Quotes From Paul Buckle After Sacramento Republic's Loss to Saint Louis

Paul Buckle

On how the team is going to get goals this season

We're going to have to keep working at it. Goals are the hardest thing to get in a game of football. It's a common theme for us now. It's a common theme since I've been at the football club, actually, were we've dominated games.

It takes somebody to go and get in that 18 yard box and get on the end of something. That's what the [team] talk was about tonight. About who's going to step forward. When we've got a team like we have, where we have so much of the ball and we do create so many chances and we do get into great crossing positions, somebody has to step forward. Obviously it's the strikers, of course, because strikers are paid to score goals. But it's all over the field. I expect goals from midfield, I expect goals from wide areas. And certainly from corners because [Derek] Foran and Chris Christian... they're center backs we expect to go and get on the end of it.

On Harry Williams making his debut.

I gave an opportunity to harry Williams tonight and... I think he played really well. He’s a very talented young man and for someone who’s 20 I thought for his debut he was outstanding. I thought the way he linked our play was perfect for us, what we’re looking to do. And he can score goals, that's one thing I will tell you.

On starting Williams and Pridham.

Pridham and Harry have had injuries. They're coming back -- it's not an excuse. It was the only thing available to me with Thommy [Stewart not training for near the end of this week. I knew it wasn't going to be plain sailing in front of goal. It never is for us.

I was pleased with what Pridham and Harry had done. I thought a few times we were very dangerous in the first half and second half was just a case of us again trying to unlock the door.

On the Saint Louis goal.

I try to be mindful of when we're dominating games not to get broke on and I thought we'd done a good job of that. I thought we actually did a very good job and so much of it involved being structurally right behind it.

We can't do nothing about the goal. The goal is an own goal out of nothing. It's a bit of luck... It wasn't a case of sustained pressure or Dominik making saves. We didn't have a shot to save again. It's very frustrating.

On fixes for the goal scoring issue.

We know that we need one of the strikers to step forward. They know that, the strikers know that. To step forward because the ball is going in the 18 yard box on a regular basis. We're having some very good play, we just need to finish it off.

I'm confident that the boys that we've got can score goals. Stewart can score goals... Pridham and Williams -- I can say it's early days for them, and Cameron Iwasa is doing great. I think Cameron Iwasa now is starting to fulfill that potential that we all know he's got.

I'm very mindful that we can't keep having that much possession and that much play without finding the back of the net.

I felt that we needed to go and get on the end of the ball. And you can't just look at the strikers. When you put in good quality corners, somebody has to go and get on the end of it and I didn't feel that we had that. I'm demanding that from a Koval, I'm demanding that from a Chris Christian, a Foran. They've got to step up. We've got to find goals from all over the field.... Normally in the 18 yard box it's about really being super brave and going in there, just getting right in there amongst it.

McLain actually spilled a couple of balls and we were stepping backwards instead of to him. We've just got to step forward a bit more, we've got to believe in and around the 18 yard box. And I've told them that in no uncertain terms. They need it, they're professionals. They need to know the importance of when we have so much play, we need to find the back of the net... We got into good positions and we chose to pass or we missed the target.

On possibly bringing in another forward.

Of course I can look and maybe bring a striker in or two. I'll have to have a think about that. It's five games now and I always say it's eight games until you can really paint a picture of what you have in front of you.

There are going to be bumps in the road this season. If we were a team that wasn't creating chances I would be more concerned. It's for me to be considered and know if it's right to bring another player into the squad.

We've been looking at strikers... We're a good side. I'm not going to say we're not a good team, we are a very good team. But that final bit at the top end, it takes some time and I want to be patient and I don't want to rush into anything. I have to make sure that the player or players that we bring are correct. Because every player in Sacramento is giving their all. We're doing a lot of good things and sometimes with a 1-0 defeat at home you can lose sight of all the good things.

What do you think about Buckle's post-game comments? Sound off in the comments below.