Sports stats



MLS New England Revolution

New England Revolution Game Notes: May 14, 2021

May 14, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New England Revolution News Release


FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Revolution will host Columbus SC at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, 98.5 The Sports Hub, 1260 AM Nossa Radio). Following Friday's training session at Gillette Stadium, Sporting Director and Head Coach Bruce Arena, forward Gustavo Bou, and goalkeeper Matt Turner met with the media to preview Sunday's contest. View the links below to access the Revolution's game notes for Sunday's match, today's interviews and transcripts, and additional media assets.

Revolution Sporting Director and Head Coach Bruce Arena (May 14, 2021)

On Sunday's match against Columbus SC:

Arena: "We're looking forward to the game. Obviously, the defending MLS Cup champions are coming into Foxborough in Gillette Stadium, so it's obviously going to be challenging game. They are off to a little bit of a slow start for them in the league, but we know they are a good team. They've had a lot of preparation for the season with the [Concacaf] Champions League games, so they'll be a team that's going to come into Foxborough and be a handful. Our team continues to move forward. I think the Philadelphia game, we played a good game. We certainly have a lot of areas where we can improve and that'll be the challenge for the next game."

On controversial referee decisions over the past two games:

Arena: "We're told those things balance out. So, if those things balance out, we've got a lot of reserve there to get a couple calls going our way. But let's be fair, every game is difficult. I think the biggest issues with those particular calls were I think they were easy calls, they weren't hard calls to make. That's the part that's disappointing between the VAR and the referee. But again, it's challenging. I think there's pressure on a referee. [They] only have a minute to kind of make a decision. There's pressure on the VAR. I still don't think we have enough experienced people doing it, and it's challenging. Some plays they get right. We had a tackle in the penalty area by Brandon Bye that the VAR decided was not a penalty, so there are calls that go our way as well. But the three you mentioned were three calls I think they definitely got wrong."

On Andrew Farrell's role in helping Henry Kessler and Jon Bell develop:

Arena: "It's important. The communication is vital for center backs and Andrew generally leads the charge. Last year, he spent a lot of time with Henry and helped move him along, as well as this year with Jon Bell. But having a more experienced player there is definitely helpful."

On how things are moving within the organization since his arrival two years ago today:

Arena: "I've never thought of it that way. I think things are moving forward. Are they at the pace we want? I think, at times, it's been good on the field. It can be better, there's no question about it. I think, ultimately, the way I'd like to leave here is have the team and the organization in a better position [than] before I came. So, we still have a lot of work to do. This still is an organization that has been to five MLS cups, you can't deny that. We haven't been to one since I've been here. Secondly, we need to build a soccer stadium here, so that's all part of the challenges that lie ahead for the New England Revolution. Can we build a stadium and can we win an MLS Cup? So, if you're going to be real critical, those are the areas that need to be checked off."

On Columbus SC Head Coach Caleb Porter's managerial style:

Arena: "I think that's best answered by Caleb [Porter] or the team he works with. I don't spend a whole lot of attention to Caleb when he's on the sidelines. Actually, having said that, we've had a few verbal discussions when he was in Portland. Caleb's teams are well prepared. They play hard. How he manages his particular team, I can't really tell you, but he's obviously been a very successful coach. He's won, I believe, two MLS cups - one in Portland, one in Columbus. I would say that he's accomplished as much as a coach in this league as almost anybody."

On getting a win over Columbus in a rematch of the 2020 Eastern Conference Final:

Arena: "Well, to be honest with you, I don't think we've spent one second discussing any of that. We're coming off the game in Philadelphia. We got in early on Thursday morning and yesterday was just the recovery day and today was reviewing the game against Philadelphia. So, we really haven't discussed Columbus. We will tomorrow, but I think this is basically like any other game we're playing at home. It's a game that we think we need to win, and we haven't spent any time yet on Columbus, but certainly will tomorrow. I don't think there's anything special to the game and the fact that they beat us last year - and give them credit and give them credit for winning the MLS Cup - but this is not a revenge type of game."

On Christian Mafla's status:

Arena: "He continues to improve. Today was his first day back in full training. So, he's moving forward. I don't anticipate him playing Sunday."

On Maciel's progression:

Arena: "He's played well. I've said this a number of times, he's a very good passer on the ball, he's very composed, he's got good vision. He's getting better on the defensive end. He still has areas to improve, but he works hard. He's 21 years old, he's a pretty composed player, and he's been good. We think he can continue to grow. He's going to grow physically as well over the next couple of years. We think he has potential to be a very good player in this league."

Revolution Forward Gustavo Bou (May 14, 2021)

*Quotes translated from Spanish*

On preparing for Columbus SC and how he feels physically after working his way back from a minor injury:

Bou: "First and foremost, it'll be a very tough match, like you said. They are the defending champions. We know they are coming off a loss and they're definitely going to want to come in here wanting to do something as the visiting team. But we are preparing well. I think we had a great performance in the last game. Unfortunately, we left with a sour taste in our mouths after the tie in the last minutes. There was a play at the end that I thought was a foul, but aside from that, I thought we played a good game. The idea is to play at home against Columbus who, like I said, is a tough opponent. We have to continue in the same form to try and get these three points. In terms of my injury, I feel good. I think that I started to feel much better through the minutes I played in these last two games. I feel very confident both with the injury and soccer-wise. I know I have to return to the rhythm my teammates are playing with, but I have a lot of faith that everything will be fine. If I get the chance to play minutes this weekend, I'll attempt to do so in my best form."

On where he feels most comfortable in the attack:

Bou: "I'm the type of player that, as I've said in the past, likes to play up top and close to the goal. I like to play with another teammate alongside me at forward. I feel very comfortable that way. It's a matter of adapting myself with the teammate next to me and the rest of the team, too, to give the team my best performance. I think that's how we all approach it. Obviously, the coaches make those decisions. The coaches evaluate each player to try and put the best 11 out on the field, the 11 that give us the best chance to win each game. I've said it before, I like to play up top. It's that's with another forward, that's better. If I have to play as the lone forward, that's okay, too. I try to play my best. What's important is that the team plays the way the coaches want us to play and that everyone feels comfortable."

On his performance thus far this season:

Bou: "I think, as a forward, we haven't created as many chances as we would like to. Not just myself personally, but the team. I think we've played some good games in tough settings, both as the away team and the home team. I think we've won some games by close margins, but I think the team's finding itself little by little. The coaches are doing their best to put the best 11 out there every game. We all know that as forwards, wings, defenders, we need to work on creating opportunities. We're missing that, in order to convert goals and win games. I think we're missing that. Hopefully in this next game we show that we're the type of team that wants to play from the midfield on forward. The objective is always to score goals and take the time we need. If we can improve that, I think we'll do well. When it's time to defend, we all defend and we're all solid. I think we're missing that aggressiveness and calmness when it's time to attack. I think we'll find it little by little. I trust my teammates. They're doing everything they can to find it. We've seen that in the last few games. Hopefully, in this next game on Sunday, we'll see that calmness from the midfield on so we can all feel comfortable. We have the tools to win games and we trust one another."

On how the team feels as it closes out a stretch of three games in nine days:

Bou: "We feel good. I think we are in a good place. We have the chance to play against a good opponent that we saw last year in the conference final. They beat us by one goal, but the positives are that this is a new game and we're the home team. It will be important for us to be focused and play the game we want to play in order to win and continue improving. We want to try and win every game, but also continue improving in every game. We know we have to do everything we can to take three points from our home games. Last year, we didn't do that. We didn't play well at home and that forced us to win games on the road. I think things have changed. We've won our first few games at home. We're still looking for the first win on the road., but the season just started and hopefully we can grab three points this weekend."

Revolution Goalkeeper Matt Turner (May 14, 2021)

On if anything could have gone differently on Philadelphia's game-tying goal on Wednesday:

Turner: "A lot of things, yeah, and there's no maybe there. I think the intent of the action was pretty clear. At this point, I gave myself a day to sort of sulk about it, but now it's Friday and we're days out from Columbus, and I'd like to shift the focus that way. But I think before that, we had a three-on-two, we gave the ball away, Philly had six players forward, and we weren't quite the way we needed to be to see that game off. It needed to be ugly no matter what. We gave them too much space, too much time. A free run in the box from a good striker. Unfortunately, things happen in this game and it can be cruel at times. If you had told us before the game that we were going to get a point in Philly mid-week, we were going to take that, but we were in a position to win that game - that's why it's disappointing."

On if fans back in Gillette Stadium provide a spark:

Turner: "Massively. And I think we talked in the offseason, and over the last two seasons we haven't really done as well at Gillette as we would have liked or as we have done in years prior. I think that was a point of emphasis for us this year, and hopefully over the next two weeks, I think the main goal would be six points."

On being named to the United States Men's National Team's preliminary roster for Concacaf Nations League:

Turner: "It feels nice. I was named to the last preliminary roster and I ended up not being able to go. It is what it is. It's nice to be in the conversation, but I know that my play here really affects whether I get called in. I'm ready to go if my name is called, but in saying that, my focus is completely on playing Columbus."

On the difference in the team's defensive performance from Nashville to Philadelphia:

Turner: "I think one of the biggest things was our approach everywhere on the field. I think we started the game strong, we maintained that intensity, and I think you saw a battle from the team. We flipflopped the formation and a few players in the lineup, and I think that boded well for us in Philly mid-week. I think you can expect to see some changes again this weekend to keep the legs fresh and keep the intensity high."

On Jon Bell's performance in his MLS debut on Wednesday:

Turner: "First of all, I think Jon [Bell] did a great job. And I think in preseason he was having an excellent preseason before he picked up a slight knock, which sort of put him off track for a few weeks. He's been working really hard in training every single day, and I think that showed on the pitch the other night. I think he had a great game, and I think he has a really bright future. Before the game I told him this is where I debuted, too, because I debuted over there in Philly. I told him to soak it all in right now, because it's a great feeling, but once that whistle goes you got to battle. I think he was really up to the task on Wednesday night."

On facing Columbus SC on Sunday and how team feels physically as it plays a third game in nine days:

Turner: "I think our group is feeling good. We've relied on our depth. We haven't played the same exact lineup every single [game]. It would have been nice to get the boost of three points - we feel a little hard done by that - but I think everyone sort of realizes now the intensity and the focus it takes for 90 minutes to get a result in this league or get the three points that you want in this league. The challenges [we] face, they have MLS Cup MVP Lucas Zelarayán, they have Gyasi Zardes, Pedro Santos, they have Darlington Nagbe, a good goalkeeper, a strong backline who are really good with dealing with balls in the air. Tactically, they have a great coach as well. It's a strong team. We know that intensity needs to be our starting point. If we come out, we set the tone, we win our first few tackles in the game, and we sustain that through 90 minutes, we can find ourselves in a position to take all three points from this one."

Check out the New England Revolution Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...

Major League Soccer Stories from May 14, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central