Revs’ marathon May set to kick off

With the 2010 MLS season’s starting weeks having come and gone, the New England Revolution prepare for a very challenging month of May wherein they will play 8 games over a period of 29 days.

So far this season, the club’s five games have been separated by a week a piece, with each occurring on Saturday night.  This month, the separation will be cut in half as the Revs take to the pitch once every 3.63 days.

Though the team realizes that this will present a challenge, its focus is set on the upcoming match and the upcoming match alone.

“Focus on the next game, that’s all,” said coach Steve Nicol.  ”Whether we play 3 a week, 4 a week, 5 a week, all we can do is concentrate on the next game.”

Nicol speaks with some authority on the topic, having coached the club through an eight game month in August of 2008.

Pat Phelan supported his coach’s approach.

“We try not to approach it as we’ve got eight games this month,” he said.  ”We know that we’ve got a game Saturday.  As soon as that’s over, we’ll adjust, recoup, but we’re just looking at it one game at a time.  It’s a bear to look at it in the big picture, so we’re taking it one game at a time.”

The first game in the stretch will come Saturday night, when the Revolution host FC Dallas.  That will be followed up on Wednesday, also at Gillette Stadium, against Chivas USA.  In fact, of the eight games, five will be played at home and none will be played outside of the Eastern time zone.  The US Open play-in game on May 12 at Red Bull Arena will likely see a high number of reserves playing, and the friendly international match against SL Benfica on May 19 definitely will.  These factors will help the Revs stay fresh, but it still won’t be easy.

“It’s going to be a tough stretch,” defenseman Kevin Alston said.

Alston said that training will likely be a bit less intense during May but that for a club in the middle of a season and looking to rise in the standings, they can’t afford to take it easy.

“We also need to get better,” he said.  ”We need to be on top of everything and make sure we’re focused so that we can have a good stretch of games.”

Alston indicated that the club’s depth will be instrumental in the coming weeks, echoing statements that Nicol made to RevolutionSoccer.net earlier this week.

“I’d be shocked if it’s the same 11 that’s out there every game,” Nicol said. “We’re going to have to use everybody. We’ll need some fresh legs at certain points. We’ll be starting every game with the intention of going after it and trying to win it.”

With the talk around the Revolution this week primarily centered on Shalrie Joseph‘s leave of absence, such focus may seem difficult for the club.  But Nicol and Alston both say that all attention is aimed at the match at hand.

“You’re not thinking about the outside influences, anything that’s going on,” Alston said.  ”It’s just thinking about yourself and the team, and what you need to do as a player and a team to get better and prepare for the game.”

“The only thing the team will concentrate on is staying fit and healthy,” Nicol said.  ”When we’re on the field we’ll get onward, so that’s the only thing we’re interested in.”

With such a hectic schedule approaching, the Revolution likely don’t have time to be distracted anyway.  The busy month of May begins Saturday night at 7:30 against FC Dallas.