QUOTE SHEET
REAL SALT LAKE 0-1 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
CENTURYLINK FIELD; MAY 20, 2016
Real Salt Lake
Head Coach Mike Petke
On what changes they made:
“There was definitely a tactical change. The way the first half played out… I don’t want to say it was the way we wanted it to, but that’s what we expected and we were going to sit deeper and we were going to counter. We had somebody like Omar [Holness] playing right in a bit of a specialty role to really limit [Joevin] Jones getting in the game and then Lodeiro. The stats that we looked at, it was unbelievable – the number one passing combo on their team is Jones to Lodeiro on that side and we wanted to limit that. We knew we weren’t going to have much of the ball in the first half and we were okay with that. I thought they did a fantastic job up until falling asleep on the goal. In the second half, when we started to realize there were some tired legs, we decided to bring on [Jefferson] Savarino and Luke [Mulholland] specifically to open the game up. Then we went to more of a traditional one up top, two wide, one central, one holding and then one going box to box. I thought they created a ton of stuff and it seemed like on some of those chances that a stiff wind would’ve blown one in. But I told the guys after the game, and they understand and I think they agree, that this was not a loss tonight. We made so many strides in what we want to do and who we want to be in this one game alone. I’m proud of them.”
On what strides the team made in the game:
“The mentality and listening specifically to what we wanted to do – the game plan. Over the last three or four weeks, there’s always been a slip up and it always had to do with the game plan and guys falling asleep or not listening – who knows. But today, it seemed everybody to a man, did [listen].”
On Nick Rimando’s play:
“That’s why he’s the best in history, to me, if you put everything together. I’ll put it this way: there’s nobody better than him. I don’t want to insult any guys in the past, but that’s what you want from your goalkeeper – to come up with saves like that and keep you in the game. It gave us a chance to stick around and hopefully get a point out of it or three, but we just couldn’t get it done on the other end.”
On the biggest takeaway going forward:
“Again, I think this is a huge step in who we want to be and what we want to accomplish. I know that might sound weird after a loss, and you’ve never heard me say this before, but I think their mentality and them buying in a lot more was really evident tonight.”
On if Yura Movsisyan is still affected by the shot he took to the face:
“No, he got cleared for everything. That was a tactical move. I thought in this game, the way we wanted to play, that (Joao) Plata and Luis (Silva) were better suited for it.”
On getting Plata going:
“I think he’s frustrated, and he should be, because he wants to score goals and help the team. I’ve been very happy with Plata over the last two or three weeks, I really have. I think he’s going in the right direction. Someone like Plata feels the game. His experience and where he’s from, you feel the game. I don’t put many restrictions on these guys in the final third. I don’t let them have free reign, but I’m very clear that if you isolate somone out wide, I’ll never get on you for losing the ball. I want you to go at them. Perhaps there are better options, but we’ll get there.”
Midfielder Kyle Beckerman
On today’s game:
“Yeah, I mean I think we are a little disappointed not to get something out of it. There was a lot of good work, a lot of hard work, but we just came up short today.”
On tactics and changes in the second half creating more chances:
“I think offensively in the second half we were much more dangerous. It was kind of our game plan, we came in and we knew we were going to be defending, especially early in the first half, and that was part of the plan. Then when we went a goal down, you are going to have to come out, so it was a good response. We just were not able to get that goal to change the game.”
On the consistency of Nick Rimando:
“It doesn't surprise us anymore. Nick has been steady for so long now and deserves every record he has gotten. We are just lucky to have him on the team.”
On the next game at home vs. Philadelphia:
“It is another opportunity to react after a loss. It will be a very important game… I think they are on a nice little run right now. It will take everything we got to get a result and one we are going to need bad.”
Goalkeeper Nick Rimando
On saving the Dempsey penalty:
“It doesn't matter who it is. We are going out there to win and get three points. My job is to try to make that stop. Luckily, I did. Unfortunately, we were not able to capitalize and tie the game up and get a goal in the second half. It doesn't matter who it is, my job is to try to save it.”
On the goal:
“Very frustrating. Corner kick. Roldan has a bloody nose. I was trying to get him off the field. The referee was not looking at me. He let him stay on the field. Of course the ball bounces around and they score off that. Unlucky. Deflection. I thought the guys… stuck to the game plan and we frustrated them I thought. They didn't have many chances, just over the top. We did well. Coming in at one-zero at half time, a lot of guys had hope and some confidence that we might nick one and unfortunately we didn't.”
On the team shifting a bit after your save:
“You try to give your team a boost any way you can. I think that if they sink that then, you know we are searching a little bit more and throwing players higher and giving them a little bit more up top. When it is one-zero there is a different mentality of keeping it one-zero but also trying to get a goal. Savarino came in and did a great job, went after them. Combining with Albert [Rusnák] and Plata. It was great. Again, it is unfortunate we didn't get one. It is always tough coming up here and playing on the turf. Hopefully when we get back Saturday, on the grass, that same confidence and belief will happen and get three points.”
Seattle Sounders FC
Head Coach Brian Schmetzer
On the team getting a win after a tough road trip:
“We had a couple of tough home games before that. So I’ll say yes, it was very good to get three points. I think everybody in that locker room is pretty happy, including the coaches.”
On the return of Brad Evans:
“[Getting Brad back] was good. You saw what he brings. He brings some experience, brings leadership, his quality of play in the attack is good, so it was good. Very happy to have him back, and I know he’s happy to be able to contribute to the team. I think that was wearing on him a little bit, so I thought it was all around a good day for him.”
On whether the team had a ‘let-off’ after the PK save:
“I think that’s maybe not a let-off from our side. When a goalkeeper of the opposition, or even if it’s Stef [Frei], saves a penalty it usually lifts that team. I think what you saw was a renewed determination by RSL. Not sure that our guys played -- well they didn’t play as well -- but the cause of it was, I think, more RSL picking the tempo up. You’ve got to credit [Nick] Rimando. That’s what he does. He’s the all-time MLS save leader. He made a good play for his team and kept them in the game.”
On Cristian Roldan’s performance:
“They all gutted it out. Cristian was one of the guys that had played all three games in a week and he gutted it out. You could see they were getting a little bit winded at the end, but he’s got a good motor. He continues to work and he continues to play smart, which is why we love that kid.”
On the importance of Harry Shipp’s goal:
“[It was] massive. Because then we could play from 1-0 up, instead of 0-0 at home or 0-1 down or any of the other scenarios we’ve had the first 12 games of the season. So it’s very vital for us to score that goal.”
Goalkeeper Stefan Frei
On getting three points:
“Three points is the most important. We’ve said it numerous times and we believe it, that we’ve had good games but nothing to show for it. At some point it doesn’t really matter how you’re going to score goals and get results, you’re just going to have to do it. Today was a perfect example of that. We force an error, we have to put defenses under pressure. And you know we score one of the uglier goals but it just counts just as much as a perfect goal. So happy with that, probably would have liked to be up by more than just one goal. I think we had the opportunity to do that but to take the positive away from that I think we had to put in a really solid effort defensivly the shutout was needed and we had to earn it. It wasn’t an easy 4-0 blowout where the opponent gives up and that’s it. It’s a close game where the opponent is sniffing an opportunity and we really had to be sharp defensively and I think it’s going to give us some confidence defensively going forward.”
On having Evans back:
“It was great. He’s a leader, he’s a veteran, his soccer IQ is extremely high. That allows him to slot into a number of positions. It’s really good to see him play extended minutes and come out of it unscathed, it’s been a bit of an issue for him to stay on the pitch for longer and we need him, we need him to come back not just for one game but for a longer stretch. To me he’s an integral part of this team and he had a solid game today and showed why he’s important.”
On what worked for the team in the first half:
“I think we were confident, I think we were maybe a bit angry with the way that we have always been coming up a bit short for the last couple of games. Really playing at home and dictating the pace and forcing that goal. We had numerous good chances and then finally it goes in. I think we can do better in finishing this game and taking our chances even better. Most importantly we will take the three points.”
Defender Brad Evans
On Evans calling this game a must win:
“Of course [I meant calling this game a must win]. Where we are in the standings is an unfamiliar territory and for me at least it was a must win. This has got to be a place where it’s a guarantee.”
On how Evans feels physically:
“Obviously I’m excited to get back in the starting lineup. I make the first run and he rips me down, it was a nice warm welcome to the game but you know but I powered through 60, 65 minutes, felt like I probably could have gone longer. But it was smart to get the minutes under the belt and go from there.
On what he saw today that worked well:
“In the first half we created a number of opportunities I think we used Jordan’s [Morris] strengths tonight more than we have in the past, turning around centerbacks. Their line was pretty high for playing away. They felt confident. I thought that with some good balls behind we created some chances and we could have been up two, three-nothing in the first half and we’re easy sailing. Second half we come up and start pretty well and then the game gets away with us. It always seems that Salt Lake is a second half team against us at home. They find their own and made a couple subs and smelled life after an unfortunate penalty miss and then a couple turnovers from multiple guys and we put ourselves under pressure, shot ourselves in the foot a little bit. Good to hang on and get the result.”