FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – For a five-game losing stretch over the summer, the New England Revolution seemed to veer off the course they had set for themselves from the get-go.
Now, the Revs have returned to a mentality of defense first, for all. It's allowed them to go 4-0-1 in their last five and get back on the map.
“Jay [Heaps] and the staff have really focused on our shaping these last five weeks,” said defender Chris Tierney. “It’s not about just the back four defending, or the goalkeeper having a good game or anything like that. It’s about team mentality of defending and playing on both sides of the ball. I think we’re starting to do that much better now and it’s showing in our defensive shape.”
That mentality has allowed New England to enjoy a five-game stretch in which they have allowed just three goals to the opposition, posting three shutouts in the process.
“We’re going to harp on it, but we’ve got to keep our shape solid,” said Heaps. “We press at the right times, and when we don’t, we have to have our really tough, tight shape and be hard to break down. It limits the exposure in certain parts of where we felt we were getting vulnerable. Now, we’re definitely a little bit more compact, but it’s a process.”
Through this process the Revolution have been able to put that losing streak far in their rear-view mirror, climbing back above .500 with a 10-9-7 record that currently sees them in the fifth playoff slot on the Eastern Conference table.
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If the Revs are to make another run to MLS Cup as they did a year ago, they know it will take the full efforts of everyone on the pitch. And as they keep focusing on defense, everything else could open up for a New England side that swept through their three-match August set by outscoring their opponents 6-1.
“That’s one thing we’ve been preaching all year--we need all eleven guys working,” said Lee Nguyen. “We’ve been doing that well. At the same time, credit to the back four and the goalies who’ve stepped it up big time; it’s helped. It’s also helped us going forward.”
