Revs must pull themselves together

From the Boston Herald

By Gus Martins/Soccer
Monday, April 19, 2004

FOXBORO - Several preseason predictions had the Revoultion as runaway winne=
rs of
the Eastern Conference, but the team's 0-2 start might have some folks jump=
ing off
the bandwagon.

     Saturday night's 3-1 loss to San Jose at Gillette Stadium did nothing =
to support the
Revs' billing as one of the top teams in MLS. The sky is not going to fall =
on the Revs
after just two games, but the team will have to make vast improvements befo=
re
Sunday's match with the MetroStars at Giants Stadium.

     Coach Steve Nicol's club must rescue its confidence, keep up morale an=
d find a
constructive way to navigate through 90 minutes of soccer.

     ``The loss hurts,'' goalkeeper Adin Brown said. ``But it doesn't feel =
any worse
than any other loss. It's just frustrating, that's all. We're just not orga=
nized, we're not
aware. It was all around the field from the goalkeeper to up top. It was no=
t our best
soccer. It's not how we have been taught to play.''

     The Revs have given up six goals in two games, so the attention inevit=
ably will be
focused on defense. Carlos Llamosa's ACL injury was a psychological blow to=
the
team. The veteran's experience has a calming effect on the players and he i=
ncreases
everyone's tactical awareness with his positioning and defensive acumen.

     Even without Llamosa, however, the defense has the experience and tale=
nt to play
well. What the Revs need is an improvement to their overall game. They must=
pass the
ball better and not see the game as a linear exercise in which they frantic=
ally try to get
the ball to the other team's goal as quickly as possible.

     Playing with an unpredictable design, moving the ball with flair and c=
alm, and
confidently probing the obvious spaces while unlocking the unseen ones are =
great
ways to improve the defense. Turning the ball over quickly after getting po=
ssession is
the way to imperil it. The result is constantly putting defenders on their =
heels and not
allowing them to coordinate their marking schemes because there's no buffer=
to slow
down the counterattack.

     When a team passes effectively and is well connected from back to fron=
t, it usually
is easier to anticipate when the turnover will occur, allowing the entire t=
eam to
transition from an offensive mindset to a defensive posture.

     A bit of patient, varied, and cultivated soccer that allows the team t=
o play around
midfield and through the opposition's zone can go a long way toward helping=
the
defense get great position.

     ``We were under a lot of pressure in the first 20 minutes (Saturday) n=
ight,''
defender Jay Heaps said. ``We couldn't get (Steve) Ralston the ball. (Jose =
Cancela) got
the ball, but there were always guys around him. We didn't get the ball wid=
e, and
when they'd come back against us it was always 3-on-3 and 3-on-2, and that =
can be
tough to defend against.''

     Getting the ball wide might be the mantra of the moment, but keeping t=
he ball
longer during the game should be the aim until the team finds its rhythm an=
d learns
to play better together.

     There are still a lot of mysteries on the team. Can Daouda Kante fill =
the shoes of
Llamosa? Will the team's defenders - so volatile in the past - stay away fr=
om bad
fouling and yellow cards if the pressure isn't lessened?

     Just as unknown, however, is whether Taylor Twellman, Joe-Max Moore an=
d
Cancela will develop chemistry. Will Ralston see enough of the ball to appr=
oximate the
effectiveness of the 2002 season? Will Cancela tie all the loose ends toget=
her? The
team has interesting pieces, but predictable soccer is anything but interes=
ting.

     After Saturday night's loss, Ralston questioned whether the team has b=
egun to
believe it no longer needs its blue-collar work ethic. There's little doubt=
that is an
important aspect for the Revs, but there also is little excuse for not play=
ing mature
soccer.