	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 29, 2017

Jesse Marsch

Harrison, New Jersey

New York Red Bulls - 2, Chicago Fire - 1

Q. The way it looked out there, I know it's only two months into the season, but did this feel like a midseason match, end of the season match for points that you really need to get out?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, I think there's a number of factors. Obviously Dax coming back brings a lot of energy to the game. And then, you know, they have done well this year and they want to establish themselves as a better team.

So a big part of that includes being good on the road, which in their recent history, it's been difficult for them. So they came here and they knew that we've been good at home and they have spoken highly of us, which we appreciate, but we knew that we were going to get a really good effort from them, and they came in and played, you know, gave us a run for our money and had some good moments.

So yeah, it had a high-energy feel to it, and that's the best. That's what makes this job great is when you have these kind of games that even earlier in the year, that feel like big games. So overall, I thought that that was good for us and good for the game.

Q. You guys kind of came out a little bit slow, looked nervy at times. Was it the occasion, the size of the match, or the importance of the match?
JESSE MARSCH: Well, I think, you know, it was partly the energy of the match, but I think that, you know, it was just not making sure that we were clear on the day what was going to make us successful. I thought we made some adjustments at half for that, and I thought we were a little more aggressive to play forward in the second half.

But there was a moment in there before the goal, their goal, that they were able to possess a little bit and pull us from side to side. That happened. This was their tactic, and their tactic was to either play up to Connor late and try to win that aerial dual and pick up second balls or at all costs, blindly switch the ball. We've seen it before. We know that's a potential tactic against us, and for the most part we did okay with it but there were some points where they were pulling us apart.

Q. Can you talk about what this game meant to you, because I never saw you fired up like today. You were like running and holding your hands and doing a lot of stuff I haven't seen you do before.
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah (laughter) the last couple games, because tactically there's a lot going on in the game, I felt like I've been up off the bench yelling more, just trying to make it clear to guys. I prefer not to do that. I prefer not to do that.

But if you feel like that's important to try and help the guys within the game, and the last two halves, I've talked a lot about tactics and a lot about little adjustments to make so that we could be better. And so usually, if I'm not yelling at the refs, that's what I'm trying to get the word out to the team.

So yeah, you know, I felt that this game was really important from a points perspective because we got two big, tough games coming up on the road and to get this three points at home was going to help us continue to have momentum.

Q. Regardless of the circumstances, do you think that there sometimes is a tendency, too much of a player, either coming or going, that it might be more the fans than perhaps you and the rest of the players?
JESSE MARSCH: Listen, in terms of Dax's role in to night, and role with the fans, like you know, this is what it should be. I think that's what it should be. There should be an attachment to big players that have been in the club, and obviously the club always comments first.

But there's strong relationships that have been built over time. You know, this club has a lot of big faces and big names that have been a part of it, and the fans should enjoy those players and always treat them like they are family. So that's important.

I said earlier this week that it was important for Dax to come back here, feel like -- appreciate the moments that he had here and for people to show appreciation to him, including the fans. I think it was also a good game for us, a good game for them, a good game for the league. There's a lot of attention paid to it. That's the way it should be. And then Dax makes a big play for them, too.

But listen, what's most important for us, specifically, is that we have such a strong belief in the team that we have here and the group that we have here and how we do things and what we're building, and you know, I think that we've already in the short season learned so much about ourselves and continue to get better and now have to putt it to the test in this week because it's going to be a very hard week, and we'll find out more about ourselves in the next week.

This is what this job is. It's trying to build things up, put it to the test, build it up again, put it to the test. So overall, right now, after the last four games, I'm really pleased.

Q. You've seen Dax make big plays for you, and now today he seemed really up for this one, makes a big play on their goal. He's not your player anymore, but was that -- the battle in midfield.
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, that part was a little weird. Listen, I felt like their guys in the midfield were pretty quiet. Until Dax made that play, I thought the three in the middle were pretty quiet and we did a pretty good job of winning that battle and managing that.

But then, you know, obviously you knew Dax had -- he's waiting for that moment. There was a set piece where the ball was bouncing around and maybe he could have got a foot on it. But good for him. Good for him.

And in general, I thought that even though we weren't at our best at certain moments in terms of what we did with the ball, we made it very difficult for them, counter-press, closed things down. The only way they were really able to hurt us were on some big switches and a couple plays that get through our lineup in the first half. Overall, the thing we talked about after the game is that each guy puts so much into the game physically. Like they try -- they won our battles, won our duels, won second balls, won aerial battles, won tackles, and as much as we try to emphasize tactics so much, it's so often going to come down to on the day who wants it more, who wants it more.

It would have been easy when we went 1-1 to sort of tremble a little and now maybe pack it in and sometimes we've done that in the past. But this group kept going and you know, from my perspective, I'm trying to figure out how to make subs to help the game but Gid (ph) stayed after the game and wanted to get the three points.

Q. You said that they tried to go over the top and seemed like every situation where they really created danger was when they hit the ball over the top. You played a little bit of a high line perhaps to press the midfield. Are you concerned that if you continue to play the high line, that you may get beaten more often over the top?
JESSE MARSCH: We've given up four goals from the run of play in ten games -- nine or ten? We're 5-3-1 -- no; nine. We've given up four goals in the run play in nine games and a lot of it is because of some of our defensive tactics and a lot of it is because of some of the relationships and understanding of what we do with the back line.

Obviously when we compress the field, the danger is there's always a place that we play behind. But we find it's just as dangerous if our line is too deep and teams are able to slice through us.

You've got to move the line aggressively, but in a smart way, and that's a tactic, right, and that's the tactic that we emphasize and work on daily. So you know, it's sometimes about the recovery and making sure that you're ready when there are break downs to really recover and make it hard on them, and sometimes, yeah, Luis has to come up with some saves.

Q. Was Kemar really going for goal or do you think that was a pass?
JESSE MARSCH: I'll let him tell you that. But I'll also say this: He played a ball that was similar to that in Atlanta, right, and it ended up in an old goal. Whether it was -- that's part of the idea when you play balls like that is to make them threatening but also potentially balls that can go into the goal.

So I'll let him answer that but it was a good play and you know, I mean, Brandt was a little bit unlucky not to get on the end of it. We were a little lucky it went through his legs. It's a dangerous ball, dangerous ball.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297