After having to claw their way back from a five-game winless start last year, the 0-1-4 Red Bulls have dug themselves a similar hole this season. And as if they needed any added incentive to get in the victory column, they will play archrival D.C. United Saturday at RFK Stadium (7 p.m., MSG+).
“Obviously it’s not something you wanted to have. That’s not the type of run you want to have,’’ said captain Thierry Henry, back after missing last weekend’s 2-2 draw in Montreal, the Red Bulls’ fourth straight tie. “Having said that … we still didn’t lose for a little while, but we didn’t win.
“Obviously we’re not happy about what’s happening, because you’d rather have the start of a [Real] Salt Lake or another team like that. But we know the season is long and like I said to you, as quick as we can get the win the better it is.’’
The worst starts ever by holders of the Supporters’ Shield (given to the MLS team with the best regular-season record) were the 0-4-4 start by L.A. in 2003, and the 0-2-5 start by Columbus six years later. But the Crew went on to defend the Shield that season. If the Red Bulls want to do the same, they can ill afford to keep dropping points, especially against beatable teams like United.
“I know what this game means to me, so at the end of the day we’re going to show up, put the effort out there,” coach Mike Petke said. “Hopefully our quality rises, and it’ll be a good game for us.’
“It’s always special for me when I play D.C. I played on both sides of this, so of course it’s a rival for me. It’s a heated game. [But] if I feel that on the sideline it doesn’t mean anything. The players have to feel that.’’
The Red Bulls won’t have all their players, with Richard Eckersley out and Tim Cahill, Armando, Bobby Convey likely sidelined as well.
Nevertheless, there are points to be had at RFK because they face a United team that just snapped a 15-game winless skid that stretched back to last season — the second-worst slump in MLS history.
“This week Mike framed the whole training week with the fact this is a rivalry, and regardless of the rest of the league and how their perception is, there’s more attention towards the Cascadia Cup and other rivalries, but this one is most historic,’’ goalie Luis Robles said. “We have to have that same mindset knowing that not only does it mean something for the club but it means a lot for the supporters.’’
In the wake of Lewis Neal’s suspension for a sliding boots-up tackle on Andrew Farrell of the Revolution, which the league said was a “serious foul play that endangers the safety of an opponent”, United will have a hole to fill. They could have to use Davy Arnaud or Nick DeLeon at left midfield.
Because right wing Lloyd Sam has been the Red Bulls’ most dangerous and consistent attacking player so far this year, that’s a matchup that bears watching — as will the Red Bulls’ back line against former teammate Fabian Espindola, who scored nine goals for New York last year.
“It’s going to be great to see Fabian,” Henry said. “He had a good time here, I hope. … It’s going to be nice to see him, a nice guy, good guy in the dressing room.
“We all know the rivalry with them and us. Both teams are kind of suffering at the moment, although they already won a game and we didn’t. So hopefully we can have a good game there and finally get a win.’’