NEW YORK RED BULLS HEAD COACH JESSE MARSCH
Opening thoughts on today's match:
"It's been a good start. We've concentrated on staying focused and not being satisfied, and tonight we came out, and from the start created chances and got a 2-0 lead and made sure that we weren't going to give it away. We required Luis [Robles] to make a couple saves in the end, he did his job, and I think a lot of guys had good nights and I think it's good to keep looking forward. We're not looking back."
On Sacha Kljestan and the midfield's performance:
"I think overall, our midfield overwhelmed their midfield, and Sacha was a big part of that. If you were to track balls we gave away, I think we gave away too many in midfield, and Sacha would probably tell you he gave away too many. We don't focus so much on possession as much as we do reactions and tactical focus and pace of the game, so there's going to be mistakes. Even when guys don't have their best nights, we make sure we're being who we want to be."
On whether or not this was his best game as head coach:
"I think it was a good game for us and a good game at home. Obviously getting a 2-0 lead helps the game a little bit, but I think we've set the standard high for ourselves early on in the season, and we know we can play a little bit better, but at the same time, I don't think that the game was ever out of grasp. Certainly the job Matt Miazga and Damien [Perrinelle] did at the back in eliminating space and time and chances for their speedy attacking players was good and then Luis made up with some big saves, and if we're a little sharper around the goal, we can probably add to the lead, in the end 2-0 was enough."
On the back line's play:
"I think Matt has gotten better every single game, and now this is his best performance. One, his aerial duals, he was reading plays well, when he had to make tackles, he made tackles, he was good with the ball, so he was one of the best players of the night no doubt. I think there is clarity in the back as far as what their roles are. They've executed well tonight and we knew that was going to be important because we felt that the game was going to be in their end a lot, and when we lost balls we didn't want to see their speedy attackers out in space."
On getting the early lead:
"Certainly scoring goals and getting the lead was important. I think even if we didn't get the goals, we were able to get turnovers and we got good opportunities and you felt that it was coming at some point, and then locked things down at the back, and we definitely shouldn't underestimate San Jose's attackers-they're tricky, they're quick-and for some big defenders those are not the easiest matchups. Matt and Damien held up tonight and Kemar and Duvall did well."
On set pieces:
"I thought this was Felipe's best game of service, and Bingham had to come up some pretty good saves. We hit the crossbar on one, so I think set pieces were pretty good. Offense wise, and I think defensively we didn't give much away. There was one early where I think Koval at the back post maybe could have tucked it in. For the most part I was pleased with some of the service and the runs, and we were a little unlucky to not score one."
On outside perception:
"I understand some of the things on the outside, but I think it's time to move on. I think it's time to look at this team and say, this team is pretty good. The way this team is playing and the commitment they have for each other, talking about the past is not really worth any of our time. Now it's only time to talk about what this team is becoming and who they are, and what they are showing to each other and to the fans. I said from the beginning that I wanted this team to be a team that the fans could be proud of. The fans should be pretty proud of the way this team is committing and playing they're aggressive and entertaining and fast and talented so I think it is time to appreciate this team for who they are.
On substitutions:
We always go into games thinking about potential subs we can make based on how the game might go, and then you have to the game and see what's happening and see who's sharp and maybe who is having an off night, and then try to make decisions based on what is best for the game. We waited a little bit longer to make subs this game because we thought that for the most the guys on the field had a good grasp of it. I think the guys that came in-Sal, Dane and Sean-all came in and impacted the game in a positive way and I think we could have gotten the third or fourth goal at the end, so partly it's trying to analyze what is happening, partly its demanding that the guys that come off the bench are ready and when they get in the game that it's performance. That approach and that balance of how we do things has been useful and I give credit to a lot of guys that they've accepted their roles coming off the bench and they want to come on and make an impact.
On now having options in the back line:
"The job of the coach is to make tough decisions. We believe heavily in Ronald and I know he is going to be an important player for our team. We have a chance now with three games coming up in a week to now look at different things and rotate guys so everyone will get their opportunity and then moving forward we'll continue to figure out what decisions to make and what's best for the team."
On Chris Duvall's play this season:
"I think he's done great. I felt early on that he was going to fit the way we want to play really well. He's got great qualities as a player and he's got great qualities as a young man. He's never satisfied, he works hard every day, and when you add the physical and soccer qualities, you have a pretty good package there. I think the ceiling for him is big. I felt all along that people are going to recognize the job he's doing. It's only a matter of time before that starts to turn to dialogue. I think so far this season he's pretty much outplayed every player he's played against and I haven't seen too many right backs who have been playing better than him around the league, so he's had a really good start to the season and we expect him to keep going."
On Lloyd Sam's injury:
"I think it's going to take some time. He felt a little something in his hamstring, but I think it will take a little time to evaluate and see where he's at and hopefully, he'll be ok."
RED BULLS MIDFIELDER SACHA KLJESTAN
On his first goal back in MLS:
"I think I just found my way in the box. We created some turnovers in the first half and we created a few chances off them. It's nice to kind of get the monkey off the back and I hope that it's the first of many."
On his performance today:
"I'm not too happy with my performance tonight if I'm being honest. I think a lot of us we're our best today, I think besides the result we didn't do a lot of great things so we've got a lot to improve on, and I think I have a lot to improve upon as well."
On outside perception:
"I don't want us to get ahead of ourselves. A lot of [the media] didn't think we would be very good this season. A lot of [the media] didn't think we would make the playoffs. We always had a good belief and a good mentality in the team, but as you see in the MLS-I heard Shep Messing say it and I kind of liked it, 'A lot of teams start drinking the Kool-aid' and they start to think they're good when they have a good start to the season, and then they falter. So we don't want to be that team. I want our mentality to stay good. We've got to continue to move on and continue to do good whether we're number one in [the media's] power rankings or in the top of the East. We've got to just continue doing what we're good at and I hope we'll stay on top of the East for the whole season. "
On dealing with outside pressures:
"We're going to continue playing this season with a chip on our shoulder I think. It's always nice to get some recognition and I think people around the league are starting to respect us pretty quickly here with our good results, but every time you start a game, you all start out at 0-0 basically so like I said, I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, I want our mentality to stay really good, and I want that to be our strongest point all season, not just at the beginning, not just at the end, but throughout our season."
On developing a relationship with the team:
"I think it's gotten a little bit better day-by-day. I think my relationship with Bradley is getting better. I still think I wasn't as sharp as I should have been tonight. I think I could have created three or four more real goal scoring opportunities, but it's getting better and it's nice to get on the score sheet cause that kind of gets the monkey off the back, and then you feel a little bit more comfortable in front of the goal and not so stressed. So in that aspect it's okay, but I think we need to continue to keep getting better."
NEW YORK RED BULLS DEFENDER MATT MIAZGA
On getting praise from head coach Jesse Marsch:
I feel great. Coach Jesse has been putting a lot of confidence in me. He really believes in me. He's very helpful in training. He told me he's going to help me establish myself this year. The confidence he instills in me, I feel like I'm ready to play and when he gives me opportunities, I [have to] perform and help contribute to the team. Those are great words and I'm very, very happy about [them].
On his confidence going from the MLS to the Under-20s:
As each game [passes], I feel more and more confident. I feel that I can talk to the guys even though I'm young and I can try to show my leadership qualities every game. Now when I go to the Under-20s they are all going to be my age and I really can become a leader there. Coach [Tab Ramos] can put his trust in me to perform and close out games.
On what he's doing differently this year:
My mentality. I know that every time I get an opportunity I have to be mentally strong, ready to perform, and contribute to the team. That's basically it; it's all mentality. I can't feel pressure, I can't feel nerves; I know my abilities and I [have to] show them. Every time I get a chance on the field I want to impress and prove [myself] and win the game.
NEW YORK RED BULLS MIDFIELDER LLOYD SAM
On potential injury:
It's hard to even describe. [It doesn't] feel that serious but we'll see how I feel in the morning and then take it from there. [With] hamstrings you never know how long they're going to linger.
On the frustration of coming out despite how well he was playing:
Yeah, it is very frustrating for me. I'm not going to get too worked up about it. I don't see it being a long period of time.
On if the team can be even better than they played tonight:
I didn't think we played well but we got the three points. We'll take the positives. We can play a lot better than that. Credit to [San Jose], they were really good in the second half, especially in the second half they ran all over us.
On this being the most complete performance of the season so far:
No, not at all. I'm not really happy with the performance. I'm happy with the result, though. We can play better than that.
On the team playing with a chip on their shoulder:
I guess so. We just come out trying to win every game we play and we just try and play hard. You can say it's this or that but we're just trying to win every game.
On the key to the first half success:
It felt good to have guys in the right positions, to be able to get onto those chances. I think [Red Bulls forward] Brad [Wright-Phillips] slid and knocked the ball onto [Red Bulls midfielder] Sacha [Kljestan]. Credit to him for being there and then, obviously the second goal I crossed for [Red Bulls forward] Mike [Grella] and it was a great finish. It was good execution on the second one.
On getting a good result and a clean sheet at home:
Yeah, I think [Red Bulls goalkeeper] Luis [Robles] bailed us out with some good saves. [In the] second half we were sloppy so that gave them opportunities to get chances on our goal. We're happy with the clean sheet but we have to play better than this, I think.
NEW YORK RED BULLS FORWARD MIKE GRELLA
On how he's playing right now:
I'm just so proud to come to work here everyday and be a part of this group. It's the most 'part of a team' I've felt in my entire career. It's been great to come back home and settle down in New York, start a family; my son is five months old now. Everything has just been so great. I give thanks to God and to this group who have been so excellent.
On the team chemistry:
[Head Coach] Jesse [Marsch] has set in place that we're going to be a team. We're not going to be a bunch of individuals running around [and] playing for ourselves. You can see that out there. I think that you can see that in the [league standings], that we play for each other and we work hard for each other. It's really enjoyable coming into work every day and playing for these guys.
On if he was surprised at being so open for his goal:
I was at the far post but I was not too surprised because [San Jose] usually have to push over. If you're a little clever and if you pay more attention there's a lot of balls that come to the back post; maybe not that close to goal but there [are] a lot of opportunities with someone playing out wide that if you get in on the weak side and you get yourself in the box, there's always going to be chances.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR
On the match:
Well we started off the game poorly, got punished for giving the ball away in good areas for them, bad areas for us and then they came out with a different attitude, came out better in the second half. Just couldn't score a goal.
On the Red Bulls:
I thought they had a good first half. I'll give them credit for that. Obviously we were chasing the game at the very end there, but I thought at about 30 minutes if we get a goal there, in the middle of the second half, it could be a different story. Robles made some good saves for them and we missed a couple chances, but yeah they're knocking the ball around pretty good.
On what made the Red Bulls successful in the first half:
Us passing to them didn't help.
On Chris Wondolowski:
He was struggling with a bit of a calf. I talked to him before the game and just felt that if he went from the beginning - don't know if he's going to finish it or maybe hurt himself. I thought if maybe we give him a little more time to warm up, see how the game goes, I would have loved to have not used him at all tonight, but he was pressing that action a little bit earlier than we wanted to and he came on and did pretty good.
On if he got the calf injury with the U.S. National Team:
No, he got it in the game against Vancouver on Saturday.
On if he was encouraged by what he saw when Wondolowski and Tommy Thompson entered the game:
I mean second half, its 2-0, you're chasing the game a little bit, but yeah they came in and brought a good bit of energy and we were holding the ball a bit better and they gave us some time to get the field in numbers and gave Innocent some good chances as well as Chris and Tommy. A better second half, but like I said when you start the first half and come in at halftime 2-0 down you're making life tough for yourself.
On the team's halftime adjustments:
We started moving the ball better and movement off the ball was better and we were connecting passes where in the first half we weren't doing that.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES GOALKEEPER DAVID BINGHAM
On the first half:
I don't think there's any doubt or surprise that the first half wasn't up to our standards. It's hard to come back into the game when you come in at halftime down 2-0.
On what was lacking in the first half:
We were making rookie mistakes all over the field. All of us were turning the ball over in the middle of the park. We were giving the ball away at the top of our own 18. You can't do that in this league, you do that in this league you're going to get punished and credit to them they didn't squander the chances. They got their chances and they finished them.
On the difference between the Quakes' first half and the second half:
We were more organized, we had more fight in us, we had them on the ropes the second half, I mean they didn't look comfortable at all in the second half; they didn't get in a rhythm. We probably could have had one or two to hop back in the game, but it's just the way it goes sometimes.
On how they go forward from this game:
You definitely have to analyze it and go back and we got to fix the first half. We did it against New England, same thing, coming in down 2-0 at halftime and that's unacceptable, that's not up to our standards so we got to fix that. We have a hard three game road trip coming up and once we get that fixed we'll be picking up a lot of points on the road.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI
On finishing his chances:
...especially on that first one that I hit over. If I finish that then it's a whole different game.
On his calf injury and if it affected his game:
Well I wouldn't be out there if I couldn't help and so there's nothing that [audio unclear].
On the Red Bulls:
Especially in the first half, they do a great job of pressing and pressing high up the field and they took advantage of our two mistakes. We were a little sloppy, especially on the first one. You know you have a turnover on top of the box, you get punished and rightfully so. Second one, great finish, but if you leave a guy back post, you get punished again. Credit to them I thought they played really well.
On how they go forward and what they take from the match:
Well we can't dig ourselves in a hole, we can't keep putting ourselves 2-0 down at halftime. You know I thought we played a lot better in the second half, but we have to come out with that mentality I thought at Vancouver last week, we had the right mentality from minute one and when you're able to keep them from a shot on goal I think it shows where our mentality was and I don't think that it was the same tonight.
