SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2004 - D.C. UNITED 0, NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 0
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
On his team's play:
"We really didn't get anything going until the end of the first half. The extra man they had in the midfield really caused us problems, both getting the ball and having an extra man run through. So we had to go to the three (in the back)."
On the play of Steve Howey:
"He never looked in any trouble. I would have loved to have gotten him on the ball more. But it is a hell of a game to walk into at 90 degrees. It was tough for everybody, for both teams. Tough for everybody."
On the play of the game:
"The first half I was disappointed to be honest, we looked sluggish. Again, it's easy sitting on the side. When you are playing in 90-degree heat it's tough. The second half, we definitely had more about us. We certainly finished stronger of the two teams. It's a point. Obviously we want to win games at this point of the season, but it's a point."
On Taylor Twellman hitting the crossbar:
"We just have to keep encouraging (Taylor Twellman). In order for him to hit the two posts, he has to be in the position to hit them. He is obviously getting in those positions. There is a fine line between hitting the woodwork and hitting the net. And at the moment that's not going for him, but he has to stay strong and keep putting himself in the position where he can get his chances."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION FORWARD TAYLOR TWELLMAN
How the team felt at halftime:
"We were (angry). We came out flat in front of a big crowd. That's including myself."
On the team's sporadic play:
"I think that is our No. 1 frustration. It is spur of the moment. It is five minutes here, five minutes there. Since I have been here, our successful games have been where it is 80 minutes of hard pressure. The other 10 minutes is when the ball is out of bounds and stuff. When we win, it is constant pressure."
On playing up top with Pat Noonan:
"I am starting to figure out Pat [Noonan]'s game, which has obviously shown in the last few games. So that is getting easier. Obviously, it has been tough for myself, just with injuries and different partners. I think at the end of the day, I am starting to figure out Pat, so if it's me and Pat or Clint [Dempsey], or me up there by myself, we need to start getting it done."
On his stoppage time shot that crashed off the crossbar:
"I think Pat (Noonan) saw me break out a little bit and we were joking around (after the game). He tried to play me in, the ball hit me in the back of the heel, and I just turned around and tried to hit it hard as I can on goal. I think (Troy Perkins) tipped it."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION GOALKEEPER MATT REIS
On the Revs' current standing in the Eastern Conference:
"It's getting to the point where we need to win. It doesn't matter how. It doesn't matter if it looks pretty. We just have to be effective and get our goal. We have to bunker and bunker in. We need points. And we need three points, not one point. We as a team have put ourselves in this situation. We've been allowed games to get it done in, and each game that goes away when we are not climbing up the table or we are not keeping pace with everybody else is another game we have let go."
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH PETER NOWAK
On being frustrated during the game:
"Especially in the first half, there (were) a lot of moments where the pass didn't count or the pass was too long. The combination actually was pretty good. It was just that nobody was on the field that was going to make this happen. A couple of mistakes, but we still need to finish the chances that we make. In the second half, actually, the Revolution made a couple of changes in the first couple of minutes we didn't recognize the changes."
On the result:
"We could have lost this game. Troy [Perkins] made a couple of great saves. In the end we should have won this game. But we'll take it. This is a very competitive conference and it is going to go down to the last game. But it is still one point. Actually we didn't (lose) anything from free kicks or set pieces, so that was good."
On the play of Freddy Adu:
"I was pleased with Freddy up front with Jaime, because Freddy always finds good gaps between the front line and the midfield. So I want to keep him up front as long as possible."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER DEMA KOVALENKO
On the game:
"Overall, not bad."
On the result:
"Of course you always want the three points. I'm really happy with how well we played, but leaving with a tie is a little frustrating."
On going forward: "We need to keep this same mentality. We've been good defensively and our effort needs to start there."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER EARNIE STEWART
On whether the result was fair:
"I don't know that it was. I felt we had the better of play today. Regardless, both teams left it on the field."
D.C. UNITED GOALKEEPER TROY PERKINS
On his game-saving save:
"I got my fingertips on it. It was a great shot with tremendous pace. A tip was all I needed and fortunately, the bar was my friend."
On his save against Pat Noonan:
"That was simply a reflex save. I just got my foot out in time."
On the result:
"Playing on the road, we are happy to get a point. That doesn't mean we are satisfied though."
