MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET
SEPTEMBER 4, 2004 - KANSAS CITY WIZARDS 1, METROSTARS 0
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH BOB GANSLER
On the solid play from the entire team:
"Up front we were playing with three forwards and were trying to get things done and Josh (Wolff) made it happen. Josh was the man up there, Diego (Gutierrez) was very strong and Jimmy (Conrad) was courageous. We have never seen Jimmy not get to as many head balls as he did tonight, but that is because he was jumping off one foot. Nicky (Garcia) was solid at right back and we put him in defensive midfield when Francisco (Gomez) was out of gas. Diego Gutierrez has been our most solid player of late and Diego Walsh played his best game for us this year."
On the team's transition game:
"We do a lot of things. For sure you need the right pony that will get you there quickest. For sure we have a good transition game and whenever we have the opportunity we are going to use it. It is something we have done well all year long and we aren't going to stop."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD JOSH WOLFF
On his goal:
"We had a pretty decent buildup there, four or five guys had good touches. Matty (Taylor) showed some patience and got the ball inside and allowed Jose (Burciaga) to get forward. Jose can smack the ball pretty good with his left and hit a good ball across the face of the goal that was a little too hard and Jonny (Walker) couldn't get it. Davy (Arnaud) and I were basically right there. It's one of those things that I was in the right spot at the right time."
On the team's transition game:
"I think that has been pretty typical of our games lately. One team has some opportunities at one end and the other team goes the other way and has a pretty good chance. We are a team that tries to breakout and get out opportunities that way and we've kind of done that all year. Throughout a game you will probably see us do it a dozen, 15, 20 times and we'll probably mess it up most of the time, but the idea is to get one or two right. Tonight we did a good job of getting an extra guy forward as far as Jose being there for the goal."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS GOALKEEPER BO OSHONIYI
On the win:
"It was big just to keep pace with Los Angeles in case they won, and also for our own psyche. After the Chicago loss, we felt disappointed that we didn't give it our best effort. So tonight we wanted to come out and show our fans and ourselves that we can win in tight games like this."
METROSTARS HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY
On the team's chances:
"There were opportunities that we took well and others we struggled with for sure. There was one miscue between Ricardo Clark and Fabian Taylor on a good opportunity in front. I would have to see it again, but it seemed as if there was some halfway hesitancy or a decision where one got in the other's way. But we were not sharp enough in these plays and that was the difference in the game."
On the team's play:
"I think we've had some good opportunities around the goal. We haven't been sharp enough with our finishing, decision making and when to pass. I think we've created some advantages in these games and it's certainly frustrating that we're not able to capitalize on these advantages."
METROSTARS GOALKEEPER JONNY WALKER
On the game:
"It's very disappointing obviously to lose on the road. We knew that Kansas City was going to look at this game as a championship match and we knew that we had to do the same. Basically they came out and created more chances and got a goal, which we were able to counter. So it's pretty simple to look at it, one point in the last four games is not good. We have Columbus coming up, a team that now has leapfrogged us in the standings, so we need to turn things around mighty quick."
On dropping to second place in the standings:
"I've always said this team responds well to pressure. I don't know if we've been lackadaisical but now having to look at the table we are starting to feel the pressure. It's going to be a very big game coming up and we're definitely not going to take it lightly. Not to say that we have taken the last few games lightly. That's just the way it goes."
METROSTARS FORWARD JOHN WOLYNIEC
On the absences of key players:
"We put in a pretty good effort, I thought. We created some chances for ourselves; unfortunately none of them went in. We had one breakdown and they capitalized on it. I think we had a pretty good effort out there. It's still disappointing to let three points slip away. It's a tough place to come to take points that's for sure."
On the lack of scoring in the last three games:
"It's pretty hard to put your finger on it. We're getting chances, not as many or as good chances that we want. I don't think we have been playing that bad which is unfortunate the fact that we're not jumping out in front in the standings. "
