Houston Dynamo FC HC Ben Olsen Post Match Thoughts v LAFC. 8/31/24

all right everyone got head coach Ben Olen here are you good y uh Ben just your thoughts on uh on that result here 2-n on the road um some other Dynamics as well yeah it's it's a great result for us and uh I think we caught them in a good time they they've obviously it's been an emotional couple weeks for them and uh that that's probably part of it but part of it is our group really was was up for this match and wanted to respond after uh you know a good performance in Toronto that didn't bear fruit and it was really nice to get three points and a very tough place to play against obviously a very talented group um but it's all it's it's sour right now because you know we're we're I think we may have lost a a really uh really good player for for a while uh and you know I don't know it the film looks like he you know slips a little bit on a on a field that's recently laid down and it's uh so it's just a little Cloud right now so it's great win really uh but mostly our thoughts are with with Lawrence right now hopefully uh the news that we're getting is uh not true right now that the knee is going to be okay but uh we'll see we'll see it doesn't doesn't look good coach you mentioned a tough place to play You're just the second team to win here at Stadium this season next to Columbus crw what does it mean to kind of come into this difficult place to play and find that way well we've you know I think did it before didn't we we do it last year yeah you know think there's some belief when we come here uh but I I think we'll see a different team next week uh you know that has uh has a week to work on us and we have a work week to work on them it's a little bit of a strange Dynamic playing back to back uh so we'll both go back and look at the film and see what went well and see what went bad and try to fix those things and uh have another match in in in Houston so but again proud of the guys really good response I thought we played you know the the first half was a very very high level and second half you know we had to suffer at times which you have to do here and uh set pieces were strong down the stretch which something we've been harping on and working on uh some really good performance is nice for Pon to to score that's always nice and of course anali came in and I think did what you know we're hoping he was going to continue to do for the next you know year and a half but uh again that's uh we'll see yeah on those two players the two new signings getting the goals here does that kind of give you the confidence that you found those attacking pieces you need to be a contender this season well we we had faith that we could contend um you know without those players but this is a league where you got to move forward and just always try to get better and we did it in Pon and we did it with anali but again he's uh we'll see an's been great physical you could tell he's really finding his Niche with the team and each game he's building these relationships um and uh just goals help goals help new number nines and he's got a few now and we just got to keep plugging away with that gives us a vertical threat he's dangerous in the box but he's also now figuring out how to come underneath and combine with uh some of these players and be a supportive player from from a higher position so really happy with them you mentioned that kind of sorry just one last one you mentioned that kind of back to back um what kind of challenges does that pose in last season you obviously did the double in that back to back over La what do you need to kind of do to make that happen again we we'll have to be at our best and can think things happen quickly against lafc uh they can come from you know uh their end to your end quicker than anybody in this team so uh the the the focus that you need to play against them is uh it must be at extremely high level uh alarm Bells always are going off as you're attacking and making sure you're putting out fires uh rest defending uh repressing all this stuff is so critical against a team like this and for the most part we did a good job on it and we'll have to be even better uh when we get back to Houston coach in terms of the effort that the team has done to stengthen the attack in this moment just what does that say that the push that that you guys want to have and the goals to to finish the season strong well you know tonight was about a response from losing a home game and uh we're still working on fixing the home form you know we want to we want to win every time when we're in our building and uh that hasn't been the case this year but fortunately for us we've we've had some road warrior mentality and we've been able to pick up points and sometimes it's not good at home so uh again some of the concentration and responses have been on the road and that's uh that's a good quality cuz if we didn't we'd be much lower in the table but a big win again against it's a a very good team in general picture when we talk about veterans leaders and talking about Hector just the way he has solidified himself in the league with the team what has that evolution been like in him being a part of the organization it's been wonderful working with them uh we have our moments but uh I love them and I think deep down he loves me and uh so I think that's always a good starting point when when uh there's a mutual respect there and there is love uh if that's the foundation I think you can get a lot get a lot done um on top of that he's he's special he's an incredible player that's why he's been in World Cups and played at the highest level he's an elite athlete and his the way he pulls the strings for us is not something you can coach this is something that he does and the others um come with him and and and uh their confidence grows because he's such a special player and he's fun to play with these guys really enjoy him and art tour's relationship is incredible I thought amim bossi and and and Sebastian kowalek had great games today too so that core that nucleus in the middle was uh really sharp tonight I will go to zoom for a few uh Jorge go ahead hey coach Cory congratulations on the win uh when you look at the stats the numbers nearly an even an even game but as always you guys dominate in possession uh and and you sneak away with those with those three points just overall was the feeling uh when you sneak away with those points like so I I don't know if we snuck away with points today um or Hey so uh I wouldn't say you know yeah I I don't know if we snuck snuck them today I believe me I've snuck some games and I know what that feels like um I thought we played well overall and again you're always going to have to make some saves and uh defend the box and and be gritty on the defensive third at times against a team of this caliber but I thought it was a you know a pretty impressive game from our crew and and now the trick is to put it behind us and and uh take on the challenge of playing a more rested La team that comes into our building next week correct coach just to clarify sunk away as in terms of I'm just busting your chops I stop not uh like said LFC is going to be well rested and you guys face them again just what what do you expect you you know you put this game aside and focus on the next one yeah I I think I expect them to be have more energy A little bit more bite uh because of we just beat them um but uh you know yeah and and I expect them to throw some wrinkles because they have watched the film but we've got some we've got some film watching of our own so I look forward to the game it should be a good one it's always fun I think our fans are excited to um come out and and put good numbers in in the stands for us so we can have uh some energy in the building hopefully it's a little bit hot uh and uh we'll we'll go from there puts on a good performance today carisia you know comes back from injury hasn't featured since League's cup just overall your thoughts on both of them and how much of a headache it causes for you when when you make these these lineup changes yeah KOCO was uh this is his first game back and you could tell he was looked a little um a little little rusty at first but then he played himself into the game and we know what kok gives us um Sebastian qualek was for me as good as anybody on the field and uh you know he's been asking for more minutes and um I thought the game we we as a staff thought the game this one suited him and uh he didn't disappoint us thank coach Sir Charles all right Dustin go ahead hey Ben hey Dustin hey you and P talked about you know building this roster up of guys that are you know winners and can bounce back how big is that for you as a coach but you mentioned it losing at home last week but now coming to La getting this win uh it was a moody week I'm not going to lie and you know player staff it was just you know we we knew Toronto was a big game for us in particular taking on La over the next two and at home uh we're not you know particularly pleased with our form there either so um you know so you talk about responding and making sure that we have the the the right mentality um it helps to kind of turn that mentality and now you're going into LA to focus and you know our team ends up more times than not playing better when we play teams that are quote unquote a little sexier uh they you know Glitz and Glamour and and the LA and the big names here our players love that so they they they tend to play up to that level and that's that is part of experience and guys that understand uh how to play at a a really high level so they were we were up for it um you know I I do listen I've been in uh their shoes at times where the schedule is is packed and you are you know you're you're playing you're recovering you're playing you don't prepare for us maybe as much as we've been able to prepare for them all week because they've had uh open cup and leagues cup and they've had a very busy busy run so there was a little bit of fatigue from them for sure I I don't I I'm not discounting that at all that we didn't play the best version of lafc so uh but I don't care about that we you know we we we you have to take advantage in this league of moments where you have a team we've been in situations on the other side uh so now it'll be interesting to see you know and they get fresh and come to our house uh that'll be a different test for us but one we as always look forward to thanks all right I'll wrap it up with Sam Sam go ahead hi Ben Hi Sam yeah congratulations thanks huge win huge win not only the team won but kept in clean sheet against this high power what would you say is the key to the team defensive success tonight uh I mentioned it before you know the banga they're just you know uh the way they come at you is so quick uh so it it it ends up being such a um um a concent ation battle the entire game uh as we attack how we can be positioned and balanced uh to to make sure we're putting out uh transition moments we're in good spots and uh forther transition moments and and then it's about can the guys when we do have the ball and when we are in their half can we repress and can we have good reactions to the game to not allow the perfect pass to banga so so it's it's twofold and and you know there was times we failed and we got caught and Steve made a save or um someone made a last Stitch effort it's just what comes with a very very good team that will allow you to have the ball and uh but they understand where the space is and they understand um or they're they're they're just so talented at getting uh from one end to the other uh and then they have high quality players so we'll see well you know that's that that's I think maybe uh that was a I give us a B+ on that on the night and that's uh sometimes good enough B plus you may mention that tonight wi is a response of the one to Toronto and you call your team Road Warriors mentality I love that then how do you reconcile the away for and the home form looking at you know some point have been dropped at home and the team have Pi massive points on the road yeah I think it's some of the details that we we we we um deal with in a better way than we do at home I think sometimes at home the game comes easier to us and that that uh that comfortable nature at home is a dangerous dangerous thing uh but we're still playing well at home again it's teams also teams also play us differently uh in our building than they do in their building sometimes so we there we we'll keep working at it's not terrible our home record we're we're we're in the mix uh so we have a bunch of chances here to continue to to um to to remedy that situation at home and it's it's one we're we're addressing we we've talked quite a bit about it probably too much and some of the attention to detail some of the set pieces have have let us down uh for and we've dropped some points