GREGG BERHALTER – SPORTING DIRECTOR & HEAD COACH
On his thoughts on the match
When you look back in the history books this is always going to be three points. It’s a tremendous three points and we’re proud of the guys for that. The resiliency to come back after Montreal tied the game up was great. The effort, the attitude, the heads didn’t drop, and we kept pushing and wanted to get that third goal. But we’re certainly disappointed to give up two goals in the second half, because we know we can play better.
On controlling the game
The issue is that we run into problems when we can break through teams very easily. They’re trying to press us and we break through them, and it becomes an exercise that costs a lot of energy. You see that we’re breaking through them, we’re getting up near their goal and we’re not finishing attacks, then they’re coming back the other way. The whole game in my opinion lacked control. We want to be more methodical with how move the ball around and we want to possess the ball in the opponent’s half. I don’t think we did that well enough today
On the match result and Montreal’s play
I think it was fortunate. I want to give Montreal a lot of credit for coming back in this game. Piatti is a guy that, historically, absolutely kills us. He finds a way to score in every single game. It changes the game. In the 58th minute they were pressing a little and one act of brilliance changes the game. So give them a lot of credit, I think they played well enough to get a point. We we’re fortunate in the end to get the penalty kick and win the game.
On Gyasi Zardes’s confidence
That’s why he has his experience, and that’s why he’s scored a lot of goals in his career. He’s confident in those moments. They’re not easy moments. 90+4 with the game on the line is not an easy moment, but he did a good job.
On having a 2-0-0 record
We know we have things to work on, but it’s nice to have things to work on when you have six points. We’re comfortable with this and we know we have things to improve on this week.
On Lalas Abubakar’s condition
We’re hearing it’s dehydration. It was scary at the time. We had no idea what happened. The guy is on the ground and you think it could be something more serious, but we are hearing it’s dehydration. We’re going to continue to evaluate him and make sure he’s hydrated and gets the proper rest.
On the game tempo
It was [a great start]. When we’re drawing up the game plan and talking about how we want this game to go, it was exactly how it was playing out. But as the game plays on and they’re pressuring us and we’re breaking through their pressure, we’re moving 80 yards up the field to get a goal scoring opportunity, and we become impatient. We don’t finish the opportunities, and then we don’t keep the ball. So we don’t finish the attacks and then they’re coming back our way and in the end it becomes a game that’s going to cost us a lot of energy. You saw that effect on us in the second half.
On things that can be improved
I want to see more confidence. Trying to make the third and fourth goal with precision and consciousness. That’s what we lacked a little bit – focus.
On the supporters’ current movement
That’s a difficult question for me to answer. I love the fans. I love the cheering. I love them getting behind us. As a team, our main focus is coming on this field and entertaining them and making them happy. That’s the most we can do.
On Federico Higuain’s place in Crew SC history
I think he’s a great player. He’s a hugely important part of what we do, and what we’ve been doing for the last five years. I wasn’t fortunate enough to coach some of these great players in Crew SC history, but in my mind he’s up there. He’s up at the top of the list.
On the mentality for home games
I think the way that we’re looking at this is that we can only control so much. We feel like we have a good team and we want to achieve things. We want to win. We want to play entertaining soccer. We want to represent our style of play. That’s what we’re focused on. When we talk about how we want to prepare for these home games, our focus is on ‘how do we win the game?’
On Pedro Santos
I think his defensive work for his position is one of the best in the league. His reading of the game, his positioning, and his execution is phenomenal. He is just really impressive movement. He reads the play really well, he closes off passing lanes, he knows when to pressure his opponent. He’s exceptional.
On the grittiness of his team
Throughout the course of the year, you’re going to have games where you struggle and have to dig deep. This was one of them. Again, I want to credit Montreal for their good performance, and the guys had to dig deep. It’s not going to be the last time this season that we’re going to have to dig like that.
On Gyasi Zardes
Well I think what we try to do is integrate him as quickly as possible to our playing style. Get guys used to him, and get his movements dialed in. Then you know his qualities will take over. The plan was to acclimate him as soon as possible to our group.
On Luis Argudo
He’s steady. He’s a solid player. He’s good technically. He’s calm. All those things for a rookie is… We’re all seeing the same thing. He comes in these games, and even against Toronto last week, he isn’t flustered. He’s done a good job. When we talked about control, and losing control in the match we felt that he’s a guy that can give us some control. And he’s done a good job.
On physicality of the match
I think there was an opportunity maybe to give out some cautions early in the game. I think Pedro [Santos] was fouled four times in the first 20 minutes of the game. This is a physical league. MLS is known around the world as being a physical league. You’ve got big, fast, strong, athletic players and we’re going to have to come to terms with that. When you look at the teams that have been successful in the history of this league, they’ve all had a certain amount of physicality.
GYASI ZARDES - FORWARD
On how it felt to score the last minute goal
It always feels good to get a win. The team put in a good shift. We played extremely hard. And it’s great to battle the whole way through.
On his thoughts on the late penalty
The game is not over until the referee blows the final whistle. So I knew we were going to have multiple opportunities at the end. Three minutes of stoppage time is a lot of time. So just to get the [penalty kick] was a great thing for us.
On Luis Argudo’s impact off the bench
It was great. I think Luis [Argudo] did a phenomenal job stepping onto the field as a sub and bringing that energy.
On his mindset going into the penalty kick
Put the ball in the back of the net. You have to. You have to be confident. It’s a big moment and I am thankful that [Federico] Higuaín let me take that. But also that Luis [Argudo] drew the PK. That was a big moment for him.
On staying alert in the match
I always tell myself that the ball is going to come to me. Somehow I just try to stay alert and not fall asleep. So, I was just at the right place at the right time when it hit off the crossbar.
FEDERICO HIGUAIN - MIDFIELDER
On his thoughts after scoring his 50th goal for Crew SC
Yes, it is a good amount of goals, but I want more here. To play more soccer, to learn everyday something new, to continue to improve.
On letting Gyasi Zardes take the second penalty kick
In this case I always miss, I always miss at the south goal. I missed I think four or five [penalty kicks] on that goal, so why not try something new. Of course and because of my trust in Gyasi Zardes, he did a great job.
On instilling confidence in Gyasi Zardes and creating team chemistry
Oh, very important, for us the center forward is one of the most important pieces because we play to get the center forward in good position to attack their center back 1v1. Gyasi [Zardes] is doing very good.
LUIS ARGUDO - MIDFIELDER
On being a rookie on the bench coaches can turn to
I know [Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter] has a lot of confidence in me. The team has my back so I know if I mess up they have my back. I think just coming into a game like that, being 2-0 up and just having to focus on my first touch, focus on what I have to do to help the team out. It shows that the Coach [Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter] has confidence in me and I’ll do anything to help the team.
On what Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter was expecting of him
To defend, to get in behind, to move the ball quickly, stuff like that. That’s all I did really.
On being calm in the first few weeks
Honestly, I wish I was a little calmer just because it would help me more. Everything has been going great so far, the teams been really helpful, the coaches, everything. When I get on the field, I try and be as calm as I can.
