NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
I think they all worked extremely hard. They’re all in different situations. (Jean-Baptiste Fritzon) up front has been playing. He played in an international last week, so he’s obviously a lot fitter than the other two guys. As far as the effort and work rate, they did well enough. Obviously it’s hard for anybody.
We got out-played, so it was tough for everybody. The good thing for us to take out of this game is to see what they do well. And no surprise – all the good teams control the ball, pass the ball and move. Those three things that sound very simple when they’re done well are very hard to play against. If we can look at them and try to understand that if we can do that better, then we are at the present time, then we’ll get better.
We were just trying make sure that nobody did too much. It’s not really fresh legs; we just wanted to give a few guys a break, as well. Saturday is the priority for us. Sometimes it’s good experience for guys to play against guys who’s second nature is to pass and move.
I’ve said already that one of the positive things we should take out of it is that the players should look at them and see what they do well. It’s not all tricks and stuff like that. It’s real football stuff: it’s real great nice touch, good passing and good movement. Those three things combined together, it’s fantastic.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION DEFENDER CORY GIBBS
Top of the Portuguese league is always good competition for us. This type of team will see small mistakes and capitalize on them, and that affected us today … It’s a higher-caliber team. But no matter what, regardless of the caliber of the team, we need to come ready to play. I think the mistakes that we made shouldn’t have happened, even against a big team like Benfica. Like I said, those mistakes affected us and they capitalized on them.”
These are the games that you look forward to playing instead of just league games. These are games that you need to step up and prepare for and just try and do your best on. I try to translate that to the team and, all nervousness aside, we have all to gain from this so just go out there and have fun.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER NICO COLALUCA
Their professionalism, the way they approach every game and some things they do well, move the ball and the way they move around … They’re not necessarily quicker, there are more options, more guys moving off the ball. There are two or three options every time, they are moving faster and makes their game easier.
The second half is a whole new game; we had [six] changes, so a lot of guys out there played like it was 0-0. We wanted to win that half, it was 3-0 and we wanted to go out there and compete and win the half.
We did pretty well up until the first goal and they snuck one in on us and we didn’t settle back in right away. We needed five or ten minutes after they scored to settle back in and keep our composure and we didn’t find it right away. Then they came back down and scored right away off a set piece a couple minutes later.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER SAINEY NYASSI
It really was a tough game. We lost, so it was bad. But we were playing a great team from Portugal … It was a good experience.
On looking ahead to this weekend’s game in Toronto …
I think all we’ve got to do is just continue what we’ve been doing the last game. Last two games, I think we’ve really stepped up our game. We’ve got to be so loose and play as a team. And hopefully if we get that, we might get something.
REVOLUTION TRIALIST IVAN GVOZDENOVIC (SERBIA)
For me the time zone was different, and I didn’t know the team. It was a tough game and Benfica is a very good team. It was a big experience, they played together a long time ago and they know how to play football. They scored the goals and we tried to do our best. I think also the coach was looking for good competition, he tried to change some players, and what we can say?
How do you feel you fit with the team?
I feel good, really. The players were very friendly, very kind. They wanted to help me because they know that I am a new player. I was feeling very nice. As I told you, it was difficult for me to play because it’s my first game with the team players, and I didn’t know how to play, where I need to move. They are talking a lot on the field, we are speaking all of the time. And I think that I can say big things for the players.
REVOLUTION DRAFT PICK/TRIALIST JASON GRIFFITHS
It felt good. It was tough playing against Benfica, but it felt good to be out there. I think I did alright and I look forward to coming up next week and training with the team.
(Revolution Vice President of Player Personnel) Mike Burns actually called me last week and asked me to come up a bit early. I was meant to come up next week, so he asked me to come up early and play in this game … I was surprised and happy. It felt really good to come up here and meet the lads; it’s been great.
