MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2004 - D.C. UNITED 1, METROSTARS 0
METROSTARS HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY
General thoughts on tonight's game:
"It was a frustrating night. I thought we had a good start. There were a couple chances early. We gave up the first goal. D.C. dropped back and at that point you have to be good enough with the ball and I don't think we were. The couple of chances that we had to get back into it we didn't take well enough. It is trying to make a chance out of real tight spaces, sometimes set pieces, to get back into it. At the end of the day I don't think we were good enough on some of the plays that would have put us back in the game. It was a tough loss. I thought the effort was good. When you fall behind it has to be more than just that. That is where I think we let ourselves down."
On the team's inconsistency:
"I think our games are close. It is easy to say it's off and on, but that is the league. Tonight it was a tight game. Early on maybe we had the chance to get that first goal. That doesn't mean the game is over. We have to be a little better than we were at that point on. We have lost some 1-0 games at home this year. Maybe the ability for some teams to come in here on this field and sit back and tighten up the game, especially in the center of the field, those are still games that we have to find a better way with."
On dealing with the team having trouble playing against physical teams:
"There are so many ways. Being better with the ball. As they start the pressure if the passes are a little better and the movement is a little better than you can get away from that pressure and create chances. There still are plays in the game where you have an advantage. Getting the right pass and the right run is what creates the final goal-scoring chance. When you do that it is hard for the other team to continue to play that way if it's back to a tie game. We allow that to happen a little bit on nights when we just aren't quite good enough with the ball."
METROSTARS MIDFIELDER EDDIE GAVEN
On the game:
"There were definitely a lot of fouls in the game. That's what you should have in a game like this. It is definitely a big rivalry. It was just a little tough after they scored that goal. They brought their whole team back, which made it tough for us to break through. It was definitely a frustrating night."
On the MetroStars scoring opportunities:
"For the first 10 or 15 minutes we probably had our best chances of the game. Maybe if we get a goal then, they can't drop back the way that they did. But they ended up getting the first goal, and were able to play that way the whole game. I think we just kept on playing. Like I said, for the first 10 or 15 minutes we were playing well, and I think we just kept doing that, but as they dropped more and more numbers back, it made it more and more difficult for us. We just were not able to break through and create any chances."
METROSTARS DEFENDER CHRIS LEITCH
On the implications of the rest of the season:
"I think that we are fully aware of the consequences that the club faces, even in these games, they're all important games. Columbus tied tonight, so had we got the win, we would have put a little more pressure on them, but who knows what can happen. Once it gets down to this stage in the season, we are fully aware, we talk about it at practice, we talked about it before the game, we talked about it at halftime, and so everyone knew that it is put up or shut up time right now. I mean, it's playoff time. This is why you play this is what you play for, so we just have to keep on pushing and hopefully."
METROSTARS DEFENDER EDDIE POPE
On the limited squad for next week:
"I think our young guys and our reserves will be ready to go and ready to play. I don't think that there is anyone who isn't ready. They have worked hard all year for situations like this."
On scoring opportunities in late season games:
"There were scoring opportunities. Fabian had one at the top of the box. We had some chances, it just the way the ball bounces some games. They had a deflection goal that just happened to go in, that's just the game. They had that one chance that put them in good position and were then just able to drop everyone behind the ball. It changes if we get that one goal and then they have to open up, that's how these games go. I think that is also how many of the playoff games are going to be, who can get the goal, whether it's lucky, or whether it deflects of four or five people before it goes in, that's just how it is. I think we have the best forwards in the league and I think we will wind up on top in most of these games."
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH PETER NOWAK
On the team's defense:
"We were very organized. When we are organized like that, we are difficult to break down."
On the game:
"It was very important that we scored first. From there, we worked hard and earned the win. I'm very happy to win on the road."
D.C. UNITED DEFENDER MIKE PETKE
Defensively:
"We cut off the lanes that they wanted to play through. Good organization and communication were key."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BEN OLSEN
On the win:
"This is the first game with a real playoff atmosphere. That was a good win in a tough environment. To play a game like that is the most important thing to take away from this."
On Freddy:
"He's learning his limitations and feeling comfortable in his own skin. We're all still learning here."
D.C. UNITED FORWARD FREDDY ADU
On the goal:
"When you have the ball in front of the goal and chaos is happening, coaches tell you to just hit it on goal. I'll take it."
On the win:
"I'm so proud of this team. We worked together for this win."
On his improving game:
"I've been watching Alecko (Eskandarian) and Jaime (Moreno) and learning from them. This team had been great in helping me grow as a player."
