Add Rafa Marquez back – again – to the Red Bulls’ always-full list of walking wounded. The Mexican midfielder has been ruled out for Wednesday’s matinee against Chicago; now the question is just how much time he’ll miss. For the Red Bulls, Teemu Tainio’s return to practice today couldn’t have come at a better time.
Marquez was forced out of yesterday’s 2-2 draw against Seattle in the 21st minute, after aggravating his old left calf injury. Now he’ll have an MRI tomorrow, and the Red Bulls have no idea how severe the injury is or how long he’ll be out.
“Rafa will be out, 100 percent. He will have a scan tomorrow to check. It’s very clear (he’ll be out tomorrow),’’ said head coach Hans Backe. When asked for a timeframe on Marquez’ return, he shook his head and said “No, no idea.’’
Backe said defender Heath Pearce and Jan Gunnar Solli are both out tomorrow as well, although he said “Pearce perhaps, perhaps, could be in for Saturday.’’
Captain Thierry Henry – who went the full 90 minutes in 90 degree heat yesterday, playing only his third game in two months – is uncertain as well.
“Thierry has to be day-by-day,’’ said Backe. “Let’s see tomorrow how he responds after the Sunday game, if he can play Wednesday. We have a Saturday game, too. But it’s a big game (Wednesday.).’’
On the positive side, though, Tainio returned to practice today. The 31-year-old midfielder has been limited to just three games this season by an ACL injury, and hasn’t played since a 5-2 rout of Montreal back on March 31.
“(He had his) first session today,’’ said Backe. “I just hope that he responds well know. You never know. He has to be involved in a number of sessions, competitive sessions and then you have to see if he responds well. So hopefully, fingers crossed. We need Teemu.’’
Dax McCarty has performed exceptionally well in Tainio’s absence, but Marquez’ injuries and penchant for suspensions have made him decidedly unreliable. With the Red Bulls dealing Dane Richards away for Sebastien Le Toux, and Backe’s statement that Henry can excel in a withdrawn striker/attacking midfielder role, but only when backed by three box-to-box players, Tainio’s return is vital.
How the Finnish veteran comes through his first week of practice may go a long way into determining whether the Red Bulls are forced to go out and acquire a defensive midfielder before the MLS transfer window shuts on July 27.
“We’re in mid-July already. If we can see in a week – or a little more than a week – how he responds, see if he feels 100% then we don’t need to go out and find a defending or holding midfielder,’’ said Backe. “But you never know. He’s been away so long my experience is you pick up other injuries, a hamstring or groin or something; that’s the way it is. We have to wait a bit, see how he responds.’’