The New England Revolution has played just four games of the 2008 Major League Soccer season, and yet only four players have played every minute of every game. The Boston Globe’s Frank Dell’Apa says this lack of continuity is to blame for the Revs’ lack of consistency on the field. Two great performances — 3-0 versus Houston and 3-1 versus Kansas City — have now been followed by two limp defeats. To be fair, Colorado is no pushover, but Saturday’s 1-0 loss can’t be described as anything other than lackluster.
Why? Because Dell’Apa says Colorado merely hoped to escape Gillette Stadium with a draw. What they got was a win, thanks in large part to a heroic performance by Bouna Coundoul in goal. Kenny Mansally, the 19-year-old Gambian striker, had all three of the Revolution’s best attempts, each denied by great saves from Coundoul.
Meanwhile, Revs coach Steve Nicol opted to take off Mansally’s compatriot Sainey Nyassi at halftime. Nyassi had been the catalyst in each of the Revs’ previous victories, and while he certainly wasn’t having his most productive outing against the Rapids, he’s already proven that he can be a difference maker and perhaps should have stayed on. Dell’Apa laments that his replacement, Argenis Fernandez, looked out of sorts throughout the second half.