Paul Mariner Quotations

I think that we are maybe a little further ahead of where we thought we were. Apart from Pat Noonan, I didn't really see anybody breaking down fitness-wise. The first thing that goes is the legs and then the brain but we didn't really see that.

Players need confidence. Playing for your country is no different from going from high school to college or from college to MLS. There are different tiers of international soccer too, from the so-called also-rans through the middle group up to the teams that can win the World Cup. It's a little quicker, players are a little faster, the passing is better and the timing of the runs is more acute.

We haven't conceded a goal in the two matches we've played. Yes, we've only scored one but the signs are bright for us. It's unusual for a Revolution team not to score any goals and that's why, I think, people are making a point of it and quite right too.

We had some good sights at goal last night and would like think we could have put one of those away but it didn't happen. I firmly believe that we will create chances down there and we need to be clinical with them.

We think we have something pretty special with Taylor and Clint up front. Pat can play on the left and the right and, with Steve Ralston out, we feel he will do a good job for us.

Do we think that Pat, Taylor and Clint can score goals? Yes, absolutely and so does the rest of the league. The law of averages says that we're going to score goals.

(Rolando) Fonseca, who plays high, and (Wilmer) Lopez, who sorts out on the right but then drifts inside. The movement can cause a problem and we need to be alert and aware of that. (Brian) Ruiz also had a very good game when I saw them. They are just a very good unit with good, steady players.

It's very easy to understand. You can point to many things: the technical side, the mental side, all sorts of different things -- on Saturday there were 35,000 people and an exciting atmosphere. Finishing on goal is not the easiest thing in the world. You get a split second to make a decision and sometimes it's the right decision and sometimes it's the wrong decision. Of course, we would like to score goals and we will.