New York Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch was ready to vent after a rough loss to the New England Revolution on Wednesday night.
The Red Bulls had a chance to secure qualification for the MLS postseason with a win, but dropped the match 2-1, losing its top spot in the Eastern Conference, too.
"It wasn’t a good performance, one of our worst of the year," Marsch said after the match. "It’s frustrating to know that this was a big game with first place on the line and to come to a tough place and not be at our best."
There's no need for panic, though, as the Red Bulls' postseason fate is a matter of when, not if. The club is set to secure another playoff spot this season, but is now battling to do so earlier than the 34-game mark at October's end.
Early qualification may be a touch more difficult for New York on the weekend fixture against the Portland Timbers - the Red Bulls will be without both Dax McCarty and Connor Lade, who are both suspended. But that's not a worry for Marsch.
"We’ll have guys ready to go. I’m not concerned about that," he said. "We’ve got a deep group here and guys that understand their role. It’ll be a good opportunity for some different guys to step on the field and show what they’re about."