Improved Red Bulls head down I-95 to face the Union

This is the final game before the CONCACAF Gold Cup Break as the New York Red Bulls want to finish off this wonderful stretch with a flourish, even though they will have the US Open Cup pop up on them on Tuesday, June 11.

The Red Bulls will face off the New England Revolution and the return of coaching for Bruce Arena, over at the MSU Soccer Park on the campus of Montclair State University. This should be an interesting match up in the next couple of days, as one and done matches are next up.

But before we can look ahead to the next match at home, the Red Bulls must first finish off this current run, as they travel down I-95 and head over to Talon Energy Stadium, to take on the Philadelphia Union who have been red hot since the start of the season.

The Eastern Pennsylvania club made some big changes on the field and in the front office, since Earnie Stweart left, for US Soccer as their General Manager for their Senior Men’s team. Ernst Tanner who hails from Traunstein, Germany.

He served as Sporting Director for TSV 1860 Munich, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Red Bull Salzburg before making the trek to MLS and the Union. So far the results have been very good as it looks like Head Coach Jim Curtain finally has some help to bring over players.

“I know Jim Curtin very well. He’s the reason why he’s been the manager for so many years there,” said Chris Armas “He’s good, he has them paying like a team, they are always organized, and how they are playing with the pressing and counter pressing.

“Controlling spaces, we seen them play a little more vertical, and they have been a tough team against us. We see that they have added some interesting pieces with player quality. They have done well with the ball and they have improved on quality against the ball. They will be difficult to face against.”

So far a grand total of twenty-seven goals have been scored from thirteen different players with David Accam and Kacper Przybylko sharing the top of the stats page with four each. Since the trade that sent C.J. Sapong to the Chicago Fire, this Union side seems more improved as a team.

“They put teams under pressure, they are a physical & strong team” said Amro Tarek “We can definitely get passed that, I think that every game we play, we are looking to win against teams who are in good positions in the standings.”

“I think they are very physical and good on set pieces. They have fast players, which I believe we can deal with it, we believe we can deal with them and play strong.”

Even though they broke a three match winless streak with a 2-1 road win at Minnesota United FC, the Red Bulls resurgence has them at least four points behind the top of the east side,and a victory would cut that lead to a single point.

“They seem to be a different team, I think they have gone through a lot of change from last year, some players have moved on and we have one of those players in Marcus (Epps)” said Alex Muyl “It’s a club that has a lot of ambition and a club that considers us big rivals and we consider to have a big rivalry with them.

“It’s a game we are aware of what they are trying to do, so we are going to their place to get the three points. This is historically a contentious match and it will be physical, especially in their place and if we don’t prepare for that type of battle, we won’t be successful.”

For the Red Bulls, they will be missing several players due to their Gold Cup call ups. The big boys who will be missing are Kemar Lawrence who will be with Jamaica, and Moichael Murillo who will be with Panama.

“Whenever guys leave, you want to step in and make a difference.” said Connor Lade “Kemar (Lawrence) and Amir(Murillo) have done really well, and we have relied on them a lot. Now it’s time for Kyle (Duncan) and me to step in and do really well.

“Make sure that we are difference makers in the starting 11, and we can show our standard up high, we know it’s going to be a challenge, we know it’s going to be a big fight against Philly.”

Tyler Adams has returned to the Red Bulls training facility, to say hello after his half season with Red Bull Leipzig in the German Bundesliga. If you saw on the clubs twitter account, he is training with them, before he moves on to the Gold Cup Camp to get ready with the US Men’s National Team.

So if the Red Bulls can be victorious against the Philadelphia Union, they will be a single point behind them for the top spot in the East. That will be a miracle after the rough start they have had since the beginning of the league season.