Caleb Porter's Analytical Approach to Load Management
Caleb Porter's Analytical Approach to Load Management
“[Porter] looks a lot at the player load. So, like the numbers and he’s very analytical like that."
With a new head coach comes a new mindset on and off the field and there isn’t a clearer example of this than how injuries are being handled by the New England Revolution under Caleb Porter.
Under Bruce Arena, numerous players struggled to stay healthy; especially after making their return from a stint on the sidelines. Porter aims to eliminate that from happening.
After playing 45 minutes against Club Atlético Independiente, Kessler discussed how his head coach handles returning from injuries and how it might differ from the previous regime.
“[Porter] looks a lot at the player load,” the center back said. “So, like the numbers and he’s very analytical like that. How much we ran, how much we sprinted, what all that distance was. He takes that all into account and tries to get it down to a science. We fill out questionnaires as well, about how we’re feeling, where we’re sore, stuff like that. So, there is a lot taken into account.”
Kessler added that he felt good physically and that he is excited at the prospect of playing in the home opener on Sunday.
New England has been able to deal with Kessler’s absence partly due to the depth they have at center back. The Revs have capable starters in Jonathan Mensah, Dave Romney, and Andrew Farrell, as well as youngster Tiago Suarez, waiting in the wings to make his first MLS appearance.
Now that Kessler has returned, Porter has plenty of defensive dominators at his disposal. With Concacaf Champions Cup and MLS matches coming thick and fast, being able to rotate at the position will pay dividends for the head coach and his squad.
“It’s competitive,” Kessler said when asked about his fellow center backs. “I think we can all play in different spots too, and back three has been talked about as well, so different systems. But Andrew [Farrell] has played a lot of right back. Just finding ways where we can all be on the field. There’s a lot of games so there’s going to be rotation, but I think we all want to play, obviously, and we’re all good players. So, there’s obviously competition but there are different ways you can find to get us all on the field.”
With four matches in less than 10 days, New England will be unable to play its preferred starting XI for 90 minutes each match. The depth on the back line and in the midfield will be crucial.
But for Kessler, the next step is crossing that 60-minute threshold and eventually a full 90. With how Porter is handling injuries, it could take some time for those milestones to occur but having Kessler back in the squad in any capacity is an added boost to New England’s defensive capabilities.