HANOVER, N.J. – After returning home from Washington Sunday night, the Red Bulls returned to the practice field on Wednesday morning.
In preparation for another important Eastern Conference matchup at the weekend, the first team looked sharp as they get set to take on the New England Revolution at Red Bull Arena this Sunday afternoon.
Looking Back to DC
Following their 2-2 draw with D.C. United, head coach Jesse Marsch hit the film room as he so often does.
Conceding two second half goals saw their road struggles continue as a chance at three points was dashed within minutes.
“We looked at the time period between when we go up 2-0 and when it’s 2-2, and we feel like we lost too many battles in that stretch and downshifted a bit more,” Marsch said. “We actually feel like we need to be more aggressive when we get the lead.”
The trend is proving particularly troublesome to correct, Marsch says, as the culprit for the downfall has been different each time.
“I spent the last two days looking at all the leads we’ve lost in games on the road, and you can pinpoint different reasons each time,” he added. “In that sense it’s a trend, but it’s a little bit of a random trend. I’m not putting too much into it other than addressing the fact that we need to continue to be aggressive even when we’re up.”
While the late concessions have certainly been frustrating, there have been some positives to take away from each road performance, as midfielder Sean Davis was quick to point out.
“It’s important to look at it as a glass half-full,” he told NewYorkRedBulls.com. “We’ve put those games on our terms for most of the games, but we need to figure out how to close it. In a way, it’s good that it’s happening now and not during the playoffs. We’re just focusing on how we can turn things around and seeing things out.”
Dax, Perrinelle Nearing Full Strength
Despite missing some key pieces, the Red Bulls are in the midst of an impressive eight-game unbeaten run in league play. But according to Marsch, those important cogs may not be on the sidelines for much longer.
Training separately on Wednesday afternoon, both captain Dax McCarty and defender Damien Perrinelle continued their rehab work as their return to full fitness took another big step.
“They’re ahead of schedule,” Marsch said of the injured duo. “There’s a possibility that they could be available for the weekend. We want to be cautious, but we’re being aggressive with both.”
After suffering a tibial plateau fracture in New York’s 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire on July 31, McCarty was looking at a recovery time of four-to-six weeks. However, the midfielder has progressed nicely and has been itching to return to the pitch.
Likewise, Perrinelle has bounced back well after being injured in New York’s 2-2 draw with the LA Galaxy on August 7. A hard challenge from Jeff Larentowicz left the Frenchman down in pain with an ankle injury as well as a torn meniscus.
Still, Marsch has been pleasantly surprised with both players on their road to recovery.
“They got through today in a good way,” he added. “Hopefully tomorrow we can integrate them with the team a little bit more. Who knows what Sunday will bring.”
Konrad Plewa Returns
Some even better news came out of training on Wednesday morning as New York Red Bulls II defender took part in training with the first team.
Plewa, 24, has been an important cog for the USL side earning 16 starts and 1,372 minutes on defense, but his season was in serious doubt after suffering a stroke following their match in Richmond on July 30.
The Red Bulls showed solidarity with Plewa by wearing t-shirts in his honor prior their match with the LA Galaxy on July 31, and embraced back the big defender in his return to the pitch on Wednesday morning.
“It was great,” Marsch said. “Sacha [Kljestan] presented him with one of the t-shirts that said ‘Two Teams, One Voice’ and welcomed him back to training. It was a really great team moment.”
As his teammates prepared to take on Toronto FC II on Wednesday night, a match Red Bulls II won 1-0, Plewa’s presence amongst the first team was a welcome sight to all.
“Konrad looked great today,” Marsch continued. “He looked healthy, strong, and looks like he’s back to himself. Hopefully we’ll get him back into USL games soon.”
