HARRISON, N.J. – A picture is worth a thousand words, but the frustration written on the faces in the New York Red Bulls locker room said a whole lot more.
After being shut out in Dallas a week ago, New York was once again held off the scoreboard -- though this time, the Red Bulls walked away empty-handed. For all of their possession and chances created, the Red Bulls simply could not break down a disciplined and organized Union side that took their chances with great aplomb, dropping a disappointing 2-0 decision at home.
“We were pushing the game in the first half and [were] a little bit unlucky not to get a goal,” Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch told reporters after the match. “We also knew that they were solely trying to sit back and clog things up and win a ball and counter. In the end, we weren’t good enough at what we do and we weren’t able to be sharp enough around the goal. Obviously I think if we get the lead, it’s a very different game.”
The chances may have been few, but New York still felt hard done by their luck on the night. Seeing two shots carom off the post in the first half, the Red Bulls were left to lament their missed opportunities as their scoreless run has extended to 218 minutes.
“If you look at the first half, we hit the post twice and we’re a little unlucky in the second half,” goalkeeper Luis Robles said. “I think it was just one of those games where things didn’t go our way. I feel like we created chances, but the most frustrating thing is that we have too many half-chances that don’t develop into really good chances. I know the guys are frustrated right now, but it’s a long season and there’s going to be games like this.”
On paper, the matchup seemed tailor-made for the New York attack to run rampant. Facing a side boasting the worst goals-against-average in the league at home, where they had previously never lost to the Union, it seemed that the Red Bulls would take advantage in a big way.
But despite the surprising loss, the team is not ready to panic just yet.
“When you see a lot of the ball and the shots don’t necessarily go in, we just can’t get frustrated,” defender Connor Lade told MLSsoccer.com. “We know we’ve got quality up front and our attacking half of the field is one of the best in MLS so we know that the goals are going to come. We just have to be confident that if we can keep playing the way that we are and stay good defensively that those goals will come.”
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Despite the well seemingly drying up, the Red Bulls contend that a change to their attacking philosophy is not necessary. And while teams are seemingly beginning to gameplan more and more effectively for their high press style of play, don’t look for New York to make any drastic modifications.
“I’m not that concerned about it,” Sacha Kljestan said of his side’s lack of offensive production. “We hit the post twice on a couple of good plays in the first half. On another night, maybe it goes in.
“We weren’t sharp enough in the final third tonight. We need to get that going.”
