Here are the official post match comments after RSL's 2-0 loss at FC Dallas:
REAL SALT LAKE QUOTE SHEET
SATURDAY, JULY 17, 2010
PIZZA HUT PARK - FRISCO, TX
FC DALLAS 2 : 0 REAL SALT LAKE
REAL SALT LAKE HEAD COACH JASON KREIS
On RSL's switch to a 4-5-1 formation to start the match:
"First and foremost, I'm looking in the mirror about the decision to change the formation. Ultimately I think we have to consider all things when we put the players in different positions. We're frustrated because we're not possessing the ball; there's reasons for that, we're going to have to analyze that decision to see if we should make that decision moving forward and we've got to continue to learn as coaches."
On the result:
"We move forward. We need to forget that game as quickly as possible. The biggest concern is how the players will view it and whether or not they can move on quickly. We haven't lost a game in a long time, so it feels brand new."
On the 10-game undefeated streak coming to an end:
"It's like anything else, sometimes you don't recognize how good you have it until you don't anymore, so I'm hoping that the disappointment of that, and the frustration of that, will show forth this week with good training sessions and a fantastic reaction next weekend."
On the FC Dallas goals:
"[GK Nick Rimando] blocked it down, and my initial inclination was to say ‘Why don't we have any defenders close to him?' It's always going to be disappointing when their player reacts faster to the ball than ours, and by a long way it appeared to me, but we're going to have to look at the play again. Then the second one comes off the corner kick, a long corner that goes over their side. We've been harping at our players for quite a while that they haven't been good enough on defending set pieces."
On bounces not going RSL's way tonight:
"We've been fortunate not to give away goals, in particular with Chicago hitting two posts (last week). I was hoping that would be a big enough wake up call, but apparently not. We hit two posts but [Dallas] did it as well. I was thinking about it after the game, and you're saying to yourself, ‘Maybe if we get a bounce tonight it turns out different.' Especially at 1-0 with [Nat] Borchers' header - it's an opportunity if that one goes in or Will Johnson ... it's the timing of those things for sure, but they had some bounces go against them as well."
more post match comments after the jump:
REAL SALT LAKE MIDFIELDER WILL JOHNSON
On his shot off the post in the second half:
"I was just running at the backs, weaved around and they just stepped off so I had a shot. I hit well and caught the inside of the post and it went out, not much you can do. It's one of those games it can go either way there at the end."
On RSL's undefeated and shutout streaks coming to an end:
"I didn't put much into the streaks, We were winning games and playing well, but we'll have to try and start it all over again and make sure that we get three points [next Saturday]. Just continue to take it one game at a time and go from there."
REAL SALT LAKE GOALKEEPER NICK RIMANDO
On RSL's hard-luck at Pizza Hut Park continuing:
"The boys went out there and gave it a good effort. This is a hard place to play. After going on the road against Chicago, coming here to get a result was something that we wanted to do; we wanted to get a result even if that was a tie. But today just wasn't our day. We let two goals in, and a loss - that's something we haven't had for a while, and that's not really sinking in yet. It's a tough place, but they were in [the heat] too, so it's not an excuse. It's a tough place to play for sure; we never seem to get results here."
On the FC Dallas goals:
"[Rodriguez] hit it, and it bounced right before it got to me. He tried to hit it out wide but it wasn't far enough, I think it was Brek, he came in a hit it well. Then the second one got kind of fiesty in that six yard box and Atiba [Harris] got around the ball and hit it near post again."
On the shutout streak ending:
"I think we got the streak from our hard work. But that doesn't mean weren't working hard tonight, because today we worked hard and I think that kind of grounds us a little bit, to know that these next couple of games we've got to make some points up to catch the leaders. I think this next week is going to be a good week of practice and this game is just to remind us of how losing feels."
I know that some will come out and question the decision to change formations, but if you have watched our last few road matches you would see that we lacked the same control over the match as we do at home and this was clearly an attempt to both match the FC Dallas 5 man midfield, and to try to control the match with possession which would let us control the pace of the match. It didn't work, I don't imagine we will see it again any time soon,
I had hoped that with the harsh conditions that we would have come out and gone "balls to the wall" for the first 20-30 minutes and try to get a lead, that would have allowed us to force Dallas to chase the match, we saw how effective that was in the final 20 minutes. I did like the chances we created, again the post can be your friend or your enemy and it played both of those roles.
The reality is that we have played 16 matches and won 9, lost 4, and got 3 draws, and our 30 points are 3rd best in all of MLS, we have two big home matches before the end of the month and wins in both should be the goal. If we end July with 36 points, it would be a great sign that we not only are going to make the playoffs but we will be fighting for the Supporters Shield.
See you on Saturday.
OFF MY SOAPBOX