Is there a doctor in the house?
The Red Bulls limp into tomorrow’s first-place battle against the Columbus Crew at Red Bull Arena seemingly with more injured players than fit ones.
Starting central midfielders Joel Lindpere and Carl Robinson are out, as are wing Brian Nielsen and forward Salou Ibrahim. When you add in Mac Kandji, Kevin Goldthwaite, Austin da Luz and Giorgi Chirgadze, there are a total of eight players unavailable tomorrow.
“Other players have to step in to perform tomorrow, it’s a good chance for three, four, five of them,” Red Bulls coach Hans Backe said. “This is rather exciting for a coach to see.”
Backe said Ibrahim will be out for a maximum of two weeks with a right hamstring strain, though the forward is already about six days into that recovery. Nielsen is suffering right knee pain following surgery a fewl months ago, Robinson had his right knee drained again yesterday and will likely resume training Monday and Lindpere will be out for a week with a groin strain.
Suddenly, a Red Bulls team that hasn’t scored in back-to-back MLS matches is waif-thin in the attacking third. Backe, for one, is anxious to see how his team responds to consecutive losses, including the team’s first at Red Bull Arena.
“I’m really, really looking forward to seeing how we respond tomorrow,” Backe said. “I don’t think it was any poor game we played against Seattle, I think it was nil-nil, definitely few chances, a battle, not the best rhythm in the game. “
Speedy Dane Richards with partner with Juan Pablo Angel up front, while versatile Seth Stammler should slide back centrally in the midfield with rookie Tony Tchani. Roy Miller is healthy and could play as a left wing, while Sinisa Ubiparipovic may start on the outside right.
Richards, who struggled against Seattle, is looking forward to playing up top against the Crew. He scored in back-to-back games last year as a forward and has said he’s formed a nice partnership with Angel.
“He always loves to go short for the ball so when he goes short for the ball, the space that he creates behind I try to run to that space and collect balls,” Richards said.
One positive on the injury front is the likely return to MLS of Chris Albright, who missed nearly the entire 2009 season following knee surgery. The veteran fullback said he tweaked his groin in training and wisely held himself out of Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Seattle.
“I feel a lot better than the other night,” Albright said. “I kind of agonized whether to give it a go the other night and in hindsight I could have never gone so it was good to rest it.”
Tomorrow’s game is an early battle for Eastern Conference supremacy, a situation the Red Bulls haven’t had in a few years. Currently, the Red Bulls are atop the East with 15 points, one in front of Columbus, which has two games in hand and will be without catalyst Guillermo Barros Schelotto (suspension) as well as Robbie Rogers and Chad Marshall, who are with the United States National Team.
“A battle for first place is nice,” Richards said. “Last year I remember we went to San Jose we were battling not to finish last. Battling for first place is really nice to hear.”
