LOS ANGELES FOOTBALL CLUB MEDIA CONFERENCE

July 28, 2021

Raheem Edwards

Press Conference

Los Angeles FC 2, Minnesota 2

Q. Raheem, what did Bob ask of you for the second half when you came in?

RAHEEM EDWARDS: Second half was the same plan as the first half. The first half went pretty well. Obviously Murri couldn't continue but Bob told me I needed to be aggressive from the left lane back position and cause problems. That was basically the message.

Q. It's a frustrating results when you're seconds away from getting those three points. Just what did you see on the field? Bob Bradley said it wasn't a concentration thing, but in general, I know it's frustrating, and what can you guys learn from it?

RAHEEM EDWARDS: Obviously games like these where you feel like you're on top of it and you're in control, and a matter of seconds before the game ends, you get a goal against you which ws unlucky. It wasn't any errors or any plays on our part. Maybe we could have done better or fouled or something like that but it's really unlucky.

I think the way we played was really good. Our aggressiveness, our bite and throughout the whole 90 minutes I thought we played well. Just little things that we need to pick up on in order to get points obviously, because this is a fortress at Banc of California, and we don't want teams to come in here and think they can take points.

Q. What are the things that you guys feel you learned from this game that you can take to the next one?

RAHEEM EDWARDS: Just maybe moments of concentration, seeing games, too, and putting the swords to teams, maybe a tie game or up 2-1, can we get the third goal; we get fourth goal; can we put it out of contention. That's what I think we need to take out of this game.

Q. Last year you were with Minnesota. How do you feel you've grown to this point and now with LAFC as a player and the opportunities that you have received here?

RAHEEM EDWARDS: Yeah, from a year to now I think there's a little bit of difference. Obviously for when I'm on a different type of team, different play style but what Bob asked of me and needs of me, is be more mentally engaged on the side of the mental and the football, that's what Bob is trying to lock into me.

Not much changed throughout the year. I'm still the same player obviously. But Bob wants to harp on new little things, new little details with the LAFC style and my style, as well.

Q. Just talk about what it's like also facing a former team of yours in your new home. Talk about that.

RAHEEM EDWARDS: Yeah, obviously even before being on Minnesota, we used to talk about Banc of California and how much of an intimidating stadium it is. So coming here and being with LAFC and playing Minnesota is obviously in the back of my mind.

But when I'm in the game, I'm just trying to win. Doesn't matter if I played with you guys the day before, a year ago, ten years ago; I'm trying to get the win. Obviously didn't get the win today, that's pretty frustrating. But yeah, happy to see those guys again. Obviously it was great locker room I was in in Minnesota and good to touch base with them.

Q. Despite the result, what were the positive aspect you can take from tonight's game?

RAHEEM EDWARDS: Yeah, the way we went about the game was good. As you know before in the game in Vancouver, I thought we weren't -- especially in the first half, we weren't getting to second balls and we weren't being aggressive enough.

I think this game we were really aggressive and we really closed down their mid. From this game we just need to be more cutthroat in the final third, getting two, three goals to try to put teams away. I think that's what we need to take away from this game.

Q. And for things like second balls that you mentioned, getting better on the final, is this something you've developed a training or is it something that comes naturally?

RAHEEM EDWARDS: That's a little bit of both, that we train that and it's just natural as well. If Cifu gets that goal, or if they don't get a touch on that shot that Cifu does, we don't really talk about this 2-2 game. We talk about winning 3-1 possibly or 3-2.

You get that from training and repetition which we always do every day. We just continue training to take that forward.