Post-Match Quotes: Paul Buckle after Republic’s loss to Real Monarchs

Paul Buckle

On the tough loss

Any loss is hard to take and this was a strange one because I never felt safe at 2-nil. 2-nil up is a dangerous scoreline. They had nothing to lose, I don’t think Dominik had a shot to save again. It was sort of carbon copy of us; we missed chances, we got ourselves two goals in front, probably should’ve been more up again.

When up against a team that’s got nothing to lose you have to be careful and we weren’t careful enough. We didn’t manage the game well enough at 2-nil. Our midfield line around the edge of the box — we spoke at halftime about engaging, not letting anybody take a shot because everything that’s hit from distance seems to be going in. It’s not as if, like, again you can see us conceding or you get a chance, it’s three hits — one’s a deflection — three shots at Dom and they’ve all gone in.

So we have to look back at our really good run, a fantastic run by the players. We’ve been in great form and it looked like it was going to continue, but it just shows you that in football with 20 minutes to go if you don’t really see the game out and be disciplined, I think you can come unstuck and that’s what happened.

Dominik probably knows that a couple maybe he could’ve stopped, but he’s been magnificent for us. The players have been outstanding. They’re as disappointed as I am that we’ve not been able to get a draw minimum out of a game that we probably should have won.

On the multiple missed opportunities in the first half and how they cost the team

Again, we’re creating chances. There’s a lot of change in the team tonight, especially at the back losing Emrah -- which is a huge blow for him personally and us as a club -- and obviously Chris Christian. But Derek, I feel sorry for Derek because the ball’s just gone off the top of his head and looped over Dom.

I thought we were ok, I didn’t think there was anything badly wrong with us. Halftime nil-nil, not a problem, we’ve been there before. Come out, go to attack the end where the Battalion are standing and we looked good. We look like we can score goals. We just probably thought from around the edge of the box it would be ok and it wasn’t. You have to say that the two finishes were good finishes. I expect our players to be getting blocks and putting more pressure on the ball so that when the float in another it won’t go in. But we’ve been punished. I do feel a bit for the players, if I’m honest. We didn’t deserve that. But in football, as we all know, you don’t get what you deserve.

But what I would say is that we’ve been on a fantastic run. Runs have to come to an end and I’m disappointed in how this one’s come to an end, but it’s come to an end with us scoring two goals. Basically three shots on target from them and three goals is a tough one to take, but we dust ourselves down and it’s important now that we start another good run.

On the team’s recent success on set pieces

We’ve exploited that of late and I felt there was goals to be had. We should’ve had some in the first half. There were golden opportunities from set plays, there were opportunities when we stole the ball. That’s been a problem for us but two goals should be enough. Two goals should be enough for us to win, we know that.

Good fortune doesn’t come into it, I don’t like using the word lucky. You have to give them credit for keeping going. But you should say we should be clear with three goals minimum, didn’t happen, two should be enough. We should know how to manage it. We’ve been solid tonight. We’ve been beat from three strikes, two from outside the box and one from an acute angle that’s taken a wicked deflection and gone in. It’s hard to take, but you have to take it. We’ve had enough good weekends and good weeks now, we’ve been on a brilliant run, we’ve got to start the run again.

On how he looks at the upcoming stretch of five straight road games.

You look at the first game, you have to look at the first game. Tonight was important, you can’t look any further than the next game. We have to take the defeat on the chin. It’s who we are, it’s what football’s about.

Nine game unbeaten runs are good. It shows us a lot of good things in the building. We got punished tonight and when you get punished it’s hard to take. We tried to sew it up with putting Auggie on, someone who’s been very reliable in the middle of the pitch. First thing I do is look at myself tactically.

But like I said, the goals — whether you give them credit for the finishes or whether you turn around and say Sacramento should’ve been clear I’m not sure. We’ve been punished and it’s hard to take, but I’m still smiling. That proves I know I’ve got a really good bunch of players.

On if we can expect Kip Colvey starting at right back going forward if he’s available

Yeah, absolutely. I think Kip Colvey showed his quality. I don’t think there was any blame attached the Kip tonight, all the goals came from the left side. He’s a class act. I think he showed composure on the ball, he’s excellent. Very similar to Emrah, very similar. It’s going to take some time to bed in because he’s new, he’s carrying an injury. He and Harry Williams are carrying fractures in their hands, which is not ideal. But I’m very pleased with Kip, another player loaned from the Quakes. That’s a positive for us because Emrah is a big player that we’ve lost.