HANOVER, N.J. – The New York Red Bulls managed their first win of 2016 on Saturday night, but they aren’t about to take a moment to admire their work.
The 4-3 triumph over the Houston Dynamo sent the Red Bull Arena crowd into a frenzy in what was a highly entertaining affair, but it also marked the eighth time that the Red Bulls have conceded in their opening three matches.
“The first two goals, we felt, were self-inflicted,” he said after training on Wednesday. “It’s just trying to eliminate mistakes back there. But I think I was little bit too focused on eliminating those mistakes, because our team played a little tentative in the first half and I think that was one of the reasons.
“The ability for us to go out on the field and have confidence and play [is important], but also know that by limiting mistakes, we give ourselves a better chance to get results. How to manage both is important for whomever plays at centerback.”
A constant on the backline since the later stages of the 2015 season, fullback Sal Zizzo has been a part of a defensive unit has admittedly not played up to its capabilities. However, Zizzo remains confident that a massive overhaul is not needed, and that a few small changes will allow the Red Bulls to shore up their defense.
“We’re definitely not happy giving up eight goals in three games, but we’re just shooting ourselves in the foot,” he admitted. “It’s a lot of weird mistakes that just happen and we’re getting punished for them every single time. We just need to be a little bit more focused and clean on the ball so that when the opportunity is there to make a play, we have to make it.”
Seeing his net breached eight times has been an odd sight for reigning Goalkeeper of the Year Luis Robles. Part of a defensive unit that conceded the fewest goals in the conference just a season ago, Robles understands that early mistakes come as part of the territory; and that the defense will once again be a strength for this Red Bulls side once the newcomers overcome the learning curve.
“I’d much rather us go through the learning process early on with the intention that not only are we fixing the problem, but we’re going to excel in what we’re trying to do,” he told NewYorkRedBulls.com. “Right now, it’s tough because some of the goals that we’re giving up come down to us not being sharp enough or making good decisions. The whole idea is to get this out of our system early on and to improve. I believe with coaches and the leadership that we have, it’s going to happen.”
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