CARSON, Calif. -- LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena addressed reporters after the club's 1-0 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
On having zero shots on goal:
ARENA: “I don’t think it was from a lack of effort, we should have shot a few more times. They did a good job, got a lot of players behind the ball, made it tough in and around the penalty area to their credit.”
On tonight’s match:
ARENA: “Conceding that goal in the first half, it was tailor made for their team. The way they play, and with their speed on the counter, and we gave away a ball in our middle third of the field and they got a goal. They certainly did a very good job having good numbers behind the ball, and countering us in the second half. We had some chances to have a little bit better quality, perhaps create a few dangerous chances, but we fell short.”
On Vancouver’s center defense:
ARENA: “They played well. Obviously they are very good in the air and they dominated us there. We weren’t good enough on the ball to play around them.”
On Robbie Keane’s fitness:
ARENA: “Well he is just coming back from being away for two months. I think we’re doing the best we can; it’s been a little bit of a patchwork job in the first half of the season. That’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it goes. No excuses, but we’re a little bit short handed in a lot of the spots on the field and it shows with some of our quality. He’d probably tell you that the last 20 minutes were pretty rough for him. We had to be aggressive with our substitutions to try and get a goal. I decided to keep Robbie out there. It might have been a little too much for him, but it’s probably good for him to get the 90 minutes in.”
On starting Edson Buddle:
ARENA: “Well, got 60 minutes out of him. I think between he and Alan we are trying to get 90 minutes out of that position. It’s going to take Edson some time too, he’s missed most of the first half of the season. So you know, we’re a little bit short handed right now, and it takes away from our effectiveness.”
On Kekuta Manneh:
ARENA: “He was pretty much their dangerous player in the first half. A couple times, he burned us and we got caught on the goal. He is a good player. Perhaps we could have been a little bit better on a few of those plays. We stopped him a couple times, but the goal, give him credit. He did well to get the goal.”
