Quotes: Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls
Portland Timbers Quotes
Assistant coach Trevor James (acting head coach)
On the halftime talk:
“We just said we needed to pick up the intensity because we were a bit flat.”
On the overall result:
“I think we dominated, certainly the second half, but those late goals let you down. We asked everything of them at halftime and they gave that and they feel a little disappointed because they didn’t get what they deserved today.”
Head Coach John Spencer (who served a one-game suspension during the match)
On the second-half comeback:
“I said last week it’s a cruel game. It was a cruel game tonight. I think from the 46th minute to the 90th minute we’ve run them ragged, we outplayed them, we outran them, we were better than them in every department. We said in the video meeting the other day that if you give guys like [Thierry] Henry and [Dwayne] De Rosario a chance in and around the box, you need to be switched on because they’re super players and we got punished in the end.”
On the result:
“Disappointed. That shows you how far we’ve come that we’re sitting in the locker room and the players are absolutely distraught. We’re gutted that we never took three points off what I consider to be the most potent attacking force in the country, although they were missing a couple players.”
Midfielder Jack Jewsbury
On the overall result:
“It’s one of those ones you’d love to have back. Obviously, the positive is the way we approached the second half and the way the guys came out and fought. We could’ve hung our heads ... that wasn’t the case.”
On the feeling in the locker room:
“Guys are gutted right now. That’s two games in a row where we’ve given up some points late in games and we thought we deserved more. We’ve got to take the positives of the way we approached the second half and take that into Dallas next week.”
On Trevor James’ halftime talk:
“Trevor rallied the troops and said from every guy on the field it’s not good enough and we need more from you and in the first five minutes (of the second half) we responded pretty well to that."
Goalkeeper Troy Perkins
On the physicality of New York’s forwards:
“That’s the way this league is; it’s a tough, physical league and we had to be up to the challenge. They (Portland’s defense) battled hard and did their best.”
On the change in mindset after halftime:
“I think we got away from our style in the first half – too slow and not enough speed on the ball. For us, we just had to go back to what works and we knew they were a team who are susceptible at the back and we wanted to take advantage of that.”
Defender Kevin Goldthwaite
On his goal:
“I just continued my run and I think [Eric] Brunner got his head on it and fortunately it was a right-place-right-time sort of thing and I got my foot on it and got a goal.”
On the overall result: “I think in a situation like this you’ve got to look at the positives. You almost really just take the first half and throw it away and look at the second half and take the positives from that and really try to translate that into next week and how you can start on the right foot.”
New York Red Bulls Quotes
Head coach Hans Backe
On wild result:
"Well it's the Wild West. We played very good in the first half, very comfortable and very composed. Our shape was phenomenal. It was the way we wanted it going in, winning one-nil."
On second half performance:
"Sloppy start in the first four minutes, we weren't switched on coming out of halftime. It's disappointing the way we gave away the goals. Being down 3-1, we responded very well and at the end of the day, we're smiling and happy to get a point."
On atmosphere at JELD-WEN Field:
"It's probably one of the best and most intimidating atmospheres in the league, even if I expected a little bit more because everyone had told me this is the best atmosphere in the league."
On Henry's red card:
"I would like to see it on the DVD; I couldn't see anything. I could see that he helped a guy get up, and then he got the red card. So we definitely have to check it on the DVD and if he did do just that, then we have to talk to the league."
Forward Thierry Henry
On draw with Timbers:
"Portland deserved to win, every time they were kicking the ball forward it seemed like they were going to score. I don't think Portland deserved to draw the game, and I didn't think we deserved to draw the game either. They deserved to win."
On difference between the first and second halves:
"Us, being scared. I don't know why. No pressure? We put pressure on ourselves. Football is easy: pass the ball between the lines and make sure you keep it like we did in the first half. Second half – I don't know. [It] seemed like we got scared and intimidated by the fans. By the way, they are amazing. We conceded those two goals in what? Two minutes? It was a totally different game – the first half we were in control and it didn't look like we were going to be in trouble today. Then you come back at the end of the day and the game has finished 3-3."
On atmosphere at JELD-WEN Field:
"I've played in a lot of stadiums before. It was a great atmosphere playing at Barcelona, playing at Arsenal, playing some big games in the World Cup, but I have to say the fans are amazing. Credit to them, they are amazing – they didn't stop singing, they were there an hour before the game outside singing. Wow. Amazing."
Midfielder Austin da Luz
On draw with Timbers:
"Strange, very strange game. Obviously going up 1-0 [in a] pretty comfortable first half, I thought we played pretty well. [We] came out very flat in the second half, much too flat. We gave up three goals on set pieces. Overall it was a very strange, strange game but I think we deserved a point."
On difference between first and second halves:
"I don't think it was as much of what they adjusted to as it was that we came out so flat. We basically gifted them three goals, which is something we're going to need to look at for the next game in Seattle."
On first MLS goal:
"It was a good goal, great transition goal. Started around midfield and played Thierry (Henry), Thierry played D Ro (Dwayne De Rosario), D Ro dragged it back and Thierry had the presence of mind to leave it and I was fortunate enough to take a good first touch and slide it home."
Notes:
-
Assistant coach Trevor James filled in as the acting head coach for the Timbers while head coach John Spencer served a one-game, league-imposed suspension as the result of being sent off June 11.
-
In the closing minutes of the match, New York’s Henry was sent off with a straight red card. Henry’s late goal was his eighth in his last nine appearances and he is now tied with the LA Galaxy’s Landon Donovan with the league lead in goals.
-
Jewsbury recorded his second game this season with both a goal and an assist. He also accomplished the feat April 17 vs. FC Dallas.
-
With his fourth goals on the campaign, Jewsbury matched his career high, set in 2005 with Kansas City. Now with six assists, Jewsbury is one shy of his career high of seven that he set in 2008 with Kansas City. At 14 points in 2011, Jewsbury has surpassed his previous career best of 13 points, also set in 2008.
-
The three goals in the second half marked Portland’s highest scoring half this season. The five combined goals in the second half also marked a season-high for the Timbers.
-
Goldthwaite’s goal in the second half was his first in nearly three years to the date; his last MLS goal was June 21, 2008, while he was a member of the Red Bulls. He came on as a sub for an injured David Horst (left hip flexor) at halftime, making his first appearance since March 26.
-
Defenders have now accounted for six of the Timbers’ 18 goals this season.
-
With three goals on the night, the Timbers share the league lead in goals scored at home with the Houston Dynamo at 15.
-
The Timbers ended a 230-minute scoreless stretch on Jewsbury’s goal in the 48th minute. The scoreless run included consecutive shutouts and was their longest this season.
-
The 67th-minute own goal was the second own goal the Timbers have received this season. Chicago’s Dasan Robinson also committed one in Portland’s 4-2 win April 14.
-
On Father’s Day, the Timbers starting lineup featured three second-generation professional soccer players. The fathers of forward Kenny Cooper and midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Diego Chara each played professionally. In fact, Nagbe’s father, Joe, played against Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry in the French first division during the 1995-96 season.
-
The Timbers’ 18-man match day roster featured two former Red Bulls in defenders Jeremy Hall and Goldthwaite. For New York, its Starting XI included defender Stephen Keel, who played for the second-division Timbers from 2009-10.
-
Timbers defender Steve Purdy made his debut for the El Salvador National Team on Sunday, starting in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal match against Panama at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. El Salvador lost on PKs 5-3.
