FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A clear pattern has emerged during the New England Revolution’s current five-game winless run, but it’s not one you’d expect from a team struggling to secure maximum points.
In all five games of the Revolution’s current run – four draws and one loss – they’ve scored the first goal. And each time, that opening goal has been scored in the first half to give New England an early lead.
That, of course, is a good thing. The Revs have consistently been ready from the opening whistle and have asserted themselves from the outset, dictating the tempo and playing on their own terms.
Where the problems have arisen is in the aftermath. In each of the past four matches the Revs have conceded the game’s second goal – leveling the score at 1-1 – and their inability to extend a lead to 2-0 and put their opponents away has proven costly, according to the players.
“I think that would’ve been big on Sunday,” Andy Dorman said, referencing the Revolution’s 2-2 draw with the LA Galaxy in which the Revs had chances to extend their lead, but ultimately fell behind 2-1. “Obviously we didn’t get it and LA got back into the game.”
Ultimately a stunning Diego Fagundez free kick helped the Revs draw level with the Galaxy, but head coach Jay Heaps was left frustrated with his side’s approach after Teal Bunbury’s opener had given them an advantage to protect after just five minutes.
Part of the problem, Heaps said, is that the Revs did just that – protect the advantage. Instead of sticking with the game plan which had worked so well through the opening stages and pushing for more goals, the Revs took their collective feet off the pedal, opening the door for a Galaxy comeback.
“It’s more about the mindset,” Heaps said. “Goals are hard to score, but I just want our mindset to continue to be aggressive and urgent and a little bit more ruthless, a little bit more killer instinct.”
Five times this season the Revs have extended a 1-0 lead to a 2-0 lead, and their record in those matches – 4-0-1 – exhibits precisely why it’s vital to put teams away when they have the chance.
“We’ve had opportunities to increase our leads and have been a bit unlucky, and also haven’t been ruthless enough,” said goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth. “We need to capitalize on those opportunities and try to add to our lead when we can.
“When we score a goal, it’s trying to get another goal and trying to get another goal, and not being content sitting in. We’ve got to continue to push forward and stay hungry.”
