After being acquired on Monday, and with just two days of practice, new Red Bull Dax McCarty started last night at San Jose. And if early indications are to be believed, the 24-year-old is exactly what they bargained for; a feisty two-way midfielder who plays simply, quickly and with the kind of grit this team needs.
“I’ve played against him when we played in Washington. I knew he was going to be a good player; I really enjoyed playing with him,’’ said Teemu Tainio, who started alongside McCarty in the Red Bulls’ new-look 4-4-2. “He’s good with the ball, works hard, modern footballer. I’m very pleased.’’
McCarty was acquired from archrival D.C. United on Monday _ along with loads of salary cap space _ in exchange for 33-year-old all-star Dwayne De Rosario. Last night the Red Bulls scrapped their diamond midfield for a more flat 4-4-2, with McCarty joining and Tainio as twin holding midfielders.
“He played great,’’ said Norwegian assistant coach Jan Halvor Halvorsen, who ran the team last night with head coach Hans Backe recovering from a minor operation. “The first game he’d been with us and he fit right in from the first kick.’’
Team captain and Designated Player Thierry Henry _ who has an MLS-high eight goals, all from the run of play _ was a last-minute scratch with flu-like symptoms, but up to this point he’s occupied the same spaces as De Rosario, and the partnership often saw the latter marginalized and the defense exposed.
The move for McCarty made the Red Bulls nine years younger at the position, and cheaper, with McCarty under contract for $175,000 while De Rosario makes $493,000 this year _ albeit a big chunk paid by Toronto FC _ and looking for Designated Player money next season.
But on the field, it also allows Henry to be the focal point, with wide midfielders Joel Lindpere and Dane Richards giving support and a block of six players defending. Lindpere responded with the first brace of his MLS career, and the team hopes to get Henry back Wednesday against Toronto.
“I think that if (McCarty) plays, with two real holding players then, me and Dane we don’t need to run like hell all around. Everyone can see we have more power and freedom to attack,’’ said Lindpere. “It gives us more responsibilities. Six players, plus a keeper it should be enough to hold the back line. Every team practices against six defenders and it’s quite impossible to score.’’
The Red Bulls haven’t been impossible to score on for some time now, coughing up two goals last night and having to rally for a road point.
“You have to say it’s a good result coming from behind. I thought we were the better team, created numerous chances in the first half, could’ve been in the locker room up 3-0,’’ said McCarty. “Sometimes it’s a cruel game, though. We battled back and got a deserved draw.’’
Despite having only two days of training with his new team, McCarty was influential on the game, interchanging well with Tainio in central midfield and making several sharp longballs over the top to Juan Agudelo and Dane Richards.
“I felt good. Honestly, I felt the most comfortable I’ve felt the whole year,’’ said McCarty. “The players on this team are all extremely comfortable with the ball, like to pass and play a style of soccer that I like, and that suits me very well.
“We broke down their midfield numerous times in the first half. I just felt like I knew the guys’ movements, knew where the other midfielders were going to be. Hopefully we can build on this. We have two home games coming up, and we need six points.
McCarty reserved special praise for his central midfield partner, Tainio.
“Fantastic player,’’ McCarty gushed. “When you play with him, you really find out what a good player he is, a clean player (with the ball)…It’s very easy to read his movements and what he’s going to do. I thought our understanding was very good and (for 60-65 minutes) we dominated the midfield.’’