D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH BEN OLSEN
On the effectiveness of his lineup changes tonight:
We lost the game. But, I was proud about the overall commitment and the way they went about things tonight. The spirit was good. They looked like a team that cared and wanted to dig themselves out of the situation they we’re in. That’s important. But it’s also important to make teams earn goals. We’re still slipping at the key moments. We’re still giving up set pieces. These have to stop. Again, I’m proud of those guys. There were some guys who gutted through on a back-to-back game, traveling. There are some positives, but it’s a little bit of the same old things that are hard on us. It’s the things we’re doing to ourselves. Credit Dallas. They’re a good team. Their team speed is very, very good and when you get a little tired, and you’re defending a lot, they’re a tough team to deal with. They put a lot of numbers forward, a lot of balls in the box. For the most part, we did a good job of defending that, but we’re disappointed.
On maybe needing a few more veterans on the roster:
It doesn’t take an old guy to mark on a corner kick. It doesn’t take an old guy not to slip, last time I checked. I’ve got enough age out there to win games. It will help when Nick DeLeon can play 90 minutes. It will help when Chris Pontius gets back. It will help when Johnny Thorrington gets on the field again soon. We will still evaluate our group to get better, but overall I’m pleased with the spirit they went about the game with and that was what I was looking for and obviously a result. But, we cost ourselves a result with again, a set piece.
On the change in goal:
I thought Joe Willis had a very good night. Joe Willis is a very good ‘keeper.
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER DWAYNE DE ROSARIO
On his goal:
I was dying to get that goal. (It was) the first goal of the year for me so that’s always a good thing. We did well in certain parts of the game, and then in other parts… there was another set piece we gave up and then obviously some set pieces that just weren’t good enough, especially some corners, where it was an important time in the game and we weren’t getting them past the first guy. In these games that’s important. We’ve got to give ourselves something. Hats off to the guys because they gave everything they had today, but it wasn’t enough.
General thoughts on the match:
I’m always going to play to win. I don’t care if we’re 0-25. I’m playing to win. It’s tough. It’s a tough one to swallow, especially when you come out here and you fight back in it. You give up a goal and we could have easily put our heads down, especially from recent results. But, we bounced back. The way we played… We were unlucky to hit the post, but we showed some resilience and that’s a plus going forward. We have two big games at home so it’s a must, must, must win.
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER MARCOS SANCHEZ
On D.C. United’s season so far:
Everything is very complicated on our team right now, seeing as how we have eight losses. We always try to play the game in the best way possible but we commit too many mistakes.
How do you feel you did in this game and what you brought to your team?
For my part, I feel extremely bad because I don't feel I contributed enough to the team. I need to play better and give more of myself so that the team can have an advantage on the field and play better.
