MLS Regular Season
Chicago Fire vs. New England Revolution
Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL
Oct. 3, 2015
Brian Bliss, Chicago Fire Interim Head Coach
On how the lineup changes affected the result
“We are trying to change the mentality. That was not a pretty win, that was a mental win. We bent, but we didn’t break. And that was all part of the mental part that we’re trying to instill.”
On the importance of scoring the third goal
“Does not matter if you are Barcelona or Chelsea. When you score a goal, first thing a coach always yells is ‘don’t quit playing, keep playing.’ Sometimes it does not work when you do absorb pressure. I think we absorbed for a little bit at 2-1. I think we found our feet a couple minutes after Busch’s save. I think that was the catalyst that got us up the field and close the lines from front to back and apply a little more pressure where we won more balls and generated more opportunities to get to goal quicker.”
On the play of Joevin Jones
“In the first half he was the best guy on the field for us. Not to take anything away from the New England guys, but for us. He was playing out of tight spaces, he was handling the ball under pressure, connected a few passes, found himself in the opposing team’s edge of the box. He was everywhere and anywhere. Joevin’s had a tendency to drift in the second half, which is why we took him out of the left back spot and put him at left midfielder to play to his strengths and to give us that opportunity. I think his game tonight was more indicative of the way he played the first 12, 13 games, prior to going to the Gold Cup and I think today he found his form again and was more like the guy he was four months ago.”
On how the team held New England to one goal
“Jon Busch. He made two fantastic saves. That would have kiped the game for us for sure if those, or one of them goes in. We go back to the mentality of winning your duels, giving nothing away, making up for a mistake that somebody else makes. The guys were there to bail each other out. As you said, maybe before we would have caved in in the past and today we didn’t.”
On if this was a complete performance
“Pretty close. I thought the first 15 minutes, we were a little out of sorts. Mikey and Razvan in the middle couldn’t connect a pass. I think David got caught with the ball at his feet a couple too many times. I think we absorbed a bit too much pressure as the home team in the first 15 minutes. Then we settled in and generated two or three good opportunities right away, they scored after that but we picked our game up after that, then a complete game for 75minutes on.”
On Harry Shipp’s performance
“Harry’s got those tools. He can make plays. I don’t think in the first half he was finding the game enough and getting us going to help us connect some passes to relieve a bit of the pressure in those first 15 minutes. He stuck with it, we prodded him on at halftime to get more involved and take care of the ball. I think he did, connected some passes for us and he was keen enough to chase down Ferrell and stick with the play. As Harry can, he’s calm, cool and he put it away.”
On what the win personally means
“I mean they all have some meaning, but I think for me it more importantly…I said to the guys right after they came into the locker room, ‘guys that’s not helping in the standings, but the amount of good will that you put in your tank and the amount of good will you put into your mentality is what is most important today.’ Would we like to jump up in the standings just for physiological? It was one for the guys, I appreciate it for them.”
On the status of Gilberto and Razvan Cocis
“Razvan was more of the ankle. I think he came on a bit late and stubbed his foot in the turf and went over the top of it. I think it was more of an ankle turn. Gilberto was carrying a bit of an injury going into the game at the top of his foot and I think he got hit in the same spot. Then he took another one on the outside of the leg right near the boards by the fourth official in injury time. It probably didn’t help his cause. I hope he is in the hot tub right now.”
Harry Shipp, Chicago Fire Midfielder
On earning a tough victory
"That's all really that mattered to me. It's been a tough few months for this club and this team. The change a couple weeks ago brought some life; I think there's been a different energy in practice, a different focus. You saw an overall pretty good performance against a really good team, so I think, all in all, it's not going to change how we feel about our season altogether because it hasn't been a good year. But I think we wanted to come and get something for the fans to be proud of for one night, and I think we were able to do that."
On the difference between first and second half
"I think in the first half, [Scott] Caldwell and [Jermaine] Jones did a really good job of shielding their center backs, they make it hard. Of all the teams we've played, those two guys, especially Caldwell, I think he's really smart in how he shields, he makes it hard to get in those dangerous positions. You end up having to drift out wide, you end up having to do some things more creative in the second half. We were able to win some balls higher up the field, kind of get them in transition instead of trying to build from the back every time."
On his personal performance
"It was good to be playing again. For us, I've been happy with how I've been playing in practice, we've got kind of a new-found focus in trying to find something to build on for next year. I was able to do that tonight; I feel comfortable in the center, with Gilberto up top, he's smart player, makes smart runs. So I think, all in all, it was pretty good for me."
On defeating a league leader
"It's confidence but it's also frustration, because we can beat teams like that. We don't bring that performance consistently week in and week out. We have the pieces, when we put them together, we have the pieces to be a successful team in this league, and it's just a matter of doing it week in and week out."
David Accam, Chicago Fire Midfielder
On a victory for the fans
"It feels great, because we haven't won in a long time, and for me, I think the fans deserve more. Today, we came all out together, and won for the fans...It feels great, because I think we have really disappointed this season. It feels great to see the fans still there, supporting us throughout all this time. I think they deserve more, so after the game, I have to applaud them for coming in big numbers to support us."
On the goal
"I try to be in a good position, I think Harry Shipp saw me, so my first touch was going forward. It was 1-v-1, so I pushed it, I had a shot, and I did."
On confidence going into next season
"Of course, we have a good team, if we keep doing the right things, we'll get results. Especially this season, we'll try to build for next season. So we have good confidence going into next season."