New England Revolution Head Coach Jay Heaps
On how the movement of the attacking players led to a positive result:
Coach Heaps: “It was everybody. We started the game the right way. We worked all week on how we could press them and change from that 4-4-2 into a good pressure system. I thought Lee [Nguyen] and Juan [Agudelo] did an excellent job of creating that initial pressure, and then Gersh [Koffie] and Kelyn [Rowe] and Diego [Fagundez] and Scotty [Caldwell] just read where to pick up the spaces. They did a good job and then from there, I think we were able to get a couple wins in their half and then we were able to keep the ball when we could. I’m overall excited that everyone performed tonight and I think that’s the most important thing. Everyone had a good performance tonight.”
On the chemistry of Lee Nguyen, Juan Agudelo, and Diego Fagundez and how critical it is to the team’s overall success:
Coach Heaps: “Huge. I think that those [players] are vital right now and you’re seeing it. Those guys have always had kind of an instinctual feel for each other. Quite frankly, Juan [Agudelo]’s injury hurt that, because I think Juan was really coming into his zone and now he’s showing some really good life. So, I think that’s that chemistry, but I also think it’s the interchange. I think Kelyn [Rowe] does a good job. Where Diego [Fagundez] and Lee [Nguyen] and Juan are all kind of playing quickly, Kelyn does a good job or reading. He’s really good at opening space. We really look at what he’s able to do opening the space, that’s huge for us. I loved our second goal because of that type of play. Diego [had] an unbelievable sense of where Lee was to make that play. That’s important. We talk about chemistry. We talk about putting it into play, but those guys certainly have it and that’s important for us going down the stretch.”
On what the Revolution did to press New York City’s back four differently than the last meeting:
Coach Heaps: “It was a little different, because last time we did it, we actually had an extra number, but it was really trying to spy. We had Kei [Kamara] spying a little bit more and he would stay on the top of the box not covering anyone. This time, we said let’s go four vs. four on their top four and then the player was supposed to get to the keeper as quick as he could so he wouldn’t have time to get his head up. It was a little different. Now, you’re in a little different formation as well, because you have the two forwards. So, those guys had to work really hard, quickly, every time the ball went out, to get wide quick because that was the most important thing. If we get wide, we can get them back in. Then we can be man vs. man throughout midfield and have the extra player, whether it was Diego [Fagundez] on one side or Scotty [Caldwell] on the other side to win it back. We were a little bit more streamlined and I think that makes it easier quite frankly.”
On the resiliency showed in the second half after giving up the goal:
Coach Heaps: “We knew they were going to come out and I thought, for the first two or three minutes, we were actually doing the right things, getting into their half, going inside their 18[-yard box]. For us to let them come down and score like that was a gut punch, but I liked our reaction. No one put their head down. We knew we were going to be in a fight against them. The fact that we were up 2-0 was a good thing for us, but not expected, so if we give up one there, let’s make sure we get back in it. No one put their heads down and I thought Juan [Agudelo] did an excellent job tonight. He almost scored the goal and then he was strong enough to hold off some players and allow Diego [Fagundez] to read it and score a great goal. I was really happy that Juan, Diego, and Lee [Nguyen] all scored, because the three of them put in a really good attacking effort tonight. Kelyn [Rowe] I thought was excellent creating a lot of those chances.”
On if he believes this may have been the best performance as a team all year:
Coach Heaps: “Complete game, yeah, absolutely, especially because I thought we could’ve had more. I think that we really worked hard to create. I look at their team though. You look at what [Andrea] Pirlo and [Frank] Lampard and [David] Villa do. If you don’t stop them, you’re in trouble. We were following them all around the field tonight and Lampard still popped up on the score sheet, so it shows you how good of a team this New York City team is and how well bought in they are to Patrick [Vieira], because he’s intense on the sideline and they’re listening to everything he says.”
On how to prepare for NYCFC’s top players:
Coach Heaps: “We had a game plan going into it. I thought you can’t just stop those three, because they put a really good team together. Jack Harrison is one of the top bright players in our league. You look at [Ronald] Martarrita, one of the excellent new signings of this league, at left back. So, they can beat you in different ways. If anyone was a handful tonight, it was [Steven] Mendoza. You can’t just say, ‘These are the three guys and we’re going to clamp down.” You have to be mindful of where they’re going to be and communicate. The way we defended against them was excellent for the 90 minutes and that’s what we need to continue doing. We’ve really given up a lot of goals this season. I don’t mind giving up goals, as long as they’re not soft goals. Actually, I hate giving up goals, but if you’re going to get broken down and teams are going to play you off the field, you can tip your hat to that. We’ve given away a lot of soft goals and that’s what doesn’t sit well with myself, the staff, and anyone in that locker room. When we give away a goal, that one hurts. Tonight, I don’t think was a giveaway. They played well throughout and scored a very good goal. I’ve got to look at it on film, but you can tip your hat to that, because it’s a good goal. In the past, we’ve given up some soft goals and that’s what hurts the most.”
On how the week of training led to tonight’s outcome:
Coach Heaps: “It was a good week of training. We had a long week the week before. When I say long week, I mean that we had a lot of congestion. We had a game on Sunday and then Saturday against [the] Colorado [Rapids]. So, we gave the guys Sunday and Monday off, they came in Tuesday. It was a good day, Tuesday. Wednesday was a little bit complacent. There were a lot of conversations. We had a good game against Colorado, but we’re on to the next game. It took a pretty hard conversation we had as a staff with the players and the leaders of the team. Then, on Thursday, we came out and it was night and day. From Thursday on, I felt like we were going to have a really good opportunity to get three points tonight.”
On the momentum gained going into Tuesday’s Open Cup Final and the status of Kei Kamara and Je-Vaughn Watson:
Coach Heaps: “The next 24 hours are vital for guys to get [regeneration]. Regen tonight and then we’re having regen tomorrow, and then we’re flying out tomorrow. So, the next 24-48 hours [are] key to see where everyone is physically. I think it’s good momentum, because we feel like we’re putting together 90-minute performances. Even against New York [Red Bulls], I felt like it was a step in the right direction. San Jose, steps in the right direction. They weren’t the complete performance. I felt like the last two games have been more complete 90 minutes. So, now we have that confidence going into one of the toughest places to play in Dallas. If we maintain our confidence, we should have an opportunity, but over the next two days, it’s really important that guys get rested and available. [Je-Vaughn] Watson had something and it got a little worse with the [Jamaica] national team, but I feel like he should be closer to ready. Kei [Kamara] picked something up on Thursday, but in the next 24 hours, [it] will be vital that he gets a little bit more and I think he could be available as well.”
New England Revolution Forward Juan Agudelo
On having a comfort level playing with his teammates:
Agudelo: “I think, personally, it’s the most fun I’ve had all season, these past two games. It’s how I love playing and I’m sure it’s how all of the other players around me are loving it to.”
On his chemistry with Diego Fagundez:
Agudelo: “Yeah, we’re real good friends. He’s Uruguayan. I’m Columbian. Neighbors in South America. I think our styles are similar and yeah, I think we complement each other on the field. We understand what we’re trying to do. Lee has [Nguyen] got a little Latin in him, too. Shows it on the field and yeah, it’s working out.”
On playing the ball on the ground more often and if that helps establish a rhythm:
Agudelo: “Yeah, I believe so. We have good players that can keep the ball and I think with this formation, it helps exaggerate that a lot. So, I think we just have to keep going with that.”
On NYCFC goalkeeper Josh Saunders denying him on multiple scoring chances:
Agudelo: “Yeah, I mean, I’m happy we got the win. I scored, but, I should’ve had a lot more goals today.”
On the movement the team is putting in off the ball:
Agudelo: “It was a lot. I think it was the most tired I’ve been in any first half in my life because the way that we were pressing, it was tough. I had to get to center back on a goal kick, then run across the field to get to a defense mid [midfielder] like [Andrea] Pirlo. So, it was tough, but we were up for the task because we knew what was at stake and I’m not trying to go home early in November.”
On how the past two weeks have prepared the team for Tuesday’s Open Cup Final:
Agudelo: “I think it’s a huge boost momentum-wise. We just got to keep the train going. I know that chemistry’s there. If one guy is caught out of the play, I see it. I see guys covering for that player. Just have to keep staying positive like that.”
On Dallas being able to hurt you if one guy is out of position:
Agudelo: “Dallas, when it comes to them, they’re at the top of the league for a reason. They’re a really, really good team. I watched their Open Cup game against LA [Galaxy] and they deserved to win that game, I think. They have very fast players out wide and their defense is strong, so compliments on them.”
New England Revolution Midfielder Diego Fagundez
On his goal and the set up by Juan Agudelo:
Fagundez: “I think our connection is between each other not just on the field, but off the field. I think it’s definitely helping a lot. I think you can see it where we’re playing with each other, trying to do everything we can. It makes our jobs easier and when we get our chances, we’re trying to finish. Today, we probably could’ve finished a lot more, but at the end of the day we’re happy with the three points and now we have to move on.”
On his comfort level with his teammates:
Fagundez: “I’m comfortable when I’m on the field and whoever is on the field. You can just see that me and Juan [Agudelo] get along together well. When I get the ball, I try to look for him because he creates good passing and good space where he can go one-on-one. In the first goal, that’s what happened exactly. I got the ball and he made a good run and just laid it off to him and he did the rest.”
On the 4-4-2 formation:
Fagundez: “It’s nice because I think in the midfield we’re getting a lot of touches, where in some games I felt like I wasn’t getting much of the ball. Now, I feel like we’re actually moving it more. Between us four, I don’t know how many touches we get a game, but I think we’re doubling what we used to.”
On Juan Agudelo’s performance tonight:
Fagundez: “You could just tell he, defensively and attacking, he was spot on 110 percent the whole way. And when he got his chance he buried it. He probably could’ve had a couple more, but of course he did his job. He went out there, defended, and finished his chances.”
On the importance of this victory with the regular season winding down:
Fagundez: “It’s huge because you see the confidence of this team, the way we celebrate the goals. You can see we’re a group and that’s what we want. We only have a couple days to rest now so everybody has to be recovered and make sure we’re ready for Tuesday.”
On the challenge of FC Dallas in Frisco for the U.S. Open Cup Final:
Fagundez: “It is, but a game is played on the field. We just have to make sure that we’re ready and our bodies are good to go. It’s going to be a tough one, but I think this team is definitely ready to go.”
On what he saw leading into his goal:
Fagundez: “I knew one was coming soon. I’ve had plenty of chances and you can just tell the work rate from Juan [Agudelo], he was on the ground still fighting for it. Once he touches the ball, I knew I had to take a touch and shoot. Once the ball went into the back of the net, I was actually relieved because it’s been a while. Of course, I was so happy that the team was doing well and I knew my chances would come.”
On the lead up to Lee Nguyen’s goal:
Fagundez: “It’s a great play by Kelyn [Rowe]. The whole way, he’s doing the whole play, and once he slides it across I thought about shooting it, but once I looked behind, Lee [Nguyen] was open and I knew the guy was going to slide at one point. So, the easiest way was just to dummy and have Lee [Nguyen] one-on-one. I thought he was going to finish it the first time, but he’s always making it a little bit difficult for us.”
On the team playing the ball more on the ground more frequently:
Fagundez: “For sure. I’d rather prefer the ball on the ground than getting the ball in the air. I think with Juan [Agudelo], you can see. You can give him the ball, he’s holding up the play well, so when we can get him the ball on the ground it makes our job easier.”
On how hungry he was for a goal:
Fagundez: “I was hungry, but I knew one was going to come. It was just a matter of time and I think after that it was perfect timing to go up, 3-1. That’s what we wanted.”
New York City FC Head Coach Patrick Vieira
On New England’s performance:
Coach Vieira: “I think they played much better than us tonight and they fully deserved to win the game.”
On New York City FC’s performance:
Coach Vieira: “I think we didn’t play at all. I think we lacked the desire to compete against them. We lacked of creativity on the field and when you don’t have that, it is difficult to play football matches – any type of football matches.
On trying to regain focus following the loss:
Coach Vieira: “Work even harder and keep pushing, keep challenging my players, and keep working harder.”
New York City FC Forward Jack Harrison
On tonight’s match:
Harrison: “It was a tough game, I spoke about it before, we just didn’t approach the game with the right mentality and the right intensity that we needed and we only realized it in the second half and by that time it was too late. I think we just need to focus on that in the future.”
On how to get the momentum back going forward:
Harrison: “I think it starts off, start the week in training. That’s the best plan to start working out from the start of the week and then that kind of sets you up nicely for the weekend, but I said it all starts with the start of the week.”
On if they are frustrated or keeping a level head:
Harrison: “I think we’re trying to keep a level head, I think that’s the best thing to do right now. You review this and see what we can do best here and then put it behind us and look on to the next game. I think it will be important doing that to start next week.”
New York City FC Defender RJ Allen
On tonight’s match:
Allen: “It’s a disappointing result, absolutely. We just weren’t good enough tonight to get what we wanted out of the match. Overall, we just need to be better, and tonight we gave the ball away in a couple of bad spots and they punished us for it.”
On Coach Vieira’s message when he came on as a substitute at halftime:
Allen: “Just to provide something. Just try to get forward and help the team the best way I can doing what I do – and that’s keeping the ball and providing an assist. In the beginning of the half, it was a good start to the half, but then we gave up that third one and we kind of made it difficult on ourselves after that.”
On moving on after tonight’s loss:
Allen: “I think we need to learn from this, first and foremost. We need to go home, we need to review tomorrow first thing, and just bounce back. We have two home games coming up. Two of the most important games of the year. Six points is a must.”
