HARRISON, N.J. – He may not attract the same league-wide attention as his central midfield partners, but Felipe’s importance within the New York Red Bulls locker room is hardly overlooked.
Perhaps seen as tertiary in comparison to captain Dax McCarty and US national team veteran Sacha Kljestan, Felipe has quietly gone about his business, starting each of New York’s first 10 matches to little fanfare. And while his stats hardly leap off the page, a goal and three assists, the 24-year-old has managed to make an impact in more ways than one.
“The central midfield always has to have a good relationship,” McCarty said. “You have to try to win that battle every game if you want to be successful.”
More times than not, the New York midfield has done just that.
Since his addition to the club in 2011, McCarty has been paired with more than a few midfield partners, each with a unique playing style. From Teemu Tainio to Peguy Luyindula to Tim Cahill to Eric Alexander, the list goes on and on. But in Felipe, McCarty has seemingly found the best complementary piece of the bunch.
“Felipe’s a great player,” he said. “He’s an easy guy to play with. He really understands the game really well, and he’s got some of the best feet that I’ve ever played with. He’s very quick; his feet are very clever.
“He knows how to make plays and he knows how to pick the right pass. I think with him and I, it’s just about a balance and making sure that when he goes forward I kind of balance out the team defensively. And then if I happen to creep forward every now and then, he helps and balances out the team defensively.”
Since taking the reins in New York at the start of the season, head coach Jesse Marsch was adamant in his pursuit of the young Brazilian, bringing him over in an offseason trade with the Montreal Impact. Knowing full well what he could bring to the table having previously coached him with the Impact, Marsch has been pleased with the results thus far ahead of their Sunday match against the Philadelphia Union (5 pm ET; Fox Sports 1).
“He’s a competitor,” Marsch said. “Every time he steps on the field, he understands what it takes to win. I think there’s been a high appreciation within the team for what he brings every day.”
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In his second stint under Marsch, Felipe has not only formed a formidable pairing with McCarty, but in doing so has retooled his game to become a more complete player. After fostering a successful relationship with Marsch during the 2012 season in Montreal, both player and coach have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship in which each makes the other better.
“Jesse, as a coach, has grown so much,” Felipe told MLSsoccer.com. “He was already good in Montreal, but now he’s much more experienced. He’s learned a lot in the years he didn’t work. He’s a coach that gives confidence to everybody in the team. He helps the team grow every game. I play for the team, I play for this club, I play for myself, but I play for [Jesse] too. I know he’s a guy that has a lot of passion, and I’m like that too.
“He knows my qualities. He knows the way I can play. Wherever he puts me on the field, I’m going to give everything I have. He’s helped me to grow mentally; that’s the next step. Sometimes I get frustrated on the field and I think mentally I have to grow and he’s helped me [on and off] the field.”
