HANOVER, N.J. – It’s no secret that the New York Red Bulls are thin at the back, but what remains a mystery is just how head coach Jesse Marsch will piece together the defense come Friday night.
After injuries to Ronald Zubar and Gideon Baah have sidelined the first-choice pair, Marsch ended the team’s last match with a central defense pairing featuring Karl Ouimette and Kemar Lawrence. With both away on national team duty, their eligibility for Friday night’s match in New England was in question, but it looks likely that the former (who didn’t feature in either of Canada’s two matches) should have a role to play against the Revolution.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Marsch said of Ouimette. “I texted with him before the Mexico match and he said that he was feeling good and he’d be ready to go, so we’ll expect him to come back fit, fresh and ready.”
Amongst his other options, Zach Carroll could well factor into Marsch’s plans. The rookie from Michigan State made the 18 in Montreal after Zubar missed out through suspension, but New York’s head coach admitted it would be a difficult line to toe ahead of a crucial road match.
“From preseason on, Zach’s done well,” he said. “He’s definitely an option there. It’d be a big task to put him in a game like that, but we’ve tried to always show belief in our young guys. We’ll see how Kemar is feeling and make a decision on that."
Carroll would make the most sense from a positional standpoint, but the Red Bulls have more experienced defenders at their disposal.
While not a natural centerback, defender Chris Duvall could be an option to fill in as the Red Bulls scramble to find cover at the back. During the team’s scrimmage against Rutgers University, Duvall impressed in a trial run in the heart of the defense.
“I know Chris was back there,” Mike Grella said. “He’s an excellent example of a professional who is ready to step in anywhere and at any time. It was good for him to see what it was like in that position.”
For his part, Duvall admitted an eagerness to get back on the pitch for the first time since sustaining a leg injury during last summer’s U.S. Open Cup that effectively ended his season.
“I’m ready to help in any way that I can,” he told NewYorkRedBulls.com. “All the guys on this team have a willingness to step in, so if I get that chance, I’ll be ready to go.
“I’d feel comfortable at centerback; I’ve played there before. In our system, everyone has to understand each person’s role. Getting comfortable would be the biggest thing, but I understand the role and I don’t think it would be much of an adjustment.”
While keeping his cards close to the vest, Marsch contemplated his options and expressed confidence in whoever may be asked to do the job on Friday night.
“It’s something we could think about,” Marsch admitted. “The best thing about Chris is that he’s a competitor and he knows how we play. It would be a little bit outside the box to put him at centerback, but I think he’s a good player and a smart player. If that was the decision that got made, I think he’d do a good job.”
SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEW YORK RED BULLS EMAIL NEWSLETTER
By submitting the information above, you hereby consent to receive additional information from Major League Soccer, its Clubs, Soccer United Marketing and its marketing partners in accordance with MLSsoccer.com
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Service
.
