NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 3, CHICAGO FIRE 1
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
On Michael Parkhurst's performance as a defensive midfielder:
"I think he's normally solid and he played spectacular tonight. He makes things look a lot easier than they are. I think he did a great job in the middle of the park."
On Steve Ralston's performance:
"He's a smart player. He's got a great soccer brain and he uses it. The brain is always quicker than the legs and he proves it."
On the Revolution's substitutions in the 66th minute:
"We needed something to change the momentum of the game. We felt that they were on top and we didn't look like we were getting a hold of the ball or that we were going to get forward. We looked tired, I thought, from halfway through the first half and I think the traveling and this being the third game in eight days was catching up with us. So, we thought that we'd get some fresh legs on and get things going and it would do the trick. Sometimes it works and it worked today."
On Wells Thompson's first career goal:
"He had a fantastic finish. He's got fantastic feet and a great pace. But, he's inexperienced and it will take him time to learn the game like somebody like (Steve) Ralston. He's got two great feet and pace and likes going at people. I thought he had a fantastic finish today."
On the past few games:
"Three games, seven points, two [games] away from home. I think today you saw the effects of traveling and playing away from home. But, again I think you saw the character, the strength and the ability to get over that. All with missing Shalrie (Joseph), as well, and Pat Noonan himself not being 100 percent. So there's still plenty more to come from us."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER STEVE RALSTON
On closing in on the MLS all-time assists record:
"If I break the assists record, it's taken six years longer than Carlos (Valderrama). Let's be honest here. I mean, I've been fortunate to play with some great forwards who happen to score a lot of goals."
On playing three games in eight days:
"It shows the type of team we are. At halftime we were talking about that. I mean, we were tired, and it's been a tough schedule. Stevie (Nicol) kept saying to play with your brains and just be mentally strong. If you think about it, you're going to be tired. We have a great group of guys here. Guys came off the bench and gave us a big-time spark."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER JEFF LARENTOWICZ
On playing with Steve Ralston:
"When you've logged as many minutes in the league as he has, you know that he knows the right things to do on the field. He's our captain, he's our leader and he's also got a tireless work ethic. He went from minute one to the last minute, creating goals and scoring goals."
On his first goal:
"We had a corner from the other side (as the first one), and there was some space open on the near post. We had it from the same spot with the sun behind us and it was easier to see. Steve (Ralston) put it in the same spot. It was out of my reach, and I had to dive to get it. The ball was there and I was there, and I just kind of poked it in."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION GOALKEEPER MATT REIS
On beating the undefeated Chicago Fire:
"It felt as good as any other game. To be honest, I didn't even realize they were undefeated. It was important for us, being our third game in (eight) days, to come out with whatever energy we had, and I felt we did a great job in the second half of digging down deep and pulling out the goals that we needed."
On the Chicago goal at the end of the first half:
"It was a situation where we failed at clearing a corner kick. We gave (Chris) Rolfe on top of the box a pretty easy chance to collect it and shoot. It's something we've got to get better at."
On midfielder Wells Thompson's first career goal:
"I was happy for him. It's always good to get that first goal and get a little bit of confidence. It's good that he's coming in off the bench and giving us that lift."
CHICAGO FIRE COACH DAVE SARACHAN
On the loss:
"I think we beat ourselves tonight. We had a lot of time and space to play tonight and it was a little frustrating giving up corners. But, then getting them back at the half we had a lot of room to play and we forced some things. Against the run of play the ball gets served across the box and there's Ralston on the back post, so, as quickly as those things happen it can change. I didn't think New England beat us, but we beat ourselves a little bit tonight."
On Chicago's first loss:
"We weren't going to go undefeated I didn't think, as much as we wanted to. It's days where you feel as thought you can come away with points and don't it's frustrating. Obviously, I feel very good about my group and I think we are going to bounce back. New England is a good side, but we need to take this game, learn from it, and move on. It's early and we've just got to clean up some things."
On the rivalry:
"No question there is a rivalry here; there's no doubt. They get up for us, we get up for them. On days we can get the better of them, on other days I think they can get the better of us and that's what a rivalry is about. Tonight they finished a couple of the chances that they got and that was the difference."
On the Revolution goals scored:
"There's no secret to how New England plays. When the ball gets wide it's getting whipped in the box and it wasn't like they surprised us on that end. Why that allowed itself to happen is what you go back to the drawing board to take a look and see. We've got to see where Matt's [Pickens] positioning was and where our defenders positioning was."
