MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2007 - LOS ANGELES GALAXY 1, NEW YORK RED BULLS 1
LOS ANGELES GALAXY COACH FRANK YALLOP:
On the team's performance:
"Obviously, first and foremost, we are still in it and that's a good thing. Maybe we didn't play particularly well tonight, but I thought our guys dug in. They are a good side, a side that attacks well. We did well to limit their chances. On another night, we might have scored but it will now come to out last game, hopefully, as long as some results go our way. We will wait till Saturday night."
On the playoff picture:
"We just talked about it and everyone is great. We have to wait for the result and do what we can do on Sunday. A win tonight would have been a lot better, but it still isn't a given - we have to go to Chicago and win. That's a tough game. We are hoping the results on Saturday will go for us, and we have a chance. Eight weeks ago, if we said it would go till the last game - everyone would have thought we were crazy. We've done well to get to this position and hopefully get through it."
On David Beckham playing:
"It lifts everybody to know that he is available. It's never easy coming into a game like that for 20 minutes or so. He's a little bit rusty in his play, but he wasn't hindered by the injury. He's match fitness will be the biggest problem. He was anxious to get on. I could tell when he was warming up. We wanted to stick the plan. It was a good chance to try him in the game. We didn't get any free kicks around the box, which we were trying to get. We really didn't any wide free kicks, where he could serve that ball in. What I liked about it - we were pushing. Maybe we were a little unlucky not to score but New York had a break that was decent and they had some chances too."
On Cobi Jones' last regular season game: "Cobi means a lot to this city, club and league. I think that it was fitting that he played his 90 minutes and played well tonight. He's been great for us; he's been great for me. I didn't really like him, I didn't really know him when I played against him or coached against him. But, when you get to know Cobi - he's a great guy and a great teammate. I think he deserves everything he gets. He's one of the best American players to ever play the game."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY COBI JONES:
On the team's performance:
"I was a very difficult match for us. We would have much rather had a win. It would have made things a lot easier on us. Now we need a few situations to work for us to make it to the playoffs. Overall, we are satisfied with a tie because at least it gives us a chance."
On ceremony for him before the game:
"It was very touching ceremony that they put on. I didn't know anything that they were doing. It was pretty nice to see all those players up there, you know, current players and players from the past. It was great to see and hear those kind words from a variety of players throughout my career."
On his last regular season game:
"It is surreal. You don't think about it too much. I'm sure it will probably hit me more once the season is over. Like every year, once the season is over you look at it and go that's it - we've done a whole year. This time it will be like that's it forever. I won't be playing in this stadium again. It's the last time I'll be wearing the Galaxy jersey. It's difficult to think about."
LOS ANGELES DEFENDER TROY ROBERTS:
On his goal:
"I think it was a deflected block. Landon (Donovan) got the ball again and served it in back post. I was kind of waiting around for that ball to drop in there and it came. It was a pretty easy finish. It was a good ball by Landon. I put my head on it and it went in."
On the team's playoff hopes:
"I think we've kept a pretty positive mindset. We are on the right track. Even though we didn't get the rest, we still have a chance. So as long as the results go well for us on Saturday, Sunday will be one of the biggest games of our season with everything we've wanted. With a win, it could put us in the playoffs."
On keeping Juan Pablo Angel scoreless:
"It feels good as a defender, especially as a team, to keep forwards from scoring. It's our job. You take pride in keeping guys like Angel without a goal. Unfortunately, we let one in with Jozy (Altidore), but it's soccer. Things happened, but we bounced back pretty well."
LOS ANGELES MIDFIELDER JOSH TUDELA:
On the team's playoff chances:
"Not the best result, but we are still alive, and we are hoping for a win in Chicago. Hopefully, we will still get through."
On the team's performance:
"Obviously, we scored the first goal, but we let down and they got a quick goal back. Overall, it wasn't the best performance, but we still got the tie and we are still in it."
NEW YORK RED BULLS HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On the team's overall play:
"I was pleased. We're going to have to go on the road and get a result, maybe a point, maybe three points. I think the way we played tonight, and dealing with a couple of players out of the lineup, the guys did a good job. We put ourselves in a position to win the game at the end. We had a couple of very good chances. I think overall it was a positive performance."
NEW YORK RED BULLS DEFENDER CARLOS MENDES:
On the team's result:
"Overall it was good, especially in the second half. On the road, coming in and playing a team that is pretty desperate for a win, I thought we did pretty well. We battled and got a result on the road."
NEW YORK RED BULLS FORWARD JOZY ALTIDORE
On the team's draw:
"We played the game, and I think it was in our hands in the end. We had a lot of chances to finish them off. It was a good game. Both teams were fortunate to come out with a tie."
