LA Galaxy 1, Houston 1
Q. Edwin, you got thrown into a whole bunch of different positions today, maybe playing some center back for a little bit. What can you say about this game and maybe about just the challenges that you personally went through in this game?
EDWIN CERRILLO: I think from the start it was a little chaotic. They came out pressing with a lot of energy. Thrown us with a couple balls in behind, and Zanka got left 1v1 and maybe or may not have to have made that challenge. But it is what it is and that's part of the game.
As for me, I had to step up and be a center back today, a man down. It's just really what the game kind of needed and what Greg needed out of me. Yeah, just played my part.
Q. What does it say about the team -- Greg was talking about it; that you didn't want the 1-1 draw and you wanted more out of that he was trying to figure out a way to support you guys and the team in the second half. Is the team frustrated by every bad break?
EDWIN CERRILLO: Yeah, I think a lot of people only see the end result at the end of the game and during the week, us as a team, we're fighting. We're competing within each other. We're trying to get out of this kind of slump that we're in, and you know, it's tough when another thing gets thrown at us.
But the boys fought today, and even when we were tied and we were trying to push the game a man down, shows a lot from us and who we are and who we're trying to be. I think it's a good point to kind of build on.
Q. You look comfortable as a center back. Had you played in that position before?
EDWIN CERRILLO: No. But there's no one behind me, so I'm even more calm than I am in the middle.
Q. Do you feel like you could play that? Seemed like it fit you.
EDWIN CERRILLO: If I need to, yeah. It's sometimes like too easy. So I don't like to play back there. I like to be in the midfield. It's just kind of where I want to play mostly but if I'm needed, I think I'll do my best to get the job done.
Q. Your thoughts on the way you started the game, the first 15, 20 minutes were not very good. The goal they scored was much too easy given how much coverage there was in the box. After the red ward and after Parente came on, you guys looked very good. I'm wondering, within that, just what you saw from Diego and it seemed like he was all over the field doing whatever needed to be done and doing it very well.
EDWIN CERRILLO: Yeah, back to your point on the first half, like I said, the first 15, 20 minutes were pretty chaotic, and we couldn't really settle the game down. Just their numbers forward, and we didn't -- I think maybe didn't turn them enough in the first half to have them back off and give us a little bit more space. So that's, you know, point one.
You know, the goal speaks for itself; that was just too easy. I mean, just be more physical, be more attentive, and you know, that goal is too easy and it not acceptable.
In the second half, you know, they are up 1-0. Maybe they get a little bit comfortable and we have a free kick that Diego puts in at a perfect time. I think it his 400th game and 150th goal contribution. So hats off to him. And not just this game but games prior, especially me being more on that left side, he's a hard worker, and someone who is for the team, and yeah, maybe he doesn't go sprinting forward any more because of his age.
And you can tell him that, too. But that's my boy. That's my boy. He works really hard. He's someone that respects me, and I respect him. So we can kind of hold each other accountable in that side of the field.
He has a captain's armband, and he has a lot of experience and gets along well with pretty much everybody. So that translates on to the field as well.
Q. When you guys go down a goal, what was the message amongst the group in the second half?
EDWIN CERRILLO: Just to respond. To respond, and we're going to get maybe half a chance or a chance, and we have to make the most of it.
That's kind of been what the mentality has been in the previous games when we're going down, maybe way too early, or we shouldn't be going down first.
But all we can do is respond, and show great mentality. That's what this team did today, and you know, hopefully we can build upon this, and have better results to come.
Q. When that happens, it either ends 3-0 or 1-0 or you guys sneak something out. That mindset as a player, knowing you've got to run more with a player down, how do you deal with that?
EDWIN CERRILLO: I think everyone was up to the challenge of doing a little bit extra today, and we knew in the second half it was going to be a grind. The second Zanka went down, it was going to be a grind. Everybody had to step up, and me kind of filling in that center back position, my goal was just to keep it at one at most, and give my teammates a better -- the best chance to go out for the game and look to get a result. And that's what we did.
Q. You started alongside Lucas Sanabria after his injury layoff. What was it like playing with him? And Parente comes in in the second half. What are the differences that each brings playing alongside you?
EDWIN CERRILLO: Yeah, first, I think it's good to have Lucas back. He went down pretty early in the season, and now we have other guys that are injured. But every time we can get someone back on the field, it's good to see, and he's a young kid with a lot of energy. And we need him. We need him this year.
In the second half, I think the game is just a little bit different when we're down a man and Isaiah has to fill in a different role. No comment on their different characteristics. I think they are just two good players that fill in spots where we need them.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports