Interview: Brian Schmetzer on facing Minnesota United

I ask Christian the same question just basic soccer 101 how do you beat a back five well which back five cuz we've had some positive results against Minnesota although the last one was challenging you know the last one you know was close and then their red card and we finally got one in the 80 85th minute but you know you got to be able to get after them before they get into a lower block I'm me Minnesota holds a higher line than LFC uh but you know good body shape in those tight pockets of space smaller runs behind you know because look even though there's less space maybe it's a give and go instead of a you know long diagonal when Jordan's opening up his legs I mean there's certain ways that you can do it you just have to you know get it done I read saw one of the videos you said team needs to to play Attack start up real quick something you didn't do last game what's the messaging around that starting on the front foot look we're away from home tough C tough stretch coming up here League wise League match wise uh but we always have played kind of similar style away from home at home we'll be pressing higher up the field in the right moments we'll be defending well uh everybody has to come back that's how you win games on the road in MLS and then when those chances do come we got to be clinical with them is there sense of is there a sense of urgency for sure nine games left yeah Brian you're uh traveling for the first time in a while and being able to to rely on some of the some of the best practices that you've had early in the season to be able to prepare for that change the weather change the scenery how important is it going to be for for your team to to adapt quickly to to that tra yeah uh typical Seattle Summer day we loved it actually the the energy and atmosphere was pretty good uh even though some people don't like the gray day uh Minnesota will be warmer it'll be a bit humid uh again it's a it's a test they got to come out of the gates they got to understand what the opponent is going to try and do they've been on break and so they will be refreshed ready to go we might be a little bit more informed because we've had you know consistent games therein lies the can we get on top of them before they kick the rust off the tires can they overwhelm us because they're fit ready to go a couple new faces that's the game Georgie was out here today what's his uh situation uh good question I'll know more later today and what have you seen of him out out on the well he's been good I mean look he's a talented kid uh he's got the One V one drill movements uh stuff that he can do breaking guys down is you know something that we don't have currently on the first team how useful is he in a uh against a set def like a player like that against a set defense yeah it's very handy to have very handy any updates on Pedro ready to go I had I meant what I said earlier in the week I was debating starting him uh I'm not going to but he's going to see the field what about everybody else everybody else else everybody else brilio is the last one and he's even getting close I guess Cody with his wrist but those guys are even close and Jackson's been cleared Jackson has cleared concussion protocol uh how satisfied are you with the the way that you I me I guess it's to some degree it's going to come out on Saturday but how satisfied are you with the way that you balanced uh focusing on Saturday and not looking while still like laying some ground work for well the test you asked me that question after the game I mean right now I think we've done a good job of you know setting the stage for this last push so we're out of League's cup what is next next is a League match you know we did the math and you know if you look at Sporting KC which to me was kind of a thud kind of a you know Downer we're 12 three and one in all comps if you go all the way back to that DC United trip at that point in time we had one win we had one win when we were going to DC in Philly well we're 15 six and three in all comps and everybody pitched in there when I say all competitions that means everybody it was the open cup some of those early games everybody has pitched in so when I told those guys those stats I said how are we going to set this team up for the last hopefully 11 games of the Season you know we w a semi-final we won a final at nine games then let's see playoffs what we can do so that message has been put out there uh starts with Saturday against Minnesota do you feel that this is an opportunity for you to treat the last 10 10 games nine games possibly 11 games that's another opportunity for you to have those short tournaments that you guys tend to to do well well yes I'd like that to happen obviously lac's had our number obviously we've got three tough road games to start this last push but then we've got some home games to end the year finale against Portland at home uh that'll be a big match we see him again at their place before that but uh yeah it's it's it's a good reset because leagues cup is now pushed behind us you uh Paul uh did well and you said that he had earned the start um during leak's cup uh do you feel that there's need to shake up anything or see she's always asking about my lineup uh I'm going to put the I'm going to put the best lineup out there I can for Saturday and the story and then I will not be afraid to make substitutions based on state of the game and then let's see uh just kind of a broad question where do you come down on the idea of who gets to be called coach is it just the head coach is it can the assistants be also called coach we're all coaches Tommy's a coach brey's a coach Freddy Andy so it's okay to call them all coach it's they they can call them coach it's totally fine