Postgame Interview with Sean Franklin

Following our interview with Sean Franklin on the field, we headed into the locker room to find out what the rest of the guys had to say about tonight's win.

Enjoy...

LA Galaxy Head Coach Bruce Arena
On the overall game:

“It was a hard game. I thought we looked a little tired. I think this time of year it’s really difficult for a team to play two games in a short period of time, like we had to do. We aren’t fit enough, and our recovery is not what it needs to be. We had a light week to try and recover and get our legs back to play this game tonight so we could play this game tonight, but we were still pretty fatigued. Maybe later in the year it’s a little easier for a team to recover. I think that they looked like the sharper team physically tonight, perhaps the extra day’s rest was a fact in the game. Given the fact I thought our opponent played hard tonight, I think that we were opportunistic. The early goal was important goal in the game. They had no chances really in the entire game, until [Jesus] Padilla had that outstanding opportunity and [Maicon] Santos at the end of the game. For the game, we played well defensively. I don’t think we were sharp on the ball. I think our opponent played well and played real hard. It was a challenging game for us. We had a lot of young players on the field, and it’s another good experience for them. We are looking forward to getting some of our players back over the next couple of weeks and add a little bit more experience into the line up. Obviously, to start off the season with two wins—we’re pleased with that. It’s a good start but we certainly realized that we have to get better in all areas.”

On the Galaxy’s defense:

“I think Omar Gonzalez is doing well and I think that Leonardo has been excellent. Our two center backs have been outstanding. They are good players. I think Omar has more confidence. I think he can grow more as a player, and will. I think defensively our center backs—they’ve been real good in these first two games.”

On Edson Buddle’s performance:

“Edson’s been great. He’s ability to hold a ball under pressure is outstanding. I think at times tonight during the first half he was caught up on his own a little bit and he did an outstanding job of getting a hold of the ball and being dangerous individually or bringing his teammates into the game. He’s had a remarkable start to the season.”

On Landon Donovan’s role with the Galaxy:

“We are asking Landon to do a lot of things. He’s asked to play make, he’s asked to defend, he’s asked to get out on the break, and at times, he’ll certainly be asked to be a forward and a goal scorer. We just have a very versatile player—an outstanding player. And again, at this point of the season, when we have to patch up a few holes, he’s patching up the holes. I think tonight his performance was better than any other opening game. He was involved from the opening kickoff to the end.”

LA Galaxy forward Landon Donovan
On beating Chivas USA (Translated from Spanish to English)…

“It was an important win. It’s early in the season, but right now there are six points between them and us and we are in first place of the league, so it was very important.”

On the play of Edson Buddle:

“Edson was fantastic. He’s being rewarded for a lot of hard work. You guys don’t know this, but he was in here the whole offseason working hard to get himself ready for the season. The goals are what get him the headlines, but he’s doing a lot of things for our team right to help us win. When he’s healthy he’s as good as any forward in this league and we expect him to keep going. Another tough matchup next week, on the road [at Houston], and the way he’s confidence is we want to keep feeding him the ball.”

On the physical play of the game:

“Our competitiveness was very good and in this game that has to be the starting point. Whether you play on the night as a team doesn’t really matter, you have to be able to compete and I think we outcompeted them, we outworked them and we outran them and I think that’s why we won.”

On difference from last year to this year:

“We’re happy with the victory, but we know we can be a lot better. However, last year, we knew we could be a lot better and we had one point at this point in the season. So, we’ve learned how to win, which is very important, you can’t underestimate that, but we can get a lot better. We will continue to improve, but the basis of understanding how to win games is very important.”

LA Galaxy Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts
On his shutout:

“I’m always happy with a clean sheet but it was more important that we won. We’ve been doing well defensively all year. In the preseason we were keeping clean sheets so it’s no surprise that we haven’t given up a goal yet. We just hope to be able to carry that all the way through the season.”

On his save on Jesus Padilla in the second half:

“He found me, I didn’t save it. He hit it right at me.”

On the team’s current mindset:

“It’s always good coming off two clean sheets, your confidence is high so hopefully we can continue and get another result and a clean sheet in Houston.”

LA Galaxy midfielder Chris Birchall
On the game’s key moment:

“I think it was getting the second goal. I think that killed the contest off. Chivas were winning the game and they had chances in the last 10 minutes but we were resilient, and defended well as a team. We were a bit sloppy at times but at the end of the day we won 2-0 and got our second win of the season.”

On the play of the midfield:

“It’s hard when you play against Chivas because they have four or five players that can interchange in the midfield and it’s hard to keep track of the runners. We had a job to do, to kill the passing lanes, trying to not let them play from back to front and we did that well at times. We still need to improve, but we’re getting there and the midfield did well.”

On getting the second win of the year:

“It’s great. We still haven’t played that well. We’ve done what we had to do, we haven’t conceded a goal, which is a credit to the whole team, but the defense and Donovan especially. Six points from two games – you can’t argue with that.”

LA Galaxy Forward Edson Buddle
On his first goal:

“(In training) we do a lot of crossing and finishing. Sean [Franklin] was able to put in a good ball. For a split second, I didn’t think I was going to get to it but I just decided to run hard, and when I realized I could get to it I got a good head on it. I was able to keep it down and get it in the back of the net.”

On his form:

“I feel good, to tell you the truth. Tonight my legs felt very well. I was able to run in the first half on to a lot of balls and get behind the defense. And I was able to hold the ball up and find players running through. I’m feeling better good right now.”

LA Galaxy Midfielder Dema Kovalenko
On the Galaxy’s defense:

“That’s what the coaches always say, defenses win championships. We are good offensively—we have good enough players. Landon, Edson, [Alan] Gordon, when he gets healthy, Juninho and Mike [Magee], we’ll always have a chance to score. But if we keep the other team at zero, you are always going to have a chance. That’s what we have to concentrate on. We still have to work, and we have to get better. It’s important.”

On beating Chivas USA:

“They are a good team. You can see today they kept the ball moving. Today was just our day. We have a lot of respect for them, and I’m sure they have a lot of respect for us. It doesn’t matter when you look at the stats who won the last three games or four games in doesn’t matter—you’re as good as your place game. Today was our day, and tomorrow is a new day.”