MLS Regular Season | Match #14
New England Revolution at Nashville SC
Saturday, June 1 | 8:30 p.m. ET
GEODIS Park | Nashville, Tennessee
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
English Talent: Tony Husband (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst)
Spanish Talent: Alejandro Figueredo (play-by-play), Eduardo Biscayart (analyst)
Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub (English), 1260 AM Nossa Radio (Portuguese)
English Talent: Brad Feldman (play-by-play), Charlie Davies (analyst)
CURRENT FORM
New England Revolution
15th in Eastern Conference (2-10-1, 7 pts.)
Last Result | 1-0 loss vs. New York City FC
The Revolution hosted New York City FC last week, playing out a tense and hard-fought match that ultimately went the way of the visitors. The lack of goals scored did not come down to a lack of effort, however, as New England frequently created dangerous chances, and head coach Caleb Porter said this week that tightening things up in the final third would be a major focus ahead of this weekend’s trip to Nashville.
The Revs remain at the foot of the Eastern Conference table, but continue to stay focused on taking positives away from each game and then directing their attention to the next one. This week in particular, Porter said he felt his players put in one of the best performances of the season against NYCFC, with plenty of positive film to review and specific tweaks to implement going forward.
Nashville SC
9th in Eastern Conference (4-4-7, 19 pts.)
Last Result | 2-0 win at FC Cincinnati
Nashville SC surprised many in the MLS world on Wednesday night, bringing FC Cincinnati’s 7-game winning streak to a grinding halt and securing a 2-0 victory of their own on the road. The win was their first under interim head coach Rumba Munthali, who remains undefeated in the three matches he has had in charge of the Boys in Gold (1-0-2).
That win brought Nashville up to 9th in the Eastern Conference, tentatively putting them into a playoff conversation that at this stage of the season is still tight between a number of clubs. Returning home to face the Revs, Nashville will be relying on their considerable depth to get them through what will be their third match in a week.
KEY PLAYERS
Revolution winger Dylan BorreroHaving been eased back into the squad after his lengthy recovery from a knee injury, winger Dylan Borrero is now slated to make his third consecutive start this weekend in Nashville. Revs fans aren’t the only ones glad to see him back on the pitch; forward Giacomo Vrioni and midfielder Carles Gil both shared during the week how helpful it was to them and the whole team to have the Colombian crusading on the wing once again.
Borrero’s blistering pace, along with his dual threat as both a goalscorer and a playmaker, could prove invaluable against Nashville SC this weekend, as there were multiple instances in their last game when FC Cincinnati were able to break through lines and expose Nashville’s defense out wide. With Caleb Porter’s focus on finishing and decision-making in the final third all this week, Borrero may be able to help his team find success where Cincinnati failed against Nashville and convert chances created into goals scored.
Nashville SC midfielder Hany Mukhtar2022 Landon Donovan MVP Hany Mukhtar is still one of the best players across MLS, let alone in this Nashville SC team that boasts remarkable depth. The German was at it again on Wednesday night, demonstrating his versatility in assisting both of Nashville’s goals, the first from a corner kick and the second off an aggressive press high up the field.
Mukhtar now sits at six assists on the season, leading his team, with three goals to his name in the league, as well. Caleb Porter recognized during the week just how much of a threat the attacking midfielder can be, saying that, as good as the whole team was around him, Mukhtar was the sort of player who held the key to the whole system.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Revolution head coach Caleb Porter on rebounding from the loss to NYCFC:“Yeah, we’ve got to keep going. For five months, I’ve looked at these guys in the eyes after every game and told them the truth. In some cases, I've told them after some games that the fight and the football hasn't been good enough. But after this game, I looked them in the eyes and told them that the fight and the football was very good. We just have to take care of the details in the final third, and that's a two- or three-zero win, in my opinion. So, we can't lose sight of that. Sometimes it compounds because lack of results, you forget the good. It’s my job to remind them of the good, so that's what I did today. We had a good session. They’ve got to keep faith, keep hope. We're going to turn this thing around, 100 percent. It starts with this next game and then we’ve got a couple of home games. So, what I saw today, the guys are ready to make this right in the next game.”
Porter on the team’s depth at center back with Henry Kessler serving a suspension:
“Yeah, we have good depth. We have guys [who are] more than capable. Dave Romney gets a chance to go back to Nashville and show his quality. So, we have great confidence in him. He started the first six games of the year and obviously every game last year, so he is more than capable and very experienced. We just need to get the chemistry now with him and Xavi [Xavier Arreaga].”
Porter on helping the team maintain a positive mentality around improvements:
“It's easier when you when you can show them the film and there are a lot of positives. But yeah, it's tough when you're not getting the results because ultimately, the confidence isn't sky high when you're not getting results, but these guys have had a great mentality, a great attitude. They've come every day to training to work and improve. We focused a lot this week on just the final third, because I really feel like that's the missing piece right now … We're in those spots time and again. It's just the decision in that moment and precision technically. We had a great film session where we could show them those moments and provide clarity on where they could and should pass the ball, and where we need to have runners. But in that moment, it's always going to come down to the player, his quality, his decision. But we worked a lot on that this week, because again, back to your question, the players know that we're playing well box-to-box. But to win games, you have to actually score the goal and find the right detail in the final third.”
Porter on some of the positives he is seeing in his attacking players:
“Giacomo [Vrioni], his attitude has been great. He is working really hard and he is in good spots. There are two moments where he's in behind on transition. The first one, he does a nice job to kind of separate himself to come in on his left foot, and he just probably should have curled it versus trying to use his instep. He knows that, and that's just a decision in the moment of what surface to use when you're finishing. Then there was another one where he's in, where he probably should have just taken a touch with his right foot and kind of sealed the guy off, and now he's in on his left foot. He kind of waited and allowed the defender to take an angle. So, those are all things that we show the players individually and collectively. Like I said, we had a great meeting and they see all those moments and they agree in those moments that okay, we have got to do that better and that better. Then we go to the training ground all week and we work on those things. So, I do have confidence and faith and hope that he's going to score goals moving forward. Esmir [Bajraktarević] is going to [score goals], in those spots that he got in. He was probably our most impactful player getting in good spots, Esmir, but he's young still and he needs to be kind of told, ‘Hey, slide this ball here instead of maybe trying to shoot,’ or, ‘Can you cut to your left foot and now clip a ball back post?’ So, those are little things that even the best players need to be shown and talked to and need clarity about sometimes.”
Revolution forward Giacomo Vrioni on the team’s efforts in training this week:
“Pretty good. I think we are increasing everything from practice, for me. We are doing good every day, and I think this is the right way. Now, we are focused for the game on Saturday. Obviously, we want to try to get the three points.”
Vrioni on the mentality against Nashville SC:
“The [same] mentality that we have to have every week – try to play to win and try to do it. It doesn’t matter that they [Nashville] played yesterday. They got a good result, so they will be fresh mentally. That’s the most important thing. Being fresh mentally is sometimes better than being fresh physically. It’s going to be a difficult game, of course, but we are very positive.”
Revolution captain Carles Gil [translated from Spanish] on the impact of Dylan Borrero:
“Obviously, it’s important to have Dylan. He had been out for a long time. I think the situation of the team requires a little more from him than we should after all that time injured. But for us to have him is a luxury. Especially for me, I enjoy having him because he gives me that space and finds those passes that I can give him. Hopefully, he can continue getting better and better to help us.”
Gil on the team’s focus in training and going to Nashville:
“It’s the same. The mentality doesn’t change, it’s to try to win. With every game, the need for points increases because the playoff [line] gets a little farther way. Every game is like a final for us and we intend to win this game.”
