CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 31, 2022

Jonathan Bornstein

Press Conference

New England 0, Chicago Fire FC 0

Q. Wondering, you guys picked up a point, actually gained a point, I believe, in the standings but do you feel like this was a point gained or two points lost tonight?

JONATHAN BORNSTEIN: You know, at this point in the season, I think we've got to take as many points as we can get. You know, it would have been nice to have taken all three.

We created some chances in the game. You know, it's nice to get the point but we do leave with a little bit of disappointment just in the -- not getting the full result but overall, I mean, the guys fought extremely hard tonight, and it wasn't an easy game. But I thought as a team, everyone put in the effort and you can't ask for anything other than that.

Unfortunately we couldn't get the goal, and we'll work on those things this week in the few days we have to get into Columbus and try to pick up a result there.

Q. I was asking Ezra a little bit earlier, not too much earlier at all, about Chris Mueller. He didn't have his strongest game tonight. But just how important has he been to this team since he came aboard, not just his production but energy he's brought to the team over the season?

JONATHAN BORNSTEIN: Yeah, since the moment Chris arrived, both in the locker room, on the field, in the games, he's just been a blessing to the team. You know, I really enjoy playing with the guy. We get along really well off the field. Whenever he's come into the group, we have another element in the team we didn't have before.

Unfortunately he missed that penalty tonight. Tried to console him and let him know, just next play, because he definitely is feeling, you know, a little sad for that. But it's soccer, right. You've got a goalie, a rival there who is trying to keep the ball in the net. Overall Chris has been extremely good for us. Amazing; he's scored some really good goals this year.

Maybe the missed penalty got a little too his head but he'll bounce back. I'm not doubting at all that he's going to be ready for the game coming up on Saturday against Columbus and ready to show off for the team.

Q. Do you feel like from your point of view he's played like he has something to prove after his time in Scotland didn't really go that well for him?

JONATHAN BORNSTEIN: You know, I had the opportunity playing against Chris when he was in Orlando, and the way you put it that he has something to prove is exactly how I always thought he played.

I don't think anything has changed in terms of his mentality that he continually wants to prove to everyone to himself, to his family, to everyone that he deserves to be here and without a doubt, he deserves it. I think he continually wants to get better and strives to be the best he can be, and I think you see that; you say it, like he has something to prove but you see his mentality come out with that every single game.

As long as he doesn't lose that, he'll have a long and illustrious career and he'll continue to get better throughout his career.

Q. Back to the team in general what goes through the dressing room seeing that Shaq is limited; the captain can't play and that Jairo is not available tonight. How does the team respond to that knowing that those three players plus Gastón, not available, and they have to get something out of tonight? What does that do to a team emotionally and how do they get over that when they see that so many big pieces aren't available?

JONATHAN BORNSTEIN: If you analyze the game tonight, everyone who you spoke about didn't play, and guys have to step up and I think they did. That's why I'm extremely proud of everybody who had to come in and maybe has not gotten a lot of minutes lately, and they did a really good job.

I think New England is not an easy team. It was definitely a hard-fought match and everyone who stepped on that field tonight left it all out there. They ran for the team and put the crest first.

It is unfortunate. It's a long season. Injuries happen. Guys take knocks, especially guys who have been playing consistent minutes, and so that is why you have guys ready to step up and who work hard every week and that's why it's so important to keep yourself ready for any opportunity.

And so I would say that guys have shown that you can end up on them and even further, they just need to continue to step up and need to continue to do the things right to get ready for every single game and hopefully we get the guys who are injured right now, hopefully they can recover quickly and get back into the squad to help us even more.