Revs Run Over Rapids

The Rapids made some chances but were out-muscled by New England, ending in a 2-0 loss.  It was more of the same in the attack, great opportunities, no finishing combined with a couple of defensive miscues that led to Revs goals.  This was Colorado's best chance at a win in April and they didn't take it.

General impressions:

• Ugly stat update:
• 600 minutes without a goal (team record)
• 18 games without a win (ties league record)
• 360 minutes without a goal to start the season (24 short of the league record)
• There's not much you can say about the team that hasn't been said.  This team has no punch and no ability to score.  You can only expect the defense to hold for so long.
• That said this wasn't the best performance from the defense.  The first goal started when March Burch was muscled off the ball on the sideline by Kelyn Rowe.  Burch has 3 inches and 30 pounds on Rowe.
• The PK was a mistake by Watts (again) but he had to cover after Burling was out-muscled by Charlie Davies, who normally goes down in a stiff breeze (as we saw when Watts tugged him seconds later).  Burling has 7 inches and 25 pounds on Davies.
• I realize a small guy can out leverage a big guy, but if we're going to play with a big back line (which seems to be the MO based on our off-season acquisitions) we have to expect not to be out-muscled to balls.  Poor showing by Burling and Burch.
• Tip of the cap though to Rowe and Agudelo on that fist goal.  A great cross from Rowe perfectly touched by Agudelo.  Nothing Irwin could do.
• Of course the big talking point from the game is the PK/not-PK on Ramirez.  In the end I think the refs got the right call for the wrong reason.  The sequence started with a handball by Badji.  Bazakos waved play on but to me its a call that's normally made.  That was followed by Ramirez being taken down in the box (clear PK) and Torres gathering the lose ball after the foul from an offside position.  Torres was offside but it doesn't matter as the PK occurred before the offside violation.  Bazakos correctly called the PK but then waved it off when he saw the offside flag up.  Incorrect call but it should have never gotten to that point as the handball should have been called IMO.
• Even if you disagree on the handball though, the ref didn't cost us the game.  The PK New England got was weak, the PK we didn't get was weak, but New England scored a gorgeous goal and we didn't.  That was the difference.
• On to Dallas where a lack of a goal in the first 24 minutes will set one MLS record (longest scoreless streak to start a season), a lack of a goal in the full 90 will set another (Officially the longest winless streak in league history)

Man of the Match: Clint Irwin.  Could do nothing on either goal.  The first is a Goal of the Week nominee and the second was a PK.  But mainly for this post-game tweet:

Losing gets old for fans and players. Thank you to those that made it out today. We need to do more to repay you.

I wish we had seen more of that attitude out of Pablo during this streak.  Irwin gets it.

On a personal note I wasn't at this game due to the passing of my mother-in-law.  She had been fighting lymphoma for a year and had been really sick for a while (thus the sporadic posting of the last month) so it was her time but she will be missed.  Thank you for everything Kathy and rest peacefully now.