Houston Dynamo FC HC Ben Olsen Previews Match v LAFC. 8/30/24

for jumping on here uh Ben uh you know two games here back Tob back against LFC uh how's the team kind of prepared uh for this after the Return To Em play last week good week uh a little longer week uh emotionally because of of the loss which is normal and we're just looking forward to getting back out there and um uh you know trying to put a similar performance on that we did against Toronto but you know seeing out some some plays to to make the difference all right coach good morning uh coia I got on training could he see some minutes in tomorrow's game possibly LFC at home yeah he's going on the trip so uh we'll see uh we'll see what uh what what the minute situation is with him it's you've got like I said LFC back to back you've got your last n games POS possible 27 points in his last stretch uh just how can we guarantee that we can't guarantee anything uh that's the beauty of this and uh you know so we'll show up and we'll give everything we have against LA and uh we understand you know that they're a very good team and they continue to put themselves in finals year after year because they've proven that they're the one of the best teams in this league uh they've got some new additions they got some depth so although everyone talks about how many games they're having lately uh sometimes that helps in Rhythm and they also are very deep so they they'll change a few players uh but we're healthy uh and I think we have a lot to prove right now we understand that points are valuable every Point counts right now to to try to put ourselves in the postseason yeah I mean eighth place not not ideally where you want to be but still in the playoff picture just how can you climb up the table I don't we can win games we can get points every Point matters right now we that should uh that should help but we'll have to play at a at a very high level uh but we have been again we've been playing well the only real issues of you know over the last maybe month is that you know we haven't made made uh made some of the plays and I know coaches say this all the time it gets old but that's really the the difference half the time in the MLS is seeing out a chance or making a defensive play so we we got to do a lot of little things in particular against lafc thank yep all right Hermon go ahead hey Ben good morning morning just question for me today two very interesting playing Styles lafc is very in your face with three attacking forwards very fast direct attack and how do you see this this match playing out well you can never truly predict uh you have an idea of what it looks like um what I'll say is we we understand their strengths like every team that plays them uh you know again direct play speed transition counterattacks uh physicality set p pieces um and uh but you know they they they also have high quality players so they have no problem breaking teams down as well um you know they seem to have the most success in in some of those transition moments because they've got real Pace they they know how to deliver uh in a in a smart way to these players to put them in uh positions to have success and again it it it happens very quickly there iten Happ s very quickly against lafc where they come from one area where you're comfortable to an area where now you're uncomfortable and uh they are getting chances on goal so that's still about balance it's about you know uh can we repress uh you know are we organized behind the ball uh are we um are we making sure that again that the balance is there as we're attacking so we can uh continue to have the ball continue to create chances but also o stifle a very high powerered attack and it's difficult it's difficult again they they continue to win for a reason they do what they do they do it well uh again physical the the quality individuals that they have uh the speed the athleticism and uh they're well coached big fan of Steve tro I think he's done a great job there and and defensively they're they're hard to break down they they'll get get the even though at times uh they uh will give you possession uh it's it's a very hard team to break down they back press well we'll have to be at our best long story short thank you Ben safe travels and best of luck tomorrow thank you all right Sam go ahead hi Ben Hi Sam how you doing great all right my question is this because this is the structure of the Season we every Point Town the playoff is in the Horizon and all that so um on reflecting on your tenure so far with the Houston Dynamo what will you say have been the key learnings that you will apply to this crucial took the season come on Sam you giving me these tough questions this early what time is it it's 11:20 man it's 11:20 uh I don't answer questions like that till past 12 what have I learned over the last year and a half as my tenure of the Houston Dynamo coach is that the question yes you got applied to this strch of the Season where you know the the the playoff is right the Horizon and every point in every game count right yeah I I don't you know every year is different Sam and the mentality and the dynamic of the team is always changing and so each year is this different different animal um so last year's run to this point was very different than I think where we're at right now uh last year we were just finding ourselves out of the leagues cup uh and we were uh just really building who we were right now we have a really good feel at this point of of who we are and again now I think it's about for the rest of this stretch of fine-tuning who we are and making sure our principles are very not necessarily clear but we're going we're sticking to what makes us a good team and I really identifying uh what those are uh so it's the the details right now I guess is the difference between here down the stretch and where we were at last year where we were just continually building who we were uh we were extremely extremely hungry last year we had a lot to prove um so that also has to uh come back into uh you know our our personality maybe a little bit more as well and I think the tension of this this time and nine games left I think that's a natural thing to have and so the attention to detail uh is um is kind of where I'm I'm going going with this answer that really didn't answer your question so right I wish you the best on Good Luck thanks sir all right Dustin go ahead hey man hey Dustin I know you talked about it a little bit before the game that got postponed but Kai Kamar coming to them gives them a littleit difference and now they have JW obviously too but with their Pace on the wings and then that kind of aerial threat in the middle what what kind of challenge does that give to guys like Eric and Mel the Box defending part of this game uh because of the numbers of balls that do come vertical or come from uh wide service is is important and then again the service itself is real and and the guys on the end of things are been doing this for a long time scoring goals and understand where to be uh and then they have a physical nature that allows them to get their head on a lot of things if it's an aerial Ball but again they also have some experience and uh they hadn't know how to maneuver the box and Kai's done it forever and obviously jerud is at a world class player in in in that vein they're a little different between the two uh but not necessarily in the Box they they both know their way around the Box they have some different you know in the run a play what they offer but really uh it's a good group you know he didn't play was cup tied in the open cup so we expect Jude to come in and and you know kai I'm assuming we'll get some minutes too depending on his Fitness zud's Fitness but it'll be a tough task banga we know everybody knows we we watch the league and he's he's pretty good himself he's had an okay year and a half uh two years two and a half years uh I think bogus has become a a a big-time player in this league and very well-rounded comfortable uh in in a handful of different areas range of passing finishing just a very very good allaround player so we'll have our hands full but we again I we can talk about that all we want but we have to go there and and uh put our best foot forward and we're excited for the challenge thanks man all right Joey go ahead hey Ben LC bringing in J halfway through this season you kind of had a similar experience a few years back with Wayne Roy could you give us some insight of what it's like to bring in one of these Global Superstars halfway through a season it's just completely everybody's different it it depends on who the player is what's Wayne like what is jerud like like what do they need you know uh uh I'm sure they do a very good job of supporting their players when they come in to market and making sure that transition's good so they can focus on the soccer part uh but I I I anticipate them doing a pretty good job of that uh we tried to do a good job of that with with anybody that comes in in particular the high level guys and you know Pon is you know the way we would treat a Wayne or jerud or Pon or Lawrence you know we we try to support them in these transitions to make sure they can focus on the game and then when you come in it's a a little bit of a a mad scramble to get them up to speed both whether the it's the relationship component on the field and playing or it's you know giving them forcing the game model down their throat and uh you know trying to catch them up and all these other guys that have been doing the same thing in the training sessions for uh for a year year and a half so uh but good players are good players they don't need necessarily you know ASU doesn't probably need the game model he's a nine a hold up nine that knows how to score goals and I think he's probably pretty easy to play with so um yeah I don't know if I have any insight on on him I've yeah different different people probably