NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 29, 2021

Gerhard Struber

Press Conference

NY Red Bulls 1, Philadelphia 1

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think the result in the end makes me a little bit unhappy, and I think today we played in a good direction. I think especially in the second half, we have so much control; and it was in the first half only in set pieces they have some moments that are not so easy to handle for us.

But I think from the other side, the desire, the determination in the last third to score, to create chances; I missed this today. We were not sharp enough to win in the end or create in the end the three points, and the result makes me and the whole team unhappy. We feel -- everyone feel we are so close. Clearly are not on a very good level today, and yeah, we don't use that.

I think we have some good moments in control to come in the last third to create something but not prefer with the power that we want, and especially in transition moments, first half, second half, I think they stay wide open. The door is so wide open and we cannot use best spaces for us to come in in the right moment in the right space and play in this direction.

Yeah, this is -- yeah, it feels not good at the moment. It's more a disappointment for me and for the team that we bring not three points home.

Q. You mentioned in the second half how the game plan was wide open and I'm assuming that's why you made the attacking subs to try and get that winning goal in the second half.

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think we have some very good ball reads in the right areas, and we have in the end not always the right follow action. We have not the right runs behind in the halfway lines. We have not always the right position in the ball far side. We are not disciplined enough in this moment to change our chop.

And yeah, this is in the end our topic. We have top -- I think a top staggering and the rest of the defense, we have a very good staggering to win the ball with dynamic, and from that, I think my boys make so many things in a very good way.

But in the end, the benefit in the end, to use that advantage when we win the ball with dynamic, this was not in this direction what we want.

Q. With the teams that you're chasing for the final playoff spot, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami and Montréal all losing tonight, did you feel that this draw was a missed opportunity to get three points at home?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think then the cap is a little bit closer. We make one point and they make zero points, yeah.

But especially today when we look only on our performance and not on the table, our performance, and what is realistic, then I must say, of course we can win this game and in the end, the consequences that the cap is closer. Yeah, of course. This is in the end our topic, yeah, that we are not constantly on a level to beat opponents on this level.

You make many things in a good way, but the most important thing is in the end, create chances and score, and this was not enough today.

Q. Obviously you're not happy with the result, but at least the scrappiness of this match, you should be happy how your boys have been fighting for those points and on a four-match unbeaten streak.

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I told my boys now in the dressing room, when I have not the feeling or I have the feeling, one point today is okay or is enough, but I can feel this was so close, so close to win this game.

And yeah, and in the end, we realize one point, and of course, we can speak about many, many good things, what my boys did in this game. Of course they make a good chap and we know Philly is a team with a big experience. They played in the Champions League. We win the Supporters Shield. They are in the development from the whole team I think on a different level, but not today, and today we don't use the chance. And this speaks only for my boys that I am not 100 percent happy.

We have to -- normally we have the right quality for that, and we have also, yeah, when we have the right mindset, we can win that. This is in the end today, yeah, the situation which makes me a little bit unhappy.

Q. Obviously you're disappointed with the final result but it seems like the team was a bit more fluid and dangerous in attack tonight, a little bit more possession in moments of the game, even though it looked like you were playing a bit more direct in the first half. Was this something that came out of the way Philadelphia plays or would you say it's something more that your team had been working on this week in training?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think we have in the -- this is always a little bit of change between possession and also we play direct. But they play in a deep block in many times, and then it's important that we find -- then we have to work for space, and you cannot always play direct when the space is not open.

I think the boys make this in a good way, but in the end, to use one or other chance to create and work for a place more and more, with more conviction and desire, this is I think the missing link today, and this makes me, yeah, not so happy.

Q. Fernandez scored his third goal in as many games. Is this the validation what you said earlier about getting into spots and scoring a goal and granting a lot of confidence to play the game especially against a tough defensive team like Philadelphia?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, we know that Philly he is in the defense structure and the behavior, a very good team and they have experience and also the single quality to realize one moment in a very successful way.

But Omir Fernandez, he is sharp like a knife at the moment and he has self-confidence and he score, but he's also against the ball very helpful. He work very hard. He create overload moments for us. He's with the first sprint on a very good way. He tried to create a compact situation, and of course, he is right now a starter player. He is -- he is a player, he help us, yeah, a big asset at the moment.