FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The status of New England goalkeeper Matt Reis' balky left knee remains somewhat tenuous as the Revolution heads into a bye weekend.
Reis sat out last Saturday's 1-0 defeat to FC Dallas in a bid to reduce the swelling in his joint. The match marked the second affair the veteran goalkeeper has missed so far this season due to the lingering complaint, with Bobby Shuttleworth stepping into his spot on both occasions.
MLS Match Recap: New England Revolution 0, FC Dallas 1
Revolution coach Jay Heaps said the decision to omit Reis from the squad against the Western Conference leaders stemmed from a desire to give him an extra week off to facilitate the recovery process.
"It was one of those we said, 'Hey, let's get him some extended rest to really calm this thing down,'" Heaps told MLSsoccer.com. "Hopefully, he continues to respond and get better. Right now, for us, it's a day-by-day thing, not so much week-by-week yet, but day-by-day."
The uncertain timetable has prompted Heaps to exhibit ample caution to allow Heaps the necessary latitude to recover at his own pace.
READ: New England Revolution coach Jay Heaps: "Everyone has to be better from start to finish"
The second-year coach said he plans to take a long-term view on the situation to ensure Reis does not incur damage that might keep him out for a more protracted portion of the season. The Revs return to action on April 13 at Seattle.
"We've listened to our doctors and they've said it's more or less going to be time," Heaps told MLSsoccer.com. "He could probably have played, if it's a playoff game and he pushes it. But it's one of those where we have to be smart with the length of the season and how much we're using him when he maybe isn't 100 percent."
