Ben Olsen – Head Coach, D.C. United
On the game:
Yeah, it’s relief. It was just important for us to move forward in our play, but also get the win. It feels good. It feels good for a lot of those new guys, and in particular some of those old guys as we got a little bit of a demon off our back, and we can move forward now.
On Bill Hamid’s injury:
It’s a toe; it’s a week at this point. But, we will evaluate it a little bit more. He saw the doctor, and he will probably be out the next couple days and we will go from there.
On the team’s choices not to shoot on some open chances:
Well it’s not because I am telling them not to shoot. I didn’t see it as an overall theme of the night. I saw one or two that I would have liked them to shoot. I think Eddie had one and someone else had another we could have put on goal, but that stuff will get better.
On Eddie Johnson’s chances:
I’m actually encouraged by the partnership that they are forming up top. I think it’s pretty good. They are starting to understand each other. The timing, sequences and spacing are getting much better. The last part is to get those guys on the scoring sheet every week. But I thought Eddie got in to great spots and the balls were there, he just didn’t finish tonight. But that’s ok, that will come.
On Perry Kitchen’s performance:
I thought Davy and Perry early on in the game were too flat and that’s why New England had a lot of possession. As Davy and Perry got out to pressure them in the central midfield, I thought the game changed. I thought they both had very good games. They are both warriors, and Davy was a stud tonight. I’m happy for him. He seems comfortable in that central position, which is nice. I thought the back four was steady with high concentration all night long. They aren’t an easy team to play with their interchange and their technical players.
On Nick DeLeon’s performance:
He looks like his old self again. Nick’s always a guy who makes you perk up when he gets the ball. Tonight, he just looked strong, powerful and relentless. It was good to see that Nicky back. He’s playing with freedom, and that’s when he’s at his best.
On Chris Rolfe’s goal:
He’s one of the best finishers in the League. Anybody will tell you that, so it was good we got him in. Left-mid, right-mid, he’s versatile and also good underneath, and I think he did a lot of work for us. It’s not an ideal role to bring him in up a goal, because I wouldn’t cal him a defensive specialist, but we wanted to continue to attack and try to get that second goal. It took a little longer than we thought, but we ended up getting it.
Davy Arnaud – Midfielder, D.C. United
On the encouragement of the results improving each week:
Yeah, I think so. I mean up until this point, we have had results, you know, that weren’t wins but regardless we believe in the group. We said, 'look keep doing what we’re doing and the wins are going to come to us,' and now hopefully this is the start of a good little run for us.
On how the victory feels:
Well, I think considering how last season went, I think it was important. I think there are seven or eight teams in the League maybe that have played four or five games and haven’t gotten a win. We played three and hadn’t gotten a win, but it may be a little different because of what happened last year. Now we got our win and we can move on because this is a new group with a new mentality. For us, this group started on the first day of the season.
Andrew Dykstra – Goalkeeper, D.C. United
On his preparation during the week:
I just kind of prepare for whatever. Whether that was being the backup or starting tonight. It was a little tough, but we did it.
On the toughness of jumping in goal after years between MLS starts:
Yeah, mentally it is kind of tough. But, I think that I have played enough games and had enough experiences in USL and, you know, my first run with Chicago and everything else. You learn to just kind of put that aside and just deal with it, you know, it becomes part of your day.
Chris Rolfe – Forward, D.C. United
On the whirlwind since the trade:
I only found out a few hours before I was traded and then I came here. But, the guys have been great; the organization has been awesome and made it really easy which helped me tonight.
On what went through his mind on that goal:
At first I didn’t know if I should go forward or not because I thought we needed to hold on to the ball. But Conor (Doyle) did an amazing job holding the ball up who found Fabian (Espindola), and I knew he saw me, and the ball was perfect. It was extremely easy for me to finish.
On contributing to the team in his first game:
To be honest, just finally winning for these guys, who have been working hard and its’ a good group of guys, for us to win that’s the best feeling. Of course for me to be able to get a goal, which will help my confidence, and hopefully it will help their belief in me and what I can do to help the team.
Jay Heaps – Head Coach, New England Revolution
On the team’s performance:
I thought we came out obviously alright. I thought we had enough in the first half to at least, you know, go in zero-zero or up a goal. In the second half I was a little bit disappointed in how we played in terms of directness. I think we could have been a little better trying to probe. I think we risked it a little too early when we went after it right at the start of the second half. And, I think they did a good job defending but we weren’t creative enough.
On the message at halftime:
I mean, it happens. I thought we rallied pretty well around it. We had the right attitude. Unfortunately, sometimes being over zealous and too early rather than let the game kind of dictate what we needed to do. I thought we were a little direct too soon and unfortunately we played into their hands.
On the own goal:
The own goal hurts, but I think everyone understood it happens in the game. But, I do think that it was a little hard to be down a goal. That said, I thought we rallied well, but maybe too well. We started to look for ways to win the game in the first, you know, five-ten minutes in the second half rather than realizing that any goal would get us back in it whether it came in the 60th minute or the 80th minute. I think we pushed a little hard a little too soon.
Charlie Davies – Forward, New England Revolution
On emotions playing against his former team:
I was pretty emotional at the end, actually. When I landed at the airport I got that weird feeling that it just didn’t feel right playing against D.C. You know, I feel really close to the club and to the supporters, so it was difficult to actually get focused and mentally prepared for this game. It was good, but it was an emotional time for me.
On perspective of the game:
For us, we just take it game by game. We were trying to go out there and get three points, which is unfortunate. But, I mean it is a long season there is going to be ups and downs. It is better to lose now than late in the season.
