MLS Postgame Quote Sheet
LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids
Saturday, September 7, 2013
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LA Galaxy Head Coach Bruce Arena
His thoughts on the match:
“We just didn’t play well tonight, not well enough to win anyway. Give them credit they got an opportunistic goal and a great finish by Edson.”
On Kofi Opare’s performance in his MLS debut:
“Kofi played very well, I thought Brian Rowe played well, the new players we brought into the lineup did very well.”
On the play of Marcelo Sarvas..:
“Marcelo played well, had a couple chances as well. He’s played well all year. Marcelo played well tonight.”
On MLS cancelling games during competitive international windows:
“Well it’s ridiculous we have to play these games in these windows. We have such a congested schedule, I don’t think we’ve played Colorado yet this year with our team, which is ridiculous. You know, you’re in playoff races and I think every time, I don’t know if every time is a fixture window but for whatever reason we’ve not played them yet with our full team.”
On the importance of this game:
“It’s not a throw-away game, even though the way we schedule in the league we do make games very peculiar, difficult, but it’s certainly not a throw-away game. We played this game certainly to win tonight.”
LA Galaxy Defender A.J. DeLaGarza
On the result:
“I don’t think either team created that many chances the entire night. I can only remember their one shot on goal was their goal. From what I can remember we never tested their goalie to make a good save, everything was right at him and like four or five shots were blocked.”
On missing the club’s four internationals:
“That just showed how big they are to our team, all four of them are. I think the last three times we’ve played Colorado it’s been in an international window, so that being said, we still have the players that can make plays and we were in the game for quite a while and gave up a goal like we gave it out to another player who was our teammate. It seems these things always happen to us and it’s unfortunate.”
On Kofi Opare’s performance:
“He did well, very young guy. He had a little bit of experience in Champions League, which is also tough. I thought he held his own tonight for sure, he’s just a simple player and as a simple myself, I can appreciate that style.”
LA Galaxy Goalkeeper Brian Rowe
On the game-winning goal:
“You got to give him credit, it’s a good finish. It always seems like players that used to play with us that we play against again always sort of strike back and get those goals. I mean he was able to get a quick touch, quick finish and I mean just a good finish.”
On the game up until the goal:
“I thought we played well, controlled the game. Most of the game they didn’t have very many opportunities but they were able to strip the ball and capitalize on our mistakes.”
On what he can take from tonight’s performance:
“There’s stuff you can always take from [a game], getting the full 90 in front of a big stadium with the first team. So just trying to get that moment and just sort of playing the same way week-in and week-out and having consistency.”
On the team not scoring goals when Keane and Donovan are away:
“Jack and Jose have been sort of coming on every once and awhile so it’s tough to get a rhythm with the first team when you’re not playing as much, but, I mean, in the end, when we had those opportunities whoever it is needs to step up and get something on target and test the goalie.”
LA Galaxy Defender Kofi Opare
His thoughts on the match:
“We didn’t move the ball well as a unit, just those little things that accumulate to win a game.”
On what happened on Colorado’s goal:
“We turned the ball over. I slide across to put pressure to number seven, he cut a few times and played it to number [9] and he shot it and he just put it in the upper 90.”
On how he would rate his own performance:
“Could have been better, a lot better, mistakes here and there. Stuff I need to improve on, also my positioning and communication and obviously didn’t get the win today. Would have been a lot better if we did.”
Colorado Rapids Head Coach Oscar Pareja
Overall thought on the win:
“Well, I though as a group we went onto the field today with a big responsibility to try to get a result and despite having some very young (players) the team they were up to the challenge and I’m very proud of them. The fans and the club and everyone should be very pleased with the effort they put in there. I thought we planned it well and the execution was even better. The first half we knew LA would come to us and we wanted to match their intensity. The second half I thought it was pretty even football but we have some clear options and we were sharp on that one with Edson who scored a fantastic (goal).”
On seeing Edson Buddle score for a third straight game:
“I’m very happy and all the players are as well. Happy for the result, happy for the group but mostly happy for Edson, who has been training very hard and I know what this game meant for him and to come and give us the three points with such a great goal is outstanding. I’m very happy with the person he has been, he’s been nothing but a full professional.”
On the importance of this win:
“It’s huge. At this point, if you have the urgency to get points it’s huge. Especially when playing away, and especially when playing against LA, a rival from the same conference. It gives us our confidence back. Kansas City we could have gotten a point, but, you know, the disappointment of that game went away quick and the boys reacted today with such big character and that’s why they deserve the three points.”
On Nick LaBrocca getting the start:
“Nick is an experience guy who in a game like this one can us that speed on the ball but on the other side we needed the physicality of Atiba, a person we missed probably a lot in Kansas, and I wanted the group to attack the Galaxy a little bit more in the second half with brining Deshorn and Martin. So with Atiba and Nick it was a tactical (move), one gave us speed and the other physicality.”
Colorado Rapids Forward Edson Buddle
On scoring a goal for a third consecutive game:
“For me, I’m a striker. I like to give the team a goal and then get going. This year there’s been a lot of ups-and-downs so to get myself going feels great. For the team, it was big. We needed these three points because the standings are really tight and to do it on the road, in this place, is not easy so we just have to build on this and keep going.”
On playing against his former team:
“Not only do I like playing here, I like coming here in general. It’s a great city. Before I got here, I always liked playing here so to play here and comeback it’s still the same feeling.”
On next week’s game against FC Dallas:
“It’s good to be at home because of the altitude. Right now, like I said, all these games, because the standings are so tight that every point counts, we just want to capitalize on being home. They are not an easy team. I think we were up 2-0, last time we played them, and they were able to get an equalizer so we have to build on this game. We will enjoy this win and get better during the week.”
Colorado Rapids Goalkeeper Clint Irwin
On getting the three points on the road against the Galaxy:
“I think we just wanted to bounce back after the performance in Kansas City. It was pretty, for sure, but we got the result and that’s all that matters.”
On what the difference was between this game and last week’s game against Sporting Kansas City:
“I think we just came out with more energy, we put them under pressure a little bit. We know that they are a good team, especially at home, and we just tried to hold on a little bit, be tough to breakdown and that’s what we did.”
On recording his 10th shutout of the season, which ties Colorado’s all-time single-season record:
“I think I’ve just been fortunate to play in front of some good defenders. We have guys that are very well respected, in Chris Klute and Shane O’Neill, and veteran leadership with Drew and Marv [Marvell Wynne], and they’ve just been great back there just holding things together and keeping things locked down.”
