Arena: “We’re prepared to have a good last two-thirds of the season.”
There’s a lot of optimism in the New England Revolution locker room despite a rocky start to the season.
The Revs are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 3-5-3. It’s not exactly the way they wanted to follow up a season where they lifted the Supporters’ Shield while breaking the league record for most points in a single season. That said, there are still plenty of games left to play.
To give some perspective, the Revs’ twelve points puts them just three points shy of the final playoff spot. It’s certainly possible to erase that gap, especially since the Revs have only recorded one loss in their last five league outings.
Even during their worst stretch, the Revolution had positive moments. They’re now looking to put everything together for 90 minutes every game.
“There’s definitely been little spurts and little spells where you can just see what this team can be and where we can take it,” Sebastian Lletget said. “It’s just been a little inconsistent and we take accountability for that. We really have been trying to work on things that we know we need to get better at.”
The Revs had a busy schedule to start the season as they had to balance league play and the Concacaf Champions League. The schedule congestion was compounded by injuries to key players, such as Matt Turner, Henry Kessler, and Gustavo Bou. With everyone reaching full health, Lletget is confident that “things are only going to get better.”
As players get more time together, the chemistry will grow. Lletget noted that he feels more comfortable, saying, “I’m still adjusting and things like that, but I feel like I’m getting the hang of it a little bit more.” The 29-year-old midfielder has recorded assists in consecutive league games.
The Revs will also be aided by the two additions they made at the end of the primary transfer window. Djordje Petrovic is a 22-year-old Serbian goalkeeper who is expected to take over when Turner leaves for Arsenal at the end of June. The 20-year-old Dylan Borrero is a speedy winger who has been compared to Tajon Buchanan.
“We’re prepared to have a good last two-thirds of the season,” head coach Bruce Arena said when asked about the current state of the roster. “I think we’re well-positioned to move forward and hopefully win a lot more games.”
With 23 games left to play, Lletget is optimistic about what’s to come, especially since the team has “a great group of players [and] obviously a great coaching staff.”
“There are positives [from the season], and you just can’t lose sight of that,” Lletget explained. “Even though it’s so easy to get emotional and just look at the results and base all our work on that, but we do have to take a step back and look at the good things that we’ve done. So, it’s not all bad, and there’s a long way to go and I think it will only get better. I truly feel that.”