Columbus Crew SC vs. Toronto FC
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Columbus Crew SC
Head Coach and Sporting Director Gregg Berhalter
On how the substitutions changed the match for Crew SC
We were going to change the formation. We wanted to, in changing the formation, we thought it would fit pretty well for a number of the personnel. We were concerned with some of their balls getting cleared out. We wanted to win those a little cleanly. In the midfield we wanted to keep the ball moving side to side in a much quicker way. And then we wanted to play between their lines. So when you think of Alex [Crognale], Luis [Argudo], and Eduardo [Sosa], I think they all fit that mold of what we were looking for.
On what wasn’t working in the first half for Crew SC
It was a combination of a lot of little things. But to me the urgency wasn’t there. I think this is a good lesson for us. If we don’t play with speed, if we don’t try to increase the speed against the opponent we are so easy to play against. And that was an example. So offensively in the first half playing way too slow, body shape wasn’t good enough, switching field wasn’t good enough, urgency wasn’t good enough. And then defensively, closing the middle was poor. When you look at the chances they had, [Sebastian] Giovinco hit the post on one, when you look at the goal he scored they are cutting the ball right through the middle of our filed and it is wide open. So the first goal was in transition which I think we could have dealt with that better but it all boils down to the lack of urgency. We talked about it at halftime. We said “guys if we can get back to doing the little things, we can get back in this game. But we are going to have to commit to doing it. It took a little while but we eventually got there. We picked up the speed. We had a lot of runs behind the back line. It was what we were looking for. So I am really proud of the guys for that type of comeback. I think it is very uncommon in soccer that you come back from three goals down to get anything out of the game. So I am really proud of them.
On the message to the team
I don’t think there were a lot of things to tinker with. I think it was, to me, it was we weren’t doing the little things. When you don’t do the little things in this league you’ll lose games. It’s the intensity and sticking to the discipline of how you play your positional roles. If we can do that we will be fine. If we don’t do that, it will be difficult to keep coming back from three goals down.
On Crew SC’s depth
We have been waiting to give Eduardo [Sosa] a chance. I think he did an excellent job playing between the lines, making things happen, strong on the ball. Everything we have been seeing, he replicated in the game. Alex [Crognale] is a case of, he has been contributing. He has been getting minutes in the USL [United Soccer League] staying fit. He came back here a couple weeks ago and contributed, and he did it again tonight. I think the mindset of the group. The attitude, the intensity of the group from the 65th minute on was really good.
On playing four matches in 11 days
It’s a challenge, but we won’t make an excuse. So I think that we should be clear on that. It is a challenge, but there’s no excuses. Look at what Toronto’s been dealing with all year, with their injuries. It’s next man up mentality, and I think the guys certainly showed that tonight.
On Crew SC’s second half turnaround
I think that the guys realize that the outcome of the game is a direct result of what you put into it. That’s the great thing about this game, is it’s a learning experience. It’s very clear when you look at the two halves. It’s very clear when you look at how it started and how it ended. The speed is so much different, the urgency. The guys doing the little thing. The guys competing. To me, it was a great game to teach that, and I hope the lesson was learned.
On if he could see the comeback happening
No, I couldn’t. And you know, it’s funny when we try to analyze it because the training session we had yesterday was one of the best pregame training sessions we’ve had all year. The intensity was amazing. And I said to the guys and the coaching staff, it proves that you can’t predict a performance based on that. You have to go on the field. You have to stick to your job and do the little things to be successful.
On Harrison Afful’s performance
When I think of the second half that he played [it] was amazing. The relentlessness. When we talk about how you give the defense trouble, it’s running behind their line, and he did that over and over and over again. To me, it was an exceptional performance by Harrison [Afful] as the game went on in terms of how he competed and how he got himself into this game.
On the incident between Artur and Toronto FC’s Alex Bono
Yeah, I didn’t see the replay. What normally happens in that play is the ball gets scored, one of the opponents goes in the goal, grabs the ball, doesn’t want to give the ball back, wants to delay the ball getting back into the midfield and one of our team goes over and tries to grab the ball and try get it back and start the play again. So, that’s what normally happens, and I’ll look at it and analyze it.
OnwhetherToronto FC’s formation caused Crew SC problems
No, defending is what you put into it, and I think we weren’t putting enough into winning duels. I didn’t think our sliding was good enough. I didn’t think our positioning was good enough, and that can improve. To be fair to the team, Toronto shifted into a formation that gave us problems to press, and as a coaching staff we need to figure that out quicker to help the guys out on the field. When we change – with the three subs – change the formation, it really helped to alleviate some of that ball circulation by Toronto.
On Pedro Santos and Jonathan Mensah’s progression from injuries
They’re getting there.
Closing thoughts
Duels won. In the first half we won 37% of our duels. In the second half we won 67%. That says it all. That’s the only stat you guys need tonight.
Defender Alex Crognale
On scoring his first MLS goal in tonight’s match
We put a few of the big guys on one side, and a few of the big guys on the other side, so whatever side Pipa [Higuain] served the ball to, they would head it back across the goal. Josh [Williams] put it in a great spot, and I just saw it, I took a chance that [Michael] Bradley might take a touch. Surprisingly, he did, and I was there to pounce on it.
On sending a message through the substitutions
We were motivated, seeing the group down 3-0. The only thing we can do is make an impact. We brought energy, we were able to obviously come back and score the three goals. It shows a lot to be able to go in in a tough situation like that and get a result out of it.
On being able to make an impact for Crew SC
It means a lot. Obviously, Gregg [Berhalter] wanted me to go out to Orange County [S.C] to get minutes and keep developing in my game, and I think it’s been a positive step for me to be out there and help Orange County [S.C.], but also help myself develop mentally. Whenever I can, I’m coming back on the first flight to get back with these guys. This week, it came a little sooner than usual. I was there for four days, played a game, and was on the next flight in the morning. It’s been back and forth, so adapting is not the easier, with a lot of travel and time change, but I wouldn’t change it. It’s been great so far.
On being a Homegrown player for Crew SC
It means a ton. I’ve been coming to this stadium for years, and to come and play in front of these fans every weekend is a blessing. All my family was here, so I’m just so proud to put on this jersey. That goal was for my family.
Midfielder Eduardo Sosa
On making his first regular-season appearance for Crew SC
I’ve been waiting six months since I got here to play my first match. I got my chance to today and I think things went well today so I’m feeling really happy right now.
On Crew SC’s performance against Toronto FC
It’s different watching from the outside as opposed to being in the game. So, I don’t know if I can say it but it was different and I thought we did things well as a team and I think that if we had more time we would have been able to win.
On Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter’s halftime message to the team
[Gregg Berhalter] completely changed the lineup essentially and went full on attack. He [Berhalter] told us just to move around a lot and to just take charge of the game.
On building off this appearance
I’ve got to keep working hard. These past few weeks I have been working hard trying to earn my debut and even thought I made my debut, I am still going to work hard and use this as a new start so that I can go from there.
On whether or not he had ever been part of a three-goal comeback
No, I’ve never been part of a game like this. It was pretty much a whole lot of offense at the end there and I’ve never been a part of something like that but luckily, we were able to get the one point.
