Head Coach Adrian Heath
On the last few days of training following the Nashville match…
“Great. The intensity has been really good. Gotten a few more bodies back in the group which is always helpful. As I said, there’s been a real intensity in the training. Competition for places is going to start to heat up again. Abu [Danladi] has been back out here. Chase [Gasper] has been back out here. Kervin [Arriaga] has been back out. I think it’s only really Romain [Metanire] who is long-term, he’s been out the last three or four weeks, and he’s out here running as well. We’re close to having the full complement of players again which will be nice.”
On the club’s home opener this last Saturday night…
“Thought the supporters were incredible, especially the ones that stayed. It’s never easy when it’s so cold, everybody is wet then you got to wait another hour before everybody comes back out. I thought we started the game too slow, but after the first 20, 25 minutes, when we got a foothold in the game. I thought the first half, [Nashville] would probably shaded it, second half I thought we were the better team. Somebody sad it was a really disappointing result against a Nashville team that might be very good this year. We’ve had a tough start, and I’ve said that going away to Philly. Nashville at home, and then you’ve got the Red Bulls with their start. This could have been a lot easier when I look at some of the fixtures. Take two points. Loss column is still at zero, the longer that stays that, the better, and we’ve got a big game coming up this weekend.”
On if he thought it was a disappointing result against Nashville…
“I don’t think it was a disappointing result, no. I always say this, don’t ever underestimate taking a point from a game of football. Contrary to popular belief, the opposition want to win as well.”
On the Red Bulls’ solid start to the season…
“When you get that first win on the road, they won 3-2 [3-1] in San Jose, that sets them up nicely. I don’t think anybody foresaw the 4-1 victory at Toronto. We’ve watched the game and they play a certain way. They are very vertical – that’s the word now – it used to be playing forward. They try and get the ball forward early, they press the ball really well, they want to play progressive football. They’ve got young players who can run and obviously, they’re full of confidence now. Lewis Morgan has had a great start to the season, three great goals at the weekend. We know it’s going to be difficult, it’s always difficult at Red Bull Arena or against them. So I don’t expect any difference. I know that if we approach the game properly, play like we did in these first two games, I hope that we can give them a little bit more problems than the two teams they’ve played so far.”
On if he expects the Red Bulls to be as vertical and direct at home…
“Oh yeah. I don’t think they change that. That’s their DNA. Whether it be Red Bulls New York, Red Bulls Salzburg or Red Bulls Leipzig. They have their methodology which has worked really well for them, serves them well. So I don’t think there will be any change. They’re just good at what they do.”
On limiting Patryk Kimala…
“Well, we know what’s coming. You can’t be caught by surprise by balls in behind, by midfield players wanting to pass between centerback and fullback and between the two centerback. They want to play forward. We’ve got to be concentrated. When you get to this level of football, you look at the money that’s spent in this league on front players, every team has got somebody who is a problem if you don’t treat them with the respect that they deserve. I know that this weekend if we don’t play well, we’ll get beat. If we play well, I know it’s going to be a tight game.”
On if he expects the game will be played in transition…
“Yes. We are very good on the counterattack. We’ve got [Emanuel] Reynoso who can pick a pass from anywhere. I think Luis [Amarilla] is starting to look sharper by the day. Obvioously, Robin Lod is very good on the counterattack. [Red Bulls] play very narrow, they want to get in forward, they want to get you in a transition game. I think the most important thing for us is to play the way that we play. Can we switch the point of attack and give ourselves room in wider areas? And that’s what we’ll try and do.”
Defender Brent Kallman
On the early preparations for New York Red Bulls…
“Good. We’re getting bodies back. Guys are feeling healthier so we’ve got numbers in training. Yesterday was some shorter, sharper stuff in tighter spaces. Today, we opened it up a bit. So the group is getting everything they need throughout the week. It’s good. I think fitness levels are good, and it looks like we’re getting bodies back.”
On his thoughts in the game against Nashville…
“We started slow which is disappointing, especially for a home opener. And if there’s ever a team in the league that you don’t want to fall behind one-nil to, it’s probably [Nashville] because they’re so good at limiting chances, being difficult to break down. Disappointed in how we started but the attitude to get back in the game was really good. The second half, we were just able to keep putting them under pressure and getting the ball back and attack again and again until we finally found a break. Start’s not good but the attitude was great.”
On the team’s willingness to get back into games…
“Yeah, we showed that multiple times last year. Also, with our crowd, it’s easier to do at home. The real test is going to be when, inevitably, we fall behind on the road, how we’re going to respond when we don’t have 19 to 20,000 pushing you to go for the equalizer. We still have a lot of tests in front of us but I’m confident that the group’s got what it takes.”
On the upcoming game against Red Bulls…
“I think you’re always in for a tough game anytime you play Red Bulls. It’s going to be nasty. It’s going to be gritty. You gotta be ready to fight for the first ball at all the knockdowns over the course of 90 minutes. They really test you and they have quality too but the games have been a fistfight. I think you have to be ready to match that and do it better than they do. It’s different, they bring you in to their style of play and, inevitably, you’re going to have to play an ugly game. We’ll be ready for them.”
On limiting Patryk Kimala…
“You gotta be ready for the second=phase and the recycled balls because there’s a lot of things that are going to get lumped forward so it’s not just about winning the first ball, it’s when the next one gets knocked down, they’re going to pick up a lot of balls. That’s the one that comes forward and behind you. You gotta stay really focused and the line has got to be really tight. the space has to got to be right because the first one, for sure it’s coming, they’re going to play very direct. But then the second and the third ones are the ones that get played through. Just being focused and aware at all times.”
On if Minnesota will need to play deeper at Red Bull Arena…
“It’s always tough to say. If we give up too much ground, especially as a back four, we get disconnected from the guys in front of us and they’re going to pick up everything that gets knocked down underneath. We can’t beat with, and Adrian [Heath] says this all the time, you can’t get done in with one straight ball all the time. When they give the cues that they’re going to play long, they’re going to play straight, we have to drop but not just the back four, the guys in front of us gotta come, and gotta be ready to handle that second ball. It’s going to be about shape and everybody moving together, not just one or two guys defending here or there. It’s going to have to be everybody.”
