We had another good performance, in 90 minutes. We were comfortable with the ball in the first half. We committed many mistakes after finding free players in base or pockets. After that, the last pass we missed many balls. When we are not compact, when we aren’t together, after losing the ball, you are not ready to press. By the way, they had chances in transitions to run. We didn’t have many chances to recover the ball after losing it. The second half, we need to be a little more aggressive, we had more players, introducing Paige (Metayer) on the left side, because we didn’t have enough players to play that position because Olivia (Stone) was not ready to be competing for the second half. Kate (Wiesner) wasn’t good, 100% to compete today. Paige must do that. We had more players, especially in pockets, introducing them, Courtney (Brown) playing, as well, in that position with Chloe and Makenna (Morris) but was not enough to have a good balance, especially after losing the ball. We found very easy bases and pockets, then we needed a little more quality to find a good pass and be more confident together to be ready to defend after losing the ball. I think with a 2v2, the feeling was we have to go for the third one now. We conceded another chance for them, and it was a good goal. They scored the last one, so 3v2. That’s part of football. I didn’t like the result. I didn’t like the performance in 90 minutes. We have movements that I liked, but when you concede three goals because you did not do a good job in general.
On the spacing issues as a result of changing formations:
No, it’s because the players we have. We have too many strikers, we have no players to play in pockets. We missed players to play in that positions, so we started making changes with the players we have. I thought that with Ouleye, Lena and Hatchy (Ashley Hatch), players that they like to play in front of, they are not able to play in the pocket. I tried to put Chloe coming inside from the left, Makenna the other day playing as the number 10, but the characters of those players are to play wide, be ready to thread behind, to create chances in 1v1 situations. By the way, it was in specific games to play in that. I said at the beginning of the Summer Cup, “The focus is Kansas, so be healthy is the most important thing.” Trying to compete with the players that we have. The 4-4-2 is because of the characters of the players we have. We need to compete at the highest possible level, it’s what we are here do.
On the overall team’s performance during the summer cup:
I think the best game we played was against Chivas. It’s not about the victory, it’s because we were much better than them. We had the control of the game for almost 90 minutes. Secondly, we struggled a lot, especially with the ball. The center back is too open, today I think we missed many, many balls in the last third of the pitch. We were not critical in our system and finishing. If I have to compare the three games that we have played so far, Chivas we played a good game. Gotham we did not play a good game, but we competed until the end. They scored the game after the penalty. Today is conceding three goals because we had not, in general, a good game. It’s time to rest because the players need it after being out for the last five days. Recover and be ready for the next week to keep training and keep improving.
On having a gap before the next game:
What I want is to be more consistent in the performance, be more consistent when we have the ball, out of possession, too. We have ups and downs. It’s normal because we have new players. It’s here, but the other ones are in the same situations. We have to be more consistent and be more focused in the possession phase, be more compact when we have the ball, this kind of reaction when we lose the ball. When we conceded so many goals like today, it’s very difficult to face and comeback to have more chances to shape the game. For me, it’s about consistency, being more consistent with the ball, without the ball. Ninety minutes isn’t about 10 or 15 good minutes, it’s about 90 minutes. That’s what I want to create with this team because we have players to carry out this kind of game plan. Right now, we did not do a good job. Time to rest time and time to analyze what we did good and what we did bad, so we know exactly what we need to improve for the next coming weeks.
On Kate Wiesner availability:
No, if she had to play final, for sure everyone would be available to play but not being 100% ready, I don’t want to take any risk. With other ones playing, for example Jenna (Butler), she played, for me, a lot. It’s a risk, but we have to put in the manner the players’ health — all healthy to compete, put on them, each, to decide what is best for the team, making the priority for me is to be healthy. Kate today was not ready to compete, in the next weeks she will be ready, to keep training and improving.
Nicole Barnhart
On the general take on the game:
The first half we struggled a little bit to break them down. When we did, we weren’t quite clean with our passing in the final third. Second half definitely opened a lot, chances were created by both teams; it got exciting. We would have liked to score more goals and not given up as many. I think we fought to the end, which is really exciting.
On Coach Giráldez’s goal of compressing space:
I think we knew it was going to be a bit of a process when we started the season – a lot of new faces, new styles of play, and new beliefs. It was just getting everybody to buy in and trusting the process. We have seen a lot of growth as the season has gone on. We are missing a lot of our normal players. It’s a good opportunity for people who don’t necessarily get a lot of minutes to get some minutes and try to fill in and figure out the philosophy and style of play as well.
On what she saw during the third goal:
A lot of tired bodies. We had just tied it up not too long before that. We turned the ball over pretty quickly. We would have liked to have kept it and gotten the ball into the other attacking end and kept it in there a little bit. Just a quick turnover that we didn’t defend well and a good finish.
On the experience playing in Richmond:
It was good. Great surface out there and a lot of fans. It was exciting, it was loud, we enjoyed it.
On seeing and hearing the fans that Richmond brought:
It’s always fun when the crowd is into the game. They were loud the whole time. It helps you keep going especially when there are tired bodies on the field. Just having the extra energy come through the fans is really helpful.
On the Summer Cup and its unique circumstances:
I think there’s good and bad things out of it. It’s a good opportunity for people to get minutes that don’t get a lot of minutes. There is a lot of tired bodies from it as well. I feel like it’s just a matter of managing all of it making sure we come out of this ready for the next half of our regular season, that’s what really matters.
Andi Sullivan
On a controlled first half and more open second half:
I think your assessment is pretty fair of the first half being pretty in control. Obviously, goals change things – changes confidence and changed how they were pressing in the second half. We also made some changes as well that allowed us to open some things up a little more. We have to keep things locked up tight. Good experience, that’s fun, the game is changing. That’s what we have to learn. That’s what’s fun, there’s a game plan, of course. We’re going to make changes, the other team is going to make changes, we have to be flexible. I think it’s a great test.
On changing formations throughout the game?
We want to be flexible. That is an option for us, even in the flow of a game. I do think it started off more structured. As the game wore on, we were able to Paige (Metayer) higher, Chloe (Ricketts) in the pocket, and then Lena (Silano) also in the pocket. That opened more space for her to be in the pocket. She can get in behind, but she can also be in the pocket. The 4-4-2 was more planned. It was really difficult for us – me and Heather (Stainbrook), especially — to be super involved and built up then giving them the support that they needed. We left them with a tough job. That’s also on us to maintain the ball a little higher and be more patient higher up the field rather than once we just bring it past midfield. A lot of really good learning lessons for individuals and the team.
On the outcome of the Summer Cup:
Jona (Jonatan Giráldez) did a really good job of establishing what he wanted this tournament to be. It was all about us and preparation. I think as a competitor, it’s hard to not want to win everything. Of course, you get disappointed. At the same time, that’s a trip we don’t have to take and more time we get to spend on the training ground addressing the things we want to address and being able to more critically analyze these past few games and address a lot of things in training. That’s been the same through the whole year, no matter what the result is. It’s being neutral in our assessment, then our intensity back in training is always the same whether we win, tie or lose. It’s always, “What went well? What didn’t go well? What do we need to fix?” Just always keeping that same attitude and not being taken away by whether things are going well or going poorly.
On the thought process during the penalty kick:
I am happy with how I struck it. I am happy with how we earned it. I thought Ouleye (Sarr) did a great job. I couldn’t fully see it, but it’s good to earn a good penalty. I think she did a good job holding it up for me, so I could catch my breath and go through my process. I train them a lot – every once and a while hitting one or two after training. There’s a couple of us, we are all prepared. I felt ready and confident. I ran through my routine. I was happy with how it went.
On Ouleye Sarr holding the ball prior to the penalty kick:
Yeah, sometimes if you take the ball too early and set it down too early, you start to think too much, or you give the keeper more time to know that you’re the one taking it. She did a good job.
On growing up in Virginia and getting to play in Richmond:
It was really fun. This whole experience has been fun because I grew up just (I-)95 and have frequented this area a lot with a lot tournaments or games – all the time – practices, things like that. It was fun, even being where we were staying, I was like “this all is very familiar.” It was fun. I ran into someone in the stands that I knew from playing club growing up. We also have played here a couple times in the past from the earlier Spirit days. For me, it was a really fun experience. The stadium is great, and the environment is very cool. I really enjoyed it. I thought the fans were awesome. My husband played here earlier this year, so I got to watch that virtually. It was fun to experience it. Great service, great vibe, good fans, I really enjoyed it.
On the game opening up:
I can picture one in my head where my delivery was poor. I liked my idea, so I can get over that, just work on a few reps. I think that we were being really patient, so we were just going long too quickly. By the time we decided we wanted to go long, it was too obviously that we were going to go long — not all of the time but some of the times. Being a little bit more connected in our movement to show that it’s on to go long. I think the balance in terms, was not bad. The being on the same page and the quality needs to improve. That’s what these games are for. For me, trying to hit a pass that I am maybe not 100% sure that’s going to come off, trying different options, learning why it did or didn’t work. I think I am okay with the balance we struck tonight, but we’ll see what the boss says, and maybe I’ll revise my answer next time.
