Portland Timbers Quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
His initial impressions of the game…
“I thought we deserved to win from start to finish. They were looking to make it a fight; we were looking to make it a football game. I also think we were up for the fight as well. They had a couple guys out, but they also played their first-choice backline and goalkeeper. I thought it was great for attacking guys to open the flood gates. We were due for a game like this. We have had some very good performances and yet we haven’t found the ‘breakthrough’ attacking performance like we found tonight. So I think that’s going to really help us moving forward. We got Rodney’s [Wallace] first goal and Darlington’s [Nagbe] first goal. It’s great to have the wingers chipping in. I thought we were very unselfish in our attacking play, guys were sharing the ball. When we get the attacking chemistry going when we are sharing the ball and guys looking to make that extra to pass to put another guy in a position where they can make an easy finish we are tough team to deal with. Gastón [Fernández] for instance I thought he was very unselfish today in setting guys up. Then you have Maxi [Maximiliano Urruti] coming in the game and sliding it over to Rodney. Those things will come around because down the line, Rodney will set up Maxi, and vice versa, Adi will set up Gastón, so we are starting to get in a groove a little bit in the attack. That makes me very pleased because that’s been an area where we have played well and gotten chances but like I said we hadn’t found that complete performance like tonight."
On if he sees Nagbe’s goal as a breakthrough…
“Yeah, I think that’s been a little bit of the story in the last year and half with him. He hasn’t found that first goal to open up his account, that’s key. When you score nine goals in 2013, he scored in the first game of the year and that tends to relax you a little bit more. He’s been playing really well. He’s been getting chances. You can see he’s been more aggressive recently looking to shoot. That’s been evident. He shows he wants to score and he showed tonight what he is capable of doing. So I think this will be hopefully the first of many for him.”
On the decision to start and Fernández and bring Wallace off the bench…
“We just felt, not getting into all the details of the game plan, that playing Adi high, occupying [Chad] Marshall and playing a fluid line of three underneath with basically three attacking mids, very creative and clever would be right way to set up, so we tried to play into Adi and get three guys basically narrow running off him. I thought it gave them a lot of problems and we found a lot of shots through that zone 14, that central channel that dangerous space in front of their back four we were able to give them a lot of problems because of that. Adi had an outstanding game. Obviously he scored two goals but the things he did to hold the ball up for us was similar to what he did in the last Open Cup game versus Marshall.”
On if it’s frustrating to give up that goal to Seattle after playing so well in the first half…
“Not frustrating because we played really well. If we didn’t play well and we come into the break 1-1 then you are frustrated. We played extremely well. We give up the goal, but those things happen. It was probably the one mistake we made on the night. We didn’t make many. Defensively we had another what I thought was a comprehensive performance. They were looking to counter us and play in behind us. I don’t think they found many clear chances. I thought our back four played really well. Our back six really balanced. Our outside backs really found their moments to join the attack, but we weren’t opened up or stretched out in transition. That was something we talked about after the LA game because that was an issue in that game so we addressed that issue. I thought it showed how quickly we can address things. I thought it was much improved this game because that was their plan, open us up and play balls behind us, play in behind our outside backs, get us on counters and set pieces. We got beat on the one set piece but managed the other situations extremely well."
On the importance of getting a win after the game in LA…
“Obviously very important but we are typically a team that does that. We respond well. I don’t think it’s anything surprising but I think when you go and lose 5-0 and come back and win 4-1 it’s maybe a little bit surprising but I think it shows that our guys never lost confidence or belief. And we had some guys step up too, we made a few changes, and guys stepped up in this game. We continue to show that we can go with different guys and different game plans because this was certainly a much different setup in terms of how we put our system together and our plan together than our last game in LA. It was the first time actually that we have played that way all year. It was the first time [Diego] Valeri and Will Johnson had lined up together all year. So again a lot will be made of [Clint] Dempey and [Obafemi] Martins were out and those are huge losses, but we’ve been managing having Johnson and Valeri out pretty much all year.”
On the performance of Fernández and Adi both individually and collectively…
“We didn’t really play them together. We played Adi alone. We played a line of three. It was really a true 4-2-3-1. It was very different. When we play Maxi and Gastón together it is a two front. We are playing in a two front; we train it like a two front. Obviously, its starting points and ending points but there definitely is a difference. I think Gaston played well with Valeri and Nagbe and he was able to get balls like Valeri and Nagbe did off of Adi. It was more the front four and that chemistry and how it all fit together. It worked really well.”
On if he said anything to Nagbe to make him be more aggressive…
“I’ve known darlington forever and he is the type of kid it’s got to happen for him versus someone telling him to do it. I think he’s taken it upon himself because he wants to win for the club; he wants to score and contribute. He knows he needs to contribute and he’s taken it upon himself to shoot a bit more, but I don’t think he has played a lot different. I really don’t. I don’t think he’s had a bad game all year. He’s had a few games where he wasn’t as aggressive as you’d like but recently he’s looking to shoot more. So I don’t think it has anything to do with me. It’s everything to do with him, stepping up and taking responsibility.”
Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi
On another multi-goal game...
“There’s nothing special in it. We played well as a team of course. I got the first goal and I never knew the second one was coming, but it feels good to score two again.”
On his inspiration for his goal celebration…
“It just came into my head to get the chainsaw and do something. It was nice.”
On the game-plan for him individually coming into the game…
“For me, I knew I was playing against one of the best defenders in the league. I respect [Chad] Marshall a lot. I think he defends very well. So coming into the game, I had to prepare extra well. Knowing that I had three good players underneath, I just had to hold up the ball back to them. I was lucky today. The balls were coming in at the right places and I was in the right places at the right times.”
On his two goals…
“The first goal, we talked about the same thing after the first half. I was trying to hold it in the first half, and this time around I just had to take it. It was wise enough for me to take it and I didn’t even see where the goalkeeper was, but I tried it and I got a goal. On the second one, when I had the ball, I was driving at the defender and it came into my head that he was just going back, so as much as he was going back, I just took the shot.”
On Darlington Nagbe’s performance…
“He’s always fantastic for the team. For me, I was the most excited to see that he got a goal. That’s extra motivation for him. I always tell him to shoot. He drives very well and today he shot and got a goal.”
On whether he knew that Nagbe would pass to him ahead of Portland’s second goal…
“I knew where I was. He always slips the ball in so I thought he was going to do it again. It was a fantastic piece of skill.”
On the team’s confidence following a loss in LA and now a win against a rival…
“We’re very confident. We lost against the Galaxy, but we came into this game believing that we could win. We just played very well as a team today. Everyone put in a shift and fought for the entire team and confidence is very high.”
Portland Timbers midfielder Rodney Wallace
On getting his first goal of the season…
“It’s a great feeling. It’s definitely a good feeling to beat Seattle at home and it’s great to beat them by such a score and to finally open my account is a positive.”
On how it feels to hear Caleb Porter praise his recent form…
“We have a deep team. I’ve just been doing the things that have brought me success in the past at this club. I think the way the season is going, we have a lot of guys that can contribute. Whether it’s starting or off the bench, the guys know that I’m here and that I’ll step out there and give 100 percent. I’m going to fight for the team and I’m always going to try to work harder. Right now it’s working.”
On how unselfish the team is…
“It shows the type of locker room we have. No one here is selfish and everyone wants to succeed. The ultimate goal is to get to MLS Cup and raise trophies here. When guys score and the other guy is passing it to them and another guy is getting back, it’s a good feeling.”
On if the result tonight helps put the Galaxy result behind the team…
“We made some mistakes that we fixed. That’s the most important thing. Getting the result that we want.”
Seattle Sounders FC Quotes
Seattle Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid
General thoughts on the match…
“Portland was the better team. It was a deserved victory. The score line was exactly deserved, but I thought they were all over us in the first 30 minutes. We got ourselves back in the game with the free-kick goal. I thought the first 15 minutes of the second half we played well. I thought that was our best phase and then we just made silly errors at the end. Just weren’t alert enough. So they were the deserved victor.”
On if he felt his team deflate after conceding two quick goals in the second half…
“I’m extremely disappointed in our reaction there. I think our reaction there was very poor. There were too many free kicks that [Portland] took where, you know, they do a good job, when there’s a free kick, they argue with the referee and somebody behind the ball puts the ball down and puts it in play. We kept looking “oh, they’re arguing with the referee” so the ball’s not coming in play. They caught us three, four times like that. Then when we take the goal, we put our heads down as well. That’s the thing I’m really upset about with my team. That’s what I mean, where the scoreline was, to me, a little deceiving. But it’s our fault because we, in this particular case, we didn’t have the character and we allowed ourselves to get deflated at 2-1. 3-1 shouldn’t have happened.”
On if the missing Designated Players affected the team…
“Yea, but there’s still enough veteran players out there. They’ve played a lot of games. [Portland’s] had a couple of guys they’ve been able to rest and rotate around for sure. We needed to do better today than we did.”
Seattle Sounders FC forward Lamar Neagle
On if he felt the team deflate after Portland’s two quick goals in the second half…
“Yea, I mean it’s tough to transition after two quick consecutive goals, especially when we felt like we were in it at the beginning of the second half. So it was tough. Obviously we’re going to fight to the end, no matter what. It’s just unfortunate we lost a couple in transition that were in dangerous positions and [Portland] finished them.”
On playing alone up top versus having a partner…
“It’s been changing a lot. It’s one of those things you just kind of have to deal with. We have injuries and guys getting a lot of minutes, so it’s something you have to do. That’s why I play the game. You don’t know what’s going to happen. Hopefully we can make a change. It was nice having [Chad] Barrett up there with me though, getting beat up too.”
On if there was anything in Portland’s game that pushed them towards the go-ahead goal…
“I think it was just them winning in a dangerous position. Obviously we gave up the ball a couple of times in bad spots and they were clinical in those finishes. They had two chances right away and they finished them. So credit to them for that.”
Seattle Sounders FC forward Andy Craven
On making his first-team debut…
“It was really intense. It was fun and it was everything I could have dreamed of and imagined.”
On the halftime changes the Sounders made…
“We kind of settled in to having the time, trying to move the ball and get everyone involved. We had a few unfortunate turnovers, which Portland did well to capitalize on. That’s kind of what hurt us.”
Notes:
- Sunday’s crowd of 21,144 was the team’s 77th consecutive home sellout at Providence Park since 2011. Portland has sold out all of its regular-season home games since joining MLS.
- With the win, Portland is unbeaten in five consecutive regular-season home matches at Providence Park since May 2, including a stretch of four straight wins since May 27.
- The Timbers have won six of their last seven matches in all competitions since May 27, including five wins in their last six regular-season league games.
- Portland improved its record to 3-2-2 all time at Providence Park against Sounders FC in regular-season play during the MLS era since 2011. The Timbers are now 6-7-4 against Seattle in all competitions (including the postseason) since 2011.
- Sunday’s match marked the 91st meeting between the two sides in all competitions since their first match on May 2, 1975.
- Portland’s three-goal victory equaled the largest margin of victory against the Sounders since a 3-0 win on June 11, 1977, at Civic Stadium (now Providence Park) in Portland.
- Forward Fanendo Adi recorded his third multi-goal game of the 2015 season, ranking him just one behind league-leader Kei Kamara of Columbus (4). Adi has registered the most multi-goal games (7) in MLS since joining the Timbers in May 2014.
- With two goals, Adi has tallied 17 in his Timbers MLS career, moving him into 12th place on the team’s all-time career goal-scoring list across all eras.
- Midfielder Darlington Nagbe made his 145th league appearance for the Timbers on Sunday and netted his 19th career MLS goal. Nagbe is one goal shy of tying NASL Timbers player Stewart Scullion (20) for 10th place on the team’s all-time career goal-scoring list across all eras.
- Portland’s nine goals in the final 15 minutes of matches ranks first in MLS this season.
- Midfielder Will Johnson eclipsed the 15,000 career minutes played milestone in his MLS career in the 83rd minute of Sunday’s match. The game marked Johnson’s 181st career MLS appearance.
- Portland’s 23 shots attempts on Sunday ranks tied for the third-most for the Timbers in the team’s MLS era since 2011.
- The Timbers logged 11 shots on goal Sunday against Seattle, which is tied for the second-most shots on goal in a single match in the team’s MLS era. Portland attempted 13 shots on goal in a 3-3 draw against San Jose on Sept. 7, 2014.
