FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Success can often be judged by the goals against column.
Through the New England Revolution’s seven-game unbeaten run from mid-March to early May (5-0-2), they conceded just three goals and kept four clean sheets.
Conversely the Revs have allowed 12 goals through their current six-game winless run (0-2-4) and haven’t held an opponent scoreless since a 0-0 draw with Columbus Crew SC in mid-April.
The task now, of course, is to identify what’s changed and figure out how exactly the Revs can get back to being one of the stingiest defensive sides in the league.
But it’s not always as simple as identifying one pattern and making a quick fix.
“Each game you’ve got to look at a little differently,” said head coach Jay Heaps. “I thought this last game (against Portland), Bobby (Shuttleworth) had to make way too many saves. We defended well in that we gave everything we had, but I think our offense let us down. We didn’t keep the ball, so we were under pressure the entire game.
“I think if you look back at the other games where we’ve given up goals, they’ve had one or two chances and we’ve given up a goal. So there’s different reasons for each [goal conceded], but in the end, the same result is there that we’re giving up goals and we shouldn’t.”
While the Timbers rifled 19 shots in the direction of Shuttleworth last weekend, the Revs certainly haven’t been under siege in every game of their recent slump. Three times during their six-game winless run they’ve limited opponents to three or fewer shots on target.
In those matches the issue has been that the chances conceded have been quality chances – the occasional lapse which has been punished by ruthless opponents.
“I think it’s moments in games,” said center back Andrew Farrell. “For 75 percent of the game we’re really solid, not giving up chances. But then it’s just that one mental breakdown where maybe two of the four guys aren’t 100 percent focused.”
New England will hope to get back in the shutout column this weekend against Chicago, but it won’t be an easy task against a Fire side which has scored 10 goals in its last five games.
“We just need to make sure we focus a little bit more,” said Farrell. “It’s coming. It’s not a lack of effort; guys want to put in good performances, so I think it’ll come. We’ve just got to put it all together.”
