FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – History shows New England don't fare particularly well in the mile-high surroundings in Colorado.
In order to contradict the 3-11-3 all-time mark they will carry into Saturday night's date with the Rapids and secure a much-needed victory, the Revs will have to tackle the altitude-related challenges by conserving their energy and managing the match wisely.
“We've got to be smart,” New England coach Steve Nicol told MLSsoccer.com on Thursday. “In the altitude, you can't go chasing and running around for 90 minutes. You have to be smart and pick and choose when you get your rest and when you're going full throttle.”
Dick's Sporting Goods Park is also a place where the visiting side benefits from retaining possession. The emphasis on keeping the ball poses problems for a Revolution side that has failed to string together passing sequences for most of the season.
Although the Revs have faltered when asked to keep the ball, they will have to improve their tidiness in possession in order to limit their defensive work and reduce the amount of ground they have to cover against a Rapids attack that has scored three goals in each of its past two home matches.
“The problem with us in the past is that we haven't kept the ball, so we've been defending so long and it makes us tired over time,” Revolution defender Cory Gibbs said. “Keeping the ball would help us preserve our energy. Going into that altitude will be difficult, but if our movement is good off the ball and we can keep it, it'll be easier for us than just defending.”
Then again, defending won't be particularly easy either with Conor Casey and Omar Cummings set to lead the line for Colorado. Casey and Cummings form one of the most potent striking duos in the league – both players have notched nine goals on the campaign – and pose considerable matchup problems because they combine to offer both size (Casey) and speed (Cummings).
Nicol said his back four will have to keep a careful eye on Cummings' darting runs and stand up tall to combat Casey's rugged approach in order to reduce the effectiveness of the Colorado attack.
“They're doing well and they've got a bit of everything,” Nicol said. “They've got size, they've got strength and they've got some pace as well. We just have to make sure we're tight.
"Particularly on the pace side of it," continued the coach. "We have to get in good position and hope to nullify that. We have to go there and be strong."
New England will enter the second game of a three-match road trip with relatively few health concerns. Khano Smith dislocated his right shoulder in last Friday's 2-0 defeat to Chivas USA, but trained with a brace on Thursday and could be fit enough to make the trip.
Edgaras Jankauskas also featured on the training ground this week; however, he appears unlikely to make the travel squad. He’s still regaining match fitness as he continues to recover from a left adductor strain.
Finally, Nico Colaluca suffered a right MCL strain earlier this week and will miss out on a potential meeting with his former employers.
With a healthy squad in tow and a three-match road losing streak to snap, the Revs will enter the match against the playoff-chasing Rapids seeking to combat the altitude and emerge with a rare victory.
“We just have to go in and work hard,” Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph said. “Once we do that, it's all about our mind. If we can keep our mind focused and keep our legs moving, we'll be fine.”
