Postgame

Postgame quotes: Galaxy 4-1 Union

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Philadelphia Union postgame quotes

John Hackworth

On the result

Inexcusable start, to give up a goal on a restart in the second minute. Then it took us a while to get into it. Finally, we get going and we start playing well. [But] We were never truly that dangerous in the first half. That was a problem. You think coming out at half time that you’ll have a chance to correct some of the things in the first half, and we gave the Galaxy too many easy opportunities. And they put the game away.

On the Philadelphia Union’s lack of creating chances

When you give up an early goal that way it’s really tough to come back against a team like the Galaxy. We have been a team all year that have been able to stretch teams out. Certainly with the way we move the ball we were able to have good rhythm and were able to do that. Midway thru the first half we finally got going. Really poor start from our guys. It looked like we had a lot of guys out there that were a little bit scared, didn’t want to play, fearful of having the ball in a tough spot. Once we got it going we were a good team that way. To start the second half the way we did is unacceptable.

On Landon Donovan scoring

You have to give the Galaxy a lot of credit. On a night like tonight we should be talking about Landon Donovan setting the all-time MLS scoring record. Personally to be in this locker room and feel this way I am very happy for him.

Danny Cruz

On tonight’s result

Shitty result, we didn’t play well at all. From the very beginning we give up a goal two minutes into the game, and we had to play from behind the entire time. It’s not the way we wanted to start the game. Obviously, look at the end result it’s a poor performance and we are completely unhappy.

On giving up an early goal

It completely changed the game. You can’t start a game like that. We’ve continued to do it now week in and week out, and it takes its toll on you, every single game starting the first ten minutes and you give up a goal. It changes the game completely. I think we hadn’t a lot of the ball in the first half because of it. Then three minutes into the second half we give up another goal. It’s unacceptable. If we don’t clean it up, things aren’t going to turn around.

Maurice Edu

On tonight’s game

We let ourselves down. We gave a goal in the second minute. We picked it up a little bit going into half time then, in the second half, we came out flat, gave up a goal, and then it stuck our backs up against the wall. Then its just our own errors that we gifted goals to them. But, we have another game here on Saturday here in LA again. It’s a chance for us to find a way to get back on the right track. We’ve dug a hole for ourselves and, somehow, some way, we have to stick together and find a way to get out of it.

On the team trying to get back into the game after being down more goals in the second half

I think guys just realized that, at that point, there’s nothing to lose and people played with a little less fear. It seemed like at times we played tentative as if we were scared to make a mistake out there. Obviously we made a few mistakes early on that cost us goals. It seemed like we went through a stretch where guys were scared to make mistakes which, in essence, led to more mistakes. Towards the end of the game we started to play more offensively, just playing the way we know how to play, and just playing without fear. That’s when we looked better, we created more chances, we looked more lively, and looked more like ourselves. We just need to find a way to do that for 90 minutes. We can’t keep playing in little segments, little glimpses, because that’s all for nothing. At the end of the day you are not going to win many games if you concede four, and if you just play in spurts.

On rejoining the team after the US pre-World Cup camp

I wanted to play, I wanted to get back on the pitch with my team. For me, that’s important. Playing with Philly is important to me, and I wanted to get out there and help my team as much as possible. Obviously, being here in LA, I havve a lot of friends, this is where I’m from and my family was at the game, too. Definitely, after everything that happened, I wanted to just play, I wanted to get back playing again. It wasn’t as if I was playing to prove a point or anything like that, I wanted to play again, I wanted to get back with my team. As soon as I got back, the guys all welcomed me, and it felt good to just be back among the boys again and among this group. It’s important that we use that bond that we have. We’re a really close group of players off the pitch, and we need to find a way to have that translate on the pitch. I can’t fault the team, it’s an honest group of guys, hard working group of guys. But at the end of the day, we need to find a way to translate all the good qualities that we have into results.

LA Galaxy postgame quotes

Bruce Arena

On Landon Donovan breaking the record

It was very nice. I think that the one who really wanted the hug was really me. I wanted to congratulate him. I’m real happy for him. It’s an unbelievable milestone for any athlete. It’s a great accomplishment. We are grateful to have him here. I know it takes a little pressure off him not having to worry about that record now. Others can chase him for the rest of his life.

On the team’s performance

I don’t think we played well in the first half. Second half we played better, but it was a good performance. Philadelphia played us real hard. To get that second goal early in the second half was important. It broke their back a little bit. Second half we played a very good 30 to 35 minutes.

On Leonardo’s performance

I thought he performed quite well today. Obviously, the goal was a big part of our success today. He had surgery two weeks ago. I don’t know if anyone knew. He had a compound fracture. We really brought him along slowly over the last two weeks. He was in a good frame of mind to play today. He’s thrilled with his performance. Leo’s grown a lot as a player. It’s great to see him perform today, coming back from that injury. I think it’s going to give him a lot of confidence.

Landon Donovan

On today’s game

First of all, this is my job. This is what I get paid to do. Like I said yesterday, my teammates depend on me. I think I’ve played well this year, but I needed to contribute on the scoreboard. It felt good. A lot of relief in some ways, a lot of joy. Like I said yesterday, I feel like I’m in very good form right now. It was only a matter of time the goal game. I really feel good about how I played and this is a continuation of the last few months.

On scoring his 136th goal

It’s been a lot week. It’s hard. I think you guys know me better well. It’s hard not to make it about me. I don’t necessarily want it to be that way, but you know, I’ve sacrificed a lot to get to the position I’m in. I’m very happy for myself. I’ve dedicated a lot to this. I think I deserved what happened today.

On the support from the LA Galaxy fans

It’s incredible. You have no idea how many messages I’ve received — literally, thousands of messages from people around the country, around the world. People who’ve said, I’m a diehard Sounders fan, I’m a diehard D.C. United fan —-I’ve hated you all my life on the field. I’m so happy for you. I respect what you’ve done and all those things. The support has been overwhelming. It’s funny the way things work out. I’ve said this many times in my life. I try to stay present. It’s been hard. All day today my mind was wondering on where else I could be today. I kept coming back to being present. Staying present, enjoy this game and do your best. I’m glad I was able to do that.

On breaking the goal scoring record

To be honest when I scored, I wasn’t thinking of the record. It only occurred to me 10 seconds into the celebrating. It’s great. I mean, it really is. I think more importantly, I enjoy the rest of the season, keep helping our team. I want to get make to enjoying football. This has been a week where I had moments I fell out of love for it a little bit. I want to make sure I keep enjoying it.

On his mentally going forward

Candidly, I’m exhausted. I won’t lie. I took a long nap today. I’m exhausted. I’m glad today’s done. I’m glad the record is done. My goal now and my challenge is don’t stop playing now. We aren’t even half way through the season. We’ve won a couple games. And now, we have two more games until the World Cup game. We feel should win both and we need to win both. That is our focus now. It’s going to be difficult. Chicago is a much improved team than their first couple of games. The Chivas game will be difficult. That’s my goal—to help us win those two games.

Robbie Keane

On Donovan

I think the script was already good enough for him before the game. He broke that record, we all knew that was going to be a matter of time. I think the timing of it couldn’t have come any better for him.

On his assist

You have to be a team player. Landon or anybody else, you have to make sure that team comes first before anybody else. You got opportunity to put someone through, you do it. As we all know that relationship between me and Landon has been fantastic the last few years, and we saw that again tonight.

On style of play

That’s how we like to play. The way we played tonight was old Galaxy. I said to you few weeks ago that if you let me finish, I would finish it. I said few weeks ago that there is a big performance coming from this team and tonight was one of those.

On transition from first to second half

Second half they had to come out a little bit more. We were luck with the two goals we got—in the first couple of minutes and after the half time we caught them cold a little bit. It was good one-two between me and Landon, I was lucky enough to see him run, and the pass was right on his toe. So, once you got that, Landon personally and the whole stadium relaxed a little bit more. Once the second goal went in, you could see the relief in everybody, certainly Landon. The performance of the whole team in general was fantastic.

On Landon Donovan’s World Cup snub

I think you have heard my comments already. Surprised than everybody else.

On Landon playing at home

He could have been in the hotel room, and he would have scored those two goals….or on Play Station.

On Landon Donovan’s return to the team

Anyone knows that it was devastating for him to be missing out such a big tournament. It’s unfortunate for him, but fortunate for us to have him back. We all know what he can do and if he produces what he did today from now until the end of the season, you will certainly see a strong Galaxy team. We certainly have players in this team to be the team that should be on the top of the league, no question about that. We haven’t been, but we are knocking on the door. After tonight’s performance, hopefully we will see the full gate opened.

On Donovan’s performance

I think I said it before. It’s probably a relief for him to be back. After all the nonsense that was going around in the last few days, he probably was just happy to be back on the field and just playing. I think you could see that in his performance and how hungry he was for the team. Obviously, he was fit for him to score two goals.

On Leonardo’s come back

I think I mentioned last week that it’s important for everybody to pitch in goals. Tonight was the case, so for him personally it was great. Most of the center-halves should be scoring two or three goals in the season, and that was his first one, so he has got three more to go.

Leonardo

On his return

I feel good, better, I’m more confident and physically I also feel good because I was able to rest so I’m coming back strong.

On his goal

I feel good; it’s a great feeling because I’m back. Two weeks after I’m back I score after three years against the team that I first scored against. Now I’m focused on the next game versus Chicago Fire. It’s kind of like how I scored my goal in 2011; I stayed on the offside line and we practice those plays every week. Thankfully, Landon was able to get me a good ball and I was able to head it in. You have to be intelligent, you have to be confident. It’s like Robbie Keane always plays on the offside line, it was very similar to that situation.

On Donovan’s goals

It’s important and I feel very happy for him. I think it was important for him in order to continue moving forward. Now that he scored two goals, I’m sure more goals will keep on coming. He has a team here to help him.

25 Comments

  1. Paging Mr. Sakiewicz.

  2. “Finally, we get going and we start playing well. [But] We were never truly that dangerous in the first half.”
    .
    I’m at a loss for words. The players protect him and he protects them, truth be told they are equally accountable/terrible.
    .
    Edu, Nog, Okugo, Gaddis and Pfeffer are the only players I’d keep from the 18. There is 0 reason to give Carroll and Cruz minutes w Ribeiro and Pfeffer available. Call up Marquez too, bc playing worse truly isn’t possible.
    .
    I don’t care about Hack staying, but watching a team of MLS journeyman lose week in and out is foolish.
    .
    Week after week this team has about 3-5 simple passes that just go out of play. That’s not a chemistry issue, it’s a talent issue.

  3. ANOTHER THING. Its clear Okugo is regressing as a CB. His honeymoon there is LONG over. It’s time to put him back at his natural position.

  4. OneManWolfpack says:

    WSSM…. pretty much sums it up nicely. So frustrated with this team and FO

  5. Avery Zucco says:

    It’s ridiculously that Hackworth can say “we started playing well” and “but never looked dangerous” in the same sentence. The man is so detached from reality its pathetic. I guess at this point its a coping mechanism. Any normal human being would have resigned in shame by now.

  6. Again the starting 11 are all Hackworth. At what point did the decision to start Hoppenot and Cruz translate into goal scoring potential? Seriously this man needs to go. He can not manage at the pro level. All the BS about team unity is a joke. They certainly aren’t playing for him. The players have no direction or idea what to do. Noguiera,Edu,Maidana are players who should be able to make players of equal or lesser skill around them better, but you have a manager who doesn’t have even a thimble full of soccer IQ unable to get everyone on the same page. Instead he’ll throw out Cruz and Hoppenot to pinball around in hopes of accidentally scoring. He’ll experiment when games count with Wheeler at CB who has never played the position. He’ll bring in some skilled players like Berry and White and sit them in order to let Wheeler learn the position instead of letting Berry and White build chemistry with the other defenders. He’ll keep riding the coattails of Brian Carroll,the turn over machine, when Okugo and Edu should be using the superior skills in midfield. He had McInerney, a one time 12 goal scorer, frustrated and 2nd guessing himself, then traded him for a bigger version of the same player. He has Le Toux,the teams all time leading scorer 2nd guessing his role on the team. He has Leo Fernandes playing dazed and confused. Then he wants to blame the players for consistently poor play and accuse them of playing scared. They are affraid to play and make mistakes because of Hackworth’s inept management. Things don’t bode well for the continued development of Zach Peffer under Hackworth and staff. Nowak was the tip of the pyramid of this ridiculous dog and pony show. Sakeiwicz and Hackworth have been here from the beginning and are just as responsible for this crap as Nowak. It’s been a 5 year joke on this fan base. We tried since day 1 of the MLS to get a franchise in Philadelphia and when we finally get one it turns out to be a hot mess from top to bottom.

    • OneManWolfpack says:

      +1000

    • Berry skilled? He is a joke as well, slow as hell, and always out of position. The problem is the whole back line has no idea how to mark up on transitions and on spot kicks. That is Hackworth’s problem and fault for not doing a damn thing about it.

      • The Black Hand says:

        Berry has been paired with Amobi (showed well overall, but both CB’s showed their struggles), Wheeler (not fair to Berry) and Shaenon (not fair to Berry).
        .
        He has not been lights out. He is slow. BUT, he is not a bad CB and the thrashings cannot be pinned on him. He has been centering a 3 1/2 man back line, for most of his showings…err, I mean a 3 3/4 back line…with Captain Carroll chipping in his “great” play.
        .
        Berry should not be a scapegoat. Nor should Wenger (McInerney trade). This team is awful because they are set up to fail, with the starting XI selections.

      • I get your point “the black hand” but berry has done his own damage with his poor decisions in clearing the ball and defending one on one. I do agree that he is not the only reason this back line sucks, yes the problem is mostly the system they play and it just seems that there is no chemistry. Most of the defensive players we have used have shown very poor skill when being pressured and when not pressured, they also have no awareness as when the opposition is developing plays, they do not know how to deter and break down an opposing offense. I wish i knew if it is because Hackworth isnt trying to change the tactics of the defense or if the players are not understanding or just simply do not understand how to defend like a professional hence, a European or foreign defender. Just sucks not knowing.

      • the important thing to remember is that berry is not a bad player; he is capable of playing well. if you need proof of this you can look at the majority of his career before he came here. if he is paired with an older or more experienced guy he is really good. please let valdes come back after world cup so he can take berry under his wing

      • The Black Hand says:

        When paired with a capable CB, your mistakes do not shine so bright. There is your other half there to collapse in and make a play. With Wheeler, Berry was spread far too thin. That was asking too much of him. (Okugo looked poor with Wheeler also. Our opponents, simply, didn’t finish.) Williams has just been flat out poor. It seems that his only defense is to foul. (At CB, Shaenon drifted quite a bit and forced Berry to cover too much ground.)
        .
        Ideally, you have two guys (who play CB), that know their responsibility and don’t stray from the program. Hackworth hasn’t allowed for that, yet.
        .
        I think that Berry could be a very good CB, if complimented with personnel.

      • Eli Pearlman-Storch says:

        We had Sigi Schmid on the KYW Philly Soccer Show and we asked him about Seattle’s leaky defense. He was very direct in saying that it takes time for centerbacks to develop chemistry, no matter who they are. The two of which he was speaking were Djimi Traore and Chad Marshall, two of the most experienced and talented centerbacks MLS has EVER seen. If those guys were always going to struggle in the beginning, what chance do the guys swapping in and out at centerback for the Union have?

      • The Black Hand says:

        Very good point. That is why I say we keep Amobi at the CDM and ride it out with Berry and White/Marquez(?)
        .
        Sigi also had the luxery of a club that could pressure offensively.
        .
        Does Sigi want a job??? My other guy is Craig “the Hammer” Bellamy.

      • The Black Hand says:

        For some reason, I thought Sigi stepped down.Maybe I was thinking of Backe…who I would pursue.

      • The Black Hand says:

        Mind you, with Carroll playing, our CB’s have no central outlet. This limits their positive ball-movement. They can go to the flank (most of the time) or blast it over the top (guaranteed dispossession).
        .
        Hackworth’s system is very tough on CB’s. Could be why Parke/Soumare wanted out and why very little is coming from the Valdez camp.

      • parke said the reason he wanted out was the same reason he asked to be traded here. he said it got to be too much to spend so much time with his extended family

    • LCBline. I thought you said you weren’t posting anymore.
      .
      Gotcha!
      .
      Great post though.

  7. This is a soccer franchise like slim fast is a food.

  8. The Chopper says:

    When the tram returns to Philadelphia, Mr, Hackworth’s personal belongings will be packed and waiting for him. The only question is what comes next?

  9. The Black Hand says:

    It’s about time that Hackworth steps up and comments like a real manager. Given our form, a real manager would say, “I haven’t been doing the job as well as I should have been. The club is coming out disorganized and that’s on me.”. Much like Pep Guardiola did, when Bayern was thrashed by Real. Way too much “We” coming from this bum. Step up and accept your responsibility, John!!! This record and absolutely embarrassment, of a club, is John Hackworth’s work.
    .
    Please come out with another piece, on how Hackworth shouldn’t be fired!!

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