Postgame Quote Sheet
LA Galaxy 3, Seattle Sounders FC 1
Sunday, August 9, 2015 – 1:00 p.m. PT
MLS Regular Season
StubHub Center – Carson, California
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On how the team bounced back:
“Obviously we battled back well. I think on the day I applaud both teams. We shouldn’t be playing games at 1 o’clock in the afternoon in the summer months. This was really challenging for the players and for our team to concede a goal early and have to fight back in these conditions is pretty good. I give them a lot of credit; it was a pretty good effort.”
On the attack:
“We have a long way to go. We’ve played 25 different lineups in 25 different games, so I don’t know what we are supposed to envision but it’ll take some time with our group playing together. We still have some players that are out with injuries that are going to help us, and hopefully over the next month or so we start getting in good form.”
On chemistry between new players:
“Stevie’s been around for a while and you can see his experience, professionalism, and his sheer talent. I thought in the second half he and Juninho played very well and helped us take control of the game. [Giovani] dos Santos is going to take a little bit of time but I think already the chemistry with his teammates is good. He’s going to be a terrific player and I think the next couple of weeks he is going to get full fitness and really fit in well with our team. I am pleased with the addition of those two players.”
On placing Giovani dos Santos up top:
“He is an attacking player; he has to play somewhere that gets him close to goal. I’ve discovered if you put an attacking player in a forward position it is probably a good choice. In all fairness, at this point his fitness isn’t where it needs to be to be playing in the midfield. If you saw the job that Gyasi [Zardes] and Lletget did today, it was terrific, and those are two players that are very fit and it would have been a tough position to put Giovani in.”
On Giovani dos Santos’ performance:
“I liked everything I saw today, it was very good. He did very well.”
LA GALAXY FORWARD GIOVANI DOS SANTOS:
On scoring a goal and adding an assist in first MLS game:
“I feel very happy. I think it was a difficult game. We conceded a very early goal in the first half but I think that the team did a great job and I’m happy for my goal and the team’s victory.”
On his position on the field:
“I think we controlled the game, we have good players like Steven [Gerrard] and Juninho that can pass the ball to me and we created a lot of chances. For me it is easy to play with teammates like them so I feel very comfortable in that position and I’m looking forward to continue to work hard to help my team.”
On the team’s possibilities:
“I see a lot of possibilities. We can achieve every goal that we want. We have a great team with a great attitude, great players. We are looking forward to have a great year and hopefully we can win a title.”
On the atmosphere:
“It wasn’t an easy game and I think our fans were great today. They were always there and the support is good for the team. Hopefully they can continue like that for us and it was a good game. It’s always a great rivalry against Seattle and we are happy for the win.”
(Translated from Spanish)
On teaming up with Robbie Keane:
“Robbie Keane is a great teammate. I am very thankful for the assist and he has always shown me his affection and I am very thankful. It is always a pleasure to play next to him.”
On meeting David Beckham:
“It’s an honor and it gives me a lot of pride to have a player of his stature show his support. It makes me very happy and that makes me think that the decision I took is even a better one. Players like David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane that praise my decision to play here makes me feel very happy and honored.”
On the team’s performance:
“I think we have a team with a lot of fluidity. There’s great quality, great players and I think we are understanding each other a lot better day by day. We hope to continue to work hard and getting to know each other better and surely we will improve as we play more games.”
On being a couple of weeks away from being 100 percent fit:
“I think it’s true, I’m coming off an injury and obviously as I play more games and in these coming two weeks I am sure I will be in my best form. I will become fitter with more games and during training and little by little I will be recovering my best level and I it will be better for me and for the team.”
LA GALAXY FORWARD ROBBIE KEANE:
On Giovani dos Santos:
“When you score a goal and he got that assist as well, what more do you want from him? He’s not 100 percent fit, he’s probably 80 with the conditions as well. But as you seen, in the first 20 minutes, they got the goal and then we just sat back and made it difficult for us. The last 20 minutes of the first half, you could see signs as we were getting the ball to Gio’s feet quickly and he was causing a few problems. Then in the second half, as soon as we got that early goal, it was game over in the way that we played. Gio got his goal, not an easy finish, it was a good finish.”
On the lineup’s dangerous formation:
“You could see signs of it. I wouldn’t say that we were at our 100 percent best but it doesn’t really matter when you’re winning games. That’s all that matters. You saw a few combinations today that suggest going forward that could be good. Once everyone is on the same page. … sometimes it takes a little bit of time for the whole team to understand each other. You could see with me and Gio today that there were a few signs that we’ve played together before. Even though he’s a number 10, just because you play number 10, you don’t have to stand there all the time, you can move around. The prime example was the goal, I came off, he stays high and we got the goal. Just because he’s playing behind me doesn’t mean he’s going to be there all the time.”
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER STEVEN GERRARD:
On Giovani dos Santos’ MLS debut:
“Well we got three points and he got a goal, so I’m sure he is very happy. I was pleased with the outcome of the game. I thought we worked very hard. We got off to a slow start in the beginning of the game, which we need to learn from. After we let a goal in, we showed good character and completely controlled the game.”
On possibilities existing for this team:
“Well I think it is so exciting, who knows what the future holds, but the talent and the ability is clearly there. I think it’s up to us to produce. We have all the materials and upcoming teams are going to find it difficult to contain us.”
On partnership with Juninho:
“I think Juninho and myself were a little upset with our positions in the first 10-15 minutes of the game, but once it settled down I thought we controlled the game. I am very pleased with our performance the second half. We will keep working together on our relationship that is growing and maturing, and I am sure it will get better. I think it is growing. I certainly enjoy playing with him. He is an intelligent footballer and I think if Juni concentrates on controlling the game and the tempo, that certainly gives me the platform to attack and hopefully I can make things happen in the final third.”
On Giovani dos Santos game after only being here one week:
“It is no surprise to me because he is a top player and top players are that quick. He settled in really well, seems at home and happy, and I’m sure there are going to be many more magical moments from Gio, so we are very pleased with him.”
On atmosphere:
“I think it took a while to get the squad and the team together. We waited patiently to get the players back from the Gold Cup and waited patiently to get Gio in. Now we have the full roster together and I think the fans are very excited. You could tell in the atmosphere today that they predict a bright future, and now we need to go and make them happy.”
On this week’s training:
“It is important. We need to get used to each other. Like I said, there’s been a slight frustration with players missing and we’ve been waiting for Gio to come, but now it is here. Everyone’s happy and settling in and I’m sure with time the relationships will grow.”
SEATTLE SOUNDERS HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
On the today's game:
“I thought we performed well. I thought the team went out there and played well. That is there whole team there is nobody else they could put out there that they didn't put out there today. I thought we made them work for everything they got. A little disappointed that the couple of goals we gave up. A little disappointed with a couple of goals that we should have had that we didn't do well enough with chances and goals change games. I thought for the first 45 minutes team was very good. Difficulties with fitness, guys playing three games in seven days and running out of legs, we didn't have a Trinidad and Tobago team that you could just go half way and you could beat easily. Ours was a much tougher game at midweek and losing. Our luck continues to go good, we score a goal early on and we lose a guy with a hamstring pull. When it rains it pours and it continues to do that.”
On the team's performance:
“This is the first game that we pushed [Brad] Evans into the midfield. We felt that it was something that we needed with Ozzie [Osvaldo Alonso] being out. I thought [Brad] Evans was pretty solid even though the midfields running is different than a centerback's running. I am sure fitness wise, he was playing his third game in eight days. I thought [Erik] Friberg had his best game of the year and he is still not fully fit. As he continues to grow into that roll.”
SEATTLE SOUNDERS MIDFIELDER ANDY ROSE
On Chad Barrett's injury;
“It is only a minute into the match but credit to him only on the pitch for one minute and scored a goal so that is a pretty good ratio. Gutted for him no quite sure what it is or how serious but hopefully we can get him back soon.”
On the team's performance:
“I thought the effort was certainly there from everybody. It was a hot day against a very good possession based team. There is a lot of chasing a lot of running a lot of hard work out there so we are certainly proud of that. We are up against that part of the season where need to start picking up points and getting the wins and making sure you are in the playoff picture and beyond that so that is the main focus now.”
SEATTLE SOUNDERS DEFENDER BRAD EVANS:
On the result:
“Obviously not the result we wanted. We started the game off extremely well. Definitely a surprise you never expect to score that early in a game but I thought we played well after that. I thought in the first half the teams did really well, guys were fighting for each other, playing in balls behind, winning second balls, getting corner kicks, getting fouls, that was the game plan and we stuck to it and it worked to our advantage in the first half. We get Chad's header, Gyasi knows nothing about it, it comes off his chest, and Zach gets a called offside for a header goal so a little bit unlucky there. In the second half things just kind of snowballed tired legs, it was hot, once that team gets up by a goal or two they are just going to knock the ball. Credit to them, good team but the boys have a big one this week at home.”
On Chad Barrett's injury:
“Obviously very disappointed for him. He scores a brilliant goal and celebrates and get injured. It's just one of those things. Everything is not going our way in that sense with hamstrings but I think after that the boys were spurt on. If you score a goal and that happens I think heads are still up 'alright let's go'. He'll be the first one to say it that he was the first one pushing us on saying "let's go! let's go!' It was an unfortunate event but he bagged a goal for us to give us a chance.”
SEATTLE SOUNDERS DEFENDER ZACH SCOTT
On the team's performance:
“The one thing that we are trying to do, and trying to hang our hats on is playing these games through, a full 90 with max effort. It's tough, the group is thin, we have players going down left and right after scoring goals for crying out loud. What can you do other than just play it out. We are not out of the playoffs. Our look is towards the horizon and we got guys returning. We have a tough stretch here with a bunch of games coming up very quickly so we are hopefully going to get some guys coming in and get a little healthy and hopefully make a run, it's about damn time.”
On Chad Barrett's injury:
“At this point I am not shocked with anything that has happened. The injuries have come in completely bizarre ways but what can you do other than just move on with it. We started the game well and at this point we just have to continue to try and be stingy in the back and get a goal here and there.”
