Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Locker Room Reaction

Be sure to read the postgame notes pack below, and to check back later for video highlights of tonight's thrilling 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2009 – LA GALAXY 2, REAL SALT LAKE 2

LOS ANGELES GALAXY HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA

Overall thoughts on the draw:

“I think our team played well tonight. We did what we wanted to do in the first half, and give them credit, they got a good goal off the corner kick. But I thought for the night, on the road, we played a good 90-some minutes – 95 minutes probably, it took that long to get a point out of the game. But I like our team, it’s getting better. We played a good team even and we continue to grow as a team.”

On the finish to the match:

“It’s not easy being a referee; I think we could tell that today. A clear penalty for us, a handball. He calls it, and then it just seems to me that the second one was a make-up call, which seemed odd. But we were fortunate to get the second goal, a great finish by Mike Magee.”

On what gaining the point says about his squad:

“It says a lot about them. We’re starting to grow into a unit. This is about the third game where we’ve been able to play a fairly consistent first eleven. I’m proud of them, they played a good game tonight. I would have hated to have lost this game, but I’m pleased with this point, there’s no question about it. And if you ask Jason [Kreis], I’m sure he’d say he’s disappointed.”

GALAXY MIDFIELDER MIKE MAGEE

On scoring his first goal in a Galaxy uniform:

“First one is always the best, and obviously the game got a little ugly there at the end but I think we deserved a tie and we got it.”

On his late equalizer:

“I saw someone kind of in front of me – they didn’t call it, so I definitely wasn’t offside. I didn’t really see much. I know the ball was bouncing around the top of the box and we had a couple of shots, so I was trying to stay to the side and maybe get a deflection. Then it kind of popped up perfect for me.”

On grinding out results during their five-game undefeated streak:

“We could have had a couple of more wins, but to only lose one game in seven to start off the season says a lot about the team. Especially with a bunch of new guys and after the season we had last year I think we gave too many games. In this year, to have only dropped one game is huge.”


GALAXY FORWARD LANDON DONOVAN

Overall thoughts on the match:

“We kind of put ourselves in a hole. We didn’t have a lot of the ball, but we played pretty solidly and felt good about it out of the gate, but we only had a couple of chances to make a difference until the 80th minute. We let ourselves down a little, but I’m really proud of how we did, just a really good effort tonight.”

On why he’s proud of tonight’s effort:

“I can’t imagine many teams would have come back and gotten something out of that after going on that roller-coaster ride, from tying the game to going down a goal and then just having the fortitude to come back and get something out of the game. We keep making this comment, but last year we would have lost that game.”

On the Galaxy’s road form:

“We haven’t lost a game on the road, and that’s important not only for our psyche, but also we’ve played three Western Conference teams and kept them from getting two more points. And that’s huge. We’ve got to do a better job, and we started last week, of winning our games at home, but if we can keep playing this way we’re going to be in every game we play and have the chance to win them.”


REAL SALT LAKE HEAD COACH JASON KREIS

On the swings of emotion in stoppage:

“Maddening. It was just odd. That just doesn’t happen in soccer too often. But then again, some of that is the way we invited pressure a little bit.”

On the Mike Magee equalizer:

“I haven’t had a chance to see it, but I’m dying to see it. I’m a little confused on how that whole play happened. It seemed like we had a couple of chances to clear and we couldn’t get it past their defenders. Then it comes back into us and the shot seems like it’s from a very low angle. But when you put all those people in the box, strange things happen.”

On whether he would change anything in the last 10-15 minutes:

“We tried to shift shapes and went to a 4-5-1, and there’s been a couple of occasions now where we just can’t figure out how to play out of that. I think it almost gives our guys a complete defensive mentality, that we don’t have to play soccer now, and so it’s something we need to revisit.

“Having said that, I don’t think it’s fair to take all the blame on the coaching staff. Our guys have to figure out how to play that way as well. We’re going to have to learn to play other ways and we’re going to have to learn how to gain our results.”

REAL SALT LAKE FORWARD ROBBIE FINDLEY

On how it feels to end in a tie after taking back a late lead:

“Doesn’t feel good at all. I actually thought it was over, but they were able to tie it back up again. But we’ll be alright, we’ll go to the next game and be okay.”

On his 1st half goal:

“I was able to get free in the middle by the ‘keeper, and I made my run and it paid off.”

REAL SALT LAKE GOALKEEPER CHRIS SEITZ

On the Mike Magee stoppage-time equalizer:

“They were whipping long balls in towards the end. The ball dropped to a guy’s foot and I think (Magee) did well with it. It was a tough angle, and I will have to go back and look at it, but I think he did well with it.”

On his first start for RSL in League play since 2007:

“I will have to go back and look at it, but obviously I can always learn from every game. I’ll get as much as I can and try and learn from it.”

REAL SALT LAKE MIDFIELDER WILL JOHNSON

On the result:

“That’s a tough one to swallow, but we’ve got a game in two days and we’ve got to regroup and get focused”

On the stoppage-time action:

“I have never seen anything like that before. [The penalty call was] one of those ones where I didn’t see the ball coming over, hits the ground, hits my hand … and sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way.”

On stepping up and taking the PK shortly after:

“I knew I needed to make up, and I wanted to put that on my shoulders. I’ve taken penalties for a few teams and I feel confident, I feel like I can strike a good ball. Penalties for me are all about confidence, and I don’t feel that I am short on that.”

1 comment:

charlesj27 said...

I know that for the coaches, especially Bruce, getting that tie in the very last minute was a huge relief. Hence, I can understand why he would say such optimistic (dare say "glowing") comments about the team. I respect Landon, Eddie, Chris, Gregg, Tony, Donovan - their experience, their professionalism, and their stability within the team. I know that's important. But, yesterday's performance - to me - was not something to get elated and cheery about. The progress in attack and being able to hold onto the ball was definitely "A-Miss". I know the Galaxy Media have their job to do in how to present the results and "spin it". Okay - whatever, I guess. This team can play much more better than that. In my gut, I know it... I just know it... but, they have got to play with more responsibility, guts, and energy! Teams like Real Salt Lake, Chivas USA, Seattle Sounders FC - these teams will surely over-take us in attack and chances, if we continue to play so casually. I say it again - some one or some folks ahve got to spend the time with many of our players to help them learn how to keep posession, hold onto it (especially in the opponents' final third), pass forward, keeping it tight & accurate, and finish on chances! Landon is correct... Winning home games is a MUST!!! I hope the captains and the coaches will really emphasize how important it is for all of our players to improve and be a lot more alert & opporunistic in attack. Again, an attack sequence is only as good as the execution of it!