Since I’m on vacation down in Southern California and not back on show assignments for another two weeks, there will be no MLS “Three Points” to discuss on the air and here on the blog. But here are some quotes from my visit with Chivas defender Carey Talley (pictured above) during my visit to one of the team’s workouts in Carson this week.
The late-morning breeze was so strong off the South Bay of Los Angeles that most of the audio from the recorded conversation got beat up pretty good. Here are some highlights from Talley’s thoughts about this weekend’s big Seattle battle at Home Depot Center and Chivas’ rampant success to start the year:
(Give an insider’s perspective into the attitude in the locker room — is it more toward nothing but positive vibes or is there an aura of caution that it’s too early to get jacked up?):
“I think the attitude’s good in there but we’re trying not to, you know, get too high on this.”
(What specific challenges does a defender prepare for the week of a match against Seattle’s hyped offensive weapons?):
“(Freddy) Montero’s a tricky guy (who) can shoot with both feet. Then Nate Jaqua is just a handful every time he’s around the ball.
“They’ve also got some guys behind the ball that can defend. Their center backs have been pretty good. I’ve been watching them (on television).”
(Does Preki prepare for opposing teams each week more like a master strategist looking to attack weaknesses, or more like a master of patience addressing your guys’ own needs?)
“It’s the same thing (every week). If you throw too many curve balls (every week) at guys it’s going to mess with their heads. I think day in and day out we preach the same things about getting the ball and then moving it quickly. That’s the game plan for us coming into Saturday, to keep the ball moving. When you see us do that … particularly towards the latter part of the game, guys are going to get tired (defensively) and slip up, so maybe we can go through them. I think the more we keep the ball (all season), the better we’ll do because that’s when we’re at our best.”
(Any opinion about Jonathan Bornstein moving up to that left wing spot that the team has had so much trouble amid this success filling in the absence of Ante Jazic? Lots of your fans here seem curious how that switch really might liberate (Bornstein) into more an offensive force):
“You know, I think that’s probably the best part about this team. We’ve got a lot of guys who can play in a lot of different spots. Whether it’s Sacha Klejstan on the left, or Bornstein, or Ante Jazic, or Gerson Mayen, we’ve got plenty of guys who can play on the (left) side or any side of the field for that matter. What we have a good mix.
“Whether Jonnie moves up or not, that’s obviously a decision that hasn’t been made. I think it’s a good thing (that there has been no decisive starter on the left wing). I think Preki likes it that way. You have to show up at training knowing it can be you or 15 other guys playing for that role. You have to know that if you want to get that spot you’re going have beat out the rest to get it. It brings you up a level (competitively) coming out onto the pitch each day.
“I think (personally) I look at (a possible Bornstein move) as being, well, it hasn’t been broke so there’s no need to fix it.”
(Looking at some research last season, I discovered the team seemed to really thrive in situations where there was a big-time atmosphere in the stadium. Of the 11 matches where there were more than 15,000 fans attending, the team lost just two times. If the notoriously low Chivas home attendance at Home Depot Center was larger each week, do you think this team’s success over the last year and a half would have actually been much greater?)
“You play for your fans, your family, your livelihood, so whether it’s five people or 15,000 you have to bring the same kind of energy. Of course, it’s a little bit different when the energy isn’t there. But ultimately it’s up to us to change that.”
(Is my stat worthwhile at all? Does playing well in front of bigger audiences show a link between the many veterans on your roster and how they are able to be a calming influence on the younger big names?)
“Those are definitely the games that you look forward to and you really just want to stop as you are walking out onto on the field, and suck it all in for a second. And you stop and think, ‘How many times is this going to happen again (in a playing career)?’ I love playing in front of big crowds. If they’re big this weekend (home against Seattle), then great. I welcome that.”
(No team in one city is exactly like another team in a different city. For that matter, no team in one season is going to be exactly the same the next year. Truly, what sticks out in your mind about this team right here compared to all others during your longtime MLS participation through the years?):
“I just think there’s a (different) camaraderie amongst the guys. We stick together. We’ve had some tough times in the past year. In my mind, there’s no team in MLS that experienced what we went through last year and what we’re going through right now. The teams I’ve been on in the past, if there’s two (crucial) injuries, the team almost crumbles. This team there’s (been) nine guys out almost every game, and we’re finding ways to rely on the 18th, 19th, 20th guy on the roster. That’s something you can’t discount. And so I think the camaraderie amongst the guys in the locker room and the respect for each guy out here on the field and what they can do to make us better … it’s a lot better than any team I’ve played on.”
