Bulls (4-5-5) have dropped to seventh place in the 10-team Eastern Conference and the four-game losing streak has all but nullified their excellent start. They clearly need to bring in an impact player – either a scorer or a midfield playmaker – during the summer transfer window, but until then Marsch will have to rely on starters regaining their form and bench players stepping up.
Judging by their recent play, the latter may provide the most immediate help.
Marsch will get one free move with the red-card suspension to midfielder Sacha Kljestan, but that seems like an easy decision since Sean Davis played so well and scored a goal when he replaced Kljestan in the 3-0 U.S. Open Cup victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks June 16. And Marsch will likely get another, since midfielder Lloyd Sam is expected to miss his second straight game with a groin injury.
Eighteen-year-old Anatole Abang could be another option. He has scored in two straight league games and is making a push for more playing time. In the 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, Abang came into the game and played as a lone forward while Bradley Wright-Phillips dropped to left midfield. It was Abang’s goal with eight minutes to play that gave the Red Bulls hope in the waning minutes. It’s a move Marsch could use again or pair the two up top in a 4-4-2 formation.
“We’ve got to stop the bleeding ,” Marsch said. “Guys that are making me think (are) Abang, Sean Davis, Connor Lade, Manolo Sanchez, Leo Stolz. There are a lot of different, young guys that have shown that they’re hungry and they feel that they’re ready and are ready to help us. We have some tough decisions to make, but again, we’re putting a team on the field that’s going after it.
“We’re thinking about how to put Abang on the field because he’s come on and made a big difference for us, and we’d be foolish not to notice that and use him in the right way. The question is how to use all the pieces on the field so it’s not big changes and there’s still clarity to roles, but how to put guys on the field to succeed.”
Lade, who impressed last season as well, could replace Roy Miller at left back. Miller did not have a strong game against Vancouver and rarely got into the attack, something that he has done well in the past. Sanchez made his debut against the Whitecaps, played 13 minutes and nearly scored the tying goal.
Davis may be better suited as a defensive midfielder, but has impressed in his time as an attacking mid. Either way, he just hopes to get on the field.
“It’s an opportunity for a lot of guys,” he said. “A lot of guys have done well in practice. Some guys haven’t played as much, so there are a lot of options (Marsch) can go with. We’re not sure what he’s going to do yet, but he definitely has some good options at his disposal.
“To go out there with the first team and compete with them, that was great. I thought I did well but I can do even better. It was nice to get a good 45 minutes and I felt really good. I’m growing into this role. Sacha is a great player. It’s big shoes to fill with him, but I try to emulate what he does. He’s great on the ball, great going forward, very aware of his surroundings. Those are the things I’m going to try and replicate if I slide in there.”
Marsch believes that won’t be a problem.
“It’s not Sean’s natural position, but we’ve used him there and he’s been effective, so that’s a distinct possibility,” he said. “We can withdraw Bradley, we can slide (Mike) Grella in there, so there’s a few different options. We’re still evaluating exactly what that might be. Sean deserves to be on the field, so we’re trying to figure out how to use him the right way.”
Real Salt Lake (5-5-6) is in eighth-place in the Western Conference and coming off stoppage-time victory over Sporting Kansas City Sunday night in Sandy, Utah. They, too, will be without a key midfielder in Kyle Beckerman, who will sit with a yellow-card accumulation.
“Salt Lake played probably the best they played all season,” McCarty said of the win over SKC. “It was a great performance for them at home. Whenever you get a last-minute winner it always lifts your team, it always give you a boost of confidence. I’m sure they’re going to come in and I’m sure they’ll be ready for us. They’re a team that’s always been dangerous. We’ve always had trouble with them.”
“Right now we’re in a bad spot and we need to show character and we need to come out of it and be a better team.”
McCarty believes in the system and he feels the way the Red Bulls can get out of their funk is just to player harder and smarter.
“Anytime you lose four games in a row you have to change something. That’s quite obvious,” he said. “You can talk about tactics all you want, you can talk about technical ability all you want, you can talk about mistakes being made all you want, you can talk about putting ourselves in tough positions by not keeping all 11 men on the field, not finishing our chances.
“When it’s all said and done it just comes down to a mindset, it comes down to a mentality. Winning is contagious, just like losing. Right now it seems like nothing is going our way. We aren’t getting the bounces, and so when you’re in a bad run it’s a snowball effect. Everything is going against you. Guys lose confidence. It’s tough to come out of but that’s where you show character.”
