What was said: Red Bulls 1, Atlanta United 0

What was said after Atlanta United’s 1-0 loss to New York Red Bulls on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium:

Interim Head Coach Stephen Glass

On if he received an explanation on the New York goal: “No explanation was given. You can ask them, but they don’t really speak to you after the game to be honest. But, for me the biggest issue is that I believe it’s offside and one of the top referees in the country chooses not to look at it on the monitor. The guy is one of the best referees in the country but does not go and look at the incident, when there is opportunity to do so. No other explanation.”

On how Marcelino Moreno’s play tonight: “In terms of Marcelino, I think he was fantastic. Everyone can see the qualities that he has. He got tired a little bit in the second half. It was a lot to ask of him, but I think he showed why we had the belief to put him in the starting lineup. He has the quality and he showed why he’s at the club.”

On Franco Escobar’s performance at center back tonight: “Yeah, I think we are fortunate we have a player like Franco who can play multiple positions really well. At times, games might suit him better to play center back, but I think he was the best option tonight to take Miles' (Robinson) place and keep Brooks Lennon on the field. We felt it was the best option tonight and he performed fantastically well, like he has done for weeks. He was very disciplined as well, which was fantastic to see.”

On what happened in the second half from his point of view: “I think they probably went in at half and regrouped a little bit. We were certainly very much in control in the first half. In terms of the second half itself, they score early on. The way they are setup to play it now gives them something to cling on to. When you have a team like that, that wants to feed of us and you give them that opportunity then it almost gives them more room to play because we had to go for it. They ended up finding more spaces in the second half and playing longer balls into those spaces. I think it was all based on us not managing to score a goal in the first half.”

On the offensive struggles tonight: “You are playing against a Red Bull team that is setup to stop the other team from playing. There is no doubt that losing a goal so quickly in the second half changes things. I think it made them more resilient and focused defensively, and it didn’t make them open up to have to score a goal anymore. That was it for me. We did have quality on the pitch, but weren’t able to get shots off. We had a couple opportunities off set plays, but tonight wasn’t our night. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, but we got undone by a decision otherwise we are sitting at 0-0 and are in the game.”

On having a lot of speed in the starting lineup: “Yeah it was by design. The way they play and press and stop you, they push numbers forward. When they do commit forward, they leave man for man at the back and we felt that we could potentially exploit those places left open with the extra speed we put into the group tonight.”

On the instructions he gave Marcelino Moreno tonight: “I’ve come across a situation like this a few times in my career, where you arrive pre-match and you meet your teammates and go out and play. I think there has been a lot made of that side of it. You have a really good footballer that showed he’s able to fit into a group of players. We were able to show him video of the team, because we haven’t been able to have him around the group. Personally, I’ve seen the individual trainings from a far, but it’s another indication that we don’t bend the rules in any way, because I haven’t been able to be closely around him. He got his instructions today, because he was allowed to be part of the video group and be around us. Other than that, you just trust that a very good footballer knows how to play. He repaid that belief tonight that we put him in the starting lineup. He showed he’s going to be a fantastic footballer for this club. Putting him in the group today means we will get more from him sooner, rather than wait to put him in the team.”

Atlanta United midfielder Jeff Larentowicz

On Jeff’s vantage point for New York’s goal and if Royer interfered: “Let me ask you a question – the referee said, ‘yes he’s offside.’ He moved his body to get out of the way of the ball. As the ball is traveling toward the goal, does Brad know [Royer] is offside? Probably not. What happens if Royer doesn’t move his body? Does the ball hit him? The ref said he doesn’t make a play on the ball. In that moment, can Brad know that he’s offside and say, ‘oh well I have to save the original shot and Royer is offside?’ Ref said he’s offside. I think Jair [Marrufo] is one of the best ref’s in the league. I think Alan Kelly is probably the best ref in the league and he was the VAR. But I think they get it wrong.”

On what he saw in the second half, particularly after Red Bull scored: “I think they’re a team that is comfortable when they go up. I think the first goal – it’s easy to say now – wins that game from the start. If we’re playing well in the first half and we score that goal, when we’re on top, then I think we win the game. But once they score the goal, they do get comfortable. They’re talented players on the ball. They’re on the ball more often and at that point, we’re chasing.”

On Marcelino Moreno’s performance: “I thought it was a good performance from him, considering the circumstances were incredibly difficult. He literally just walked in and it was our first opportunity to really get to talk to him face-to-face, but he was dangerous, he was causing problems. He took a smack in the face and kept going. I think that it was a good debut.”

On where he thinks the team is in the process of coming from behind to get a goal: “Well I think the first lesson is to score when you’re on top of the game. I think with a young team, you have to understand that. When you’re on the front foot, when you’re dangerous in the first half, you have to score the goal. That’s what changes the game. That’s what the reward for your good play is. Now when the opponent comes in and scores within the first five minutes at the start of the second half – a team that is on the road, a team that struggles to score goals themselves, a team that has been playing long balls all night, playing for second balls – we expect them to sit in. We also struggle to score. So when you put those things together, against a team that is content to sit back, a team that is going to work incredibly hard as a team to defend – as Red Bull always do – it’s going to be difficult. We’re going to push the game. We’re going to try things. That circumstance is going to be difficult, but honestly, the lesson is to score when you’re on top of the game. I said it at halftime when I came in, I think we needed 10-to-15 percent more when we’re in that final third. If we’re getting a half-of-a-step for a cross, you have to have more players in the box. Sometimes we were crossing to nobody and that’s just not going to be able to get it done. To be able to score a goal, you have to be on the front foot, fill the box, get on the end of something and score the goal. I think that we did a good job of combining down the right, I think George [Bello] did a good job with Jake [Mulraney] on the left in the first half, but when the ball gets in the box, there weren’t players there to capitalize. I think the crosses were good enough to get something on the end. But honestly the lesson is not necessarily what you’re going to do when you’re down 1-0 and a team packs it in, the question really is, when we’re on top of the game, can we get a hold of the game by scoring the goal.”

Atlanta United defender Franco Escobar

On Marcelino Moreno and his performance tonight: “Very good. I thought he felt very comfortable. Obviously, he didn’t have the opportunity to train with us and it was a little strange but he felt good, we felt good. He was naturally involved and that is very good. He has to adapt, obviously, but he had a good game.”

On Jeff Larentowicz saying at halftime that the team needed to give an extra 10-20% and what the team is missing in those moments to control a game even more and win: “It’s true what Jeff said. We were playing a good game. We couldn’t convert a goal and entered halftime 0-0. Then, an isolated ball, a cross, a rebound, and today a shot on goal ends in a goal and you feel that in the confidence of the team. We have a lot of young guys and sometimes it’s tough for us to lift our heads quickly. But it’s also due to our confidence and not playing our best and having to shoot ten times on goal to score and on the other side, one shot on goal from an isolated play , not even a goal that they created, and it’s tough for us to play from behind. But it’s up to us, we have to lift our heads, unfortunately we lost but I think another result would have been fair.”

On playing as a center back at before and his partnership today with Anton Walkes: “I was a center back my whole life, later at Newell’s a coach tried me at right back also and I made my debut at that position and played various games there as well but my natural position my whole life has been center back. I feel good, with Fernando Meza, Miles Robinson, Anton Walkes. I adapt and they know me. We’re always communicating and trying to do well. I like playing there and I feel comfortable, at least. It’s a position that I love and feel really comfortable.”xx

Atlanta United coming games

Wednesday at Miami (3-7-2), 8 p.m., FSSE

Oct. 18 at Toronto (6-2-4) in Hartford, Conn., 7:30 p.m., FSSE

Oct. 24 vs. D.C. United (2-5-5), 4 p.m., FSSE

Oct. 28 at Orlando (6-2-4), 7:30 p.m., FS1

Nov. 1 vs. Cincinnati (3-6-3), 7 p.m., FSSE

Nov. 8 at Columbus (8-1-3), 3:30 p.m., FSSE

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