Sporting Kansas City head coach Raphael Wicky
Thoughts on the match…
It's obviously right after the game. There is still the emotions. It's quite a tough one, because I have the feeling that -- I usually don't really talk about the referees -- and I just have the feeling that today little things which normally could go your way, were not going our way. But I think I'll first start with the team before going with the referee. I think we started well. We had a couple of good pressing moments against them. We know this is a team who wants always to play, I think we did well. But I don't think we were confident enough with the ball and we had the ball for quite a period of time. That got better, but only once we were 2-0 down. I think the team started playing with more confidence. We made some adjustments at halftime tactically and personnel. I think that then showed very quickly that that was a good choice to do. And then we came back and then I felt energy. And then you get a penalty where the player tells me, ‘To the life of my mother that the ball touched my chest.’ It hurts right now, because you fight so hard in a difficult place against a team who plays good football and you come back and then I feel like we weren't treated correctly. I felt in the game that the second goal could be a foul on Ian James before the counter-attack goes. I feel like the first one -- I've played many, many years myself -- these situations, quite often when a striker bombs into a goalkeeper, the goalkeepers are protected. It wasn't so tonight. Again, we have to start always with ourselves but tonight these things were a lot.
On St. Louis taking a 2-0 lead…
I felt like our spacing was not good. I think we didn't have enough width but that was part of the game plan. So we changed that after a while. I also believe that maybe the confidence wasn't there to show for the balls. You need to show for the ball when you want to play. When a team comes so aggressive like they do and we knew they were going to come man-to-man, but even then you need to show for the ball and you need to give yourself space. I had the feeling that this was way better after and especially in the second half. I think that was the main point. We couldn't get out because we didn't make the right choices and the spacing sometimes wasn't the way it should be.
On the halftime changes…
That was a tactical choice. I wanted the fullbacks a little bit lower, more inside, and I know that Emir (Karic) can add that and Jake Davis did a great job there as well with then having Capita (Capemba) and Calvin (Harris) more wide. That was a tactical choice and that's why we did it. The players who started have to keep working hard and that's how it is.
On the debuts of Or Blorian and Emir Karic…
You can obviously see Or will help us a lot with his leadership, with his personality and the way he plays. I'm 100% convinced. And so does Emir. Emir shows a lot of personality and lots of quality on the ball. He still needs fitness, we know that. But when these players will be fit, they will help the team a lot. Same as Moises Mosquera, when he will be available and fit and has rhythm, they will help a lot.
On his message to the team ahead of the rivalry game…
The main message obviously is that you have to match the intensity. We knew about the stadium and the environment and how it can be. Obviously Roger (Espinoza) and some other people have lived that. They have spoken to the team this week. I think you need to match that first before the tactical bit. We knew it was going to be a physical game. I think it got physical as well because we tried to go after them. They went after us. We tried to go after them. We came back and then it's emotions in there. That's what football is.
On the wingers…
We needed more width so that it's harder for them to press our first line. It gave more space to then play out even if they were pressed and then find Calvin and Capita going in behind. I think that, in the beginning was maybe not done so well.
On the absence of Taylor Calheira…
I don't really want to talk about players who are not here. We know that Taylor helps us. We know Taylor has done really well before the break. He's injured unfortunately and he will hopefully be back with the team soon and then help again. But right now he's not with us. We have to find different ways and different profiles to play and still put these fast wingers into their situations, which we have done after it was 2-0 or especially in the second half as well.
On Ian James at right back…
We know that Ian has a lot of potential. We believe in Ian in both positions. Justin Reynolds is not with us as a fullback. (Ian) can always go back as a center back because you're not going to lose that position. But physically, we want to train him in the right back position. That's easier than if you have to go back as a center back then vice versa. I think with their extreme pressing, he struggled a little bit in certain moments but that doesn't change anything that we believe in him.
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Manu Garcia
Thoughts on the game…
The first 5-10 minutes, we got them from pressing ourselves and pressing up there. I think we were feeling good. Then they got the rhythm and they not only got the rhythm, they got the goals. I think we had from the first 5-10 minutes on and after was like 25 minutes that were poor and we were a bit lost in pressing and on the ball. And then they were lucky they scored two goals. From there, I think it was our game. We showed character. We came back in the score and then another goal that for me it's poor refereeing. I think it was poor refereeing the whole game, I have to say it. I think the three actions of the goals from them, I'm not sure about them. You can check them, but I was not sure in the game. I'll see them afterwards, but I'm not sure about all of them.
On if the referee told him anything…
No. I just asked him to check them when he got home and if we see each other next time, to please be clear with me and tell me if he thinks he was right or not. That's what I said.
On the halftime changes…
You know Jake. He's really, really mobile. He's really good with the ball. Emir also, they both came gave us different things. In the end, the roster is getting better. There's a lot more options and you can see that will be good for the team. In the previous games, everyone that was coming on, they were doing their part. I'm sorry, I'm still a bit fuming from the referee. I think it's good for the team. It's a shame that today we lost. I think we didn't deserve to lose. But when you disconnect those 30 minutes, it's what happens.
On the introduction to the rivalry for the newcomers…
I know the guys that are new, that are coming from other leagues, that they get those type of experiences. They were ready for this. Of course, MLS is completely different to other leagues so they need time to get used to it but I think I've seen them doing well. Also, they are really good guys, really good people. They are going to connect really well with the team and they are also very loud players. For sure, the team will only get better.
On his chemistry with Dejan Joveljic…
We have a really good connection. We’re close friends. We spent quite a lot of time this preseason. It's a pleasure to play next to him and to the rest of the guys. As I said many times, we have a really good group of people – people that we all hang out like friends so then it's easier to get that connection. But I'm disappointed again today with how things worked out. I just hope we can start winning those games when things are tight and we have some minutes that we are not connected to the game, but we still get the points. I think today we should have won it.
Referee Allen Chapman (via MLS pool reporter)
What did VAR see on the handball in the box in the 81st minute that was a clear and obvious error to the level of a penalty?Â
The ball hit the arm of Sporting Kansas City #23 Ethan Bartlow when the arm was in an unnatural position.
