NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 4, 2021

Gerhard Struber

Press Conference

New York Red Bulls 0, FC Cincinnati 0

GERHARD STRUBER: Hello, yeah, it's not so easy to reflect this game from the results. We are very disappointed and frustrated. In the end, we create the game we want. We know especially they stay more in a deep block today, and they give all the power in transition moments.

I think my team create in the first half, you know, some good chances. In the end, we missed it. And in the first half we have some topics to create obviously the right triggers for synchronized pressing. I think this was much better in the second half. We changed the system and we can see, yeah, everyone was on the same page and we dominate the second half in one direction and in the end we create one more chances, very good chances in the end to win this game.

Today, yeah, I think this is the big missing link to realize the chances in the right way. Yeah, this is -- this makes us a little bit unhappy today that we are so unconcentrated when we are -- have in the end the chance to score. Yeah, we looking forward. I think many things in our process today, one more time go in a very good way.

My young group is ready. My young group is learning and also the boys showed me today a big resilience and this was not so easy after the game against New England with the big hit in the face in the over time. I think the reaction from the mental side was very good today, but in the end we realized not the result we want. But we have the next chance on the weekend?

Q. Like you said, a frustrating result. Your decision to change the system slightly in the first half, having a flatter midfield with a 4-2-2 with Carmona and Clark more wide. What was your decision about that and what about Cincinnati made you go with that tactic in this game and what system adjustments did you make in the second half?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think in the first half we can see that the opponent's back line stay with the fullbacks very flat, and my idea was with the two Danes (ph), that we have a closer distance for a good pressing.

I think we realize that they have not so much chances to come in good quality balls to play forward. They play otherwise inside mand we have not the right staggering with the strikers to protect at the same time. I think this was the reason why I changed the shape in the second half in the diamond, and we have this with this new shape everything in our hand and we create also chances.

In the end we can see with the diamond we have a very high dominated game and we have good distances together and we have also very good organization in the back line with a good rest defense.

And yeah, we have many crossbars, we have many good moments but in the end we find not always exactly the address in the box and in the end when we are on the ball, yeah, then we miss the right hunger, the right desire, yeah, the outstanding determination in the end to score.

And yeah, this is right now the topic a little bit that it's very difficult to pick up the three points, but this is also a learning and a process. For me it's very good to see how many players come on today and they realize after the big hit in the face against New England, to create and build up from the mental side to the right resilience.

Q. It seemed like Wike had a lot of chances tonight, so how pleased were you with his performance?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think we can speak very quickly about these moments where he missed chances, of course, and he has to improve that and he has to be more hungry in these moments to realize not always the next chance is coming. He has to realize the moment, and I think in this case, we have something to speak together.

Otherwise, I understand the whole situation with him. I think he come very quick on the team and right now he realize, oh, I am a starter. And with his personal development, I am very happy many directions, and yeah, otherwise I think the level, the standard go higher and higher, and we expect also him to score, every game when he create chances.

And yeah, I think this is today, yeah, the learning curve for him and hopefully he can change this very quick. We need him also to score goals.

Q. If I can ask you, could you sense the frustration from your players in the first half, and if you did so, what did you say to them at halftime in the locker room where they did perform better in the second half and had plenty of chances to get that opening goal?

GERHARD STRUBER: I think I have a very critical group and they understand very quick what is good and what is not good, and they realize when they look in my face in the halftime, they know that Coach is not happy.

And happy with -- to realize the triggers better, to bring the energy in the game, what is the typical face from us. And I think this was also the message in the halftime when I speak with the boys; that we come more with our special energy and also I think the change with the shape make some things easier and especially the distances to come in the box in transitions and I think also our pressing triggers was clearer. We can see in the second half synchronized pressing; this is what we want, and then I think it's for the opponent very difficult against us when they feel every second our breath in the neck.

Yeah, this is I think the big -- the big change and this was the message in the halftime.

Q. Thinking about your team's desire to take long shots, you took 23 today and a lot were out of the box or low percentage. Do you think your team needs to do better to create making higher scoring percentage opportunities, because a lot of them were kind of low percentage.

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, but I think today we see a good balance between lower percentage chances and high-percentage chances.

In the end we have to use chances, and I think this game can go today in a completely different direction when we score very early in this game, yeah. I think we create -- we come in more spaces and especially today, I can feel, yeah, absolutely in the second half we are so ready in the end to bring this game in our direction. But you need the first goal in this game and we missed it. This makes me unhappy. In the end, sometimes we shoot far away from the goal and this is not necessary. We need sometimes here a little more patience to create one more pass in the box, find a good address.

But yeah, right now, I think in the end of the game, my boys are also a little bit frustrated and unhappy with the situation that, yeah, we shoot too early sometimes.

Q. My question for you is about Andrew Gutman returning to the starting 11. It seems like right off the bat he made an immediate impact and he helped the team get their first chance on net against Cincinnati. Can you talk about how much of an impact you think he's going to have going forward now that he's going to be getting starting minutes now that he's going to be part of those not just defending but also he's a big part of the transition between defense to attack; can you talk more about him?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think Andrew come back today after a long injury and I am happy with his performance today. I think he make many things in a good way. We know he need a little bit time and -- and but right now it's a very good feeling. I have two fullbacks on the left side. They are ready for a very good performances and I think it's right now a big competition on the side.

But I have trust in -- in my young boy John Tolkin and also in Andrew Gutman and I think the future will show us the situation a little bit better, which one is more in the starting 11.

But for me, it's very, very good to feel that both players are ready for game time and right now we realize in the next few weeks so many games and we need both players. I am very, very happy today with his performance and his comeback.

Q. Just curious, the team is struggling to pick up points and going farther and farther down the table, have two tough road games coming up with Chicago and Montréal. What needs to change and what needs to be focused on going forward to try and turn this team around?

GERHARD STRUBER: From my point as a manager, we are very clear in our feedbacks when we reflect the games and also that we realize the performances, yeah, and in the end I think we are very close to win games and pick up points. Many, many things go in a good way, yeah.

Also I think the whole team, also me and my coaching staff, we are unhappy with the results at the moment, yes, of course. I think for when we look deeper in our performances, I think we have both points, what we can earn, and I think this is right now the big -- the big one what we have to change more; that we are ready for pick up the points, and we know that Chicago and Montréal are big teams, and especially away, we have not so much luck in the last few months.

But otherwise, I can see a team, they are ready. They are ready for very good performances, and yeah, I think I have the patience, I have big trust and a big belief in my whole group and I think the time will come when we pick up many, many points in a row, and right now, yes, of course, we are not happy with this result. Otherwise the performance give us a good confidence, give us the conviction that we can also create a way for the necessary points.