Porter Discusses Recent Performances, Upcoming Opponents, And Summer Transfers

Porter: “I told that to [the players] today. I said, 'We’re building a championship team here. We’re not there yet.' We’re still in a big hole, so we’ve got a long way to go, but I love the growth."

Photo Courtesy of John McGloughlin

The New England Revolution have won three straight games, a sign of improvement after a 2W-10L-1T start to the season. 

When asked what he likes about recent performances, head coach Caleb Porter said, “The purpose.”

“I thought there were times this year, early in the year, where we kept the ball but we didn’t create chances,” Porter said. “I thought there were times where we didn’t keep the ball and control games enough. I thought there were times early in the year where we gave away too many unforced errors. I thought there were times where we were only playing in transition and sitting in a low block.

“I think what you’re seeing now is we’re playing high up the pitch mostly, with or without the ball. We’re playing aggressively on both sides of the ball. We’re playing through the pressure, but creating chances. We’re controlling games with positional attacks in the front half, but creating chances. We’re pressing in a good way to disrupt the opponent to win the ball high.

“So, I think the decision making is the key, and the purpose on both sides of the ball. This game model isn’t there just because I like the way it looks. It’s there because it’s attached to scoring goals, not conceding goals, and winning. I think what you’re seeing is when you do execute the right way, you get results.”

Porter has divided the season into quarters. During the first eight games, the Revs went 1W-6L-1T with 5 goals scored and 14 conceded. In the next eight games, they went 4W-4L-0T with 10 goals for and 15 against. 

The head coach explained that the Revs “were kind of in the storming phase” during the first quarter. He said they’re now “more in the norming/performing phase.”

Porter, who won the MLS Cup with the Portland Timbers and Columbus Crew, noted there’s been an adjustment period associated with coming to the Revs.

“I think I underestimated, probably, the transition a little bit,” Porter said. “You never know completely what it is going to be like, because it depends on the previous habits. I think that the way things were done here in the past made it more difficult, not because it was wrong what they were doing in the past, it’s just very different from what I do. So it was a lot more new things for the guys in terms of playing, training, culture, everything.

“And to some extent, you recruit for your game model. So, some of the profiles were very different. Some of the selections were good players, but maybe they needed time to develop more into my way of playing.

“So, I probably underestimated that a bit, but it’s been stimulating. I’ve enjoyed it actually, even though it has been challenging and even though, like you said, I’ve lost a lot more games than I’m used to. That part has been tough, but I’ve never wavered. I’ve continued to follow my process and I’ve continued to believe that this team will eventually get to where we want to get.

“I told that to them today. I said, ‘We’re building a championship team here. We’re not there yet.’ We’re still in a big hole, so we’ve got a long way to go, but I love the growth and hopefully people are seeing that when we execute, when it looks like it should look, that we can score goals, that we can defend in a good way, and that we can find ways to win games, most importantly. That’s the most important thing, it’s about finding ways to win games.” 

Carles Gil also sees progress in how the team has been playing. The captain stated the return of Dylan Borrero has helped.

“I think in the last games, we’ve played very well,” Porter said. “Not just for the wins but the way we’ve played. Also, Dylan is a very important player for us. He’s a different player, he can go into space.

“I think we’re showing we’re a good team, with the ball, having chances, scoring goals, and having the rhythm of the game that we want. We need to continue like this.”

It has taken time for Porter to establish his ideas. Part of that is connected to the lack of training sessions at the beginning of the year while the Revs balanced the Concacaf Champions Cup and league play. 

“We’ve got a game model that we show them in video,” Porter said. “We have a coaching manual that we give them that shows all our drills that we use. Obviously, with the training every day, it’s clear who we want to be in terms of identity and our concepts of how we play.

“But sometimes, you just need time. Early in the year, we didn’t have that time on the training ground, so we probably lost ground or we didn’t really gain ground. Now, we’ve finally had a couple of months to really train, I think you’ve seen it take shape. So, I think that’s really what we needed.

“It took longer than I thought it would, but I’m really pleased at the progress, but I also am disappointed with, still, where we’re at, and the only way to change that is to just win the next game. That’s our mindset right now, is to just work hard in training then go and try to win the next game.”

The road win over Nashville SC and home wins against the New York Red Bulls and Vancouver Whitecaps are positives, but more tests are coming. 

On Saturday, the Revs travel to face FC Cincinnati, who sit second in the Eastern Conference. After that, they welcome Columbus Crew SC, who are currently on a four-game win streak. 

“[I’m] real happy with all the development from everyone, really, but this game is going to be our toughest game of the year,” Porter said. “We’re playing in the next two games the Supporters’ Shield winners last year and the MLS Cup champions from last year. So, we’re playing arguably the two best teams in the league in the next two games.

“I like that. I like that challenge. I like that it’s midseason, our 17^th game, and it’s a great measuring stick for us to see how far we have come.

“We have gotten some results in games where maybe we should have gotten results. The Vancouver one was, I think, a big result, because that’s a very good team in the west. We now have to show that we can play with the best teams, which I think we can, but we’ll find out on Saturday where we’re at in terms of our growth.”

While Porter likes how the team has been performing recently, he does anticipate making moves when the Summer Transfer Window opens on Jul. 18.

“Obviously, we’re pleased that we’re getting the most out of the group that we have right now,” Porter said. “In terms of our targets and our strategy, nothing changes at all just because we’re winning games. Nothing changes.

“We still know what we need and we still know we’ll make some moves for sure. I would expect two or three moves. I won’t tell you what positions, but in the summer, we’d like to have those guys here at the front end of it, because there’s not too many games left after it. So, the sooner they are here in that window, the better.”