Revolution look to end losing streak against Charlotte

The New England Revolution are mired in a self-inflicted losing streak and head coach Bruce Arena acknowledged where the fault lies.

The reigning Supporters’ Shield recipients have dropped five straight matches, four against MLS opponents and a lopsided 3-0 loss to Pumas UNAM in a CONCACAF Champions League leg 2 contest in Mexico City on March 16.

The Revolution hadn’t lost four straight MLS matches since 2019, a stretch of setbacks that compelled team management to fire coach Brad Friedel and hire Arena.

“We certainly had some unlucky breaks but we’ve made some big mistakes at the end of games that cost us,” said Arena. “To me that says that we are not a well-coached team at the moment.

“That has to get better. For a team to make the mistakes we’ve made at the end of some games that changed the outcomes of the game is inexcusable and in that regard the responsibility is mine.”

In league losses to Real Salt Lake, the New York Red Bulls and Inter Miami SC, the Revolution surrendered the game-winning goals in the 93rd minute, the 90th minute and the 88th minute, respectively. The only defeat that wasn’t decided in the waning moments was the Revolution’s 3-1 loss to expansion Charlotte FC on March 19 at Bank of America Stadium.

The Revolution (1-4-1) have an opportunity to end the slide and gain a measure of revenge when they host Charlotte (3-4-0) on Saturday night (7:30) at Gillette Stadium.

“We’ve obviously gone over these things a number of times since,” said Arena. “It should be well understood by our players now on how to deal better at the end of games.

“Hopefully they respond to the things we discussed and worked on in training.”

Arena plots the strategy and selects the starting 11, but it is up to the players to execute his game plan on the pitch. Arena conducted intense training sessions since the 3-2 loss at Miami to allow his players to work their way out of the slide.

“There was not one particular item we are concentrating on, we are just trying to get better and trying to eliminate some of the mistakes that we have experienced to date,” said Arena.

“But obviously we played Charlotte some weeks ago and analyzed that game. Our team will be different obviously from the group that played in Charlotte so the game is going to be different. Understanding Charlotte and working on getting our team better.”

The Revolution have had a turnstile at striker with Gustavo Bou sidelined with a leg injury he sustained in the loss at Pumas. Adam Buksa, the team’s Gold Boot winner in 2021, missed the match at Miami for drawing a red card in the loss to the Red Bulls.

Striker Justin Rennicks, a homegrown player from South Hamilton, scored his first MLS goal against Miami and could make his third consecutive start against Charlotte. Center back Henry Kessler appears to be fully recovered from the leg injury that kept him out of three games this season.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/ap2RcSv