FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Road form has unquestionably hindered the New England Revolution in recent seasons, including last year as they went just 2-9-6 on their travels.
There were, however, several instances in which the Revs should’ve taken more from road games last year. A pair of 2-0 leads in Orlando and Vancouver produced just two points. Another halftime lead in San Jose was squandered in a 2-2 draw. The opportunities were there, but the results weren’t.
As the Revs head on the road once again to kick off a new campaign on Saturday afternoon at FC Dallas, they are acutely aware of what needs to be better in 2019. That includes their approach to road matches, as well as the level of focus required once they do find themselves with a lead away from home.
“Staying focused is the main thing, along with knowing that we want three points out of every game, especially on the road,” said second-year defender Brandon Bye. “It doesn’t really matter where we are – we want three points, and that’s our goal every time we get out on the field.”
Teal Bunbury, now entering his 10th MLS season and his sixth in New England, has loads of experience when it comes to procuring results on the road. He’s seen the Revs get off to plenty of strong starts away from home, but knows they’ll need to be smarter in certain situations moving forward.
“When you go on the road, if you go up a goal, maybe game management is something that’s going to be key for us and very important,” Bunbury said. “Making sure that we know in certain moments when to press, when to drop back, when to manage the clock.
“All those little details, I think we’re going to have to be tuned in for this year.”
