LA Galaxy 1, Portland Timbers FC 1
Sunday, April 10, 2016
2016 MLS Regular Season
StubHub Center – Carson, California
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH AND GENERAL MANAGER BRUCE ARENA
On how concerned he is with the team’s number of injuries:
“It’s all part of the game. It happens every year. Sometimes they come quickly, sometimes they’re spread out. It’s all part of it; you’re never going to go without injuries. It’s all part of the game, unfortunately. It’s a part of the game we don’t like, but it’s a part of the game.”
On the play of Giovani dos Santos:
“He played okay. He hasn’t played since the first game. He’s only played 45 minutes this year coming into this game so to get 65 minutes out of him was good. You could see he needs a little more time, but it’s good to get him back.”
On how Portland’s defensive shift changed the Galaxy’s offensive attack:
“We didn’t change anything based on what they did. Obviously it wasn’t good enough. Probably our best chance was [Mike] Magee’s which you’d at least like to see get on goal. We controlled the play for long periods of time but still didn’t produce enough quality opportunities.”
On the performance of midfielder Rafael Garcia:
“He did a good job. It’s the one position on the field we actually really didn’t have cover for. Rafael has played there before; that’s why we put him in. The other choice would have been [Dave] Romney, who could [have played there]; he’s a left-footed player. But we felt Rafael [Garcia] has had enough experience there and we put him in. And I thought he did a solid job. I think on the goal he could have done a little better job, but overall he had a good game.”
On the performance of midfielder Sebastian Lletget:
“I think he was very aggressive and created some chances for us. He was a handful. He was close to pulling off some plays that could have, perhaps, created a goal. I think overall he had a good game.”
On if the team has struggled finishing because of Robbie Keane’s absence up top:
“Sure. He’s been our leading goal scorer and obviously the loss of [Giovani] Dos Santos for most of the season and not having [Steven] Gerrard, it takes a little away from our attack. But those are just excuses and we can be a little bit better. The teams that play us are pretty defensive in nature so we have to be a little bit sharper to break them down.”
LA GALAXY FORWARD GYASI ZARDES
On the team’s injuries:
“Yes, it’s tough when players get hurt. We always have to switch up a lot of things but I feel like the coaches do an amazing job to get the team prepared for the next match.”
On his game tonight:
“I think I had various spells on being an attacking threat, but I know it died down on the second half. I just have to keep it going and get around the ball more.”
On what the plan was to break down Portland:
“We were supposed to be aggressive as soon as the whistle started but Portland did a great job by sitting their back line in the very far back, dropping off. And also sitting their two center midfielders, they kind of dropped them off as well and they were just looking for that counter so I think Portland did a great job.”
On whether he could have got to the ball before Nat Borchers:
“I think I would have, but he hit in the goal for me so I’ll take it.”
On Giovani dos Santos’ play:
“It was great to see him back on the field. Great to see him healthy as he is an attacking threat, he’s crucial.”
On Portland playing two center defensive midfielders:
“You can’t really play at the middle because they are so compact so you really try to spread it to our wingers and let them go one versus one. Let Sebastian [Lletget] go at a guy, let Mike Magee go at a guy. They are both very talented with the ball at their feet and that was the game plan when Portland over crowded the middle.”
On the own goal:
“First and foremost, a goal is a goal. I think that coming back from being down 1-0, we did a phenomenal job just to get a point today. We were unlucky with a couple opportunities earlier in the game but to squeeze out of here with a point is huge because it is a long season.”
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER SEBASTIAN LLETGET
On his own performance against the Portland Timbers:
“I tried to create as many chances as possible and we created a couple, but we just didn’t put them away.”
On if the difference for the team in 2016 is their inability to finish chances:
“That’s the big difference especially from last year. But we’ve just got to keep being aggressive, we can’t get frustrated. We’ve got Houston next and that’s always a big one.”
On what Portland did to limit the Galaxy’s offensive attack:
“I think they bring a lot of energy and quality. Credit to them, they are a good team and they have a lot of good players. They just worked hard.”
On if the team is struggling to finish because of Robbie Keane’s absence up front:
“Missing Keane is obviously a big one, but I think Gyasi [Zardes] can do that job. But it just hasn’t fallen. I thought we did create some chances, but we literally just couldn’t put them away.”
On if the team’s strategy changes when they went to two holding midfielders:
“Obviously if they change the formation, I’m definitely aware of it right away. I try to take advantage of that extra space, but I thought I got the ball and just tried to make something happen and just create some space for myself. They didn’t make it easy by any stretch, but I did my best.”
On if he is happy to leave with one point considering how the game played out:
“It’s just the way the game goes. Before the game I would have said that I’d be very disappointed if we draw, but if you’re 1-0 down, you’ll take anything. I have to say I’m happy with a point just because of that situation.”
On the physicality of the match and if a rivalry is brewing:
“I think so because they’re a quality team and the style about them. It’s always a big clash, especially starting from last season where it was the big game that we lost, which I definitely haven’t forgotten. But hopefully we get them next time.”
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER NIGEL DE JONG
On the match:
“We got away with a point today. It could have been worse if we lose three points at home. They had one shot on goal, and one goal. But credit to Portland, they are a good team, very compact. But we had the best opportunity to score the first goal and it didn’t happen, and you saw what happened. But overall, a point against the former champions is not bad.”
On Robbie Rogers’ substitution early in the match:
“It’s always a pity whenever you lose one of your better players, especially Robbie [Rogers]. So that was a pity for him and I hope he’s okay. But apart from that, we’ve got enough people on the bench that we can fill that role in. Rafael [Garcia] came in and he did well. It’s hard to start a game after not playing so many games, but I think he did well… We’re not only missing Robbie [Rogers], but we’re missing two or three other players as well. Overall, it’s a good point earned and we’ve got to take this positivity with us to the next game.”
On his challenge with Darlington Nagbe:
“It was a ball that came my way. It was 50-50 and normally I always have those balls. But I went over the ball and caught the ball a little bit and caught most of his ankle. It was a pity, it was never my intention to hurt him. He’s a good kid, as well, and I said that after the game, as well, to him. It’s a pity, but that’s football, as well. It was never my intention, and when a ball comes in that situation, you always go for it 100%. Unfortunately, I caught him.”
PORTLAND TIMBERS HEAD COACH CALEB PORTER
On the status of Darlington Nagbe:
“I don’t know. We’re still evaluating it. Still evaluating it. Not sure.”
On the team’s defensive performance and how the change in formation helped with that:
“Really pleased with the performance overall. Obviously unfortunate on the goal; it’s an own goal. We talked all week about doing certain things better than last game. I thought the progress we made from Orlando - where we got beat handily and we didn’t look like the team that we are capable of being…We talked about doing certain things better and one of the main things was to be more organized defensively and to be tougher to play through. I thought we were very good all game in that regard, playing against a good team who’s very tough to play at home, who plays very loose in the front with lots of rotation and lots of movement and lots of freedom. They get a lot of numbers forward and I thought the back six in particular was rock solid and that’s real pleasing. The only goal we gave up was an own goal and off a cross, it’s kind of a fluke. So they didn’t get a goal. So we’re going to build on that and that’s a positive. The other thing we wanted to do better was just overall look like a team. We’re a group that our edge has to be that we’re a team. Last year when we went nine games unbeaten and won MLS cup, that was why we did it. We have talent, but our edge has to be that we’re a team: we defend together, we attack together and we have the spirit that we fight and I thought that we showed all those things today. So I’m real pleased and it’s a good point on the road even though you can feel like you gave away two, so it’s still a good point. Now we go back and we have three of four at home, so we’re in a good position where we can take care of business and we’ll start moving up the table.”
On how the team’s formation worked:
“At the end of the year, we were playing 4-3-3 and to make a 4-3-3 work, you have to have every piece working together and the pattern in the last three game prior to this game was that it just wasn’t working. We were giving up too many goals. It’s the old insanity, right? You can keep doing the same thing and expect a different result or you can evaluate your system. With [Liam] Ridgewell out and Jorge not in – even Rodney, who is a guy that brings defending and fighting power – those are three pieces. So you can say it’s only three and we return the majority of the group, but those are three pieces, three pieces that bring a lot of defending. So we just felt with the personnel that we have and looking at LA, who basically play with a front four that run everywhere, that we needed that extra protection for the back four. And I thought we got that and we were still able to be dangerous in the attack. I thought we were able to keep possession. There’s still a lot of room for improvement, but we’re going to build on this game and if we continue to play like we did today, we’re going to be in good shape. But we need to turn around quickly on Wednesday and take care of business versus Dallas.”
PORTLAND TIMBERS MIDFIELDER DIEGO CHARA
On how he felt about the team’s performance against LA:
“I feel okay. I feel the team tried a different way tonight to get the three points tonight. On the last play, unlucky play, the Galaxy draw the game.”
On the status of Darlington Nagbe and how important he is to the team:
“He’s a good player for us and our style. But I think we have different players and it’s good for them to play.”
On the team’s change in formation during the match:
“The last game, I think that part of the field we had a lot of space to cover. We tried change the field to cover the back line. Tonight was great.”
PORTLAND TIMBERS MIDFIELDER JACK JEWSBURY
On team’s defensive performance:
“It was definitely a focus this week. Anytime you go on the road, you know there’s going to be moments where you’re under it a bit especially against a good team like the Galaxy that was going to be the case. So set two deep, flip the triangle, with me and [Diego] Chara in front of the back four and just wanted to make sure that we always had a solid six with the back four and him and I and make it hard to break us down. And I think we did that pretty much the entire match. I think the goal was a bit unfortunate to give that one up at the end. But overall pleased with the performance and to get out of here with a result.”
On what the team did differently tonight from other matches this season:
“I think organization. We were organized in defending and it wasn’t just the back four or the back six. It was the whole team. We defended as a group and we fought for one another and as you can see, when you go on the road in this league, that’s what you need to do to get results.”
