NEW YORK RED BULLS 3, CHICAGO FIRE 0
NEW YORK RED BULLS HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On the timeliness of the first two goals:
"I think you get lucky once in a while. The start of the game was fabulous. We got two goals in three or four minutes."
On the team's play in the first half:
"The whole team I thought played well for the first 20-25 minutes. I thought the last 20 minutes of the first half we struggled. The first 15 minutes of the second half we took everything Chicago could throw at us. We were able to weather the storm and hang in there. It said some good things about us."
On changing the lineup due to injuries:
"We had to piece together a lineup tonight. We are struggling. We have a shortage of defenders. Some of the injuries take away the continuity of the team and it doesn't allow us to have the flow of the game that we'd like to have.
"We have to play a little bit better and I think as we get a little healthier we will."
On moving Dave van den Bergh to left back:
"We did that halfway in training when Todd (Dunivant) felt like he couldn't go today and we had to decide real quick who could play left back. Dave said he played it in Spain so we decided to do that rather than move a whole lot of people around."
On the play of Juan Pablo Angel:
"Some classy goals. He played well in some spurts. He's getting to know us and we're getting to know him. The second goal of the game was big and then the third goal was all class. I sat on the bench and said 'He's done that before.' It's nice to have a player with that kind of composure in front of the goal.
"I don't think he is going to score two goals every game but I think he's a pretty good forward. When we get our full team back together, I think he'll be even better for us."
On Jozy Altidore playing midfield:
"I think he was pretty tired but he fought through the second half. The last 15-20 minutes of the first half, he was dead. He hadn't played in the midfield and it's obviously a different fitness. That's why we asked Wolyniec to play there towards the end of the first half to help him out a little but. I thought in the second half he moved better."
On the fitness of the younger players:
"This is a time of the season when they crash a little bit. This is all new to them. They're going to have to learn how to play through this fatigue and to pace themselves."
On winning a game without the team at full strength:
"We got a clean sheet not playing our best. There was a lot of times in that game when we weren't playing well and Chicago was taking the game to us so we held in there and we got the win. I was pleased with that."
On the play of Jon Conway:
"Conway was solid. He had to make one or two timely saves when a goal could have given them a little bit of hope."
NEW YORK RED BULLS MIDFIELDER JOZY ALTIDORE
On playing midfield:
"I have new respect for that position. On a scale of one to 10 it's a 9.99. It's hard, you're running back and forth, defending, but it was nice to help out the team that way. I'm not used to that running back and forth but the guys helped me out, talking to me the whole game and pushed me through. Whatever I can do to help I'll more than enjoy whether it's offense, defense, or goalie for 10 minutes, I'll deal with it."
On scoring 55 seconds into the game, setting a franchise record for quickest goal:
"Really? I didn't know it was that fast. It's nice to get a goal that quick. I saw the goal open up and [John] Wolyniec had his back to the goal and I figured I could hammer it in; he made a great pass and I just finished it."
NEW YORK RED BULLS FORWARD JUAN PABLO ANGEL
On the Red Bulls crowd:
"I figured the hardest thing to play with is that amount of people. I think the people that are coming now are enjoying the different kind of game, scoring more goals, somewhat unannounced. Hopefully, we can bring more people around. I think we're doing everything we can do bring more supporters. We just want to send a message out to everyone that we need them, we want to see the stadium with more people."
On his thoughts on his Red Bull teammates:
"I just have good comments about them. They have welcomed me from day one. Every goal I score is from the buildup from everyone on the team. Full credit to them, it?s not easy to come to play at a new place and settle in quickly."
On his second goal of the game to put the Red Bulls up 3-0:
"I just saw an opportunity where the defender basically was going to the floor and he basically made my mind up and my life much easier just to finish with my other foot."
NEW YORK RED BULLS GOALKEEPER JON CONWAY
On the Red Bulls defense:
"We had a makeshift defense back there with some injuries but they preformed great. We have some great tackles and great defensive plays. Dave van den Bergh was great tonight, Dema [Kovalenko] was great tonight and Taylor Graham coming in for Jeff Parke was spectacular getting an assist, so I thought all in all our boys played great."
On leading 2-0 early:
"We came out on fire and got up 2-0 early, which is great. But, those of us who know the game, to lead 2-0 is the most dangerous lead to have, especially to have for 87 minutes. I knew we would have to weather some of their stuff for a while, especially the beginning of the second half. We were able to dodge their bullets."
CHICAGO FIRE HEAD COACH DAVE SARACHAN
On the game:
"I always reserve my comments until I really see the game tape. But I just think there were some missed assignments, and we were a bit unlucky -- two goals in three minutes, that could be a record in Major League Soccer, I don't even know. I don't know exactly what happened. It wasn't for a lack of preparation, it wasn't for a lack of being ready, but a couple balls don't bounce your way, and until I see the tape I can't really explain it."
"Honestly, and this came from the Red Bulls staff, we had a lot of good stretches of movement and passing. We didn't quit. We were a bit shocked, but I thought interspersed throughout the game was a real attempt to try to get back in it, and I saw some positives. I look at the statistics -- if you can believe those -- 21 shots, 11 on goal, so we had chances tonight. And I honestly believed, even though we were down 2-0, we could get back in the game. It never happened, and then them getting the third goal put it away.
On the team's four-game losing streak:
"It's been a tough stretch for us, it's been a matter of not enough production up top and not enough plays being made to stop teams from scoring, and until we fix both ends it's going to be a struggle. I believe this team can do it, I still believe we have the quality. It just takes one good result to get you back on track."
On the team's bad luck over the past few games:
"I don't like to use that as an excuse, but last game against Dallas, we hit three crossbars, we have shots get blocked ? when it's going not-so-good, it goes not-so-good."
CHICAGO FIRE FORWARD CALEN CARR
On the game:
"Obviously, we're all very disappointed with the result. Playing on the road is difficult, but going down two goals in the first three minutes, we were shell-shocked. To our credit, after that, we fought hard to try and get back in the game, but obviously didn't do enough at the end of the day."
On whether the quick turnaround before the Fire's next game (Sunday against Salt Lake) will help get the bad taste out of their mouths:
"Yeah, I think the best thing after a tough loss is to get right back out there and forget about this game. Let's put it behind us and let's go out with a good attitude on Sunday and get a win at home."
