New England Revolution head coach Steve Nicol is expected to field an unchanged side for this weekend's clash against D.C. United.
With his side enjoying a five-match winning streak, Nicol feels that his side has settled into a rhythm that would make changes unlikely.
"Well, it'd be harsh on anyone who is left out," said Nicol.
Joe Franchino, James Riley, and Cassio did not participate in a full-field practice on Thursday, although Franchino and Riley worked out on the side.
The Brazilian midfielder is unlikely to feature as he continues to be plagued by turf toe.
"We sent him in for an X-ray, and we'll probably send him for a MRI as a precaution," said Nicol. "That toe is a pain.",p>
Rookie James Riley is still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered against the Fire in Chicago on April 27.
"He's improving all the time," said Nicol. "He'll relax for the next two or three days. He won't play on Saturday."
With the Revolution slated to lose three or four players for Bruce Arena's glamour friendly with England later this month, Nicol has to be wary of his depth.
"We're not being any more extra careful [because of the callups], but we don't want to take any extra chances either," said Nicol.
Despite his team's early-season form, the former Liverpool star maintains that his club needs to continue its improvement to stay the course for the rest of the weekend.
"We're really just trying to get better," said Nicol. "At this moment, there's not a lot going wrong. We have to make sure we don't get complacent."
Turning his attentions to this weekend's encounter against D.C., the Revs manager avoided comparisons to last month's epic 4-3 victory at RFK Stadium. An up-and-down match featured three penalties, two for the home side, as the Revolution eked out a victory.
"D.C. at home is a tough team to play against," said Nicol. "When we played them there, we wanted to get at theme to keep them from getting at us. The home support down there is like a 12th man. We're just trying to get better."
Revolution midfielder Clint Dempsey notes that his side enters the match brimming with confidence.
"We're confident," said Dempsey. "If you don't expect to win, why are you going to play the game?"
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
