CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 13, 2021

Raphael Wicky

Press Conference

D.C. United 1, Chicago Fire 0

Q. Obviously not, again, the result you wanted tonight but how did you view Brian Guitierrez in his first start for the team; how do you think he did?

RAPHAEL WICKY: I think he did really well. I think he was courageous. He wasn't scared. He showed his talent. He showed his quality on the ball. That's the Guti I saw for a long time last year, especially after the second half of the year. Unfortunately didn't get that many minutes. That's the Guti I didn't really see preseason. That's the reason why he didn't get more minutes so far. That's the Guti I saw the last three weeks in training, getting better and better and more confident, and I think he did well.

He worked hard. He created two big chances, and yeah, he showed his talent. I think if he keeps working hard, that's what I told him, as well. That was the first start of many in his career, and that's -- that's what I believe, but he has to keep working hard.

Q. What was the thought process behind the sub of Giménez to start the second half?

RAPHAEL WICKY: The reason that he was a little bit hurt. I don't know exactly what he has. He wasn't 100 percent fit anymore and that's the reason Why I changed him.

And then Javi Casas trained really, really well. He had a good preseason. He showed in the preseason that he's in a good level. He trained really well in the last week, as well and that's the reason I choose to bring in Javi.

Javi, as well, struggled coming in the first five, ten minutes, which is normal playing in a competitive game but he actually became much better and better, and again, if he keeps working hard, I think that was the first -- the first minutes of many for him, but again, they are young. They have to keep working. But also Javi's game was promising.

Q. To follow up on Giménez, how long has he had that issue, that undisclosed issue? Is it something that cropped up tonight? Is it something that's been bothering him for a while?

RAPHAEL WICKY: No, that happened in the middle of the game. That happened -- I don't know whether it happened in the middle of the first half somewhere where he started feel his glute, gluten muscle, and so I don't know. I haven't seen him now, I don't know exactly what it is, but I know at halftime he wasn't really fit anymore and that's the reason why I changed him.

Q. Thinking back to the D.C. goal, looked like Flores was standing pretty well unmarked on the six-yard box. I know you haven't seen video yet, but do you have any idea what broke down there?

RAPHAEL WICKY: I haven't seen it on video. I have to see it again. My first thought is that was a mistake on the right side. Then I think -- I don't know if we were in possession, have to see it again, but then obviously then why -- center back have to get out the channel, he tried to defend there and then -- and then there was a cross in the middle where -- where someone lost Flores. I don't know if it was Francisco or if it was Miguel. I don't know. I have to watch it again.

Obviously when you concede a goal, there is a lot of mistakes always. We have to see if not only the last mistake was not with the player; we have to see how do we prevent the first one.

Q. Fourth straight losses for you guys. At what point does it's early in the season and we want continuity become, we made to make serious changes?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yeah, I have no argument against that. It's very frustrating to lose again, but I think tonight we should have walked away with a point. This game, right now, immediately after the game and I will watch it again, gives me a lot of hope. It gives me -- there lot of promising things, obviously offensively, we created a lot. I think we played some good football and from that we build. From that, I'm a hundred percent sure we can build.

Now, do we -- are we going to do drastic changes in look, players are coming back. Fabi Herbers is coming back. Elliot is coming back. I think Carlos is coming back and hopefully there will be competition and like every team, I will pick the guys who I think deserve it or are the best mix together. Yeah, so that's how we will proceed in the -- in the upcoming weeks.

Q. With Luka Stojanovic not playing tonight, he was on the game day roster but did not get in tonight. What was the reasoning there?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yeah, Luka comes back from a long, long injury. He didn't play for a long time. He had a good preseason. He started every game and I think -- I felt he was a bit tired in the last game and -- and that's the reason why I start him today.

Again we have players coming back which brings competition but I don't lose trust in -- in Luka. He's a quality player. I just had other subs in mind for today but I don't doubt in Luka. I know that when he will play that he's always able to create and today I choose for other players.

Q. You have an extra couple of days now playing on Thursday night. Do you think that helps you in any way to maybe sort of put this losing streak behind you and start fresh against Miami?

RAPHAEL WICKY: There is a good and a bad. Look, after a loss, usually -- usually would like to play as quick as possible. To have a schedule, for example, like Philly has where you play every three days is for a players player sometimes really nice. You have to go really quickly and have the possibility again, the new chance in another game. We now have about nine days. So the positive is okay. We can recover and we have a full week of training next week to work on certain things, and that's what we'll do.

So I wouldn't mind playing on this weekend because I think, again, I have a feeling immediately after this game that we can build from this but it is what it is. We can't change that. We will take the full week of training and we will prepare. FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...