Portland Timbers quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese
Overall thoughts on the match…
“For me, it was an embarrassing match because at a certain point we had the game in control. We could’ve won this match if we wanted to and we allowed them to be able to get the better of it because they wanted it more. When a team steps on the field wanting the game more, they deserve to win. And, for me, that was the key of the match.”
On if the Red Bulls’ high press affected the play of the game…
“No, for me, it’s not the high press. It’s the attitude. It’s not the high press. The attitude was better from them. There were moments in which we looked like we were in control. This game, we could’ve won if we wanted to. But, at the end of the day, as soon as they scored the second goal, we gave up and that’s one thing that we need to improve. We have to continue to work and if we want to be the type of time that wants to win a championship we need to do a lot more work. But, most of all we need to have the right attitude.”
On how to instill that mentality within the team…
“We’re starting. This is the beginning of the process. This is when it becomes even better for the coach to make his decision, to make more work, because for the fans of the Portland Timbers this is not good enough. They deserve a lot more and we need to do a better job in order to make sure that we’re representing in the best possible way.
Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri
On the match…
“I mean it was a bad game. It was there [for us] when the score was 1-0; we were managing the game a little bit in the second half, creating chances. The goal didn’t come and then when they found the second goal the game changed totally and obviously we didn’t score and they did, two more goals.”
On the process of building a season…
“I’m positive because we have quality enough to win games and to play better and it’s a long season…the time is next game.”
Portland Timbers defender Zarek Valentin
On the team’s focus going into their next match…
“We have a week off [from games], so we’re going to take a hard look at this one. I don’t think the score is indicative. But, you can always learn from winning or losing, I think. We’ve just got to clean things up. We’ve got to be more clinical in both boxes. That’s where the game is won. Scoring goals in one side and keeping them out of the other. As a defense, giving up six goals in our first two games is not good enough. I think we have to look ourselves in the mirror and get better. I know we can and we will. This unit has played together before so we should have no excuses. We just have to go out there and do better, put in the necessary work and be tuned in for the full 90 minutes because, with goal-scorers on the other team that can take advantage of things at any moment, we need to be tuned in all the time and not lose sight of those things.”
New York Red Bulls quotes
New York Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch
On getting the win with roster rotation…
“Yeah, I think obviously a very good performance, and I think the part that I'm happiest with is the fact that we played like us, we looked like us. There were different names on the back of the jerseys, but that looked like our team. That's always our goal. So even if you don't get the result on the day, you know, it's so important that our team plays the way that we want to play. And then obviously, when you have so many young, talented players that you can supplement into the team, it's exciting to see. I think it should be exciting for the fans. It's certainly exciting internally, and we know that these guys all have bright futures. So you know, when I'm watching the game, I'm almost thinking to myself, man, it's going to be a tough job for me this year to keep everybody moving forward in a way that honors where they are at. So yeah, I mean, you know, great performances from a lot of guys, and really proud of the team tonight.”
On difficulty picking a Starting XI moving forward…
‘Yeah, I mean, like I said, that's what I was thinking about. But, what a great problem to have, right. We know, I told the team at the beginning of preseason, our first meeting, that I felt like this was going to be our best group yet, from top to bottom, and this team was going to be able to play our way better than any team we've had. Now, it's early, okay, and we've had some good momentum and we've played well in certain matches. But we've got a long way to go, and we're going to improve a lot with this group because there's a lot of young players, a lot of eager players and a lot of guys who are going to continue to adapt, which is exciting, okay. But we have to now, especially with Tuesday around the corner, we have to stay very grounded and make sure that, you know, we stay true to the fact that we want to continue to work very hard every day to get better, and I feel confidently that we will, but I will make sure that that is the emphasis.”
On the pay of the defense…
“Well, I think we are getting good performance. You know, one is Luis, okay. He obviously has a very good game down in Mexico but another one is that we have competition on the back line now and adding Tim Parker only increases that. I made a comment in the very first preseason game that so much of our success this year was going to depend on our defenders' ability to defend, to understand our tactics, to meet the standards of what we need. And if we could get good performances from our defenders, then we can get wins because we can score goals. And if we don't, and if we give away goals and we give away penalties and bad fouls and we make bad plays, then we're always going to be in jeopardy with results. So I've been on the defenders. They have responded and we have great competition now in the back. So it means that when guys step on the field, they have to be ready to go.”
New York goalkeeper Luis Robles
On young players making an impact…
“It’s almost as if it was expected because of the way preseason ended. Even before we started preseason we got together and you could see the quality in these guys and all of a sudden we started to think just like a couple of years ago, when Jesse said that Aaron Long might be a starter in this league and be one of the best center backs, we made some of those goal declarations in the off season, but there are guys that understand how to play the game and they did good for us and did that. We saw just those guys that know what is expected from them and are willing to come in and play the way they did today. I think Ben [Mines] and Kyle [Duncan] deserve a lot of praise tonight because you never know what your debut is going to look like. I remember in my first professional game how nervous I was playing in front of forty thousand people, and yet, with these guys before the game, you could see within them that there wasn’t nervousness, they were ready for the fight and that was not only very exciting for the team but for the organization.”
New York Red Bulls midfielder Alejandro “Kaku” Romero Gamarra (via translator)
On his first appearance…
“Very well, I’m very happy and the team had a great game.”
On what has surprised him most about MLS…
“To be honest, it’s very different because over there, I had to play out wide and there wasn’t a lot of space. You get kicked a lot more. There is more space here and I’m playing more on the inside.”
Notes:
- Samuel Armenteros made his first MLS start in the match against the Red Bulls.
- Victor Arboleda, Lawrence Olum and Dairon Asprilla each made their 2018 regular-season debuts.
- Saturday’s match ended the Timbers streak of 22 consecutive regular-season games with a goal. Portland’s 22-game run was the longest streak in club history and the longest active streak in MLS, heading into the contest against the Red Bulls.
