Quotes: Portland Timbers at LA Galaxy
Portland Timbers Quotes
Head Coach John Spencer
On the team’s low scoring:
“The good thing about it is we’re creating, the negative is we’re not taking the opportunities. In games like this when you’re on the road especially you’ve got to try to capitalize on the half chances or the few chances you get and at the moment we’re not doing that. And it’s not just the forwards, you look at your wide midfield players, attacking midfield players, they’ve got to get shots on goal and they’ve got to score goals and they’ve got to contribute also.”
On Danny Mwanga’s performance:
“I thought he did well in the first half. I thought he looked a little fatigued in the second half like a couple guys did. He obviously hasn’t been playing regular football for a number of weeks so the quicker we get him up to speed and get his game fitness it will be better for him. I thought his hold up play at times was good, but second half tired a little bit.”
On the club’s standing in the Western Conference:
“The games are ticking down now. You can’t look at games being any bigger than the other. We need to start picking up points, we know that. There’s too many games clicking by and saying ‘oh we should have, could have done this, could have gotten a decision.’ I’m sick and tired of hearing the word potential. For me, potential gets you your contract, gets you on the field, then you’ve got to produce. We’ve got too many guys right now not producing to the best of their abilities.”
Forward Kris Boyd
On the team’s low scoring:
“I think it’s just been bad finishing. I think when you look at the chances we had, we’ve created enough chances to win enough games. We’ve not taken our chances, sometimes these things happen but it’s up to us as strikers, midfielders, defenders to start taking them when they come along.”
On the difference between the first and second halves:
“I think they maybe changed a couple of things but we could have done better ourselves the second half. We struggled to get anything in the final third or to get the chances that we did in the first half and that was lacking in the second half.”
Forward Danny Mwanga
On the team’s performance and the result:
“Obviously it kind of hurts. Beginning the game I feel like we came out in the first half I feel like we were definitely the better side. We had more chances scoring goals, we’re just very unlucky not to put those away. I feel like we came in the second half, maybe we didn’t bring the same intensity we brought in the first half and I think they got real lucky on a set piece and they scored one goal and they put the game away. But at the same time you’ve got to look back at this game and try to learn from this and go into the next game.”
On creating chances in the first half:
“Everybody was moving, getting balls out wide, guys were crossing balls in back and we were making runs, we were just very unlucky not to get on the end of it. In the second half I feel like we didn’t do it as much. They had one chance and they put it in the back of the net, so I think that’s really what cost us today.”
On playing with Kris Boyd for the first time:
“It’s only our first game together I think we did pretty well. We had numerous chances in the first 15-20 minutes to score a goal and it was just unlucky not to put that away. I think just looking back, it’s only our first game together I think we did really decent.”
LA Galaxy Quotes
Head Coach Bruce Arena
On Josh Saunders’ return:
“He’s a very likable person, obviously he dealt with some difficult personal experiences, but the team supported him all the way. He was really happy to get back. Having an experienced goalkeeper in the goal, definitely helps. A couple saves in the first half that were big. Just having his experience helps the entire group. We were fighting numbers today; we were very limited with who we had available. We just had to gut it out. Our guys did a terrific job given the numbers we had available and the conditions today. It was pretty warm on the field for the players. We knew a goal could hold up today. We are pleased with that because there were a number of games this season that should have ended like that and didn’t. To be able to get the three points tonight was great and build some confidence going into a difficult week ahead.”
On the first shutout of the season:
“It’s good. I guess it’s been a little rare this year. But, when you get a shutout, it’s not just your goalkeeper; it’s the players in front of him. I think they did a pretty good job for the most part. And, again lets be fair—we had a couple of good chances to start the game. They had a good chance or two at the end of the first half. A timely save is critical. We had one in the first half.”
On building off the win:
“Hopefully it is. We played real well when against San Jose, we played very well for 75 minutes. We made a few mistakes and it cost us. The Houston game—I don’t even count. That was a horrible situation for players on either team. The last time we played at home—we played very well. And then the guys that went on the road for the Open Cup game had a pretty solid form. The reserve games have been good. They are moving forward. These are things to build off of and today as well. We are making progress, but we aren’t going to be with a full team for a while. That’s what it is—with the injuries and suspensions. Hopefully, we’ll be a little bit better for it.”
Goalkeeper Josh Saunders
On getting the win:
“It felt good. We battled through the game. We just kept believing that we were going to start winning some games and we showed it on the field. We battled and had some struggles early on, but we were able to pull through it. I can’t say enough about what the guys did on the field.”
On the importance of the win:
“We just have to build on it, it’s as simple as that. Last season we played a lot of games like this where we won 1-0 and we kept the other team shutout. We need more performances like this and we’re capable of it. Hopefully this will be our springboard.”
Defender Todd Dunivant
On scoring the goal:
“David [Beckham] obviously serves an incredible set piece and he put the ball in the back post. We kind of talked about it at half time that we had a few in the front post and I said to try the back post and found a little space back there and I was able to net it home.”
On scoring his first goal since 2010:
“I don’t like to think of it that way, but I always do and a bunch of guys have been teasing me a little bit about it and it was good, you know. It was good tonight to give us a little boost. And I think most importantly we got the shut out and we can build on that going forward. We’ve done well to limit team’s chances but tonight we did that and also made the little plays and didn’t let ourselves down like we have been in one or two instances throughout the game, which was the difference.”
On the difference in the teams’ attitude:
“It felt good. Again, like I said, I think the biggest differencefrom tonight is we made that extra play at the crucial moment and that’s what has been letting us down. I think we defended pretty well as a team for the most part. But we keep letting ourselves down at the wrong situations at the wrong time maybe once, twice a game and keep getting burnt for it. Tonight we were on point the whole time and that’s a concentration thing and a goalkeeper that bailing you out when you need him to.”
Notes:
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Sunday’s match was the Timbers’ first league match since May 26 – a span of 22 days.
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In games following a break in league play of 10 or more days, the Timbers are 1-2-2 as an MLS club. The Timbers have two more extended breaks of 10 or more days between league games remaining in 2012.
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Portland had a four-game unbeaten streak in league play come to an end Sunday. It was the club’s first loss since a 2-0 road loss to the Montreal Impact on April 28.
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With the loss Sunday, the Timbers are 1-3-0 against the LA Galaxy as an MLS club. The Galaxy have won all three of their home matches in the series between the two sides.
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Prior to Sunday’s contest, the winning side in the Portland-LA series had scored exactly three goals in each victory.
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The goal scored by LA’s Todd Dunivant was the first conceded by the Timbers off a corner kick in 2012. Likewise, it was the Galaxy’s first goal scored from a corner kick play this season.
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Dunivant’s goal was just the fifth league goal allowed by the Timbers since their last meeting with the Galaxy on April 14 – a span of seven matches.
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Galaxy midfielder David Beckham has recorded a goal and an assist in two games this season against the Timbers.
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The Galaxy become the first team this season that the Timbers have faced a multiple time. Portland plays each Western Conference club three times in 2012.
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The game against LA was the Timbers’ second Sunday match of the 2012 campaign. Overall, Portland is 3-4-1 in Sunday games since joining MLS.
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Sunday’s contest opened a stretch of 10 straight matches against Western Conference opponents for the Timbers.
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Acquired via trade June 6, Timbers forward Danny Mwanga made his first start for the club on Sunday. He played a full 90 minutes and attempted a shot, which was saved.
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Timbers goalkeeper Troy Perkins made his 42nd consecutive start for the Timbers.
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Portland defender David Horst made his first MLS start of the 2012 campaign, while captain Jack Jewsbury made his 185th career MLS start on Sunday against LA.
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In a match on Father’s Day, the Timbers’ lineup featured four fathers – Diego Chara, Jack Jewsbury, Kris Boyd, Hanyer Mosquera and Troy Perkins.
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Timbers defender Futty Danso and midfielder Lovel Palmer returned from international duty with The Gambia and Jamaica, respectively. Both players joined the team in Los Angeles and were available subs against the Galaxy.
- The Galaxy had three players – midfielders Mike Magee, Michael Stephens and Hector Jimenez – unavailable for Sunday’s match due to MLS-imposed suspensions. Additionally, Galaxy forward Robbie Keane was away with the Irish national team for Euro 2012.
