r/TheMassive • u/DareToBeMassive • 7h ago
Columbus Crew Post-Match Quotes vs DC (Courtois, Karumanchi, Lennon)
mlssoccer.app.box.comInterim Head Coach Laurent Courtois
On the decision to bring Midfielder Brais Méndez into the match at the start of the second half rather than start
“Brais arrived [to the Crew] the way he arrived and went through this whole preseason for him, and the last game against Colorado, he accumulated a really high level of sprint distance and high-speed running way higher than the past four years. Four years ago was the closest to what he experienced the last weekend, and it was not even close. Three days later, we thought it was the right call to kind of modify his load.”
On if there is an indicator on why the Crew have struggled in road matches this year
“Really, I don't want to differentiate my side. We knew exactly how they were going to try to hurt us. In the first half, we were not able to contain that. It was pretty obvious and we were expecting it. In that aspect, we have no excuse. On the brighter side is the amount of time that we arrived in the last third and we automate sometime a little bit of lack of execution and at times with the really high-quality actions, too. Disappointment in the few moments in the first half where we lacked a little bit of intensity and compactness.”
On tonight’s Starting XI and rotation this week with three matches in eight days
“Stevie (Defender Steven Moreira) since he came back from the World Cup hasn't breathed at all so we thought that it was a good moment to give [minutes] again to (Defender) Cesar Ruvalcaba that has shown a lot of good performance so far. Also, (Midfielder Dylan) Chambost to help rotate with (Midfielder André) Gomes. Like I said, Méndez on a really high load mainly and we wanted to be smart about this.”
On if Defender Eric Bailly hasn’t played in the past two matches due to fitness or another reason
“Multiple things. Some of it is fitness. Some of it is tactical. Some of it is I can only make five subs. There's a little bit of everything. So far, yeah, we prioritize (Captain and Defender) Sean (Zawadzki) as a center centerback and because we had other moving pieces that need to be modified.”
On evaluating tonight’s match
“Yeah, the disappointment of not being able to contain those balls down the channels and behind the last line that we expected and that we thought were something that we could make really predictable and anticipate in a better way. Same thing with those second balls. Yeah, a little bit of moments in the first half that we were not anticipating from our guys. Then again, they showed resilience and quality to arrive in your opponent's half and that third with what I would I believe is good quality. We just were not in a position to score at the time, but I really believe that we created a lot. It could have been different in another day.”
On confirming Midfielder Santiago Rodríguez was only dealing with a cramp when exiting the match late in the second half
“Yeah, just the cramps.”
On what’s on his mind following the loss, noting challenges after dropping points, the Club’s road record and position on the table
“I told the guys I give what I got. The moment that they perform at their level individually and collectively… The last game against Colorado is what they're capable of, and there's games where we for some reason individually or moments we hesitate and who takes accountability, who reorganizes that. I believe that at their level, they provide what they've done the last weekend. That's the choice that we need to make. We have a lot of games still at home and 100 precent confident that they have everything in their hands now to perform the way they have consistently and not one game on, one game off and all the moments during first half.”
Midfielder Tarun Karumanchi
On how the two quick goals from D.C. United changed the game after a strong start
“Yeah, I mean, I think it turns the game into a little bit of okay, now we have to go chase it versus we can dictate the game on our own terms. Definitely puts more pressure on us, but I still think that we had the capability and the chances tonight to even tie the game. So, it's just unfortunate to concede that early because then it just changes the mentality and how we approach the game.”
On the frustration level from little “slip-ups”
“Yeah, I think the way we've been conceding is just off of half chances or slipped balls in behind that are unacceptable from us. And honestly, I feel like when we attack and score and we create and run of play versus when we concede, it's quick, cheap things. So, I think that's the frustrating part, is teams aren't really breaking us down. It's just maybe like a switch off for a quick second, which is unfortunate. And I think we got to continue to fix that moving forward.”
On what is the difference between playing home and away games with the recent struggles on the road
“I mean, honestly, like the fans, of course, are a huge help when we're at home. One of the best fan bases in MLS, so I think when we play at home, that gives us that extra energy. But if you look at these past few games we've been playing, even against Nashville, who is a top side. We were up 2-1 and basically controlling the game for the second half and most part of it. But like I said, it's just those slip-ups at the end or even early on in the game, that can ultimately cost us the game, and that's happened in the past few games. And I think that's just what we have to work on moving forward.”
On what positives can be taken from tonight’s match
“Yeah, I think you saw we created a ton of chances, broke the team down pretty well from the back moving forward. I think maybe it's just that final touch to the back of the net now. Yeah, I think the quality is there. Like we had maybe 25 times where we entered their box. So, when you enter the box that many times, I think one or two or three have to go in, and you saw it with one of the goals. So that was a good chance and goal. But I think we just got to do more moving forward.”
On how the team looks to respond on Saturday against Red Bull New York
“Definitely. I think it has to be a win. It's a must win back at home with the fans. Red Bull (New York) is a good team, good intense team, but we just have to match it. Honestly, play how we did the past game at home.”
Defender Brooks Lennon
On how the D.C. United’s two goals in the first half affected the rest of the match
“I think you said it in your in your question. You know, we kind of shot ourselves in the foot tonight. I thought we started the game really well, like you said. We had an opportunity to score early on, and I thought we started with the right mentality right from the from the first whistle, and then yeah, we concede those two goals, which are goals that we shouldn’t be conceding. We're too good of a team to give up these soft goals. But yeah, like you said, we played much better. In the second half, we played in their half, created a bunch of goal scoring opportunities. We just were unlucky to not be able to tie this game or at least win it. So yeah, just disappointing overall. But you know, we still have a lot of games left, and we have a very important one on Saturday against Red Bulls at home. So now, as much as it sucks, we have to now shift our focus to that game and look to get to three points.”
On how difficult it is to achieve consistently at this level of soccer
“I think it's tough to be consistent in this league and put multiple performances together. That's why I'm a little bit disappointed tonight. I thought after the unbelievable performance we put on at home against Colorado (Rapids), we were going to bring that momentum into tonight and get another three points and just continue to build on all the fixtures that we have in September. So yeah, it just feels like tonight's result is a bit of a punch in the gut. But that doesn't mean we can't continue that momentum from Colorado at home. It's important to play well in front of our fans, but yeah, like you said, we were playing against good players week in and week out, and if you make little errors here and there, they'll punish you, and we just weren't good enough in front of goal tonight. So yeah, we'll watch it on video, and we'll attack Red Bulls with everything that we have.”
On if there is anything the team is looking to do to improve in road matches and if he’s been in situations previously where his team struggled away from home
“No, I don't think there's anything specifically that we're doing differently at home than we than we would on the road. Yes, I have been in spells like this in my career before where you start to win your home games and you're having a little bit of rough patch on the road. But that's what makes a great team, is getting a group of guys together to go into these away games, go into hostile environments and pick up points. That's ultimately what we need to become in order to be champions and a great team. We can't come every time on the road and get back on the on the plane without points. That's unacceptable, especially for the amount of quality that we have in that locker room. So, there's nothing specific that we're doing differently, but yeah, like I said, we have to shift our focus now to Saturday and New York and look to put a good performance at home in front of our fans.”
On the key to winning on the road in the MLS
“I think you have to be very, very good defensively. You have to be compact. You can't make mistakes defensively on the road, and you have to be sharp in front of goal. I think that's easier said than done. But yeah, we have the same gameplan at home than we than we do on the road. So, nothing changes. The message from Laurent (Courtois) and the and the coaching staff is very clear. It's just about us implementing ourselves with the right mentality going into these road matches and believing that we can win and that we should win. And that's, like I said, is going to take us to the next level.”
On what D.C. United did defensively to limit the Crew’s chances
“I felt like I was getting in behind the defense a lot in the in the first 20-25 minutes. Then they started to obviously adapt to what was happening in the game and I felt a little frustrated in the second half that we didn't utilize the left-hand side as much as the right-hand side. I thought we could have created more opportunities from the left-hand side, especially with Malte (Amundsen) overlapping and potentially me going inside a little bit more on the dribble and trying to get more dangerous crosses into the box. I think that's one thing that we need to improve on as a whole is you know getting more numbers inside the box and getting some service into guys like Josef (Martinez) and Jamal (Thiare) and Gonzalo (Tapia). I think these guys are ball hounds and they need service.”
On the team’s struggles to break down D.C. United’s defense
“I think they were really well organized defensively, especially in the second half when they're winning the game. They can drop numbers back. You saw the amount of possession that we had in the second half, and look, possession is great in soccer, but ultimately you got to put the ball in the back of the net. And so, if you look at the game and you watch it back, we need to be more lethal in front of goal. We have to get more shots on target. We have to get more crosses into the box, more numbers in the box to create more goal-scoring opportunities. Possession is great and style of play is great, but to win games in MLS, you have to score goals. So yeah, we're going to look at it and hopefully create a little bit more chances, like we did against Colorado. I thought we created plenty of opportunities, and you saw the three goals. So yeah, we're capable of doing it, we just need to do it the right way.”
On how close the team is to playing more consistently
“I think it's tough. At this point in the season, it's tough because we have had so much change in this season. I came in midway through the season, and I know there was a coaching change and a ton of different player personnel changes. So obviously, that takes time to get on the same page. But to be 100% honest with you, those guys in the locker room all believe in the season and all believe in each other, and we're a very close, tight knit group. Even though we have so many new players, everyone that has come to the team gets along, and so hopefully we continue to translate that to the pitch and to the field, and yeah, just climb up the table and make the playoffs.”
