Revolution able to do without
Revolution striker Adam Cristman has been playing with a sprained toe on his right foot for months, an injury painful enough to slow him on the field. After starting the first seven matches of the season, he was relegated to a substitute by coach Steve Nicol.
But against FC Dallas last Friday, Cristman was back as a starter for the first time since May 3, and he got his second goal in as many games with a diving header just five minutes into the contest. New England went on to win, 2-1, but a ragtag defense in the second half left goalkeeper Matt Reis to make nine saves to secure the victory.
It's the way the Revolution have powered their MLS-best five-game unbeaten run (4-0-1), which has given them a seat atop the Eastern Conference, a perch they have secured with scrambling, not precision, as the Revolution have fallen back on extraordinary efforts from individuals to finish the games.
"It's not pretty, but we're getting the job done," said Cristman yesterday. "The goals are reward in a way, just coming from working hard, just the enjoyment of getting to play and getting results. One thing with our team, we're pretty deep at most positions, even with injuries. We can still field a great team."
Tonight, New England (7-3-2, 23 points) visits the two-time defending MLS champion Houston Dynamo (4-3-5, 17 points) in a rematch of last year's MLS Cup.
Though Houston leads the Western Conference (tied with Los Angeles), and the Revolution the Eastern Conference (ahead of Chicago and Columbus by 4 points), Nicol said the opponent does not alter his approach to the game as the Revolution continue to work on building a consistent effort.
"We like to think we approach every game 100 percent," said Nicol, "trying to get stronger, quicker every game. We really think of [the whole] squad, rather than just 11 guys, and when you're missing people, that's when you find out what you are.
"You have to keep doing what you do, and what you believe, trying to get things as tight as you can. We are playing well at times, but not for 90 minutes. There are good reasons for that."
The Revolution have had to make constant adjustments, because of injuries (Taylor Twellman, right ankle sprain; Gary Flood, left ankle sprain) and players absent because of international duty (Shalrie Joseph for Grenada, Khano Smith for Bermuda, and Kenny Mansally for The Gambia).
The lineup changes have challenged the Revolution's attempts to build cohesion.
The Dynamo, whom the Revolution defeated, 3-0, in the season opener at Gillette Stadium, also will be without three key players called away to national team duty: striker Brian Ching for the United States, who leads Houston with five goals, and midfielder/striker Dwayne De Rosario and keeper Pat Onstad for Canada. The Dynamo, winless in their first six games, have lost only once in the last six, so every bit of confidence the Revolution forwards can build is important.
In the CONCACAF Champions League draw held in New York yesterday, the Revolution drew Joe Public FC of Trinidad and Tobago, one of three qualifiers from the Caribbean region, for a home-and-away aggregate-goals preliminary series. The games will be played during the last week of August at Joe Public FC and during the first week in September at Gillette Stadium. Joe Public FC is fifth in the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League halfway through the season. In its only competition against an MLS team in the Champions Cup, Joe Public FC was pounded, 8-0, by D.C. United in 1998 . . . Pat Phelan joined the Revolution for the first time at Tuesday's practice. A rookie out of Wake Forest, Phelan was exchanged for a vacant international slot with Toronto FC. With Joseph off with Grenada for a few games, the Revolution needed to add depth in the defensive midfield. 