Toronto FC Media Conference

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Michael Bradley

Media Conference


Philadelphia Union 3, Toronto FC 0

Q. After some pretty encouraging performances the last few weeks, this seemed like a step back. What was your assessment of the evening?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Bad start. Not ready for their intensity and their, you know, their energy. And then you get behind in the game early and you're chasing. Obviously in that there's some key moments that don't go our way.

You know, 1-0, Richie Laryea has a big chance, if we can get back to 1-1 and obviously the game is very different. Obviously impossible to ever know for sure with angles and cameras and replays, but it sure looks like that third goal's off-side and then obviously at 3-0, we have a technical (ph) that gets saved. So we let ourselves down with a bad start,.

And along the way we have a few -- there's some moments where you can start to get back into it and change the game a little bit but you know, for different reasons. You know, one or two things don't go our way, we didn't make a play, and so it's how the night goes.

Q. I think Javier mentioned that at times there was a lack of urgency in the first half. Is that a fair assessment in did you see that the same way?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: My assessment is what I just said, which is you play against a team that relies on energy ask mobility and you know intensity and trying to be dynamic, and you know, they are a team that -- it's a transition football team. It's a team that wants to make the game fast; that wants to make the game chaotic in certain moments, and I don't use the word chaotic in a negative ways.

It's just there's seems all around the world that tilt the bar towards playing more vertical and playing, you know, more in transition and trying to press and counter press and that -- they are one of those teams and if the game starts and for different reasons, we're not really ready for that, then a bar tilts -- tilts their way, and as I said, along the -- along the way, there's some moments that we have to get ourselves back into it in different ways and you know, we weren't quite able to do it.

Q. A match like that, is that a cause for concern or just every so often you're going to get a game like that when the games come as thick and fast as they do?

MICHAEL BRADLEY: With all -- with all due respect, like with our position right now, and the way the season has gone, it's we can't afford to have many more nights like this. So is it a cause for concern? It's another night similar to too many that we've had this year. And if we want to try to claw ourselves back into it, we can't afford -- we can't afford many more, if any.

And so, you know, with the position that we're in right now, you know, everything -- every game matters, every point matters. You know, and so it's a frustrating night. If you're trying to find a positive, it's that you play again in two days, in three days, and we get another chance to play at home. And, you know, look, the second half was still -- we didn't let things -- we didn't let things get away from us. We tried to push to get the first goal. Couldn't quite do it, but yeah, again, we've got -- we can't afford many more like this.

Q. Perhaps one positive was the return of Achara. I guess you've seen the hard work he's put in since going down in June. Just your thoughts about seeing the young man back in action.

MICHAEL BRADLEY: Yeah, that is -- that's more than positive. He has worked so hard behind the scenes to get himself back in a position where he was able to be ready to step on the field tonight. He's a great kid, a great young man. You know, the way that he injured himself last year, broke everyone's heart.

And so to see him work his way back to see him get back on the field tonight, that part -- that part was -- that part was amazing, and we're all happy for him, we're all proud of him, and we, you know, want to continue to push him along because he's a talented, talented young player.

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