Dean Smith Press Conference | Charlotte FC vs Atlanta United

uh that was pretty ugly it was disappointing um disappointing results for parts of disappointing performance I thought they overran us last 15 minutes of the first half and in the first 10 minutes of the second half and then you know I think the goal even the goal of the changes ruffled us up a little bit and I thought we played better after that uh creating some good chances um you know but we only had moments before that I thought both teams had moments for the first 30 minutes um um and and yeah I think the final third again he's out on doing um but yeah we got overrun for the last fight 15 minutes in the first 10 minutes of the second half yeah the stats will be a bit deceptive because shots on target but they really didn't test I think that was only because of our choice of shots I thought we had good chances where we got into areas but we hit it straight down his throat um and when you're not working the ball into Corners then you you you're making goalkeepers make easy saves nor is it frustrating that seem like they didn't really get going until after theor against them yeah really frustrating I thought as I say I thought there were moments for both teams in the first 30 minutes of the game um you know there it became a bit basket ballish you know end to end a little bit um you know we got in the final third a number of times without producing you know a final a final big chance and as I say we we put it down the we put it down the goalkeeper's throat too many times um but yeah I mean the fact that we never really stepped on to him until after the goal uh you know de come in and prove the point you know I thought he was really good when he came on and you know that's what you want from the bench and uh you know after that we have gone and got some big chances but didn't take them they they had a coaching change since you last faced them they look like a little bit of a different team or no not really because that's 30 minutes I think you know in the in the the first game against us where we've had some K's had to make a couple of really big saves in that game um you know if we probably go into halftime at nil nil then you can probably rally them a little bit I think the goal shook us a little bit too much um you know I always felt that we would be fitter than them and they would tire and and that was how it turned out um you know but unfortunately we went a goal down in that period um 12 total shots today and an expected goal less at90 where do you see this team specifically that fin I think you just said it haven't you we've got to create bigger chances um you know although you don't get much bigger than the header that Patrick's got you know he should he should do better than that also you know at the end I think Brandon makes the goalkeeper make a save we should have players following up for that um you know and uh just making the the the right decisions at times and it's our job as coaches to to keep working with them to do that you know um leel T themart in the second second half at their place today it was a tough game for him and um you know we have to build people's confidence up sometimes when when they lose a little bit and then theoretically right your front three of would be like the starting caliber at Charlotte FC do you feel like just think well or what's kind of Miss no I think I think individually during during U the season with the exception of of Carol because he he hasn't been here you know Vargas has had really good moments ab's had really good moments um you know as a front three with pep now starting to link up with them a little bit they'll start to get used to what Pep's about I thought he showed really good moments and um he's got really good he connects it a lot better um to get us up the pitch but but you know we've got to work the goalkeeper better than we did today and then um sorry last one um there was a stretch you know that you guys were kind of off so the team looked a little bit rusted last week against the Red Bulls now you'll have a week off you know won't play next weekend um what are kind of what are you looking most to work on here these next two weeks heading into that next match make sure the team kind of improves well I don't think we've had any problem defensively all season um you know uh I think we've been really good you know they've had a couple of chances today the one where Nath and plants a foot and the lad crosses it and the lad heads It Wide but that's more of a reaction head it's not a massive chance um you know they had the header again where C's made a really good save but again that's not a massive chance you know it's got to be a really good header if you're going to score that so in defensively I think we've been really good our rest defense was better today um um you know but for the goal BB will probably think that he could have you know maybe took a yellow card there and you know it doesn't come uh but what we've got to work on is you know our link up in the final third and how we can move people and and we had some really good link up at times in the first half between pep and and and uh liel where we got in a number of times again our final ball just didn't connect want to ask more about the the final third and the final ball you think it's more spacing or passing and finding those areas or just taking shot at the right time I think it's a little bit of everything a little bit of movement at times a little bit of intelligence at times um you know there's times when I think we have the ball in and around the edge of their Penalty Box and we can play into a a player who's got his back to goal for him to set to somebody else to get a shot um you know we've got to have more of them combinations in and around the Penalty Box because they were happy for the last 20 minutes to whether they were happy or not they couldn't get out but they were pinned back um but we we never quite did did enough to get that that big chance and then the last two months had seven goals scored in all all matches and conceded nine it's kind of the the kind of not the trend that you want what what is it going to take to kind of splp that around does that came leagues cup as well yeah I don't count that so I don't count that we we we count the MLS um and you know yes we know we've got to be more productive in front of the goal um you know I'll be looking because the last two games XG I don't think have been good enough from from us and that's something that we have to work on just to follow up could you expound a little more on P's play tonight you know the time you got in yeah I mean listen he's just come back from a preseason so he's building up his his Fitness and his noow of the other of the other players he's got football intelligence um he knows where to to find the ball and I thought he found the ball between between the lines a number of times um hit a couple of speculative e efforts you know U one that just went over the bar one that I think the keeper saved um but I think the the longer he's here the better he'll get CU that first turn and stuff I mean a lot of people you could hear the crowd they thought he had missed the ball but he had let it go and then made the turn it was left is that I mean from what you see in training stuff we're going to see from now yeah I believe so um I believe he'll get better uh and he's obviously going to get better it's you know that's his first 80 minutes I think for a few months you know so it's understandable that he's going to Tire as the game goes on