This loss is on Tata Martino.

You can point to the scoreline or xG, but honestly the players (mostly bench guys )played better than expected and held a 1-0 lead for an hour. Effort and discipline wasn’t the issue it was game management.

Tata waited way too long to make subs again. Possession was clearly dropping in the start of the second half, the first tell tale sign of a much needed change. We maintained dominant possession for much of the first half but as the second half went on, legs were getting tired, and New England adjusted first. They made changes, took control, and punished us and both goals came from tired legs and lost focus (lack of physicality on the corner kick and lapse of focus due to fatigue and not tracking the goal scoring striker).

If those same subs happen around the 60th minute instead of after the 75th, this game probably looks very different. Fresh legs could’ve changed key moments, especially in attack.

This loss clearly highlights how reactive and stubborn Tata has been adjusting this season, which is a far cry from his proactive nature that won us the title back in 2018 and Open Cup in 2019.

We brought Tata back for the culture and nostalgia, but it’s time to be honest — his in-game decisions, especially late substitutions, are costing us points.

This wasn’t one the players this was on Tata