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NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

March 1, 2020

Chris Armas

Harrison, New Jersey

New York Red Bulls - 3, FC Cincinnati - 2

CHRIS ARMAS: We approached today with a must-win mentality, opening day. We've talked about the fresh start, the new year, and I think it's 8 of 12 on the road, we talked how we can maximize our points at home.

So regardless of the opponent and who was coming in, this was a must-win, and even for our supporters, who we thought provided a lot of energy for the opening whistle, and we felt that that helped. I think the guys for a lot of stretches played well tonight, and rewarded them with a victory and three goals.

So big win for the team, and specifically, I would say that this was a nice continuation from preseason; that we see a team that sticks together, especially when things get a little bit tight, and we believe in that and the group believes in that.

On the say, we see Kyle Duncan get credit for a goal and two assists, our outside back, this is a big performance for him, and we thought he defended well, as well.

I think, you know, without going around the horn, maybe one more guy, you see Flo Valot coming off of his injuries, and what a special day for him to also contribute with a couple assists.

While I'm at, it Sean Davis's first victory as the team captain. Overall, really positive day.

Q. You referenced Kyle Duncan. You had him in a very similar position last year starting. What do you see different this year in him that you didn't see last year that gives you confidence --
CHRIS ARMAS: Like a lot of our players, I think on paper, we're the youngest team or the second-youngest by 0.5. We're a young team and we remind ourselves, because Kyle is a mature kid but he's a young player in terms of professional games.

So what we see this year is a confidence out of Kyle, a real understanding of our principles, defensively, especially; that he's putting in more complete performances consistently since we -- I'd say that happened last year in stretches, and this year, every day, there's a real positive approach to it.

So I think that what we're seeing more this year than before is a real consistency and self-belief, we know Kyle Duncan, he glides around the field with ease and he can get up-and-down the fields differently than most of our guys with good timing. A lot of confidence out of him.

Q. With any opener, probably a curiosity about what the product is going to look like on the field to start a new season. This year without obviously Luis and BWP and guys that were the backbone, did you sense particular curiosity amongst the supporters and the fans what the product was going to look like today, and did you yourself have some wonder how it was going to look, even though you've been in training and whatnot?
CHRIS ARMAS: Well, what I've seen, there's things you know and things you don't know. What I knew for sure coming in is that the team is hard to play against. We played Atlanta United in preseason and they were getting ready for Champions League, and we conceded six shots in 90 minutes with three balances teams. We played three by 30 minutes, and we had, you know, seven college draft picks scattered on those teams, and the commitment from the group was very strong. So we see even against a team like that, and then when we finish with Kansas City; that the trend was showing us we are hard to play against.

And in order to play our style of play, it requires everyone at all times to be committed. So that I felt very good about.

On the day, we still are going to see David Jensen's, first game with us. We had a lot of belief in what we've seen before we brought him here and then when we got him here and then how about Patrick, we don't know for sure. A few months ago, he's college, and now he's playing on opening day.

But again, we have good information that he would show up with courage on the day, and we thought he did that.

In terms of the supporters, what they might think, I'm sure always wondering, what's the team going to look like, what are the two strikers going to look like and how are we going to come out; and I thought the team had good energy and commitment and belief in the first half in what we were doing and created a lot of chances and good goals, but it gave me a lot of confidence coming in, this commitment the team has.

Q. You mentioned how young the team was. You had obviously belief in them and the team has inner belief, but just for the confidence of the group to get three point, how big was that, and then also you mentioned the two strikers, that kind of new tactical look. What did you think of how that played out the first game?
CHRIS ARMAS: I felt the two strikers worked well tonight -- today. It gives such a different look to back lines because it offers a different unpredictability.

So you can see that many times, when we win the ball, we did -- there's a big moment in the first half that Flo steps in, wins the ball, and you always have options ahead of the ball. And we saw that Danny got in on that one, just hit it wide.

But any time we can win the ball, we were pretty good at that. It just gave some different looks, and oftentimes, we know the two strikers can pin back four defenders if they space themselves.

We thought -- we worked hard on that, and last year we defended in a similar structure, but oftentimes it was Kaku stepping up, that second striker, if you will.

We thought it created lot of chances today, and then against the ball, we -- we limited much of what they wanted to do. We had a couple of giveaways in the game that cost us a couple of goals, but after that, there's a set piece, but not too much else.

Q. Good for the confidence of a young group?
CHRIS ARMAS: Yeah, I mean, it's one thing for the coach to stand in front of the team and talk about how I think this is coming along and that we're coming together, and that, trust me, the group is strong; it will be greater than the sum of its parts and togetherness.

And then to see, okay, when you roll it out, is it a -- some teams on opening day, yeah, they have a look and I think that they walk away from there with confidence with the result, with creating chances, limiting chances, clarity each side of the ball.

So with a young team, this is really important. It's really important because nothing speaks stronger than experiencing that.

Q. Flo went through two tough injuries the last two years. How rewarding was it to see him not just on the field today, but also becoming an important part setting up two goals, and his overall play?
CHRIS ARMAS: I've been with him along the way, every step of the way with those injuries, and I say that just because I've seen how hard it has been for him. One, it's hard for a player to go through injuries like that because the thing you love, maybe one of the things you love most get taken away over six, seven, eight months. And imagine experiencing that and then coming back, and then it happens again almost immediately.

So this, does it truly make you stronger. I think it actually can, because I've seen him come back with a different edge with an almost greater love for being out there in training every day. So now, even for him, you know, what I say is the greatest reward is for a player to play well. Sometimes even when you don't win, you just play well, you just feel really good. He's had a whole preseason now, even end of the season, to be back out there.

So now to see him on opening day, imagine how he's feeling, two assists, part of a team victory, opening day, my knee is opening up. But I think we can all see what Flo offers us, on the ball, intelligent, can pass, call things down. We can see that he will be a big piece for us this year.

Q. You went through a similar situation when you were a player, knee injury. How much can you relate to what he went through, yourself?
CHRIS ARMAS: I want this to be about Flo Valot. I went through it, so I understand, so I can empathize with him. Brings you to a dark place sometimes, but what I I'd really like to focus on is Flo Valot: Success, victory, success preseason, led the team in goals, assists on the day, playing well. You know, I think he's got to feel good about that.

Q. You mentioned with Kyle hasn't played a lot of games, curious what you think his ceiling is as a player?
CHRIS ARMAS: I think there's a big ceiling for Kyle Duncan. Because in our country, you know, when you think of outside backs, the modern full back, let's say, that can get up, can get down, and first and foremost, we want defenders that can defend. You see he doesn't -- he's tidy. He moves his feet well. If he's ever in a compromised position, he can recover because he's quick.

And you know, today's goal that he scores, you know, I wonder -- you know, Natasha Patel is head of analytics. She put together an incredible video before the game for the guys, and one of the scenes, to give you a little insight, some of the preseason snapshots some from last year, and one is the goal he scored in Portland. Josh cuts it back and he's bombing it in and slams it home.

He watched that, I don't know, an hour before he does it again. Ability to get forward now, the way we play, very narrow at times, is really a necessity, but the ceiling is high for him. I think he can be a guy that we know the Olympic Team, he's been involved, and of course we think that the national team could be a spot for him one day.

Q. Two-parter here. Wondering, first, what the exact status is for two guys, Aaron Long and Ryan Meara and secondly, Mathias is a player that we had spoken about in the preseason, got a lot of time during preseason, not in the 18 today. What was your message or what might be your message to him after what was probably a disappointing day for him?
CHRIS ARMAS: Okay. So your first part was what again, Aaron and Ryan?

Each of those guys is day-to-day and we expect them back training this week. I'll leave it at that. Aaron, it's just been a little tightness in his hamstring and Ryan in his groin. We want to be smart in how we deal with those to really keep short-term, short-term, and be done with it. They will be back in training at some point this week.

As far as Mathias, you know, our roster is competitive. So what we've seen out of him this year, he's not an unproven guy. He's proven. He scored 12 goals last year in USL. Even yesterday, watching him in a game, he scores again, and he's moving himself along.

It still ends up being guys like him and Omir Fernandez and guys like this that are tougher decisions these days. I can say with certainty, Mathias will get opportunities this year. He's maturing. No one runs the line like he does, which is fun to see. Just thinking about the day with -- in the back line, Barlow (ph), little things that might make the difference these days. But these are good challenges for me to have and the staff because, yeah, our roster, the internal competition is strong, it is.

But Mathias, especially one more comment on him, we see even with David Jenson here, he's smiling more, talking more, connecting more. So he's in a really good place right now.

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