Red Bulls go three winless after scoreless draw against FC Cincinnati

New York Red Bulls, Professional, Soccer

August 5, 2021

In the last two games for the New York Red Bulls against FC Cincinnati, they were frustrated by the strong defensive tactics from the orange and blue, as they couldn't get any chances past the keeper and, were frustrated for the entire 90 minutes, Both matches were either a two-goal loss or a one-goal loss at the MLS is back tournament or at Red Bull Arena.

Well, this time it happened again as the visitors from the Queen City in Ohio found a way to earn another point, as the match ended in a scoreless draw. After an early chance that many thought was going to see a goal from Patryk Klimala nailed the crossbar, it looked like the same thing was going to happen again. Jaap Stam's defensive tactics.

Once again it looked like the life was being sucked out of the Red Bulls in the opening half of the match, as their confidence dwindled and barely had any energy to make an attempting run to get scoring chances. But one player did his best to keep their spirits up, including after the Halftime sit down inside the locker room. Tom Edwards was the man and it showed in his play, as well as the second half.

"Yeah, that is a big thing for me, and my game is talking to all the lads and keeping them going and keeping them confident," said Edwards. "The goal is going to come and as you said in the first half, they had good spells on the ball, but I just want to make sure that the lads knew that when we press in our structure that we train every day, it is hard for any team to break us down and get through the press, so I just told the boys to keep working and keep going.

"It showed in the end, obviously, we got momentum in the second half and as I said a couple of times, unfortunately, the goal did not come, but I just feel like the more I talk, it is a good thing for me as well because when I’m talking it keeps me concentrated as well and it is a lot easier for the boys in front of me like sometimes it is hard for them to deal with two players at times and if you speak to them, it is easier for them and that is what I was trying to do."

After a strong pep talk with Gerhart Struber inside the locker room and a chance in philosophy, the Red Bulls showed more desire, and more hope in their movements to get a chance for a shot on goal, but either those chances were saved by the keeper, off the woodwork or wide of the frame, it's self.

After 90 minutes of play including what was added in second-half stoppage time, FC Cincinnati split the points with the Red Bulls and that has put the club in a three-match winless streak & in two of those three matches, they didn't convert a goal. While the result hurts Gerhart Struber saw some progress, still, he is trying to find ways to get out of this current funk.

"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," said Struber. "I think my team created 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 are 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 overtime. 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"

Up Next For Red Bulls

So the next matchup for the Red Bulls is an early Sunday evening on the road at Soldier Field as they take on the Chicago Fire who are not doing well in the East, Going thru some transfer moments themselves, but things change when you are playing away from home. We shall see what Struber has in his game plan for this next match coming up.