Soccer
Ryan Lambert
That match in San Jose, that ugly 4-0 loss, was just a hiccup.
Horrific to watch though it may have been, it was also played without Shalrie Joseph, Michael Parkhurst and, for the final 35 minutes, Matt Reis.
The loss underscored just how important both Joseph, who was suspended for the match, and Parkhurst, who earlier in the day had seen the US eliminated from the Olympics, are to New England's ability to dispossess the opponent in the attacking third.
Reis, consequently, was peppered with six shots in his 55 minutes before getting injured. Backup netminder Doug Warren saw five more in 35 minutes, and allowed three goals. It was just the Revolution's sixth loss of the year.
But with Joseph back on Wednesday, the Revs looked on-form against an appreciably better DC United side, and cruised to a 2-1 win. Reis was still out with an injury and Parkhurst was not yet available, but the Revs looked much better at home at midweek, reassured by Joseph's strong, ever-mindful presence in the midfield.
Keep in mind, too, that the Revs have been league frontrunners despite playing most of the season without hitman Taylor Twellman. Second-year man Adam Cristman and Steve Ralston have performed admirably in his stead, scoring six goals apiece, and are supplemented by outstanding rookie Kheli Dube's four goals. Twellman has scored three times in seven appearances (only three starts) since his return from injury.
No team in Major League Soccer is better equipped for the autumn stretch run than New England. The full complement of the deadly goalscorers it has had all year, plus a well-rested Twellman, who has looked menacing as ever at the head of the attack, will make New England a handful for any defense.
Joseph, a top-three player in the league, leads a midfield rife with talent. The Gambian rookies Sainey Nyassi and Kenny Mansally have acquitted themselves well in their first North American seasons and Mauricio Castro and Khano Smith have shined in their respective roles as well. The group has been strong enough defensively to help New England's backline, and aware enough offensively to actively jump into the attack in an instant.
The defense has been spotty at times, of course. But after losing Parkhurst, the MLS Defender of the Year, for a few weeks to the Olympics, the Revolution gave up seven goals in three MLS games, more than 30 percent of the entire season's goals allowed.
Matt Reis, simply put, is Matt Reis. Ever-reliable and occasionally incredible, Reis holds the MLS record for a playoff shutout streak, set last year during the Revs' run to the MLS Cup final, and consecutive minutes played, broken by the injury. Reis, though, should be back for the Revs' tilt against David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy next Saturday.
Imagine where the team would be had Twellman, one of the best pure goalscorers in the league, been healthy all year. It was already first in the league when he came back, but this confluence of suspension, injury and international duty was only a minor setback. Losses to teams like lowly San Jose, even those of the 4-0 variety, happen occasionally and are typically unavoidable. That's soccer.
But the Revolution are the runaway best team in the league. What they've done so far this year without Twellman is remarkable. What they do with him could put some silverware in the trophy case at Gillette Stadium.
Ryan Lambert is an Eagle-Tribune sports writer. E-mail him at rlambert@eagletribune.com.
Ever the bridesmaid
The Revolution have come close but have never won the MLS Cup.
Year%Finals
2007%Dynamo 2, Revolution 1
2006%Dynamo 1, Revolution 1 (4-3 shootout)
2005%Galaxy 1, Revolution 0
2002%Galaxy 1, Revolution 0
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