FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - New England Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph knew his team needed to rebound from last Thursday's 4-0 loss in Chicago. Consider the job done after Wednesday's 3-1 victory in Kansas City.
"It was important for us," Joseph said. "We were on the road. The conditions weren't ideal for us."
Those conditions will improve in time for Saturday's home tilt against the Colorado Rapids at Gillette Stadium.
Chris Albright (ankle) and Jeff Larentowicz (suspension) are expected to return to the starting lineup after missing out against the Wizards. Wells Thompson (heel) will likely settle for a place on the bench given Sainey Nyassi's form over the first three games of the season, while Argenis Fernandez could see his first MLS action after scoring twice for the Revolution reserves on Thursday.
Revolution head coach Steve Nicol lauded the contribution of younger players such as Gary Flood and Amaechi Igwe on Wednesday night and noted that the foundation for their success was predicated by immense efforts by the more experienced players in the side.
"It's huge that you have your core guys do what they do and then step up even more," Nicol said.
Joseph is one of those key players. The defensive midfielder will get running mate Larentowicz back beside him Saturday, but he wants his team to focus on starting quickly. The Revs have struggled out of the gate in the past two games, with Matt Reis to thank for crucial saves in the first 20 minutes on Wednesday night.
"Being on the road plays into it," Joseph said. "We need a fast start here at home. We need to be ready to play at the start of the game when the whistle blows."
The new-look Rapids will pose a different test. After averaging less than a goal per game last season, the Rapids have scored six goals in their first two games.
"They're dangerous," Nicol said. "They have the guys to cause us some trouble. They were unlucky to lose in Kansas City (a 3-2 loss last Saturday). They can score goals."
The team has lost much of its defensive deportment. Acquiring Christian Gomez from D.C. United during the offseason has helped the team push forward and approach the game with more willingness to attack.
Gomez, combined with wing play from Colin Clark and Terry Cooke, has injected impetus and creativity into a side that lacked it last season.
Joseph believes that the Revs will have to track Gomez as he attempts to exert his influence on the game.
"Gomez is a great player," Joseph said. "I was surprised that he left D.C. this offseason. We're going to try not to let him get involved in the game. We're going to try to limit his touches."
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
