Delamea: “We should start to build for next season”
- Updated: September 30, 2017
Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – For several weeks now the New England Revolution knew they would need a very strong finish to the season, along with some favorable results elsewhere, to have a shot on at the playoffs. The favorable results elsewhere have been pouring in, keeping the Revolution alive, but a scoreless draw on Saturday at Gillette Stadium against Atlanta United may well have been the death knell to the team’s postseason hopes, leaving them four points below the redline with just two games to game.
The realization that—with however slim their chances were before the match—any playoff hopes evaporated with the failure to get three points on Saturday was clear from the team at the end of the game.
“We knew that today for us the only thing was three points would count,” said defender Antonio Delamea. “We tried to go all out and attack in the last 15 minutes, at some moments it was only me in the backline. We tried everything today, but they were defending very good. We had some chances, but at the end of the day we need to be fair, they had some chances too and I think overall it’s a fair result.”
The Revolution held 61% of the possession and largely kept Atlanta—a team that beat the Revolution 7-0 just a few weeks ago—quiet and forced Brad Guzan into four saves, but it wasn’t enough.
“The disappointing thing is on any given day you would take that result because of the work you put into it, but at this time of year we can’t afford that result, so on that side everyone lives disappointed,” said interim head coach Tom Soehn.
Now after the latest disappointing result, with the illusion of any playoff hopes seemingly gone, the Revolution can use their final two games to build towards next season. The Revolution look set to finish the 2017 season with one of best home records in the league while, barring a result in their final road match, failing to win a single away game all year. The margin between the Revolution’s home and away points per game total is on pace to be the largest in league history.
“For me personally, it’s more like we should be learning something for next season,” said Delamea. “We should to build for next season. Especially our road mentality is very, very bad. This is something we will have to improve for next year if we want to reach [the postseason].”
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