Revolution versus Earthquakes preview
The season is just starting for the New England Revolution, but the team's injury list is already in midseason form.
The Revolution will likely be without their top two goal-scorers from last season when they open the 2009 campaign Saturday night by visiting the San Jose Earthquakes, who are also banged up as they begin their second season since the franchise was reestablished.
New England was without top offensive threats Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman when it lost to Chicago in the first round of the playoffs last fall, ending its run of three straight trips to the MLS Cup final.
Coach Steve Nicol's club will probably be in the same situation Saturday. Twellman has been ruled out as he continues to experience neck pain from a collision in a game against Los Angeles Aug. 30, and Ralston is doubtful due to a quadriceps strain.
Both players scored eight goals last season, and they've combined for 168 in their careers -- with Twellman one tally away from being the league's fifth 100-goal scorer.
"It's a huge deal that Taylor's still not able to play," New England midfielder Shalrie Joseph said. "It has impacted a lot of the guys. It gives some guys a chance to step up, like (forwards) Kheli (Dube) and Kenny (Mansally). These are guys who have been given the chance for some playing time during preseason. Hopefully, one of them can give us that added bonus."
The Revs (12-11-7) will also be without defender Gabriel Badilla and midfielder Mauricio Castro due to injuries and defender Chris Albright due to suspension as they try to reverse a trend of poor performances in their season openers.
They're 3-7-3 all-time in openers, including 2-7-3 on the road. They've also struggled in northern California, going 0-4-2 in their last six visits to San Jose spanning the franchise's two-year hiatus.
The Revs' 4-0 loss at Buck Shaw Stadium on Aug. 16 matched their most lopsided defeat of last season, which the club finished with one victory in their last 12 league matches (1-6-5) including the postseason.
That game was an anomaly for the Earthquakes, who struggled offensively and finished with a league-low 32 goals in their first season back in the league. The original San Jose franchise moved to Houston in 2005.
While the team's 38 goals allowed were the second-fewest in the Western Conference, San Jose (8-13-9) missed the playoffs and finished tied for last in the standings due to its offensive troubles. Darren Huckerby led the team with six goals in just 14 games.
The team is hoping the addition of Bobby Convey to the midfield could help, but Convey could be slowed by a quadriceps strain Saturday. He's one of six players listed as probable for the Earthquakes, including key midfielder Ramiro Corrales.
"(Last year) I was probably feeling a little bit better because I think we had at least an established lineup that had played a lot of minutes together in preseason," San Jose coach Frank Yallop said. "I just think a lot of our guys are still a bit banged up, which I don't like."
The Earthquakes lost their opener last year 2-0 at Los Angeles en route to getting shut out in five of their first six matches, going 1-4-1 over that span.
"Confidence is everything," Yallop said. "We've got to be confident in each other and confident in our ability and not freeze. I don't want us to freeze on opening night."
