FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – By the time the New England Revolution host fellow MLS original D.C. United on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium it will have been 17 days since the Revs’ last match.
That wait likely seemed interminable for the club’s supporters, but for the players – who played six games in 19 days between May 26 and June 13 – it was a necessary respite, an opportunity to disconnect and mentally recharge ahead of the second half of the 2018 campaign.
“It’s really important throughout a season to have breaks, to be able to kind of get refocused, get some time to yourself, away from the game for a little bit,” said Teal Bunbury, who registered nine goals in 13 games before the World Cup break. “It keeps you a little bit hungry and wanting more.”
While the Revs have been training daily since early last week, players were given a four-day “vacation” immediately after their 2-2 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes on June 13. Some used that time to visit family, others to catch some sun on the beach, but they all used it as a chance to detach from the game.
“I think those days off were really beneficial for the group, especially if guys were getting a little fatigued or having little injuries here or there,” said Bunbury. “Also, just for the mindset, we know that when we get back, we’ll all be pretty fresh and be able to get after it.”
Getting after it is exactly what the Revs have done since returning to the training ground, splitting their time in Foxborough between maintaining sharpness and preparing for D.C. United, while an intra-squad scrimmage last weekend helped keep the competitive juices flowing.
That preparation will help launch the Revs into another busy period as they’ll play five games in a 22-day stretch beginning on Saturday night, including three consecutive home games against D.C., Seattle Sounders FC and the LA Galaxy to essentially kick off the second half of the schedule.
“I think the break [came] at a perfect time for us,” said head coach Brad Friedel. “We were able to just sit back and watch a little bit of the World Cup, and watch some MLS games as we had a bye week.
“But in between all that we’ve been working extremely hard getting ready for D.C.”
While the break was well-timed, it’s also no surprise that the players are keen to get back onto the field after such a lengthy spell between games, particularly after feeling like they left points on the table in road draws with the Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes in their last two matches.
“I think the guys are eager to get back out there,” said goalkeeper Matt Turner. “We feel like we left some stuff to be done leaving San Jose, so we look forward to getting out in front of our fans at home and getting three points.”
