Coming off an exciting and emotional win in the New York Derby, the New York Red Bulls will quickly turn their attention to a completely different matchup.
"When you look at the entire performance, it was a great team performance," Captain Luis Robles said. "There was a lot of good there. This team has no problem getting up for big games. We’ll bring that same sort of level and that’s what we’re looking for this week when we go to Colorado."
The Red Bulls travel to the Centennial State for a match against the Rapids on Saturday night. Center back Tim Parker said that the win against New York City FC could set the tone for the next stretch of games, which includes a trip to Atlanta before coming home to take on rival Philadelphia Union.
"I think that’s where we have to hold ourselves accountable," Parker said. "We have to hold ourselves to a standard now."
The Rapids present a very different matchup than NYCFC, as they're coming into the game with eight points through eight games played.
"We have to transition to a game where there isn’t the same sort of hype, the same sort of emotion surrounding it," Robles said. "And of course, it’s away. And the away games so far have not been our best. There’s always just a different element that you have to overcome. When you put all these things together, it makes for a difficult game. I’m looking forward to see how we respond, especially after such a great performance against New York City."
Picking up road point will also be important for the Red Bulls, coming off their lone MLS road victory of the season so far, 3-2 over the LA Galaxy at the end of April.
"When you go on the road, especially to the Western Conference, you have to make sure you get as many points as you can," Parker said.
The matchup, a mile up, will present a challenge to the Red Bulls, who have had a few games at altitude through Concacaf Champions League and MLS play so far in 2018. Despite the challenge of playing in the thinner air, Parker said that the team will "be able to do it."
"Where we’re at in the season, and how we’re developing as a team, it’s going to be a really good test for us," Robles said. "To go up to altitude, to play against a team – even though their results haven’t gone their way – I think they’re finding themselves and they’re a really good team."
Despite their singular point-per-game, the Rapids are a dangerous team not to be taken lightly, according to Parker.
"They have some dangerous players on the field," Parker said. "Obviously, as the week goes on, we’ll look more into scouting them and what tactics we’re going to use to get the points out there. On any kind of weekend, anyone can beat anyone, so we have to be aware of that."
The Red Bulls will have to battle back any sign of complacency, coming off an all-around, nearly perfect victory and continue to strive to get better as players and as a complete team, according to Robles.
"We have to go with the right sort of mentality and the right competitive approach to the game," Robles said. "If we do that, we’re going to make it tough on them."
