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NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 22, 2019

Chris Armas

Harrison, New Jersey

Red Bulls - 2, Philadelphia - 0 (FT)

CHRIS ARMAS: Yeah, look, I don't think the words that I'd start with here will do justice to the work that the guys put in this week because I think it caps off a really important big week for us, and if you think about where our team was at the beginning of the week, we go to Seattle, and in a lot of ways we're in the game, and we go down in some strange ways, but we push, which we've done, and we stick together, and we come back 2-2 to lose to an own goal essentially.

So when you think about this team, what that does to you, you've lost a few games in a row and now it's another one, to see them respond the way they did in Portland, to see the way the staff works more hours and puts in more, that's impressive. And then to finish it off in a rivalry match with a good Philadelphia team and to shut them out and to win at home, this is a big week. Obviously we make the playoffs, and I mean, we're playing in these last few games better than we have all year in terms of controlling things.

Q. With regards to Duncan, he started off the season looking like he was going to have considerable playing time, kind of fell off the map, comes back in the middle of the season, plays four games, falls off the map again, comes back, scores a goal, had a good game tonight. What did you like when he was up here? What did you like when you saw him at Red Bull 2, or is there some other kind of explanation for his season?
CHRIS ARMAS: He had a great game tonight, and Kyle had a great game in Portland. Every single player at the club, and it's academy to USL, we invest a lot of time in, and that doesn't ever really get noticed on the outside, but on the inside, the staff and the club from the top to the bottom, it's video, it's mentoring, it's teaching, it's growing, it's pushing guys out there, not pushing them too fast, and with Kyle, it's a process with him, and it was never -- forget about Kyle Duncan, fall off the map. It's actually let's invest more time, let's work more with him. So there's USL games, there's training sessions, there's video, there's all of that in these last months with the idea of, yeah, let's bring him along, and now he's ready to get an opportunity. How does that go? Well, yeah, oftentimes it's up to the player. You get that opportunity, yeah, would he have gotten five more opportunities this year? Yeah, we understand the business.

But we are really happy with those performances, and proud of him.

Q. Along the same lines, what are you looking for out of Tom Barlow going forward? Is he always going to make room for Bradley Wright-Phillips or is he going to have an opportunity to be up at the top alongside him?
CHRIS ARMAS: It's a good question, and now I think we're comfortable with two strikers. We've had some really good moments. The New England game and certain games, we've played really well with two strikers, and we take it game by game here. You see the lineup we put out again, again, it's telling me it's risky in the media along the way. But yeah, we do what we think is best. Each game we look at the form of players, we look at what is best for the team, and it's nice now that you see Bradley Wright-Phillips come in, how sharp he looks, how quick he looks, how unselfish, one of the greatest goal scorers at this club, but he's a winner, and Tom is right there learning, and Brian White is back in training. So it's some good options. One striker, two strikers, we'll have to see.

Q. That Philly team has had a great season, and their attack, especially in recent weeks against some top teams have been putting up chances galore. You guys limited -- really shut them down tonight attack-wise. What was the key to neutralizing that attack, especially as good as they've looked in recent weeks?
CHRIS ARMAS: There's a lot of keys in doing that because they're not reliant on one player. You have to be ready -- Przybylko on crosses, Przybylko running behind, people running off of him, Picault and these guys, they're dynamic with speed. You know, I would say that really being aware of Medunjanin and really understanding where he's operating. I thought we tactically got that right. At halftime we talked a little more about how to address that, and we did, and you could see even in the second half they pushed things late, but it wasn't as fluid as it was in the first half because not as many things could go through him.

Yeah, Jim Curtin, the coach, has done a really nice job with that team because now they're playing -- they're hard to play against because they're against the ball, they do a lot of work and they're counterpressing and compressing spaces, but with the ball they're impressive because they can unbalance you in a lot of ways.

Q. We all know Kemar gets up for these games against Philly because he likes to take on his countryman Andre Blake, but tonight he was dominant defensively on Fafa Picault. He just had him in his back pocket. What is it about Kemar who always is up for these games against the Union?
CHRIS ARMAS: I think we know Kemar loves the bright lights and the big games, and he loves a challenge. So if he knows that it's a fast guy versus himself, you know, a fast guy, he wants to show he's tougher, he's faster. That's one part of it. He loves to flex his muscles that way. But he does, he's -- it's his best quality as a defender. He loves to defend and really takes it personal.

But I would say this: If you think about a year ago or so, it was a sour taste in his mouth when he couldn't be in the biggest games towards the end with the injury. So he really has his mind on one thing now, so it's good that we have Kemar healthy and focused.

Q. You talked about the hard work, and you looked a little bit sort of almost emotional for want of a better word. The last seven days, does it feel as if maybe the guys have stepped up for you personally irrespective of their own goals?
CHRIS ARMAS: You'd have to ask them that. I don't know. I know that I'm with them and I feel they're with me and the staff. We're in with each other. They give an awful lot to the staff and to each other. It's the culture that we have around here, how much can you give. You often end up giving a lot, but you get a whole lot more, so our style of play depends on it. Yeah, you know, again, I think that's a good question if you're interested to ask them, but I think we know that they're playing -- I mean, think about it, guys. You know, people talk about a roller coaster season, it's been hard, like challenges. We've seen teams in our league crumble this year when faced where adversity, and that group has struck together. Again, the players, the staff, the support from every direction. Really proud of that.

Q. Back-to-back clean sheets. How pleased are you with how the back line is playing this time of year knowing in a few weeks it's one or done with the playoffs coming up?
CHRIS ARMAS: I'm really happy with the team's commitment to be connected, stick to it, be disciplined. We're a team used to pressing all over the place to disrupt things, and it's not so easy to now be disciplined and compact in different moments for long stretches of the game, where it might feel a little uncomfortable, and you don't have the ball. But we're trying to control spaces and dictate where the team -- opposition can play. If you talk about the back line, I think we've seen a real step in the right direction, and Luis has been there all year for us. But I think we have seen a back line that has -- they're prideful. So when they see 47 or 45, then 46, then 47, these many goals conceded, I think it got to a point with some real hard meetings and looks at even -- we went -- they are probably the key to these last two games, putting out every fire that came their way, and of course you've got to talk about Luis.

Q. I was wondering if you could talk about the midfield trio of Sean, Marc and Cristian and what they did tonight and in Portland and how that has kept Kaku on the bench for the last two matches to start.
CHRIS ARMAS: Well, before you even mention Kaku's name, it would be the first name that I mentioned because you can see that -- how important he is for our team, that when he comes in, he can change things on a dime and look at the goal that is created from him. But his ability to calm things down for us, to run against the ball, chasing, being around ma do you know I can't and to see Kaku's attitude even in these last days has really shown what type of a person and winner he is, and that he's all in with the team. He's impressive.

Yeah, look, we get to see Cristian in a run of games and his fearlessness, his ability to cover ground. I think that's impressive, and it's important against athletic midfields. I think you see Sean Davis's leadership and ability to understand what's going on out there and how that's needed, and it's been needed in the toughest times, and you can see that Marc gives you something different up the field, his ability to find spaces and do even some of that dirty work up the field, and he's been really important for us.

So we have some good options, and we're happy with all those guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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