NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 13, 2022

Gerhard Struber

Press Conference

Orlando City 1, New York Red Bulls 0

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think of course we expected a different result in the end. I would say we have not so much chances today. I think the system worked.

Defensively, in a good direction it was one time a little bit out of order, and this was enough in the end. You have 60 minutes time to change that and in this direction, we played nice, yeah, but not I think on this limit what we have to go in some actions when we play forward with a better timing and forward runs with to find in the end more numbers quicker in transition moments in the last line, I think it was, yeah, in some moments good on the way but this was not enough in the end to bounce back in this game with the right goals what we have to score.

In the end, a disappointed situation. A difficult situation for me and for my team at the moment. I think this is MLS; that we have to realize the situation we are in right now is not easy and I think we need, especially at the moment, have a big belief to bounce back. I think this is also a big mental test for us at the moment to find better results. I think the boys worked, yeah, in a good direction but this game show us one more time, we need limit action and situations that the boys comes on the board or out of the board that you can win in the end games.

I miss this a little bit. I think it was good in this game but in the end it was not enough to win.

Q. It seemed like you had some good moments, as you said in, transition, getting forward, getting down the wings and you're getting chances towards the net but you only had one shot on goal. What do you think maybe they were doing or you didn't do that you were not as clinical as you would have liked to have been when you were getting forward and you were getting chances towards their goal?

GERHARD STRUBER: I think in some moments you need in the buildup a better understanding, you use the space. I think this is how we crash the first line, and this is always easier to come in the end in better follow actions.

I think in transition moments, I think we can see of course from the decision what we did not always the right one. Sometimes we could triple more and more in the box. We had space, and then we played too quick. I think that the understanding how we come in good combination moments together, this is right now I think a little bit the issue, and also I think the issue that we have in the end the moment too clinical.

We have in the first half a top chance with Lewis, in the second half, some half-half moments with many shoots, but in the end, we needed situations like that when we go in shooting moments, also, the eye for the player, he has maybe a better hand to score and I think in those moments it was a bit over paced, overload to bounce back in this game and miss a little bit the freedom in this moment.

Q. Noticing -- a lot of players moving off the ball and basically killing chances and stalling your offense. Is that a concern to you and your coaching staff going forward in this game specifically where it was so prevalent in this match, seeing a lot of your players getting frustrated, when is the final pass going to come in especially the final third. Is that a concern to the coaches or not with so few games before the playoffs?

GERHARD STRUBER: This is a topic we have to improve in the next few days or weeks that the boys bounce back to find good decisions and good passes. I think we was in some moments not clean enough. Also, I think to find the right player; that we have a better orientation, which player is in the end a player he can make from his position the difference.

We have to find the right position in the box. Today, yeah, of course, not best moments, and he can see when they back a pass in the box, you can see sometimes it's not so easy, but then you have to move the pass from one side to the other side and work for space, and in these moments we ever not always the patience to come and invite areas and bring the pass outside.

I think this is so in this direction what we have to work when an opponent stays so deep, and back the pass so deep in our box.

Q. Obviously you said last week that the team might need to go into the mode that they went into late last year to get clean sheets and be structured defensively first. Did you think besides the goal that that happened today and that you might be able to put this game plan into results against Atlanta and Cincinnati next week?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think of course, from the defense, I think the balance today was okay. I think they have nothing, the only goal what they score, and Carlos has nothing to do, I cannot remember that he has many to-dos today. I think that the structure, the behavior against the ball work in a good direction.

Yeah, I think we could be in some moments in the counter pressing a little bit better, and yeah, the topic is more how we handle moments on the right areas with more effectively one moments that we come better in the right areas inside and of course we need cross balls with a clear effort. In this direction, we can work also with the right runnings that we have in the box and that we have in the end the right numbers and also the numbers in the right position.

Yeah, one more time, it's a situation, it's not so easy, but this is also what you have to take in this league, moments where you stay clear together, a clear identity, very clarity what we want from the boys, and also a big heart. I think, yeah, run, it's a test, and we have to bring the test in a good direction.

Q. On a positive note, John Tolkin has been a revelation for this team at least back and playing almost every minute. How much has he improved this year?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think this is so the consequence when you develop players like John is a good example in this direction with the other clubs have an interest, and it's not a big surprise.

Yeah, I think he's very reliable in his actions, and this is the reason why he is a starter player and he selects so many minutes. He's very reliable; he's a player that he has very good anticipation and especially in our world of football to read the moment and on the same time also to work about his output, I think this could be also on a higher level, his technical abilities very, very high, and also his tactic was outstanding. We work with him together so we make the next step together, also, that the output is on a higher level.

Of course I have big trust in him and he is a player that, yeah, I think the future is with him.