It has been a tough home stand this week for the New England Revolution. They played twice this week, with both games ending in ties. The game on Wednesday  was a 1-1 tie against the defending MLS champions Portland Timbers,  a game in which the Revs needed a late goal to tie. This past weekend, New England hosted Orlando City, who were on a winless streak of their own. This would be another game that would end in disappointment because it was a game New England should of won, but instead had to settle for a 2-2 tie, again.

 
 

“Each tie feels completely different on how it feels. Tonight, we were disappointed, we let it slip. On Wednesday’s tie it felt a little different because we were down and had to come back even though it was disappointing in its own right because we were down and completely  dominated the match every where and weren’t cleaning up the final third. Looking back at the Toronto tie at home, the penalty kick, the goal called back was completely different because you felt like you won the game and it was taken from another element of the game. All of them fell like they have different complexities and all of them hurt in different ways, the way I look at it, no one is happy we are tying these games when we should be winning.” Jay Heaps post game

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The Revs players, or other writers who cover this team didn’t have much to say, or ask following their 2-2 tie against Orlando. Despite scoring two goals, many feel they should of scored more. They had shots on target, forcing Orlando’s goalie Joe Bendik to make 4 saves. They also had a flurry of opportunities to score at the end, when 2nd half sub Juan Agudelo hit the post late into stoppage time, and a great save from Bendik a minute prior.

THE GOOD:

Lee Nguyen had two assists against Orlando. He needs to remain the playmaker and provide the passing/assists to keep the goals coming in. Diego Fagundez scored his third goal of this season. With the lack of production coming from their forwards, if the Revs are to have any hope for this season, its looks like Diego will have to regain his 2013 form when he led the team with 13 goals. Juan Agudelo didn’t start the game, but come off the bench and scored his first goal of the season. More important than Diego finding his goal scoring form will be Juan getting his swag back, and get back on the national team level form again.

THE BAD:

Health is starting to become an issue for the Revolution. In the last week plus, Chris Tierney and Charlie Davies both went down with injuries. In the game against Orlando, Lee Nguyen and Je-Vaughn Watson both came out of the game with injuries, although both players were taken out for precautionary reasons. We also saw Donnie Smith suffer and injury, and with Tierney already out, if Smith cant start next week, their back line will look interesting against a very tough LA squad in LA.

FOR THE FUTURE:

The issue of defending opposition crosses into the penalty area was a talking point after the Orlando game. The first goal Orlando scored was a result of not defending the crosses. This was an issue talked about by both players and Jay Heaps after the game. This will be something to look for to see if they improve.

“Collectively we have to do better with crossed balls. It’s been a bit of an achillies heel for us at times because, we do really well 3 or 4 weeks then have a let down defensively. In terms of danger they are not that dangerous they’re floated balls, we should be dealing with the first one better but we are not.”

“I think they are on the right spots, I think that the first goal, from my vantage point, was two guys going to Larin (Cyle), I think Farrell had it and Je-Vaughn went over just in case, it fell right to Molino and I think when you get right down there we just make sure everyone stays with their man and finishes the play” JAY HEAPS on dealing with crosses

“It’s not just the crosses, I think there were other parts of the game we should of done better, at the end, we were frustrated because I think we had this game and we let it slip away” JoGo post game