New England Revolution head coach Steve Nicol

At least in previous occasions, we’ve made some chances and played some decent stuff. But it wasn’t good tonight.

(Bobby Shuttleworth) didn’t have any chance with the goals. He was solid in everything he was asked to do. He did well. He came and got some balls, made some saves, sweeped up behind the back four. So obviously he was a positive.

One thing we’re always trying to work on is what’s going on behind us going forward. It’s important you fill the holes in behind any time you’re attacking the opposition. You have to fill the holes in so that when you do cough it up, you can keep it tight. We’ve haven’t done it – we haven’t done it well all season. We can’t just turn around and say tonight is when we had a problem with it. We haven’t done it well all season.

We’ve tried to be positive in every game we’ve played. We’ve tried to do that. We want to do all those things. We haven’t done it – that’s the facts of the matter. And on the occasions we have made chances and scored some goals, we’ve let them in at the other end. And vice versa. We’ve had a tough time here; there’s no hiding from that fact.

(Diego Fagundez) is fine. He gave everything. He’s just run out of steam. He gave everything he had and that’s why he came off.

I certainly hope so. I have no idea (if I’ll be here next year). It’s disappointing. We at least wanted to give the fans something to cheer about. It’s been a tough one for them, as well. We appreciate them coming every home game to watch us and support us, which they have done fantastically all season. So it’s disappointing we couldn’t finish up by giving them something to go home with a smile on their face.

At this present time, I haven’t any idea (if younger guys who don’t see time will play next week in Toronto). The fact of the matter is the guys who’ve been playing are the best guys we have available. That’s the bottom line.

New England Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth

Unfortunately, it’s another terrible result for us. Obviously it’s the last home game of the year and we want to go out winning these games, especially with the fans that come out week in and week out. It’s another bad result for us at home so it’s frustrating.

I’m trying as much as I can to come (out) for crosses and be as loud as I can for these guys and try to organize them. Unfortunately, it hasn’t turned out the best for us in terms of getting points. But for me personally, what I am trying to do is just be a presence back there and let myself come for anything that I can.

I think in the first half, (Columbus) had maybe two chances – the one mistake and the one ball that was coming across that I was able to tip out. We were doing well in the first half, and the second half comes and they’re just picking up every second ball and were giving the ball away when we shouldn’t be, and that’s been the story of the season.

I think (something more could have been done) on the second (Columbus goal) maybe. I’m coming across and I was telling (goalkeepers coach Remi Roy) that maybe I could get a better push for the second goal – try to get in lower and get a better push. But I’m coming across all the way from across the goal and (Dilly Duka) took his chance well. Other than that – the first ball, I’m coming forward because I thought Darrius (Barnes) had it, but then it got caught up in the turf. And on the third goal, (Andres Mendoza) just smashed it – he took it really well.

I think that we need to be consistent. I feel like week in and week out it’s one, two mistakes that are costing us these games and those are the types of things we need to eliminate and hopefully in Toronto, we can go and do that

Every time I can play, it’s good experience for me. I’ve got twelve games under my belt now, so I am getting to the point where I am getting that experience and it’s good for me to get a run of games like this, and to just go from there.

New England Revolution defender Chris Tierney

(Tonight was) disappointing. Once again, we were not good enough on either side of the ball. Made some poor mistakes, didn’t capitalize on the few chances we created to start the game. It was basically downhill from there. There weren’t many positives to take.

(The goals stemmed from) the same things that have hurt us all year. Just some silly mistakes that cost us. We weren’t fully focused and haven’t been for long stretches this year.

I can’t say there is any given reason (why this year has gone the way it has). Soccer is a momentum game and things haven’t been going well for us, so that plays in the back of your head and that’s something we’ll have to try to improve on and look forward to next year.

It’s very disappointing (to not get a win during the final home game of the year). We appreciate all these fans that come out and support us, and we understand their frustration with the way the season’s gone. So it would have been nice to at least send them off with a win and some goals, but we were not able to do that.

We want to win the game (against Toronto FC) of course, and score some goals and end on a positive. There’s nothing to play for for either team. Whenever you wear the Revs jersey, you want to play well and represent the club and we’ll look to do that in Toronto.

I think we need some time to recharge the batteries (during the offseason) obviously, and assess individually, and as a team and an organization, what we can do better. I think we are looking forward to having some time off and being able to look at the things we need to improve on and hopefully get to work.

I’m a hometown kid and this is the club that I want to be at. I can’t see myself wearing any other jerseys. As long as I can be a part of this club and help this club, I’ll be here. 

Columbus Crew head coach Robert Warzycha

Obviously the three goals we scored today, I’m very happy with. The way we played, also. We played direct today and basically on the turf that’s what you have to do. Usually we play on the grass, so we possess the ball a little bit more and have more fun – but scoring goals also is fun. I think the guys responded very well (to the quick surface). We had to win this game to go to the playoffs, so obviously it was a difficult game here at New England because it is away from home. Even though their season didn’t go the way that they wanted it to, they are a very dangerous team at home. We are not three goals better than them. Sometimes it’s just that the game just goes like this.

On Columbus’ previous six-game winless streak and what they did to turn it around…

Stay positive. Do the same things. It’s easy to change the lineup. It’s easy to blame somebody. I believed in these guys in the beginning. I’m putting the same guys on the field because I believe that they can do it. Obviously, that’s the payback. The important thing is that we have three points and we scored three goals.

I hope (Chad Marshall) is going to be okay. He has a bruise on his forehead, but hopefully he is going to be okay.

(Andres Mendoza and Emilio Renteria) were very dangerous. New England had their hands full with these two guys. It was a beautiful finish by Mendoza, and the first one also. That’s what he does to you. You think that there’s going to be a different balance when the ball starts, but he finished very well. They were active. That’s what we said before the game; they have to make the runs, they have to be active, they have to go after it and chase every single ball. That happened today.

I’m getting gray hairs sometimes because of (the offside calls). The back line for New England was dangerous all game. There had to be different runs. I mean, you see the second half that (Eddie) Gaven came and went through a couple of times and Tommy Heinemann – it’s because they hold their run, and obviously the guy who passed the ball, passed in the right time, with the right weight. (There were) too many offside. We need to, a little bit, work on that.

I think we are going to go to win the Eastern Conference. We have a game in Chicago, and we have some momentum winning (against) D.C. at home and here at New England. We’re not going to rest anybody. They are going to have the weekend off. If they want to go and play, so that we can keep the momentum, that’s very positive before the playoffs.

Columbus Crew forward Dilly Duka

I don’t remember the (goal) too much, but I took a good touch and cut on the side of the net. I noticed that I was one-on-one with the keeper and I just hit it far post and it went in. It was a great feeling, it was a special feeling and I hope there’s more to come.

I’ve been waiting all year and tonight a couple of guys on the team said this could be the day, and it was, so I think I’m pretty fortunate it happened today. I thought we played a good game and it created chances for a lot of guys and I was one of those guys. It was just a good feeling.

We have a strong defense. The past couple of games we’ve been a little unlucky, but this game we were solid and it’s really good because now we can build on that heading into playoffs and into our next game.

Our group effort was good. We were a unit today. We kept it tight, we marked up, we were responsible with good intensity. (New England) came out strong – we kind of shut them down and then we built off it later in the game, and it worked really well and everything was good.

Columbus Crew forward Andres Mendoza
Translated by team PR personnel

The team really went out with the will to win tonight. All my teammates went out with the will to win. When (the ball) came, it was a good assist from Emilio (Renteria) and I shot it towards the goal and it went in. And then in the second half I felt like I came out with a little bit – even more strength – more will to win. And then Dilly (Duka) scored, and then I was able to score again. So overall, a positive result tonight.

On what Coach told the team during halftime…

To continue pushing, pushing even harder. He said it was important – they were playing well but they needed to push a little bit harder to get those extra goals. And he basically he said keep doing what we were doing, just keep going a little bit harder.

On his second goal…

There was a little bit of a shift in movement. Dilly (Duka) came into the middle – he went to the left side. Then Emilio (Renteria) got the ball and crossed it over to him, and he took the first shot really, really hard and it went in. It was a great goal.

Our team really moved well, worked hard and did the things that the coach told us to do. We worked as a team, so we were able not to allow them any scoring opportunities.