Caleb Porter Preaches “Right Perspective” amid Early-Season Scoring Drought
The new Major League Soccer season is 270 minutes old, and the New England Revolution are still searching for their first goal – and win – of the 2025 campaign. There may be 31 games left in the season, but as Head Coach Caleb Porter told Zolak & Bertrand on Thursday afternoon, the Revs aren’t taking this slow start lightly.
“We have to improve, for sure, in the attack. We’re honest about that. But this is a good group,” Porter said.
In order to win, you have to score. Porter is a realist about the situation, but he also believes the breakthrough is close at hand. That confidence comes from the fact that over half of his current roster had no involvement in the disappointing results of 2024.
“People tend to want to lump in this year with last year, but that’s really not fair for these players, because it’s a completely different team. From the standpoint of the group this year, they’re three games into this process and I think they have the right perspective on things.”
In a league where the playoff format can be forgiving and late-season surges into the postseason are not uncommon, Porter sees no reason to hit the panic button in mid-March. Still, he acknowledged to Zo, Beatle and McKone that only one point through three games, and no goals, simply isn’t good enough.
“It’s not like we’re doing cartwheels, because we haven’t won and we haven’t scored, but I do think you have to have the right perspective,” Porter said.
“I think this is the very good group that we have and the goals will come.
“It’s unfortunate that we lose our striker in the first seven minutes last game, as well,” he added. “For sure, that doesn’t help. But I believe in this group and I believe that we’re going to get on track starting with New York City.
The striker Porter references is Leo Campana, one of the club’s marquee summer signings in a trade with Inter Miami CF. Earlier this week, Porter said Campana will be out for three-to-four weeks with a hamstring strain, after he seemed to slip on the Gillette Stadium field after a shot attempt mere minutes into Saturday’s tilt with Philadelphia. Already starved for a goal, Revs fans will have to wait a little longer to see their Ecuadorian striker open his Revolution scoring account.
“You always have to have depth. You never want to lose your top striker, but that’s why we brought in Maxi Urruti, who has scored a lot of goals in this league. He’s very experienced, and he’s got a really positive energy as well,” Porter said of his expected starting forward on Saturday.
“Maxi is one of those guys. He is one of the best guys in the locker room, so everybody is pulling for him to do well. I have a history with him. We won an MLS Cup together with Portland. He’s scored a lot of goals in this league, so I have a lot of confidence in him.”
The Revolution and New York City FC kick off on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. on 98.5 The Sports Hub HD2, where Brad Feldman and Revs alum Andy Dorman will have the call from Yankee Stadium. Watch every Revolution match by subscribing to MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
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