Quotes: Portland Timbers at Chivas USA
Portland Timbers Quotes
Timbers general manager/interim head coach Gavin Wilkinson
Thoughts on the game:
"I think in the first half we lacked a little bit of energy, we lacked imagination, we lacked creativity – our ball speed was a little bit poor and individual areas cost us the goal. I think our shape was by and large a lot better and going into the second half we picked up the tempo a little bit and we started to press a lot higher."
On team’s difficulty scoring on the road:
"It's a matter of hitting the target and, again, taking our time in and around the box, and to move the ball a little bit quicker and create better opportunities. But I think we dominated the second half and were unlucky not to find the equalizer."
On what Portland did well and what the team must improve on:
"I think our defending one-on-one. I think in the middle of the park we did a decent job and we got isolated out wide and we need to do a better job of dictating play, even in our defensive third."
On Portland's road goalless streak:
"I think today, I'll leave it up to you to answer. Did we deserve to score? We created chances, a couple of good, good chances. It's a matter of self-belief and getting those opportunities and hitting the target, and hitting the target with a purpose."
Timbers midfielder Eric Alexander
General thoughts:
"It's disappointing, another road loss. I thought we could have had a couple goals in the second half and some breakdowns gave them an goal early."
On what makes playing on the road different:
"Different surfaces, size of the field, I don't know – not much, really. But it seems to affect how we play a little bit and we've got to fix it."
On missed opportunities:
"I had one, I probably could have scored. Darlington [Nagbe] had a nice header that just missed, Boyd almost scored on a volley. All opportunities that we could have capitalized on, but didn't."
On playing Saturday at FC Dallas:
"Playing there for a year and a half, I know if we go and press the game for the first half we'll be dead at halftime. I know what it's going to take to win there, especially as a road team and it's going to be really tough."
Timbers forward Kris Boyd
General thoughts:
"I thought in the second half we totally dominated the game and at least should have come away with a point, but it's not to be and we'll move on to Dallas on Saturday and hopefully go in with the same performance we did in the second half and hopefully get three points there."
On what changed in the second half:
"I mean, I don't know. Football's a difficult game sometimes to pinpoint where something changes, but I think we upped the game speed a little bit. We got at them in higher areas of the pitch and were closing them down and it led to a few mistakes and we probably should have capitalized on them, but as I said it wasn't to be today."
On adjustments for Saturday's game:
"I think the only change that we really want is the three points. It's a difficult place to be going to play football, but it's up to us to go and be in control of the ball and play the game at our speed. Hopefully we can go there this time and get the three points. We went early in the season and they took the lead in the first half and in the second half we had most of the play, but it's up to us to take our chances.”
Chivas USA Quotes
Chivas USA head coach Robin Fraser
Thoughts on game:
“I thought the first half went very well for us, we started off positive. We did a good job of managing the tempo of the game. At times we possessed well and when we found moments to be dangerous, if not dangerous, we were pretty close to being dangerous. It was good to see us play with that sort of rhythm. In the second half we definitely weren’t as good with the ball and weren’t as forward thinking as we were in the first half and as a result we ended up defending a lot more.
Credit to the group, obviously to go down a man for the number of minutes we did, to deal with the daytime game, the group really hung in there. I’m very proud and happy for the win and the shutout.”
On Ryan Smith’s performance:
“Ryan was certainly effective and dangerous a number of times. He hasn’t played a lot of minutes recently since the concussion in the reserve game, so getting him back to match fitness is certainly a work in progress. We knew that going in with him and with Miller [Bolanos] , guys who haven’t played a lot of minutes lately. But we felt like they were guys that were going to be dangerous for us and fortunately it worked out.”
Chivas USA midfielder Ryan Smith
Thoughts on game:
“We won at home, it was nice. It was a great team spirit today. I know we only scored one goal but the one goal was enough. Everyone is happy and it is three points at the end of the day, we can’t complain with anything.”
On the goal-scoring play:
“For me, it was brilliant because sometimes we play such great stuff at home and we don’t get rewarded for it and today, in the first half in particular, we played very well, we attacked very well … We’ve struggled to score goals this year, but I managed to pull off a good move and Miller got to the ball at the end of the save and scored, it was great.”
On the fourth consecutive unbeaten match:
“It shows what we’ve been. We’ve been quite solid, aside from the Open Cup game, but we’re on the right path. We won today which is going to give us confidence for the next game.”
Notes:
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The match against Chivas USA was the second of five games in 15 days for the Timbers as they close out their July schedule.
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The Timbers and Chivas USA met for the second of three regular-season meetings on Wednesday in only matchup between the clubs in Southern California. The Timbers are 1-2-1 in the all-time MLS series against Chivas USA.
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The Timbers and Chivas USA wrap up their regular-season series July 28 at JELD-WEN Field.
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Portland played its first of three Wednesday matches this season. Since joining MLS in 2011, the Timbers are 2-2-2 in Wednesday games.
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The Timbers defense held Chivas USA to only a pair of shots goal Wednesday, matching a season-low by Timbers opponents in 2012.
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Portland’s 13 shots in the second half matched a season-high set in the second half of the club’s season-opening win over the Philadelphia Union. The Timbers’ second-half shot totals marked the third time this season, and first on the road, in which the club recorded 10 or more shots in a half. The Timbers’ MLS record for shots in a half is 17 set Oct. 17, 2011, in the second half at D.C. United.
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Against Chivas USA, the Timbers wore their green-green-green primary kits for the first time in 2012. The last time the club wore that kit combination was Aug. 17, 2011, on the road against Sporting Kansas City.
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Goalkeeper Troy Perkins made his 48th consecutive league start for the Timbers, dating back April 23, 2011. Perkins is nearing the 150 games-played milestone, with 147 MLS career appearances.
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Captain Jack Jewsbury appeared in his 244th career MLS match on Wednesday against Chivas USA. He’s looking to become one of just 15 current active MLS players with 250 or more career appearances.
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Jewsbury was booked with his fourth caution of the season against Chivas USA.
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Midfielder Franck Songo’o came on as a sub against Chivas USA, his first appearance since sustaining a knee injury in a 2-1 win over San Jose on July 3.
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Portland midfielder Franck Songo’o returned to the lineup after missing the club’s last match against the LA Galaxy due to a one-game, league-imposed suspension for a red card against Real Salt Lake on July 7.
- Timbers midfielder/forward Darlington Nagbe made his 17th consecutive start this season in Wednesday’s match against Chivas USA. He holds the club’s longest current active starting streak among Portland field players.
