SKCvLA Quotes: "It's a little frustrating that we couldn't score but it's coming"

Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes

Thoughts on the match…

I'm incredibly excited about our team. I really am. I'm incredibly excited because, based on what those guys did tonight and the way they played, the way they controlled the game, I think it was 30 shots, 66 entries into the final third, 48 actions inside the box. It says so much about what we're capable of doing. And we have so many other players still to add back into the team and they're players that bring also qualities of finishing. There's a lot of those guys that are not in there right now. It's not that the other guys can’t, it's just that we have so much more to add to the group, which is great. It'll keep us hungry. It'll keep us competitive. It'll keep us fresh. I feel bad because we should have got the goal. I know that right now, they're not happy about it, but they also know they played really well and they should feel really good about that. 

On the team’s effort in the match…

I don't think this is news to a lot of you guys who have been around for many years. But I've always said from the first day when we entered into this stadium that there's a responsibility that goes, whether you've been here or you just got here, there's a responsibility that goes with being a player on that field. The one thing is that you cannot leave that field with any energy. You have to leave all your energy on the field. The fans deserve that. That's our responsibility to them. We may not win every game. There's going to be a win, a loss, a draw, whatever, but they're always going to appreciate when you leave everything out there. That's what those guys did tonight. I appreciate that very much from them, but they also know that that's what's expected and that's why they dominated.

On the play of the defense…

It's not just the backline. John's made some very good saves, for sure. He's come up big on actions where he needed to. At the same time, I think what also is good is the back four continues to get better for sure. But the front six are playing with much more determination in not allowing people to go right through us. We had a little bit of that last year where we weren't as good in our front six. I think the front six, they're very conscientious about their defending and they're working really hard. Guys are covering a lot of ground. Everybody comes in and has a really good understanding of their role when they come in and they're executing, which is huge.

On Tim Leibold and Nemanja Radoja…

Tim I thought was really good. The reason why we grabbed him is he's got all the right qualities for the position. He's incredibly technical. He's quick, but he's great over distance. He's got a great engine. He's not 90 minutes fit yet. Imagine when he is. The other thing is that he makes great decisions on the ball. I really appreciate that. Then the other is that he has an attacking mentality, even when the other team has a ball and a guy is getting a ball, you see him always try to get there in time and try to steal it. When you're playing against somebody, it puts them under a lot of pressure. He's got a lot to add to our team. He was good. And then Nemanja came in more as an eight when he came in because I didn’t want to have to disrupt two positions for one, because he can play he can play an eight or as a six. He can play four or five if he wanted to as well. But he came in and it was good for him to get into that flow of game. He needs that because he's still trying to get his fitness. I think he got 20 some odd minutes. That's probably where he is and we'll build them up again this week to get some more in him. But it's important for us to have him 100% fit. And it's nothing against Roger (Espinoza). Roger has been playing actually really well, but my expectation is not to be starting Roger game in and game out. But until those guys are fully fit, it's hard to put all those guys out on the field.

On the play of Willy Agada…

I think it's a combination of a lot of different things. I think we were better with the ball. We talked about using him a little bit differently this week. I also talked with him about his movements, so it was a combination of a lot of things. Everybody had a good mentality to get that done. He was dangerous. He held the ball up well and found good spots in our build up, which was really good. I think he was a handful for their guys. I think he was a little unlucky on a couple of situations, but the hunger and the desire is there for sure. I expect him to get on the mark here pretty quickly. 

On the status of Alan Pulido…

I could try and make a prediction, but I really don't want to. He truly is kind of week to week. There's two things he needs. One, he needs a lot of trainings under his belt where he's full contact. The other is I just want to make sure that his fitness is good so that when he enters, he is in a place where -  I've said this many times - his knee and all that stuff is great. There are no problems there. I just want to make sure he's fit enough so that he doesn't wind up hurting something else, like pulling a quad or a hamstring or something like that. So we're just trying to be really careful, but I would tell you that in the next couple of weeks, I fully expect him to be involved with the group.

On the team’s run of five matches unbeaten against LA…

First off, I think we're a good team. I think they're a good team. I think when two teams want to play, I think it always presents a great match to watch for the fans. What I also would say is that we've been a big recipient of this over the years and that is you wind up getting everybody's A game. I feel like we always wind up getting everybody's A game. And I think they're a club just in status alone and who they are, they wind up getting everybody's A game. I think for us, it winds up being that we're usually a tough team to play and I think this is another night of that. They’re strong, we're strong. I think we're good and I think we're growing, and we'll continue to try to get good results against every opponent that we come against because we have the ability to, especially as we continue to bring more and more players back into the fold.

Sporting KC forward Daniel Salloi 

On not finding a goal in the game…

Yeah, it's a little frustrating that we couldn't score but it's coming. I think we did well in the game and, you know, on to the next one. I think it's just a matter of the first goal and then it's going to click after that.

On fighting until the final moment…

I think the crowd was amazing. They were pushing us and we were trying to get that goal and win the game. I thought we did everything. It's just unlucky. I felt like everybody gave their best and all their energy and it's just one of those days. As I said, the first goal is going to come and then it's going to be just fine. 

On finding moral victories from the game…

It's important that we didn't give up any goals. Credit to our defense. They were really good and in three games they have only conceded one goal. I think that's amazing and we have just got to find the back of the net. I think we have got to take every positive we can because it's a long season. 

On the team’s defensive effort…

I thought we were more aggressive trying to press the Galaxy than we did in the past two weeks before. We overturned the ball a couple of times. We were disciplined up front, but the defense and John (Pulskamp) made a big difference because it gives us the security to be able to be comfortable in attack because you know that your defense is not giving up goals. So well done to them. 

On playing with Tim Leibold on the left…

I think he was doing well and I hope to play many more games with him. I think he's getting more and more comfortable and we have just got to find each other even more. I thought he did very well. I’m looking forward to the next game with him. 

On his chemistry with Tim Leibold…

I think it takes a little bit of time. I have good chemistry with Ben (Sweat) and I hope I can build the same with Tim because he's also a very good player. 

On the stitches above his eye…

It's fine. It's just unlucky. It happened before halftime in Colorado, but they're going to take it out on Monday so it's going to be fine. It's just, as I said, an unlucky injury.