MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET
SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2005 - SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 1, METROSTARS 0
METROSTARS HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY
On the game:
"I thought we had a decent first half. I was pretty disappointed that early in the second half that we just switched off on the play that led to the goal. It rattled us in terms of feeling down at home. At that point when we needed to really pick ourselves up and still feel like this game was ours, we just didn't have enough at that point. That was the part that left me more frustrated than anything. It's hard to lose a 1-0 game at home again. The first half was OK. We created some chances but weren't able to get that first goal."
On not winning at home:
"Games here are tight. It's hard to really get an edge and create a big advantage. It comes down to still trying to push harder and take advantage of being at home and pushing a little more to create chances and to still do it in a way where we can get more of an edge in the game. It's hard for either team to get a real edge here in terms of the play. It is something that we have not been able to do well. I don't know why. Teams come in here and have an idea of how they want to play. Then it's our challenge and mission to be able to be good enough to overcome that. That involves movement, being sharper with the ball, more ideas and stronger commitment to keep pushing until we get the first goal. We tend to get into games where it is fairly even. Maybe we have a little edge but at the end we are not doing enough to get on top first and to make it count."
On if there is less pressure to play on the road:
"Psychologically that may be a factor, but this group still understands the challenge in this league is to go out every game and fight harder for three points, to be sharper and make more of the plays that count in a game. However the game goes you need to go to the end and keeping going until you the whistle blows. I just felt today that we needed more guys to raise the level today. We needed more sustained pressure from the point that they scored to the end of the game. That part I don't think we were good enough."
METROSTARS MIDFIELDER EDDIE GAVEN
On the game:
"There was something there that was missing and like I said, we need to raise our level. They scored their goal and somehow we didn't get one; I don't know why. It is something that we have to figure out and hopefully we will figure it out this week so we can do better in the next game."
On problems winning at home:
"I don't know why we are having problems winning at home. I think there is only one answer to that question, and we have been playing pretty good soccer at home. There has just been something missing and we have to raise our level so we will be hard to play against at home. That's something we haven't been doing. We haven't had that extra level of play. This is our home and we aren't going to lose; we haven't had that, I don't know why. It is something you can't really answer."
On arrogance:
"No, I think that is what we have to have. We need to have that kind of attitude. We are a good group of guys. Maybe some guys are too nice. We are starting to push each other to get better when we are not doing good. After we gave up that first goal, we have to really urge each other and try to push each other to say that we are going to go out, work hard, and get that tying goal."
METROSTARS MIDFIELDER AMADO GUEVARA
On the difficulties in winning at home:
"It is very difficult to answer that because today they had two hits on the post, we got two very good close calls, no answer to that."
On struggles at home:
"I think we played well, I think the difference is that in Colorado, we got to their goal five times and two of the times that we went in, the ball went in. Today we had opportunities, but none of them went in. I still think that we played well today."
METROSTARS MIDFIELDER MARK LISI
On creating offensively:
"We were trying to find a balance. I think we do have a lot of attacking weapons. I do feel like we can create chances and when we get the chances we have to capitalize on them. I felt tonight I don't think that weren't good in the final third with our passing and our crossing. That's going to need some work."
On the losses at home:
"If I knew the answer to that, we would be undefeated. You always want to answer that question in the right way and obviously it is tough right now and like I said, four home games and no wins, it's not the way you want to start. It is a long season and I think the character of this team, we are going to keep going and keep working hard and keep playing and keep putting plays together and trying to create chances and hopefully it comes."
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES ASSISTANT COACH JOHN DOYLE
On the game:
"We started off a little slow and then with about 10 minutes left in first half, we started to do the right things and I think that we were able to take control of the game from there."
On getting the shutout:
"I think as a team we defended well and I think that the organization was good. I think that in previous games, we defended well and had good organization, but we had a bad break here and there. It is nice to get a shutout and nice for the guys to say, 'We can close a team down.' We scored early in the second half and were able to close them down the rest of the way."
On head coach Dominic Kinnear, who missed the match due to an illness in his family:
"Our thoughts are with Dominic and his family. It was great to get a win for the players, but it was also great to get a win for his family. It was pretty special to have the team be able to help uplift a family like that today. I talked to Dominic after the game and he said that the family felt great when the team scored and then again when the team won. I am glad that the team was able to bring a little joy to Dominic and his family during a difficult time."
EARTHQUAKES FORWARD RONALD CERRITOS
On his goal:
"I was waiting for a good cross from Brad (Davis) and that was a good one. He always serves good balls and we practice plays like that every day in training. I just got open and I was able to score. I really only had one chance and I was able to get one goal. Last week, I had four chances and I couldn't score. That is soccer."
On the significance of the win:
"These were three very important points for us. We worked hard and I think that we deserved to win today. We knew that it was going to be a tough game and we stuck together and pulled out a win."
EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER BRAD DAVIS
On beating the MetroStars:
"I think that it was just a great win for the team. Personally it was great, but I think it is just important for the team to get a win and keep our confidence high. Hopefully, we can keep it going next week against Dallas."
On Cerritos' goal:
"Dwayne (De Rosario) made a great run into the corner and pulled two defenders to him and so I saw some open space and I made a run there. He played a great ball to me and I went down the line and I saw Brian (Ching) and Ronald (Cerritos) make their runs. I saw Ronald open at the back post and I was lucky enough to find him and he put it in the back of the net."
EARTHQUAKES GOALKEEPER PAT ONSTAD
On his first shutout:
"We closed out the game very well. In the last 30 minutes we didn't give them many chances. We had a little luck in the first half with the posts, but then in the second half we closed them down. I was really proud of how the guys played today and I think that they earned the shutout."
