CARSON, Calif. -- LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena spoke to reporters following the Galaxy's scoreless draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Thoughts on the performance:
“Overall we played well; there're just been too many red cards in this league. It’s ruining games; it doesn’t make the games entertaining, and I don’t think the fans like it. I know about the players but, it seems like every game in this league there’s a red card now. It’s been tough certainly; we were deficient in our ability to create a few more chances. Technically we could’ve been better in the last third of the field. Obviously, we’re playing on turf, and maybe we’re not that comfortable on it, but that isn’t an excuse. On the other side, give Vancouver a lot of credit, they were very disciplined, they dropped their team back and got in good positions and did the job defensively.”
How did you see the red card:
“I really didn’t, obviously the player went in pretty hard on the attack. I haven’t seen a replay, so I can’t comment on it.”
On the result, and goalkeeper Brian Rowe:
“I think the draw is fair. Brian had another solid game. Our last away game we actually went 94 minutes with a clean sheet, so that part on Rowe’s been good. We’ve played very well defensively this year. Tonight is not a way of judging how we did defensively, obviously playing with an extra man. A point on the road is so important.”
On offensive performance:
“We could’ve been a little bit better, we have to play a little bit quicker. We were very poor on our crossing, we’ve got to do a better job getting players in front of the goal and in dangerous positions. Games like tonight where a team is dropped back and playing with numbers, it’s not going to be a perfect play. You know, we’re looking for the last pass, walk the ball in the goal, we need to shoot more from distance, we’ve got to deliver balls in front of the goal a lot earlier and just be better. But give our opponent credit they did a good job defensively.”
On playing two strikers and not starting Zardes:
“Zardes played two international matches this past week. The players are getting run into the ground and generally what happens with these players is that if you start them they’re dead in the second half. We told them all along we’re going to prepare to play for 30 minutes and that was going to be the case for Robbie Keane if he could’ve played in this game. The travel for the players internationally is way too much, you know even though it respects the international fixture and the window, it’s still very demanding on players to come back with their club teams and play a club game a couple days later, it’s difficult, so that’s simply the reason.”
On no first half goals this season:
“Didn’t put the ball in the back of the net, I guess is the reason. I don’t really think that matters one way or the other.”
On missing players and opportunities lost:
“I’ll sleep tonight. You know that’s all part of it, you’re building your team beginning of the year and you know, we obviously went with some new players today and all. But I thought we played okay, we’ve got to be just be better in those areas and I think we’re probably not real comfortable on this surface and that takes a little bit away from it as well. But we have to be better in those areas, no question about it.”
On new players Cole, de Jong, and Van Damme fitting in:
“I think they’re doing great. They are three very good players, and they’ve got a real good approach to things. You can see that they played well tonight, there’s a lot of quality there. I think as we get into the season, they’re just going to get better and better.”
