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NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 28, 2016

Jay Heaps

Harrison, New Jersey

New York Red Bulls, 1 - New England Revolution, 0

Q. Seemed like a pretty bright start to the second half, so how tough was it to see them getting that goal after you came out sharp in the second half?
JAY HEAPS: Yeah, it was a tough goal to give up because it felt like -- New York's a really great team. So when you break it down, you can understand it, but when we play into their hands -- part of our game plan was not to do that. A couple situations that put them in a position of power with balls that were, you know, probably too tight with passes, and we got stuck fighting for it and chances to get rid of it.

But in the end, you know, I felt like we had a good performance overall, but to give up that goal was hard.

Q. Four matches now without a goal. Is there some frustration on what's kind of lacking right now in the final third?
JAY HEAPS: The goals -- I think that there were chances created. There were breaks to be had. I think it's frustrating for everybody because, you know, I think that we pride ourselves on being a team that can finish, and the last four games have just not been good enough in the final third.

Q. Can you talk about the offense tactical changes that you made seemed like it should work. Why aren't they quite clicking?
JAY HEAPS: Well, it's continue to work at it. I think we're trying to -- it's a little bit different look, and players are in a little bit different positions. I think we had six offsides on crossed balls. I feel like we need to be in better positions, better runs, tandem runs where it's two strikers if we're going to play the system, two strikers get on the same page and make runs that are different but in tandem, that are different, give different looks to the defense.

I felt like tonight a couple chances where we probably had better chances on the break in the first half. Even though we were better in the second half, I felt like overall possession-wise and chance-wise, but the first half we had good chances on the break and on different things, and we've got to put our chances away. We're getting them, but we just have to put them away.

One pass has got to be the right pass. Right now we're not finding the one pass that's the right pass.

Q. [No microphone]?
JAY HEAPS: Of course, I'm proud of our guys for the effort and everything they did. I think that's what's so gutting is that they didn't break us down. That's kind of my point. They're a really good team, and they break a lot of teams down, and I felt like they were really sharp, and they got through a couple times in the first half, but in areas where we made a play or two, that's why I think this one hurts because it was in a situation where we were broken down.

But credit New York because they're a really good team, and I don't ever like sitting up here and saying that they didn't deserve it. They're a really good team.

Q. Just talk about Knighton. Obviously, he's been a big keeper for you in goal. And outside of the goal, he played very well. There were some good positions and strong something. How solid have you felt about Knighton's play in goal?
JAY HEAPS: Good. Obviously, we're in a -- you don't like to be here where you've got -- I felt like we've gone to find the right thing, but we've given up a lot of goals. To really everyone's blame, not one, but sometimes -- a couple weeks ago, we took Bobby out. There was really nothing he did to get taken out other than being on the wrong side of a four-goal game. Could have been -- we made two changes across the back line. He was the third change.

So you make changes to make changes sometimes, but then guys step up, and I thought Brad has done that and really elevated his level. And now that's what we're hoping continues to happen. And quite frankly, that Bobby elevates his level and that we get that sorted and continue to -- two games on the road, giving up one goal was much better than we've been. So there's a silver lining in some of it. But now we've got to offensively -- offensively, we've got to get it right because we're running out of time.

Q. I know Je-Vaughn is at the center and Andrew out right -- left, not right. Just your thoughts on that as something that could probably work in the future?
JAY HEAPS: I thought Je-Vaughn was awesome the other night when we were out in San Jose. We had to be cautious of making a couple changes, but we wanted to keep the foundation of what we did Wednesday night. I thought Je-Vaughn -- again, he's a warrior. He goes out there and leaves it all on the field. He's a gamer. And I liked the way he played.

Yeah, I think Andrew for me, strengths, right back, putting good service in. Je-Vaughn's man versus man, and he made some good plays. So we like that matchup so far.

Q. On their goal, did you think that was a ball that should have been cleared before the shot? What's your vantage point about what happened?
JAY HEAPS: I have to look at it on film, but vantage point quick was I felt like we had a couple of chances to clear it even on the pass before that. I'll go back and look at it, but live action, I felt like if we can get it out of the stadium on a couple of chances, we should do it.

Q. [No microphone.]
JAY HEAPS: I'm confident. I think that -- you know, I see what we can do, and we just have to make sure it translates to the field. We've had a run of some serious not very good games, and we need to turn it around because the time's running out. The one thing about this league is that you feel like, if you get one, you can get two, and you can get three in terms of games in a row and just keep plugging away. Right now that's what we have to do.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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