CARSON, Calif. -- LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena speaks to reporters following the Galaxy's 2-2 draw with New York Red Bulls.
Arena's comments are below.
On not seeing games like this often:
“No, you don’t see them very often, but we’ve all been involved in those kind of games.”
On what kind of impression the game left on him:
“Two teams that are trying to play the game. It was pretty good. I think it would have been a shame if we walked off that field losing because over 90 minutes we played pretty well. We certainly made mistakes that cost us, but I think on the night we played well. And we deserved to at least get a point out of that game. I can’t be more pleased with our team and the character they showed at the end of the game to try and get back in it and get a point and maybe three points. Not an easy night. Difficult game. Both teams played real hard. There was some physicality to the game, some speed to the game. I think in the first half we should have come out of the half with at least a goal and that made a difference in the game. And I thought in the second half we started pretty well and conceded the first goal, and then obviously the second one looked like it did spell doom for us, but a tremendous effort by our guys. And I thought the players that came into the game, [Baggio] Husidic, [Mike] Magee and [Emmanuel] Boateng did a great job to get us back into the game.”
On Ashley Cole’s goal and performance:
“Big goal. Ashley played pretty well, and it’s his second game back since he was out with an injury, so I think he’s just going to get better.”
On the impact of Mike Magee in the game:
“Obviously, he scored the goal to get us back in the game. He did a good job. Obviously, both teams were pretty tired in the last 15-20 minutes of the game, and I think fresh legs made the difference certainly. The Red Bulls were a little handicapped with having to burn two substitutions in the first half. The legs of Magee, Husidic, and Boateng made a difference.”
On what New York did well:
“They played well, they played hard; they defended well. We didn’t take advantage of a few good chances. They scored the first goal a little bit out of the run of play. Hung in there, got the second goal. They did a real good job and then we came back. You’ve got two good teams playing and rarely does a team come back and get a point in a game like this against a team that’s pretty good. Both teams played well, give both teams credit.
On if Gerrard was fouled in the box early on in the game:
“It looked like he got pushed from behind as he was shooting. But do I have a clear view, no, I’m 60-70 yards from the play? That’s what it looked to me; I don’t know if he’s in the box or out of the box. I’d have to look at the tape. It seemed to me it might have been a foul, but whatever.”
