Nicol: We need more creativity

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By Danny Picard
CSNNE.com

FOXBORO -- @font-facefont-family: "Times New Roman";p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormalmargin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; table.MsoNormalTablefont-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; div.Section1page: Section1; If Steve Nicol wanted his message to be heard, he yelledloud enough on Saturday night.

Not literally, of course. The New England Revolution coachdidnt raise his voice following his clubs 0-0 draw with the Colorado Rapidsat Gillette Stadium. But his message was clear.

The Revolution need more creativity up front. And with notimetable on the return of Marko Perovic (sprained knee), that answer isntgoing to come from within the organization.

Nicol said just that during his postgame press conference.

We need to go and find somebody whos creative, in the nexttransfer window, said Nicol. Its something were trying to do. Itssomething were looking at now. But we need to do that. We need to be morecreative.

The Revolution had three shots on goal Saturday and heldthe Rapids to only one. Two of New Englands shots were about as high qualityof scoring chances that you could get. But the Revs left the game with no goalsto show for it.

The first opportunity came in the 57th minute, when Coloradogoalkeeper Matt Pickens robbed Shalrie Joseph of a header that was labeled forthe top-right corner.

Joseph was at the left post, and put a perfect hit on theball, but Pickens had a great reaction to it, and just got his right hand up tomake the save.

He made a great save, said Joseph. It was a good ball byKenny Mansally, and I was in a perfect spot. Next time, Ill try to head it alittle bit lower and bounce it off the ground.

Ive just got to put that away. When you have that chancein this league, youve just got to make the best of it.

Then, in the 74th minute, Benny Feilhaber took a perfectpass out front from Sainey Nyassi, and ripped a shot off the cross bar.

They were all good chances, said Nicol. But at the sametime, we didnt create enough with the men on the ball that we had in thefinal third. Thats disappointing. We have to do better. Were not going to wingames unless were better on the ball in the final third.

Nicol made that clear on Saturday night.

We just lacked that imagination in the final third, saidNicol. Other than that, we had three good chances. Shalrie had a great chancewith a header. Benny had a good chance at the bar.

We need to send somebody whos more creative, in he finalthird. Obviously we miss Marko Perovic. We miss his creativity. And we needto get more, thats for sure.

The midfield, we didnt give anything up tonight, addedNicol. We passed it a little better tonight. But were lacking creativity inthe final third. I dont think anybody can disagree with that. And we need tochange that.

Danny Picard is on Twitter at http:twitter.comDannyPicard.

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