When the New York Red Bulls made a run to the Concacaf Champions League semifinals, while needing to carefully balance the early portion of the MLS season, they did so by utilizing their depth.
Several key starters were rested in early-season MLS games and the club didn’t miss a beat, getting comprehensive wins over the Portland Timbers and Minnesota United FC.
Because of that success, it could be argued the Red Bulls are the deepest team in MLS. That assertion will certainly be put to the test in a brutal stretch of games without some key pieces over the next few weeks.
It starts Saturday night when the Red Bulls bring a five-match unbeaten streak to Gillette Stadium to face the New England Revolution.
What follows is a fourth-round U.S. Open Cup showdown with New York City FC Wednesday night at Red Bull Arena and a massive road encounter against Columbus Crew SC next Saturday.
The Red Bulls will be without a big part of their spine in those matches with central defender Tim Parker and defensive midfielder Tyler Adams called into the United States national team camp for friendlies the next two Saturdays in Ireland and France.
Having recently made the one-time FIFA international switch, Kaku will look to make his Paraguay debut when joins their camp on June 5 for a friendly against Japan in Austria on June 12.
And of course, defenders Fidel Escobar and Michael Murillo are with Panama for the World Cup in Russia.
“I said today that right now we have to have a mentality that for the next 17 days that we have a total group of guys that is ready to do whatever it takes in each game and to have the right mentality to grind out some results,” Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch said.
That likely means the return of veteran Aurelien Collin to partner in central defense with Aaron Long, while Connor Lade’s number will be called at outside back.
There’s a few options in central midfield, including Marc Rzatkowski, Vincent Bezecourt and Cristian Casseres and extended minutes for players like Ben Mines, Carlos Rivas and Derrick Etienne Jr., who came on as a second-half substitute for Haiti in a friendly against Argentina at the historic Bombonera in Buenos Aries on Tuesday.
They’ve answered the bell early and now they’ll get their chance again in June.
“I think we’ve had a lot of guys waiting in the wings to get their chance,” midfielder Sean Davis said. “We have a very youthful team, but a very hungry team and a lot of guys who I think we can count on to step up. Those guys have been training really well, working really hard behind the scenes and I think they’re ready to show what they can do in this next stretch of games.”
Added Danny Royer: “We still have a big squad, a really good squad, we’re working really hard every day. I think all the other players already knew there would be a time where some players are out for the international break so they’d have to be ready. I think they will be.”
When those players return, Marsch said, they will be better for having the international experience.
“It builds players confidence and self-belief,” Marsch said. “When you get opportunities to play against the best players in the world at some of the best venues in the world, you bring it with you and you keep it with you. The pride and confidence you have that you can play at that stage I think you bring back with you to your club.”