Midweek match affords RBNY chance to mix up lineup

Some of RBNY's younger players are making Jesse Marsch "think" about changing the lineup ahead of the midweek match against Real Salt Lake.

"Certain guys have shown that they're hungry, you know?" Marsch said to reporters following training on Jun. 22.

"Abang, Sean Davis, Connor Lade, Manolo Sanchez, Leo Stolz, are some of the young guys that I think are now showing that they're hungry and they feel that they're ready and are ready to help us.

"[There are] some tough decisions to make, but, again, we're putting a team on the field that's going after it."

The Red Bulls have a busy week after dropping their fourth straight MLS match to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Jun. 20. In that match, 18-year old striker Anatole Abang scored his second MLS goal, and 2015 draft pick Manolo Sanchez made his MLS debut. Both have played regularly for NYRB II this season.

Abang's goals in consecutive MLS matches, could provide Jesse with the motivation to move away from the 4-2-3-1 the Red Bulls have employed all season. When asked, Marsch said he could consider using a 4-4-2 to give Bradley Wright-Phillips more free reign up front to help get him going.

"Well, we're thinking about how to put Abang on the field, because, he's come on and made a big difference for us, and we'd be foolish not to notice that and use him in the right way," Marsch said.

"Now it's up to me as a manager to figure out who to use and when."

Youngsters Sean Davis and Leo Stolz could see the field against Real Salt Lake, after central midfielder Sacha Klejstan picked up a red card against Vancouver, ruling him ineligible for this game. Stolz did not participate in the NYRB II match this weekend because Marsch was unsure if players would be fit, and his participation in the MLS 18 was contingent on the uncertain fitness of others.

Marsch also said that Davis could slot in in Kljestan's role in the 4-2-3-1, noting "it's not his natural position, but we've used him there."

Davis, if used in that position, is ready for the challenge.

"I try to emulate what [Klejstan] does. He's great on the ball, great going forward, very aware of his surroundings, so those are the things I'm going to try to replicate if I slide in there," Davis said.

"I think a lot of guys have done well in practice, some guys who haven't played as much, and so there's a lot of options [Marsch] can go with. I got minutes against the [Silverbacks], and, I think it's really important that I train with great players every day."

The Captain Speaks

Dax McCarty says the Red Bulls need to "have some urgency when we play."

"Let's make sure that now we know the results we've been getting recently, they're unacceptable," McCarty told reporters

"It's not the standard that we want to set here in the Red Bulls, and we can talk all day about how we've played OK and, you know, we've outplayed teams, but pardon my language, but that's all bullshit until you start getting some wins out of it."

McCarty says the Red Bulls can afford to be a "bit meaner" in their next game against Real Salt Lake, and more importantly they need "to be a "better team."

Real Salt Lake will be without defensive midfielder Kyle Beckerman due to yellow card accumulation, a fact that Dax is keenly aware of.

": I don't really care about how dangerous they are with him in the midfield; I care about them without him in the midfield, because obviously he's suspended."

"So they're going to miss him. It'll be another test for us defensively. I think that for the most part we've done OK defensively. We just started leaking some pretty soft goals in the last couple of games, and we just have to play with a little bit more urgency."

The New York Red Bulls will take on Real Salt Lake on Jun. 24 at 7:30 pm EST at Red Bull Arena.