Quick turnaround facing Toronto

Let’s face the facts that the Red Bulls did play very well against their arch rivals in DC United. Yes this match should’ve been over and done with before they got into second half stoppage time, but sadly all of that went for naught as Fidel Escobar accidentally deflected that ball past Luis Robles and into his own net.

“We are moving forward, we have to focus on Toronto now. We were disappointed when you are at three two, you walk away and you say it was a great performance.” said Jesse Marsch, “When you make one slip up at the end it doesn’t feel great.

But we need to have better performances because this is going to be a tough month and we need to add them up to get more points. So that’s where we are at and it’s not been easy. These guys are tired and it’s mental, but we need to get as much as we can.”

Times are now starting to get tough and desperate for the New York Red Bulls as they have four matches remaining in the regular season and it’s going to be against solid opponents. Not only do they have to play these last four games, but their next opponents will be even tougher to break down at their home stadium.

Toronto FC has already clinched a playoff spot and by the looks of it can clinch the Supporters Shield as the top side in the league, a feeling that the Red Bulls know very well when more than half of this side won it back in 2015 and how BWP & Luis Robles felt when they were with Tim Cahill, Peguy Luyindula & Thierry Henry was on this side back in 2013.

We have watched the highlights, we have seen what the top three attackers can do in former Red Bull striker Jozy Altidore, former Metro Midfielder Michael Bradley and of course the amazing Italian superstar Sebastian Giovinco can do when they have the ball on the attack, set pieces as well as creating something out of nothing.

“Michael is more the engine of what they do with or without the ball, the anchor of that team and then Jozy & Giovinco are creative minds, their finishing ability, their one v one ability.” said Marsch, “They score a lot when the ball goes wide, not just straight crosses, but play that goes wide and back into the interior.

Their roster balance has been very good and it’s going to be a big challenge for us this coming match.”

But Toronto FC has done something recently tha they haven’t done in this entire regular season. They have lost in consecutive games the last two they played as they lost to their rivals at home in the Montreal Impact with a wild eight goal loss, then losing on the road at Gillette Stadium to the New England Revolution by one.

“I think having a good start will be key, they obviously are in supporters shield position and we know if they win this game it’s there’s.” said Marsch, “So they will have a lot of motivation, but their form hasn’t been great lately, it’s hard when you are so far in front to keep the foot on the gas pedal. But I know they respect us and they are going to put everything on the front foot against us.”

Speaking about the Red Bulls current run of form, it’s not looking good either as they haven’t earned the full three points in league play, but haven’t won a match since the US Open Cup Semi-Finals at Nippert Stadium against FC Cincinnati on Tuesday, August 15th.

This current bad stretch for the Red Bulls is already at an eight match winless streak going 0-5-3 with five points and of course the loss at Sporting Kansas city for the US Open Cup Final is apart of it.

So it’s time to see what this Red Bulls side is made of when they go up to Toronto, Ontario, Canada and take on the best side in the entire league. Will they make sure that Supporters Shield Party is delayed another week? We shall wait and see.