Canadian Championship Quarter-final
Montreal 2, Toronto FC 1
Q. Why was that a case of the team digging a hole it could not get out of despite its efforts in the second half?
BOB BRADLEY: Yeah, the score says that. Decent enough start, and then we lose these two goals. First one starts where it's our free kick. I need to see the replay but I'm pretty sure the block or bullet or whatever steps up, as Fede shoots -- I think he's like five yards from the shooter. So that seemed extreme.
And then when the ball turned over, some of our reactions and in the final a little bit of bad luck between Sean and Sigurd, I think next one, Lorenzo plays to Fede -- sorry, to Richie and Richie was dribbling inside and there was some contact and he goes down and then obviously they take advantage against and Sigurd, I didn't think we did he defensive ended cross -- which we put ourselves in a hole, which you said.
Yeah, I felt we started to respond in the first half. We got a good goal and then yeah we pushed hard in the second half and then we back to where still in certain moments, quality of cross, touches at the end, is still not enough to make more big chances. But good effort for the guys to push hard in the second half.
Q. Themi's first start, first impression of him?
BOB BRADLEY: Yeah, he's got some starting points for a young defender. He reads the game well. Obviously wins duels in the air. Still with the ball at his feet, makes some good choice, some good passes so some good starting points.
Q. From the injury to Alonso, is it serious?
BOB BRADLEY: I'm worried. Ankle. I didn't get see the replay to know how it happened but it's a turned ankle. So yeah that's something I'm definitely concerned with.
Q. And did Sigurd take a not?
BOB BRADLEY: Also feeling lousy, ribs, yes. See what that means.
Q. Doesn't seem to end for you, the injuries?
BOB BRADLEY: Yeah, I said I think in -- I think in the press conference that there's different types of injuries, so if a player rolls his ankle or a player takes a knock to the rib but to your point, they are all injuries and the list is long right now.
Q. This competition -- just your thoughts?
BOB BRADLEY: Yeah, we spoke about the importance of this competition, the history that the club has had in Canadian Championships. So this game meant a lot to us tonight, and going out is a big disappointment for all of us, and I know that on that end, you know, we understood the importance for our fans tonight, and all of that -- all that have is we -- we wanted to win, and we wanted to win in front of our fans and we know how much it meant.
Q. You play Montréal again on the weekend. Did this match help you prepare better for what to expect from them on Saturday?
BOB BRADLEY: I think we had a good idea going in but now we get a taste. We'll see if they make a few changes. But it's clear to us the way they like to play. You know, you have some real battles with certain balls with a four and with Kyoto. I thought not a lot of the duels, our central defenders handled those duels well but that's an important part of what happens when they play that way with those guys. They also just use one of them and play some version of 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-3 whether it's different guys underneath. They have flexibility on that end.
Q. What did you see from your attackers tonight?
BOB BRADLEY: I think we created some good moments going forward but the final moments, quality, not enough big chances created so that part is still an area that we have to get better.
Q. You talked about frustration after the game Saturday. Looking at Lorenzo, he seemed frustrated at times on the pitch or perhaps that's the way he is in terms of showing emotions but are you sensing from your star?
BOB BRADLEY: Look, Lorenzo wants this team to be good and he wants this team to play well. Right now we are not doing enough. The big part of the responsibility is to get enough football around him so that he and Fede can play at the highest level. At moments when the game, you know, and even on a night -- I rarely speak about when you're missing guys, okay, but obviously then in certain moments there's a little business football on the field around the guys when you are missing some of the other players. That's frustrating for him because he wants -- looks, he's committed and he wants his team to do well and on a night like tonight, it doesn't happen and then our challenge is to find a way to keep him going in the best way possible and help him understand what the league is all about, what these kind of games are all about. Every team that we play starts by talking about Lorenzo and Fede.
So our ability to make sure that we create enough around them so that those guys can play at highest level, that's the work that is ongoing and that we have to continue with.
DraftScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports