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The New England Revolution are coming off their fist bye week of the season and the timing of it has resulted in mixed reviews from fans, players, and coaches alike.
On one hand, the Revs forcibly had to press the pause button on their 2-0-1 run. Conversely, it allowed players such as Jermaine Jones to work their way back to full fitness and knocks for anyone else to slowly dissipate.
Regardless of whether you take the optimistic or pessimistic view on the bye week, the fact of the matter is the Revs now have two full weeks to prepare for Saturday's clash with the Houston Dynamo.
Preparations for that contest are fully underway, but that didn't stop members of the team from voicing their thoughts on the bye week before Tuesday morning's training session. They had a lot to say, so check out everyone's commentary after the jump.
★ ★ ★
Jay Heaps
We got a couple days of mental rest, but we really ramped things up last week to get our loads to where we wanted them. We were able to get a little bit of mental break, but are back in it and focusing on Houston.
★ ★ ★
Kelyn Rowe
We went a long time without a break and probably the toughest part of the season with that summer stretch, so I think getting that weekend off, not just our minds are better, but our bodies get a break from soccer and come back fresh this weekend.
We all miss playing let's be honest. You take a couple of days off and you are kind of champing at the bit to come back and play again, but I think that's positive going into this week's training and this weekend. We are obviously fighting for a lot of spots right now and getting that time off and getting that hunger back I think is going to be really good for us.
★ ★ ★
Andrew Farrell
It's always good to be back and see the guys after a weekend off. Excited to get back in training, excited to finally get some games in. I watched all the games this weekend and it is fun see the competition around the league, but you want to get back out there.
All the guys are pumped to be back. We like to play soccer - that's what we get paid to do. We're all happy to be back and looking forward to this game against Houston.
★ ★ ★
Charlie Davies
Obviously I would have rather had a game this weekend because we're on a good roll right now, but it was good just to lay back on the beach and rest and get ready for a big week against Houston.
We're coming into our own right now, we're finally playing the way we want to play, and similar to last year we have to rev it up during the last couple months of the season. It's all about going to the playoffs on a high, and I think everyone is starting to feel it coming sooner than later.
★ ★ ★
That's a lot to digest, but it's clear that the Revs are itching to get back out on the field. The players feel right physically and mentally, and are clamoring for another 90 competitive minutes just as much as the fans are.