MLS POSTGAME QUOTE SHEET
REAL SALT LAKE 1 : 0 MONTREAL IMPACT
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2012
RIO TINTO STADIUM – SANDY, UT
REAL SALT LAKE COACH JASON KREIS
On RSL’s performance and the three points:
“I think it would be hypocritical for me to come in here and say that I’m way pleased, because I’m not. We lost a game a few weeks ago (against Chivas USA), and I was pleased with the performance and displeased with the result; tonight I’m just displeased with the performance. It’s the first game this year that I can say that honestly. In the second half we came out and did a much better job. We probably should have scored a goal in the first 15 minutes (of the second half), but unfortunately we didn’t. Lots of things to be displeased about and only one to be pleased with, which is the three points.”
On his side’s struggles tonight:
“I think tactically in the first half we didn’t find the spaces to exploit. I didn’t think our balance in the midfield was good, which meant we didn’t have options. When we had the ball we kept trying to squeeze things into players that were already marked, and we gave the ball away a lot. We could have and should have been punished for that.”
On the play of forward Paulo Junior:
“He was actually one of the few players that was really bright on the ball in the first half, making some things happen every time he touched it. He worked really, really hard, and I am pleased with his wanting to take the penalty kick.”
On his impressions of Montreal:
“I think for Montreal it’s too early to say their outcome. It’s a team with some interesting pieces and talented players. I think that they will have a lot of confidence coming away from this game, just as they did with the first 45 minutes of New York. So they got some real positives to draw off of, but I know it can be difficult to continue to have bad results.”
On Saturday’s game versus Colorado:
“I expect and demand a better effort from all the guys, and I’m quite certain I will get it. It should be a great game because Colorado is a very good team this year. They are looking quite different than they have over the past several seasons, and maybe it will be a beautiful soccer game.”
REAL SALT LAKE GOALKEEPER NICK RIMANDO
On his performance tonight:
“Honestly, the other guys make it easy for me out there. When I am called upon I try to do my best and do my duty and control the box. My best game is when I don’t touch the ball.”
On the quick turnaround from allowed two goals in Portland to a clean sheet tonight:
“I think we just lost our concentration a little bit in Portland on two plays, on throw-ins, and we made it known this week that we couldn’t have those mistakes on throw-ins. Today really wasn’t a pretty game, but good teams grind out those wins and we got the three points. That is what matters.”
REAL SALT LAKE MIDFIELDER WILL JOHNSON
On RSL’s inability to pull away from Montreal:
“We didn’t quite put them away tonight for whatever reason. You always come up disappointed when you have chances to put the game away, to bury a team, because we are not always going to be as lucky as we were tonight with some of the chances that they had.”
On his current fitness level:
“It’s good, but it always takes a couple of games to get going. But I feel pretty good and I just want to get a few more games under my belt and build my fitness level. It doesn’t come in one or two games, it comes in four or five.”
REAL SALT LAKE DEFENDER JAMISON OLAVE
On the physical battle between him and Justin Braun
“He is a very good forward. He wanted to give us his best show, but that is how it is every game. Every game we have a fight. I really don’t like those physical battles, I like playing against forwards like [Seattle’s Fredy] Montero and [Fabian Espindola], more technical forwards.”
MONTREAL IMPACT HEAD COACH JESSE MARSCH
On the effort in defeat:
“I felt like that was a real team out on the road. They battled for each other. They played some good football. They came into a really tough place against a good team and played really, really well. That’s another step in the right direction.”
On the overall play of the team:
“Right now the results aren’t going our way, and it hurts. We’re just trying to put this thing together because there is such a strong belief in what we have here. We’re going to get this thing over the hump, and it’s going to happen soon because you keep seeing the team get better and better every game.”
On the performance of goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts:
“He’s a good goalie and he makes big saves, that’s what he does. The save he made in the second half on the [Fabian Espindola] header kept us in the game for sure. We’re counting on him.”
On the upcoming game versus Toronto FC:
“We really think we have a good roster and we’ve got to recharge the batteries and get ready to throw it all out there on Saturday.”
MONTREAL IMPACT FORWARD JUSTIN BRAUN
On his hand ball that resulted in a penalty kick in the first half:
“I’m not going to really talk about that. [The referee] called it so I guess it’s a PK, but I felt like my hand was on my side.”
On coming back to play in his hometown:
“It’s always fun to come back and play in front of friends and family. I’m always looking forward to coming back here and getting this opportunity, but it’s kind of disappointing to walk away with the result we did. I thought that the team put in a good effort out there and that we deserved to walk away with some points.”
MONTREAL IMPACT GOALKEEPER DONOVAN RICKETTS
On the frustration of playing a close match and not getting a result:
“It’s a work in progress. It’s good to be confident, and the results will come. It’s important that we just hold our heads up and play each game and the results will come. It’s an expansion team; we are going to have a few setbacks, but we are determined to get it right.”
On whether or not the 5-2 result against the Red Bulls impacted this match:
“No, you just put each game behind you and you look forward to another game. We wanted to get a result here today and we decided we have to play good in each individual position, so I just did what I had to do to help my team.”
MONTREAL IMPACT MIDFIELDER COLLEN WARNER
On playing against his former team in a visiting uniform:
“It was a different feel. I’ve never been in (the visiting) locker room before, but it was nice to come home. We had a few extra days before the match and I got to see the guys, but, come game time, it was definitely weird running out there.”
On whether or not Montreal is getting closer to where they need to be:
“Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it, but I think we are. We put up another good fight and I think that’s first and foremost what Jesse (Marsch) wants out of us. That’s what we want to put out there on the field.”
