HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH
On continuing the good run of form the squad is in right now…
“By playing with the same energy, doing the same things that we know makes us successful. Move the ball quickly. Play on the front foot, play on their half of the field. We played [Austin FC] recently and, when I watched the game back, our defensive shape wasn’t good enough at times, and they picked us apart at times. It’s going to be important that we have a good discipline in and out of possession. If we do, I think there’s enough in this team now to go and win the game.”
On getting positive results in Salt Lake and Dallas without Emanuel Reynoso in the starting XI…
“You always want your best players on the field and our players aren’t daft, they know that Rey is quality. The one thing they’ve shown is the depth that we’ve had. I thought our first half display at Dallas was exceptional. I was speaking to Luchi [Gonzalez] afterwards and he thinks we’re the best team that’s been there this year and that’s nice. The only downside of the game, when you consider the four or five great chances we had, we hadn’t made it more difficult for Dallas to take something out of the game. The game should have been over, really, by halftime. And then if you look at the last 15 minutes, we had three, four really good chances. So that was the disappointment, the performance was excellent.”
On seeing Adrien Hunou and Franco Fragapane in the last game together…
“Adrian was really disappointed after. He thought he could have had three goals, which he could have done. And Franco got his goal, should have scored earlier on before that, he’s a really good side-foot finisher. It was very encouraging. The movement from Hunou will cause teams a lot of problems. It’s not something that catches the eye as much as people who can dribble with the ball but his movements in the first half away from the ball was exceptional. We have to keep working on that. Obviously it was good to get [Reynoso] on the field and Robin [Lod] hopefully, and Jan [Gregus] and Jukka [Raitala] are back next week and everyone is fit and healthy so it bodes well for us.”
On preparing for an attacking player like Cecilio Dominguez and a counter press team like Austin …
“They do try and get after you and we did a good job of breaking that initial press. I don’t think we did a good enough job after we’d done that. We were too slow at them breaking forward. If we can break the initial press and go from there, I think they work very, very hard to press from the front and as you say, they’ve got a bit of pace in the wide areas and Dominguez is obviously very, very talented playing for the teams he’s played for. The cost of money they paid for him. It’s a case of concentration, especially when balls come in the box but if we can look after that end of the field, I’m confident we can go and win the game.”
On the impressive start from Austin FC this season…
“I think Josh [Wolff] has done a great job in a short period of time. They’ve put a great first roster together. Claudio [Reyna] has been through that before so with him and Josh, they’ve put a really good roster together. Really well coached, well organized. We know it’s not going to be easy but I think Josh is smart enough to realize that if we play like we can, it’s going to be tough, even for them.”
On having full capacity at Allianz Field again…
“We are and I know the players are all excited to get back to some normality. I think the most important thing is the games at Allianz and the night games with the lights, the atmosphere is terrific. But most important thing, as I said to the players, I we have to give the supporters something. I know they’re going to come and give us energy but we have to keep them in the game by the way we play.”
On having a handful of players on the starting Xi that haven’t experienced a full Allianz Field…
“Most of them have played in big games in the past, if you look at our newcomers. The lads have told them, we have a special atmosphere at home. Everybody has told them about the Wonderwall, the tradition, and they are looking forward to that. I told them to go and make sure to get that, and put it on, and work hard and hopefully we’ll get the right result.”
DEFENDER MICHAEL BOXALL
On continuing the good run of form the squad is in right now …
“Yeah, absolutely. I think we were definitely slow out the gates, and we’ve been tougher to break down and have started to move the ball quite nicely. Excited that games are coming quick and faster.”
On what the main difference is to the recent results and positive play …
“I think, even from the first game against Seattle, we’ve never had issues with how we move the ball, but even we’ve improved on that. I think in the defensive third, we’re not allowing teams the time and space that we have in the first three or four games, that we’ve been punished for. So, we’ve tidied that up and we let our creative players do their things. And, it’s a lot more fun.”
On preparing for an attacking player like Cecilio Dominguez and a counter press team like Austin …
“I think they’re well coached, well organized and move the ball quite well. [Cecilio] Dominguez, he’s obviously good with the ball at his feet. So, just, as long as us as a back four are switched on and focused for the 90 minutes, then we should be able to handle him.”
On being back at Allianz Field with a full capacity crowd and the excitement with that …
“Oh, absolutely. I think, what? We’ve been waiting since, what, 2019 for this? I know the fans have been eagerly waiting to really lift the roof off of this place, so, we can’t wait and we need to give them a performance that’s going to match their sound in the stands, because we know it’s going to be loud.”
On how much of a boost fans give players …
“It’s massive. I think, just in the last couple games when we’ve been pushing on in the last 10 minutes to get a goal, the 4,000 that have been in attendance have made it sound as loud as some of the full houses that I can remember. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like. But, we need to make sure we bring the energy that keeps them on their feet and show them a good time.”
DEFENDER ROMAIN METANIRE
On why the team has been playing so well lately …
“We’ve done good since the four games. Our shape is better. Our motivation is better. So I think it’s the key why we play better since the couple games. We need to keep this for the rest of the season, to get better, and looking forward.”
On how he’s seen Franco Fragapane and Adrien Hunou fit into the roster …
“They’ve adapted quickly. I think it’s because I like Argentine players and French players too. I think that helps the guys to adapt.”
On how excited he is to be playing in front of a full stadium …
“I think everybody is excited to play with a full stadium. Some guys on the team don’t know how the stadium can be with fans beyond the team and it’s good to have everybody back in the stadium.”
On if he’s taught Adrien or Franco the words to "Wonderwall" …
“Not yet, maybe Wednesday after the game.”
