New York Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch
Q. How gratifying is it to see your team fight back like that?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, first, I think Philly's a good team. They came in here, they played hard. They made it hard on us, kept coming at us. I thought overall it was a really good game. A good game for the league and a good game to watch, and a good game to be a part of.
For us, I think to get smacked in the mouth twice, right? I mean, to go down and then even when it seemed under control at 2-1, and for them to deliver another punch and for us to get stronger, right? I think we got stronger as the game went on, we got better. We were more committed, more focused, more concentrated, and then it leads to us eventually getting the win.
So I told them after the game that for two years we've talked so much about getting better when things got tougher. And I think watching that tonight, I was really impressed with our group. I was really impressed with their commitment, with their sharpness, with their competitive will, with their heart and character, so much in there that we've been trying to be about for two years. So I think this group's coming together in a good way.
Q. Jesse, congratulations again. It seems like every time we turn around you have the lead for at least a half hour, we'll see what happens in the end of game. But do you recall during your coaching days or playing days literally every time there is a playing date, a new team takes the lead in the division or conference?
JESSE MARSCH: It's hard to recall all the years of different battles. When I was at Chivas, we always had really good battles with Houston. When I was with Chicago, we had battles with Columbus and with Dallas, sometimes with New York. So, you know, I mean, I think when I watched last night's game, I see a New York team that's very good and very committed and organized. I like that.
Obviously, we're all rooting for Houston to get points so that we can set ourselves up. But I think that team is doing well, and it's driven us. It has driven us in so many different ways. The bad start, the giving up leads, to being tested by other teams doing well. It has made us hungry, and it has made us drive to do better, to get better, to be the best.
So that's where we're at right now, and we're going to stay focused on that, and we're going to stay focused on ourselves. But I think we're being pushed by a lot of different things right now, and our group is responding.
Q. Just when the match started, first 13 games coming in as a coach you're just kind of wondering when the team's going to maybe lay an egg or start to have a bad match. The way this game started, was there any worry in the first 10, 15? Did they look flat, did they look energized? Did you see that in the beginning?
JESSE MARSCH: No, in that moment, it was like, all right, come on, let's go. Let's see what we're made of. That's where we're at with this group. I believe in them. I trust them implicitly. I just believe in these guys right now. So for me as a coach, it's just trying to feed them the right information. Get them as regenerated and healthy and focused for the next match. Come up with clear game plans and let them do what they're doing.
So that's what's been the key, I think. You guys have heard me say this many times, but the more they take over, the better we are. It's my job now to figure out how to reinforce things but also how to let them continue to take this. This is their team, and that's my job right now.
Q. Talk about Dax tonight, goal and two assists. We know normally he's there to help stop the attack from the opposition. But when he goes out and plays offensively, how important is that as well from him to get at least that production going?
JESSE MARSCH: Well, I said when we were giving up the two-goal leads, I thought that Dax would be a very important element, because his experience, his savviness in the middle of the field, his understanding of what games are like, his understanding of what each moment of the game requires is one of the highest levels of any player in that position in the league and potentially any player in the league.
So, listen, I want to also talk about Sean Davis and what he's meant to this team and how he's helped us get to this point of where we are. But when you have a player like Dax who is our captain, our leader, our experienced guy on the field, our lynchpin, our anchor, right? He's incredibly important, and he's going to be the piece that helps us ultimately get over the hump and find a way to really push to go after the championship.
Q. How do you compare Brad's form, not just this year but since he's been with the club to anything that you've seen as a coach or a player?
JESSE MARSCH: Well, what a great goal. I mean, talk about a confident take. I mean, he just ran after that. I have the perfect angle for it, and I'm thinking to myself, just nice and easy (laughing). I mean, he absolutely buries it. So, I mean, his form, his confidence, and I'll say, so much of it stems from his leadership. He's stepped up his leadership in such a big way. The times he chooses to speak, the things he says, the commitment he has to this group, I mean, has led us. It's led us in so many ways.
It's obviously led to him having clarity on the field and confidence. So he could have had another, but he's been fantastic.
Q. There is no surprise over the consternation about how you guys have finished off games when you've had the lead. Tonight it seemed your team put a premium on getting the ball deep and really professionally seeing the game out, passing the ball around and killing the game off. Was that a message to your guys over the last few weeks?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, showing maturity in that moment. Not being panicked. Committing to still play, committing to find the next goal, knowing how to kill the game by possession, and by how to handle throw-ins, goal-kicks, all of it. Just game management. And obviously I thought tonight that that was done at a very high level.
And the only thing in there is maybe we gave a few too many free kicks at the end, which allowed them to put balls in the box. I'm not sure that all of them are free kicks. But we've got to know that those can provide shaky moments, and if we can stand guys up, that we'll have a better chance of handling it at the end of the game.
New York Red Bulls Midfielder Dax McCarty
On what he learned about the team tonight:
This team has character, this team has a lot of heart and a lot of pride. I think a lot of the talk the past couple of months has been our inability to hold onto leads and some of that talk has been fair but I think a lot of it, we don't want that to define us for the season. We're on a historical run right now and it almost feels like its kind of been insignificant because of the blown leads and I feel like, sure we should have some criticism and we should be upset about blowing some of those leads but at the same time we should feel really proud about what we're doing with this club.
On his assist to Bradley and how Bradley should have finished it:
I wasn't quite sure, I'm not a goal scorer so I couldn't tell Brad what he needs to do to score goals. A big emphasis for us was trying to play in behind them, especially when Yaro goes off, they lose a little bit of speed on the back line and Brad obviously is great at running on the shoulders of defenders. Part of our game plan to stretch the team were playing against and play in between the lines is to go maybe a little bit more direct early. Alex took a good touch and I don't know if he meant to pass it back to me or not but I called him off it and I saw brad was in a good spot between the center backs and I just put it in a good area and Brad did the rest.
On his header goal:
I think Brian Carroll was marking me and I started in an offside position. I think in his head he was thinking I was going to run across the line towards the near post. Honestly Sacha told me before the set piece, get free and ill look for you. I think he just started back post and luckily I faded instead of running across the line. Its one of those where you hope the line drops and you find yourself onside. It was very similar to the goal I scored last year against D.C. in the playoffs.
On the tight Eastern Conference playoff picture:
Its been a great, very MLS type of season. Teams jockeying for positions, going on big winning streaks and then some losing streaks. We started the season 1-6 and if you would have told us we'd be fighting for first in the East right now, people would have probably called him crazy but this team has a lot of character. We're a veteran group and we know if you have a slow start you can always get back into it.
On Bradley's increased leadership role:
Brad's a humble guy and a guy that's never going to be the loudest voice in the locker room, he likes to do his talking on the field but Jesse has challenged him to be more vocal, and be a guy that steps up in tough moments as more of a vocal leader. People listen to him, people follow him. He's one of the best players this club has ever seen and when you have a guy with that pedigree and that ability to score goals and win games for us, people listen to him.
New York Red Bulls Forward Bradley Wright-Phillips
On his goal:
I just wanted to get my foot through it, I know that Blake is a very good goal keeper so I was thinking about keeping it low and just getting decent contact. It was a great ball from Dax, as you see I didn't need a first touch, because of the quality of the ball. I just tried to keep it low.
On the team getting "punched in the mouth" and responding:
It was a great reaction, after the game when it's all said and done I'm glad we went a goal down, because it's good to see for ourselves how we, getting to playoff time now, to see the character of the team. As soon as they score we play better, it's almost that we needed that. You don't want to depend on those things obviously but we reacted well.
On the past few games against Philadelphia:
They're tough. They're a very good team, in the middle of the season they were the top of the league for a while. Since I've been here I feel like this is the best they've been and they deserve to be where they are. In the table, unfortunately, to be higher but against them we respect them and I hope they respect us and we'll see them again in a few weeks.
On the Golden Boot standings:
In fact, you know what, this one it wasn't. When David Villa scored, what'd he get, two yesterday? I was in all dimensions, what the hell man. I hate to go into games thinking about goals, and unfortunately this game I went in thinking about goals and I don't like going in like that. If anyone is watching, keep my name out of the mentions, I just don't need the drama.
Red Bulls' midfielder Sacha Kljestan
Philadelphia Union Head Coach Jim Curtin
JIM CURTIN: Obviously disappointing end to a road trip like this. A lot was on the line tonight. I thought it was two teams that got after it. It was a fast-paced game. I thought we had a good start, got the goal, and they raised their level a bit and came at us, scored. We were 1-1 at the half.
Upset with the start of it at the second half. I thought that the first goal we gave up was just a straight ball by Dax that was clipped over the top. Didn't defend it well. So they'll make you pay. From there, showed great character, got back in the key and responded, raised our level again, and we get the equalizer. Disappointing.
We talked a lot about not conceding shots when you're out of the box because they're dangerous on set pieces. I don't know if it's a foul. I'll have to look at the tape. Doesn't think so. Sacha clipped the ball and then we lost track of the guy, of Dax, so a dangerous guy in the air.
So all in all, again, an exciting game for the fans. Disappointing for us not to get points out of it. We put a lot into the game, but Red Bulls were better on the day. So we come out with nothing. We look forward to getting back home. We only have two games now to the end of the year, and we need points.
Q. (Inaudible)?
JIM CURTIN: Yeah, not good. Wasn't really responsive when he came off on the stretcher when I went over to him. It's going to be obviously some form of a concussion. I don't want to speculate. I don't think it's -- hopefully it's not anything with his neck or anything too severe. He is standing upright and walking around now. He was definitely out of it, that's for sure.
So anytime you have head injuries, you have to be very careful. A guy who's pretty proactive in getting guys off the field, it wasn't something of even a question of him continuing. But, yeah, his health comes first. It's bigger than the game. This was a big game and losing him hurt, safety first, and with head injuries, for sure, it's critical to treat those the right way.
Q. Just talk about Andre. Obviously (Inaudible). He seemed to have held on to the starting role, but he's been fantastic for you guys. How important has he been?
JIM CURTIN: Yeah, yeah, I would say that he's been excellent this year. He made some big saves for us tonight. Did a great job keeping us in it. We're having a very young back line, and I would say he's still a very young goalkeeper. This was his first full year, and he's done a great job for us. Yeah, again, we gave up some chances and he bailed us out a little bit tonight. He made some big saves for us, kept us in the game and gave us an opportunity to get back in it. And we pushed and pushed, but weren't able to get the goals in. They were better tonight.
Q. (Inaudible) how much was it when he came out of the game?
JIM CURTIN: Yeah, I think with Josh coming out, anytime you lose a teammate, and the visual of going off on a stretcher, I think that takes a little bit of the air out of the group, for sure. Red Bulls seemed to push for those next 15, 20 minutes and really pressed us and kept us pinned in. Josh's is a leader and that's evident. He's a great center back and (Indiscernible) did a good job. That's a difficult situation to come into a game. He stepped up and did well. But, yeah, we missed Josh, no question about it.
With Mo, I thought he had a great week of training, and he's pushing out to a level where he's covering ground and he's right where we want him to be for his position that he plays for us. Just a situation where coming off a great game in Toronto. Brian Carroll played well there too.
You know, Mo is pushing and knocking on the door, but didn't want to dress all three of them. Little too defensive. Hindsight now, you lose your center back to a concussion, and all of his eligibility, we got beat up a little bit tonight. So maybe could have used him, but at the same time, you don't want to go into a game with three midfielders.
Q. (Inaudible)?
JIM CURTIN: No.
Q. In terms of the intensity?
JIM CURTIN: Intensity, yeah, certainly. For sure.
Q. How do you think your team responded to that?
JIM CURTIN: Yeah, I think that was a fast tempo game. You talk with Sacha and Dax walking off the field. And they said, yeah, that was a real game. It was. It was end to end, it was fast. They had chances. We had some chances as well. But, yeah, tempo-wise, that was as fast as the game we've played in, good atmosphere from the crowd.
But, yeah, it had the look and feel of a playoff game where the weather gets a little cold. Things get ramped up a bit. Every inch matters. Every play matters, and they're a team that plays a high-pressing style. We do as well. And we saw how open-field position battles where they played a little bit after and we played a little bit after, and tried to pin each other in, but they got the better of us today.
Q. With results going the way they are, how is there now more into the -- after tonight, to make sure you have the six points?
JIM CURTIN: It's clear what we need to do. We need to win a soccer game. We have two at home against Orlando and this New York team, which is a good team. Both teams are good. There are no easy points in our league, so it's clear what we need to do. We need to win a game. Could have been tonight. If we win tonight, it takes care of things.
But you see the results. Obviously teams are pushing in the Eastern Conference, but we still control our destiny, which is a good place to be in, and we need to get a win.
Q. (Inaudible) how frustrating is that?
JIM CURTIN: Yeah, disappointing in big games. Set pieces are critical. Yeah, we've been a team that's played pretty well on defending set pieces in terms of statistically how many goals we've given up has been a pretty decent number. But in the biggest spot, in the big game, we came in small.
They took a short one, and, again, made them put a few passes together that lost track of their most dangerous player in Sacha in the box, which is unacceptable. And then the second one where Sacha cooks it in, we need to do a better job of being closer to guys. So the situation is what you already have with ten guys behind the ball. It's just a matter of winning the individual battle and not wanting to get (inaudible).
But we're young, we're young. A lot of guys this is the first time they're going through what I would call real games, and this is a real game tonight and we came up a little short.
Q. (Inaudible)?
JIM CURTIN: Good. Injury, I won't speculate because I'm not 100% sure. But he took a knock pretty early in the game, and it just gave him to where he had to come out of the game. I've never subbed him out of the game like that, but just something we looked over and they said he couldn't go. So difficult, disappointing. Again, not how we wanted to use them, but plans have to change quick.
Philadelphia Union Midfielder Alejandro Bedoya
On his substitution:
My wrist has been bothering me all week. I made a play where I stretched for the ball today and the movement I made aggravated it again and I just really couldn't move well and it was hurting. I couldn't go out there and play at 50 percent.
On the intensity of the game:
It's a good game, it's a little rivalry between us and I think the intensity was always there and I guess you guys could say that was kind of like a playoff game or whatever. In an arena with the fans behind the Red Bulls like that and driving the atmosphere it makes for a very intense game. The Red Bulls surprised me today, how they tried to get behind us and trying to win second balls. I think we gave away too many soft goals, two goals on set pieces, that is inexcusable. We've got to do better.
Philadelphia Union Midfielder Fabian Herbers
On the game:
Yeah we started off well, got the lead, got the 1-0 lead and then you know we tried to manage the game a little bit but couldn't handle the pressure Red Bulls was giving us. Then they made it 1-1 before halftime; and then came right out of halftime and scored again and then we were kind of running behind and chasing, chasing the lead. Then we tried, tried to score; which we did but then giving up an easy goal again on a restart and then you're chasing the game. If we score two goals in an away game you should at least get away with a point
On his goal:
Yeah I just, Chris Pontius was making a run on the left side and coming inside and yeah he saw me open I think on the 18-yard line and yeah I just took my fortune and took a shot and fortunately it went into the goal.
On the atmosphere and intensity:
I would say it was just like every other game. New York, yeah, pressured us high but every other team does that as well and yeah it was just another game for us. We did a good job but as I said before, we scored two in an away game and you should at least get away with a point and we couldn't handle that.
