Revs Staying Positive Despite Missing Coach, Players
Richie Williams: "We need to perform well, be professional in our approach and go out there and play and stick together as a team and as a staff."
The New England Revolution are staying positive despite recent news.
On the injury front, the Revs will be without Dylan Borrero and Brandon Bye due to ACL injuries. Borrero’s injury happened in late April, giving the team time to add Tomas Chanacalay. Bye was sidelined after the Summer Transfer Window closed.
Henry Kessler is working his way back after surgery to repair a right hamstring injury. Unfortunately, “he’s still a ways away in terms of getting back with the team,” according to assistant coach Richie Williams.
On Thursday, Williams said that Gustavo Bou is currently in Argentina and will be out for approximately four weeks with a right leg injury. Andrew Farrell was labeled as being “day-to-day.”
The Revs aren’t letting the injuries get them down.
“When you look at the course of injuries, I think that we’ve had injuries throughout the entire year and have found ways to win,” Matt Polster remarked. “I think when you look at that, I don’t think anything changes. This team will continue to adapt.”
In other news, the club is set to transfer Djordje Petrovic to Chelsea. Petrovic, who was a frontrunner to be the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, is expected to complete his medical soon.
The Revs are reportedly interested in Tomas Vaclik, but the move isn’t complete yet. For now, the team is confident in the options they have on their roster.
“When you sell a key player like Djordje, it’s difficult because you don’t want to see your best players go, or your best players be injured, but we have a more than capable goalkeeper in Earl [Edwards Jr.] where I think he can step in and get the job done for us,” Polster said.
Of course, Revolution head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena has been on administrative leave since Aug. 1 due to a league investigation into “allegations of insensitive and inappropriate remarks.”
On this, Polster said, “With the Bruce [Arena] thing, no one knows anything, trust me. I think I’ll find out before through Twitter than anywhere else.”
Despite all that is happening, the Revs are focused on finishing the year strong. They’re currently second in the Eastern Conference with eleven games left in the regular season.
On Saturday, the club will play their first match since Aug. 7 when they travel to Canada to face CF Montreal. As always, the Revs are looking to collect three points.
“It’s important to make sure we’re able to [maintain focus],” Williams said. '“We spoke with the team and the staff. Again, we say all the time, we’re professionals – professional coaches, professional players.
“Even in a time like this, we have to make sure that we show up every day. We need to perform well, be professional in our approach and go out there and play and stick together as a team and as a staff, continue to play well and get results.”
The Revs should be ok. As far as Bou goes this is nothing is new, he is a great player but his body at his age has turned to glass. Earl should give us a good game if the back line stands strong.