HARRISON, N.J. – Come crunch time, the concept of depth is often a major talking point. And for the New York Red Bulls, there is a strong feeling that they have it in droves.
With injuries, suspensions, and international call-ups constantly threatening to deplete the first team, coaches are forced to delve into their reserves to plug the holes that frequently present themselves. As the Supporters’ Shield race heats up, depth is what often separates the good teams from the great ones, but creating that depth is no accident.
“We’ve painstakingly gone through video and tactical conversations. We’ve looked at every game very carefully,” head coach Jesse Marsch explained. “They’ve grown to love the process of thinking about how we operate as a team. They’ve taken ownership of it and that’s all I’ve asked them to do. This isn’t my team, it’s their team.”
Despite the constant turnover in their backline, New York has conceded an MLS-low 25 goals, posting seven shutouts in the process. As the likes of Anthony Wallace, Karl Ouimette, and Connor Lade have been called upon with more regularity, the clarity that has been expressed from top to bottom is paying off in spades.
“It’s a testament to the type of team we’re trying to build here and the cohesiveness we’re trying to implement,” captain Dax McCarty said. “I think the coaching staff has done a good job of getting our mindset and our mentality to a point where no matter where we go or no matter who is in—whether its guys that have started all year or guys that haven’t seen many minutes—we know exactly how we’re going to play.”
The next-man-up mentality has been adopted since day one, and now just five points off the pace of front-runners D.C. United with three games in hand, the Red Bulls are in enviable position.
“Even from preseason, the main thing that was preached was being ready when your number is called,” Wallace said. “When guys are missing and other guys have to step in, it’s almost like nothing’s missing.”
Marsch has been quick to credit his players, but looking at the recent string of results that New York has put together, it has become quickly apparent that the team-first mentality has been adopted and embraced to the fullest extent. While not always the case in recent history, the unity within the team has boosted this Red Bulls side to heights that few could have foreseen back in January.
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“I think in years past, it was easy to just look for Thierry [Henry] to solve problems for us,” McCarty added. “Without that special talent and without his game-changing ability, the coaching staff has recognized that every single player has to be that much more focused and give that much more of themselves to the team.”
With their roles clearly defined now more than ever, everyone is on the same page, and the Red Bulls are reaping the rewards.
“There’s a lot of communication, a lot of understanding,” Ouimette said. “The coaching staff has done a great job of letting us know what to do in the back. So when I step in, when Connor steps in, when Anthony steps in, we understand what our roles are so that’s good for the team.”
