QUOTE SHEET
HOUSTON DYNAMO 5-1 REAL SALT LAKE
MAY 31, 2017; HOUSTON; BBVA COMPASS STADIUM
Real Salt Lake
Head Coach Mike Petke
On the game:
“Listen, I could give you clichés. I could make something really quirky up and innovative … but I guess I’ll just crumple it up like a piece of paper and look forward to Dallas. That’s really all that I can think to do. There’s really not much to take from this game. I’m not talking about everyone on this team. How many shots did we have on goal? Nine? And we lose 5-1? You’ve got to just crumple it up like paper and throw it away.”
On what to take from the game:
“Even in the losses we’ve had before … I mean we have four wins this year and it’s their first four wins since last August. The losses didn’t feel that devastating to me. Because there were good things in those losses. New concepts that we were trying to get to them. Players that perhaps aren’t used to doing certain things. So we could take certain things from those losses. Tonight, we can’t really take much.”
On Joao Plata’s improvement in the last two matches:
“He’s been better. He’s got a better mindset. We knew once he got a goal there would probably be more to come. So tonight was his second goal in two games and I’m happy for him, but it doesn’t really mean anything when you lose 5-1.”
On moving on to Dallas:
“Myself and the guys have some looking in the mirror to do tonight. And hold ourselves accountable for sure.”
On defensive struggles:
“It’s a mentality. I’m not a psychiatrist. But my point is that it’s a mentality. Guys have to figure out a way. Guys have to man up. We were looking at Houston’s defense and - no disrespect to them - they’re not great. They’re good solid players. But the one thing they are is men. Every one of them. And they didn’t give anybody an inch tonight. You don’t have to have great nights of playing when you have men that get into you with every step. And we didn’t have that.”
Defender Tony Beltran
Reaction to the game:
“It was embarrassing the way we played in the first half. It’s just not acceptable. I don’t care where we are playing or how hot it is. It’s just not good enough.”
On coming back to play on Saturday in Dallas:
“I guess if there is a silver lining it’s that we get another opportunity in three days. We don’t have to wait a full week. But we will really need to look at the film tonight. The way we started the game, the way we ended the game was just all over the board.”
On a big game against a Western Conference opponent:
“That’s another reason why tonight was such a big disappointment. It was an opportunity for a six-point game and instead it goes the other way. The Western Conference is good and if we’re not careful we’ll get left behind. We are too good of a team to (lose like this). We’ve got to figure things out. We’ve got to put some points together.”
Forward Joao Plata (translated from Spanish)
On the game:
“It’s a game to forget, but soccer can give you a revenge. They were better, they took advantage of their opportunities. We have to pick our head up and think about our next game against Dallas.”
On how they prepared to face Houston:
“We came here to do our job, but we weren’t able to do it. If they win, they score, we are not interested. We came here to do our job, but we weren’t able to do so. As I said, we have to lift our heads up, realize that there are plenty of games to be played in MLS and keep having a winning mentality.”
On the Dynamo:
“The team that wins is the one that scores the goals and they scored the goals. We have to accept that we lost; thankfully we have a short week and we have another game on Saturday where we have to get three points.”
Houston Dynamo
Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera (English)
On the match:
“I liked the way the team started off, with the mentality. We spoke about being more collective up front, with the three forwards, and today it was very good. Watching (FW) Mauro (Manotas), (FW) Alberth (Elis) and (FW) Erick (Torres) combining, crossing, passing, and being more dangerous – actually, the first goal came from Mauro, he tried to cross the ball to Alberth, and it was an owl goal. Then, the combination for the second goal was excellent, as well as the third goal. We created good opportunities for (MF) Alex (Lima). It was much better in those aspects. We were clinical, especially in the first half, with our finishing, which we needed. We’re really happy with the three points, because it reinforces what we did on Sunday against FC Dallas.”
On taking confidence from the draw with Dallas:
“No, no, no. I was making sure that we don’t have extra confidence. We cannot have extra confidence, because too much is not good. We need to be always watching our opponents with a lot of respect, and we respect the rival. They’re very good, they’re very dangerous, they’re a team that moves the ball well, and they have very dangerous players up front. We needed to be sure that we were solid in the back, and we knew that today we needed to produce more. Today, the goal was to be a little bit more collective up front, more than individual players. They all like to score, but it’s easier when we all pass the ball to each other. If you score, then I’m going to pass the ball to you so you can help me score, and so on. And, it worked. It worked today, and it has to help us for the future.”
On carrying momentum into Seattle:
“We just started the recovery. It was humid; it was very humid for all 22 players, and we felt it. So, we need to start the recovery, we need to start resting, and we need to prepare mentally to go to Seattle with a very tough game, understanding that Seattle played tonight also. They rested some players, it’s going to be a tough game, because they’re at home, and they’re always tough and good at home.”
On leading the Western Conference:
“It’s what they’ve been doing on the field. It’s what we’ve been doing on the field. We don’t say anything. We just need to put things on the field and let those results speak for us.”
Goalkeeper Tyler Deric
On making consecutive starts:
“It’s good to be out there with the boys and to get results, and to get points at home. I think the team performed extremely well today from the first minute – I know we scored in the third minute, but from the first minute we did really well and put in a great 90 minutes. It’s a good game to build on, especially after the Dallas game, when we put in the hard work and a good shift, we got a point. Then, to come out here and get three points, it shows the hard work that we’ve been putting in, and it’s always nice to see the fruits of your labor.”
On whether he has cemented a starting role:
“Every week’s going to be a challenge in this league. We have a lot of games coming up, and I don’t worry about that. I love (Dynamo Head Coach) Wilmer (Cabrera). He’s going to pick the team he’s going to pick; I respect his decision, and as much as I want to be out there, and I’m going to do everything I can to be out on the field, I know that it’s his decision. It’s my job to make it a tough decision for him every week.”
On leading the Western Conference:
“I think we aren’t really paying attention. I know we aren’t really paying attention to the standings, we’re just looking at Seattle, we know they’re a good team, especially in Seattle. It’s a tough place to play. Our focus right now is just how to set ourselves up to get the best result we can, and to get three points in Seattle. We’re going to try our best this week, leading up to it, to get ourselves prepared.”
Defender Leonardo
On his goal:
“I thought about everything, was thankful for God, my family at the game, for my teammates. I am so happy for everything.”
On the team’s performance:
“I think we played very well. It’s good for the team, it’s good for everybody with their confidence. We have a game away now in Seattle, a very difficult game. I think it’s very important to have confidence and we can have a very good game there. It’s very important for everyone.”
