Despite overcoming last season’s four-game winless start to earn MLS’ best record, the Red Bulls don’t want to have to dig themselves out of another hole this year. After getting crushed 4-1 in last weekend’s season-opener, captain Thierry Henry warned against another slow start and coach Mike Petke cautioned against a Supporters’ Shield hangover.
The Red Bulls will try to avoid both in Saturday’s home opener against Colorado.
“We were talking about it in the dressing room,” said Henry, who saw his team stumble out of the gate 0-2-2 last year. “I was talking with Peguy [Luyindula]. Against Philly, we won our first game. We don’t want to be in the same situation.
“You want to perform well as soon as we can. We didn’t want to lose in Vancouver, but it happened, so obviously you want to bounce back as soon as you can and that starts against Colorado.’’
Colorado will mark the season debut for both Henry and centerback Jamison Olave, both of whom sat out in Vancouver to spare longstanding injuries on the Whitecaps’ artificial turf. The Red Bulls sorely missed both, and have to shore up a leaky defense that has coughed up eight goals in their last two games, the preseason finale against USL side Orlando and the regular-season opener.
“Obviously it’s a concern. I’m human. Eight goals in two games is not good enough,’’ Petke said. “But I wouldn’t pin that all on the back line. Too many times we see the ball go in and [assume] it was the goalkeeper or back line’s fault. Well, the ball had to come from somewhere and we had to give the ball away at some point. It’s about breaking those things down — and we have.’’
Petke refused to accept turnover on the back four and the defender’s unfamiliarity as an excuse. He did acknowledge the very real possibility of his team facing a hangover after winning the first meaningful trophy in its history, adding they need to leave the Supporters’ Shield in the past so they can focus on the present.
“I know what we accomplished last year was important for the supporters, important for myself, for the players, but it’s a new year now,” Petke said. “I completely understand that they want to do something, and that’s why I love them so much, but it’s about getting back on the right foot at home against Colorado.
“I understand the significance and importance of last year, but it’s last year and we have to move on. I have no issue or problems with the fans or organization doing whatever they have planned. It’s an important part of this team’s history now. But after that we really need to move and focus, because we can’t have Supporters’ Shield hangover. If you have that, you’re setting yourself up for something bad.’’