Playing Without Matt Polster "A Big Loss" As Revs Drop Points To Nashville
“Matt being out was a big loss for us, because he’s one of, if not, the best leader on our team and for sure the best vocal leader on our team.”
The New England Revolution were without Matt Polster for the first time since early March, as the midfielder was sidelined with an illness.
Polster, who featured in 31 games last year, has started every league match since March 15. His ability to make hard tackles, cover ground, and pick out a pass helped propel the Revs to a nine-game unbeaten run.
The Revolution are 6-3-4 with a plus-7 goal differential with Polster in the starting lineup. He’s fifth among MLS midfielders in aerial duels with a 66.7% success rate.
The 32-year-old wasn’t part of the matchday squad for Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to Nashville SC after spending the last few days in bed.
“Matt being out was a big loss for us, because he’s one of, if not, the best leader on our team and for sure the best vocal leader on our team,” Porter said.
The Revs had two leads against Nashville, but ultimately walked away with no points.
Tomas Chancalay got on the end of a set piece from Carles Gil in the 15th minute, but Sam Surridge was able to equalize before the break by outjumping Bryan Ceballos.
The Revs went ahead in the 49th minute when Ceballos headed home a cross from Chancalay. This lead only lasted two minutes as Surridge collected his second of the night at the back post.
He completed his hat trick from the penalty spot in the 58th minute after Mamadou Fofana committed a foul in the box.
“I don’t have anything to tell you tactically or mentally that we should have done differently, it was more individual mistakes today,” Porter said. “We haven’t had a ton of those games.”
Porter did wonder how Polster would’ve affected the game.
“You need a guy to just talk on the pitch and calm guys down because we don’t really have a ton of guys that talk,” Porter said. “Matt’s one of the best. Wyatt [Omsberg] does as well, he’s a good organizer and leader inside the lines.
“As much as you’d like to call timeout, we can’t. There’s nothing I can do from the outside in that two-minute span differently, unfortunately, I wish I could.”
The Revs will now turn their attention to Saturday’s home match against the Colorado Rapids. Porter is hopeful that Polster will be available.
“Hopefully he can get moving here and help us because he’s a key guy,” Porter said. “I did think Jackson [Yueill] did well though today, and I think he had a pretty solid game. So, if he’s not available, Jackson and [Alhassan] Yusuf I think had a pretty good game today.”
Porter always has an excuse lined up...
Beware of faint praise from Porter - obviously our newly-acquired million-dollar midfielder Yuiell failed big time.
I’ll cop to being anti-Polster before, but he has come along way from barely starting in Nevada beer leagues, so while he’s still basically a taller Scott Caldwell, he’s now Mr. Indispensable.
Taylor Twellman called out his former team for playing without urgency or passion in the second half on his game commentary for Apple, but that’s the kind of team we have. The Predators’ winning goal was one of those typical gift penalties on an unthreatening play with Mukhtar going away from the goal, being kicked inadvertently and selling it successfully with a flailing dive, but the Predators seemed to always have men committing to going forward, so the result was basically earned.