Author Archives: Mathew Bluestein

Breaking: #NERevs trade Krisztián Németh to Sporting Kansas City

It was announced at 6:16 PM on Monday night that New England had sent forward Kristian Nemeth To Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $350,000 in allocation money and a 2020 first round super draft pick. So what does this mean for the Revs going forward?

The Good

This deal does a lot of good for the New England. For one thing, they just freed up more than $1 million in salary cap, for a guy who has only made four starts this year. In those starts, Nemeth got two assists and one goal. All together Nemeth started seven times and made 21 appearances for the Revolution and has only scored one goal and registered three assists. To put it simply, Nemeth wasn’t earning his $1,007,666.67 salary. While Nemeth looked decent so far this year, he wasn’t producing results, which, as a striker, he’s paid to do.

The Bad

The Revs traded Nemeth for $250,000 in TAM and $100,000 in GAM. Back in August last year, they gave the Crew $400,000 for Nemeth last year. That’s simple math; the Revs lost money in this deal. When you don’t look at this from a money standpoint, the Revs have also lost a lot of depth. They went from having 1-2 quality strikers on the bench (Agudelo and Nemeth) to having two less than average strikers (Wright and Femi). It seems like Agudelo is becoming a regular starter so they’ve lost his ability to come on as a super-sub.

Trade Score: B+

Despite the bad, this is a good trade for the Revs. With two days left before the trade window closes, the Revs have an opportunity to sign another player. Now, they have $1,000,000 in cap freed up, and another international spot open to do it. All in exchange for a player that wasn’t even playing that much to begin with. Now we’ll find out if the Revs are using their allocation money now, or use it in the winter. In terms of money rankings, Revs are at or very close to the top in terms of allocation money availability.

#NERevs Sign English Defender Michael Mancienne

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It’s the moment Revs fans have been anticipating for weeks. Who will the Revs sign to make a playoff push? Rumors were coming from left and right. There was speculation they were interested in Brazilian Felipe Pires and Nigerian Godfrey Oboabona. The big one that stuck out was Bojan. Rumors came out that the Revs talked to Bojan in the offseason and that talks could still be going on. While the Revs didn’t sign Bojan, yet, they fulfilled another much-needed position in a center back.

Michael Mancienne

While he might not be the man everybody was hoping for, Michael Mancienne is a great player coming from some great teams. Mancienne started his career in the Chelsea youth system back in 2006. The now 30-year0old defender spent 2006-2011 going out on loan to QPR and had a few spells with the Wolves. His time in Chelsea came to an end in 2011 when German team Hamburger SV paid $2.5 million for him, where he went on to make 49 league appearances. From there he went back to England in 2014, joining Nottingham Forrest, where eventually he made his way here with the Revs

With a Market value of $1.5 million, Michael Mancienne comes into the team as the highest valued player on the roster, so the pressure will be on him to live up to his value. The fact that the last few big money signings haven’t lived up to their value (Kouassi, Dielna, Angoua, and Nemeth), it’s easy for fans to be optimistic.

What’s Next for the Revs?

With this signing, Brad Friedel has hopefully fixed their problem at center back, and will hopefully get the back line to be more consistent as well. But, there are still holes to be filled with a need for a playmaker and a left back. While the Revs still have five days left to sign someone else, it likely won’t happen. Brad Freidel has said it’s possible another signing happens, but with the team out of international spots, there most likely won’t be a big name.

It’s important for the Revs to use their new signings and quickly get them into the system to try and put an end to this summer slump. It’s crunch time for New England as they enter the most crucial and most difficult part of the season. The Revs will try to stay in a playoff position and climb the standings.

The #NERevs Should Make Diego Fagundez The Captain

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Ok, here’s a take you probably haven’t heard before. The Revs are struggling and need to look toward their leaders. They need someone to step up as a leader in this crucial part of the season. Diego Fagundez may only be 23 years old, but he’s a club veteran. Whether you want to believe it or not, he is the longest tenured active player on the team. Claude Dielna came into the season as the captain, but it has been shuffled around since. It seems Brad Freidel has finally lost faith in him after he gave the armband to Andrew Farrell instead of Claude against the Redbulls. So why should Diego be the one to take on the role as captain?

Tenureship

(Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

While having a long tenureship alone isn’t a reason to be captain, it provides a backbone for leadership. For one thing, Diego played with Shalrie, Reis, Davies, Jones, and others, all of whom have possessed great leadership qualities. Over the years, you have to assume some of their qualities rubbed off on him. Furthermore, Diego is a constant starter on this team who continues to prove himself on and off the field.

Leadership

While Diego has only ever been given the armband once, it was one of his best games of the season. It was on June 13th against the San Jose Earthquakes and he scored a goal of the year candidate. It clearly seems that Diego gets an added confidence when he wears the armband. As he is the Number 10 for the Revs, it’s essential that he is at his best so that he can be the playmaker he needs to be for the rest of the team. We only have a small sample of how he plays with the armband. But, I think it’s worth giving another chance. So far, the Revs have given the armband to seven different players throughout the season. Claude Dielna has underperformed with it, so it’s time to find someone who plays consistently when wearing it.

Familiarity

Coming into the season, Diego had spent at least one full season with 12 of the 26 players on the revs roster. Diego, for the most part, is familiar with the Revs team and is a veteran player. While other players have a similar resume, Diego has the tenureship others do not. While he isn’t the oldest, one might assume that a lot of players in the locker room look up to him and count on him as well.

The #NERevs Tough Road Ahead

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The Revolutions season is now past the halfway mark and they still remain in a playoff position. However, the toughest part of their schedule has yet to come. According to Benjamin Baer of MLSsoccer.com, New England have the hardest schedule in the league for the second have of the season. Eight of their next 13 games will be on the road. While the Revs have only lost four road games this season, they have also only won one. With only five more home games in the regular season, where on the road will they be getting their points?

Source: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Revs Three Point Opportunities

Orlando City: Orlando has been having a tough season. After jumping out to a great offseason, they were expected to go far this year. However, it has been quite the opposite so far. They have only managed to get 22 points through their first 19 games. Not to mention they are tied for 2nd for most home losses in the league this season with four.

D.C. United: D.C. may have a new stadium and may have signed Wayne Rooney, but they’re still D.C. United. Just like how the 49ers signed Garoppolo, they are still the 49ers. For the most part, this team is still weaker than New England. Along with the fact that Revs fans usually travel well to D.C., the team will most likely have the advantage going into D.C.

Toronto FC: Toronto FC is the joke of the league at the moment. They have gone from MLS Cup champions to the bottom of the table. The Revs were able to beat TFC at Gillette, even with Mark Geiger as the ref. So a win in Toronto is definitely possible.

Philadelphia Union: The Revs team is a completely different team that went down to Philly in March. This team now has an identity and a system. The Revs are ranked higher in the standings as well. A major boost the team is getting; as opposed to 72 traveling fans, they will be backed up by about 1,000 fans from around New England.

Revs One Point Opportunities

Real Salt Lake: This game will be a tough one for the Revs. As we speak, RSL has only lost one home game this season. Along with this, they have more points than the Revs, but only by two. Overall, these teams are very even and will definitely be a tough match.

LAFC: LAFC will be another difficult bout for New England, even more difficult than RSL. LAFC has yet to lose a game at home this season. So how can the Revs get a point? It’s the fact that LAFC has five home wins, yet four draws. LAFC is definitely a better team than the Revs, but those four draws are glaring.

Zero Point Outcomes

Photo by Keith Nordstrom

Atlanta United: Do I need to explain? The Revs lost 7-0 to Atlanta last year, and Atlanta is currently atop the East and Supporter shield. Not to mention the Revs couldn’t even beat Atlanta at home and could only muster a draw.

NYCFC: NYCFC are right behind Atlanta in the shield and are having a great season. At home, NYC is undefeated and have only had one draw which came at the hands of Atlanta. The Revs chances in New York don’t look good. But after all, this is MLS. And as we all know, anything can happen.

The Revs will look to end their three game losing streak when they play Orlando on August 4th. With the new signing of Cristhian Machado and possibly more to come, the Revs look will look to get back to their winning ways.

Revs’ Needs and Wants This Summer (@Marbies3762)

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The MLS transfer window is now in full swing. Head Coach Brad Freidel has already stated New England’s plan on adding two or three more players this summer. Sources say one or possibly two of those players will be DP contracts. The Revolution aren’t having a bad season, but there is a lot of room for improvement. But where do the Revs need the most help?

Left Back, Left Back, Left Back

Mar 10, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Revolution defender Chris Tierney (8) salutes the fans after a match against the Colorado Rapids at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Coming into 2018, left back was the top priority. The Revs seemed like they had fixed that with the signing of Gabriel Somi in January. Now it’s July, and most fans are willing to admit that he was a failed experiment. So Brad Freidel turned back to veteran player Chris Tierney. The experiment was also shot down pretty quickly when Tierney tore his ACL and the Revs placed him on the season-ending IR. Now Brad Freidel has turned to club captain Claude Dielna to play left back. Claude has experience playing left back, but he’s far from a natural at that position. So who should the New England go after to cover left back?

While the Revs haven’t been linked to anyone specific, there are plenty of fish in the sea. With the summer window officially open, lots of players have been let go and are without contract. It’s up to the Mike Burns and the front office to sign or buy the right one to fill the hole.

Striker/Winger

Look, Teal Bunbury has been great this season, but he can’t do it all by himself. Bunbury needs a supporting role to step up and score goals, and someone to help feed one another. While first coming up behind the scenes in January, interest in Bojan Krcic has re-emerged lately. The 27-year-old striker, who has played with Barcelona, AC Milan and AS Roma currently plays for Stoke City. His contract runs through 2020, so if the Revs pursued it would require a transfer fee to acquire him. While it’s unknown how much that fee could be, Bojan currently boasts a transfer value of $1,500,000, and was once worth $15,000,000. Bojan, if signed, will also be a huge help to the team’s lack of play-making skills and surely help Diego Fagundez as the number 10.

Another weakness the Revs have is at the wings. Cristian Penilla has been sublime, but the Revs have struggled to find someone to play on the right. They’ve switched between Agudelo, Rowe, and Nemeth and none have been solid. That’s where Felipe Pires comes in. The Revs were said to be interested in signing the 23-year-old Brazilian. With a market value of $2.25 million, he would be the Revs most valuable player in terms of money. It wouldn’t be cheap though. It would require a transfer fee to acquire him which could become very hefty. If the Revs managed to bring in Pires, it would provide the team with an almost unstoppable offensive front.

Center Back

While not their biggest priority, the Revs defense has been suspect at times. With almost no depth, they need another center back. Speculation for a while has been that the New England could go after Geoff Cameron due to the fact that he is a native Bostonian. That speculation has risen over the last few weeks after Geoff was spotted at a Gillette Stadium and was formally linked with to the team with the Revs expressing interest. Although the price for Cameron is not cheap. Cameron’s agents have stated he is looking for a total $6,000,000 package to sign. Along with that, the Revs would also have to trade to get a higher allocation spot. Finally, the Revs would also have to provide Stoke with a transfer fee, which won’t be cheap for Cameron, who’s valued at $2,500,000.

A much cheaper option the Revs have been exploring is Godfrey Oboabona. The 27-year-old Nigerian is currently out of contract and looking for a club, and the Revs could be that answer. Revs have been said to have interest in Oboabona but no contract has been offered yet. Oboabona has spent most of his career in China and most recently came off a spell in Saudi Arabia. He played 29 minutes in the 2014 World Cup and has made 44 caps for Nigeria scoring one goal. With a market value of $1.80 million, his skills will be in high demand. The Revs will not be alone in their pursuit of Godfrey.

Revs USOC Failure Hits Hard

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The U.S. Open Cup has two purposes in American Soccer. It gives smaller division teams a chance to shine, and for the bigger clubs to earn some spending money. No one ever expects the lower division teams to make it far, and when they do they’re called cupsets. Unfortunately, the Revs found themselves on the wrong side of one on Tuesday.

How Did This Happen?

It’s no secret that whenever MLS clubs play lower division teams they start a weaker lineup. The Revolution were no different, starting what was basically their C team on Tuesday against Louisville City FC. However, the team that took the field was not prepared to play. With lack of a USL affiliate, this was the first game a lot of the players had played since the preseason. The starting lineup used by Brad Freidel featured Zach Herivaux, Brian Wright, Femi, Mark Segbers, and Nick Samoyoa. None of which have started a game for the Revs this season, and only Wright and Herivaux came off the bench.

While there were other MLS teams participating, as of now, the Revs have been the only one to lose in the fourth round to a USL team. 2018 is much different from the Revs’ recent runs, which included a trip to the semi-final last year and a loss in the finals two years ago. The last time the Revs were eliminated in the fourth round was three years ago when they lost to USL side Charlotte Independence.

What Does This Mean?

In all honesty, this could be beneficial to the Revs. A loss means they don’t have to worry about playing an extra game every once in awhile. It allows the team to fully focus on the league and maintain match fitness. While the Revs traveled back home after Tuesday’s loss, they went right back to work for upcoming road games in Chicago and San Jose. This loss will hurt fans because U.S. Open Cup games are always fun to attend.

While Brad Freidel had some choice words for the players who were on the field, it’s up to the players to make sure they come back strong. This is typical for all teams but especially the Revs. A coach says they’ll use something to strengthen the squad, but now the players have to act on it.

The Revs have a challenge on their hands as they go on a road stretch until the end of the month. On Friday afternoon the team will travel to Chicago to play the Fire on Saturday. After that, they will have a Wednesday night game against San Jose. After that, the Revs get two weeks off for the World Cup before returning home. Then they will start the hardest part of their season. Revs will have to take advantage of their home games as they are quickly running out of them. They will also have to rely on their ability to win games on the road. Only time will tell if the Revs are up for the challenge.

Revs Academy Announces Partnership with HUSC/ASC

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The Revolution Academy took a lot of heat early in 2018. After going 0-0-3 in the Premier Division and 0-0-6 in Generation Adidas Qualifying with a -28 goal differential, and losing two games by a seven goal margin, people took notice. Fans took to Twitter to point out all the embarrassment and disuse of the Revolution Academy. This indirectly and directly sparked Team President Brian Bellielo to start the discussion on improving the academy. While we will never be sure if the backlash caused the Revs to make changes, adjustments were made either way.

Revs Making Changes

So far the Revs have taken strides to improve the academy since their devastating results. Part of their work has included a new initiative that’s aimed at preparing the team for the next ten years. The club has also boasted that they spend over a million dollars a year on the academy. However, eight other teams also reported their academy spendings, and to no surprise the Revs were last.

Another new initiative was announced in April between the Revolution Academy and Hampshire United Soccer Club/Amherst Soccer Club. Betsy Hansen, a club representative, said the new partnership will definitely help complement HUSC’s program

“The design is to leverage some of the coaches from the New England Revolution program to complement and accent our current program offering. We have been very excited to add one of their coaches to our system this year. We have added Revs coaching at the U13 level to start, and are pleased with how the Revs coaching is augmenting our other professional coaches at the older ages.”

Why HUSC and ASC?

A big reason for the creating of the partnership had to do with a similar philosophy as the Revolution Academy. Betsy added, “One of the primary reasons we partnered with the Revolution Academy is because of the likeness in our philosophy. We focus on development first and foremost and want to offer the players a local place to play and build their skill sets to help them develop at the individual level as well as the team level as they age.” As Brad Freidel noted earlier this year, he and the Revs want to focus on younger talent.

As of late, the Academy has surged on most levels, winning a handful of games for each team. While HUSC/ASC doesn’t have any players the Revs are targeting, adding partners that occupy ages 9-19, talent will increase. The Revs providing resources will only help speed up the process and increase the talent coming out of New Hampshire. While HUSC/ASC isn’t a free program, it still maintains approximately 450 current players with a large age spectrum. HUSC and ASC will join New England FC (MA), Bayside FC (RI), and Valeo FC (MA) as a Revolution academy partner for the next three years at the minimum.

Current Revs Academy Players

Scott Caldwell, Zachary Herivaux, Isaac Angking and Diego Fagundez are the only academy players on the senior team currently. A partnership like this can be very useful for the Revs who have the benefit of scouting talent in six states. This also helps utilize the state of New Hampshire and make sure talent won’t sneak by them. Up until this point, all four of the Revs’ homegrown players have been from Massachusetts and Rhode Island cities. State integration will significantly help expand their scouting pool.

As an opposition to other academies having one state to scout, some sharing with other teams, the Revs have an advantage. There has also been a recent talk about Justin Rennicks possibly deciding his future soon. Rennicks scored two goals on Saturday for the USMNT U20 team against Honduras. Rennicks, 19, has been the highlight of the Revs Academy the last few years before he left to pursue college. Since then, fans have been eagerly waiting for the Revs to sign him.

The Academy team has produced 47 goals and 53 assists for the Revs senior team from Diego Fagundez and Scott Caldwell in the MLS. With this partnership, the Revs are hoping they’ll be able to add on to those numbers in the near future.

Three Takeaways from the Revs Loss Against Montreal

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The Revolution were off to a good start on road games in 2018 going into Saturday’s game vs Montreal. With their only road loss coming from a 2-0 defeat against the Union to start the year, the Revs turned it around and won in Houston and earned a point in Columbus. For the most part, the Revs had a decent first half, until they conceded in extra time at the end of the first half. In the second half, the floodgates opened for Montreal as they added three more goals. It wasn’t until the 78th minute when the Revs got on the board from a Wilfried Zahibo header off the corner kick. Ultimately, Montreal took the three points with a 4-2 win. With all that said, here are three positive takeaways to look forward to:

Revs Resilience

Photo by David Silverman

Many Revs fans remember last year’s road matchup against future MLS Cup finalist Seattle Sounders. New England held a 3-0 lead entering the 75th minute. All was perfect. They were 15 minutes away from securing three points in a place that many say is the toughest building to play in MLS on the road. Well, it was too good to be true, as Seattle rallied back and tied the game 3-3. This was a huge turning point as this caused many supporters to join in the #HeapsOut movement. Not only did this cost two points, but it set the tempo for road games for the rest of the season.

However, Brad Freidel seems to be lighting a spark this year. Down 4-0 in the 78th minute, the Revs didn’t give up. They fought to get two goals and almost got themselves back into the game. This also isn’t a new mentality this year, as we saw similar attitudes against Colorado and NYCFC. It’s the “this game isn’t over yet” mentality, and it hadn’t been on display more than it was on Saturday.

Wilfried Zahibo

When the Revolution first announced the signing of Wilfried Zahibo, the move was met with a lot of criticism. Fans were expecting a bigger and better signing that they could get behind, instead of someone they had never heard of. It didn’t help that Zahibo got a red card just 12 minutes into his debut in the preseason. When he didn’t perform to fans’ liking in his first couple of MLS starts, people were quick to jump on him. Since then, Zahibo has redeemed himself with some quality performances.

Photo by David Silverman

If there were still doubts about him being what the Revs needed, almost all of them are gone after Saturday’s performance. Zahibo showed off his height with his header. He also showed his athleticism on a side volley that earned him a nomination for MLS goal of the week. Zahibo now has 3 goals in 2018, 1 behind team leader Teal Bunbury, and also has 2 assists. From a defensive standpoint, there aren’t many mistakes you can point out either. It’s still early, but you can make an argument for Zahibo being a bigger signing then Penilla so far.

Set Pieces

It’s no secret a big weakness of the Revs last year was their inability to score goals off set pieces. In 2017 they scored only ten goals off set pieces in 34 games. So far in 2018, they have scored four in nine games, two of which came on Saturday. The first coming off the corner, which got headed in, and the second coming off a freekick just short of a corner kick. It seems Freidel came in and really transformed this team mentality and physically. When you have a team that is able to take advantage of set pieces, it makes everybody’s job easier.

You also have to keep in mind that the Revs main set piece taker last year was Lee Nguyen. In the offseason, it was a big question who would fill his role, and many people have stepped up. They have plenty of options in Somi, Diego, Dielna, Penilla or Tierney, who have all showed potential. If the Revs can continue their success on set pieces they will produce a lot more offense. Set piece success will also just make them that much more lethal to play against and allow for more creativity.

The Revs will have a big challenge on Saturday as they take on defending MLS Cup Champions Toronto FC and their set piece master Sebastian Giovinco at Gillette Stadium.

The Lee Nguyen Trade Is Perfect for the Revs

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At 12:08 AM on Wednesday morning, many fans in New England laid fast asleep. Many were unaware of the brewing deal concocted by Mike Burns and the Revolution’s front office. The Revs came out and stunned fans when they announced that Midfielder Lee Nguyen had been traded to LAFC for up to $950,000 in allocation money. While officially the deal went through at 11:59 PM on Tuesday, the deal wasn’t announced until Wednesday morning.

Lee Is Better Gone Than Here

Lee was very clear that he did not want to be here. It was also clear a lot of Revs fans didn’t want him here either. Head Coach Brad Freidel made it clear that he wasn’t going to be playing either after he left him out of the 18 for the first eight games of the season. Brad gave the excuse that Lee wasn’t good enough, which fans quickly pointed out was most likely a lie. If that wasn’t a giveaway that he wasn’t going to be playing here, find me a better example.

Along with the fact that Lee didn’t want to be here, it became apparent quickly that the Revs didn’t need him. Standing at fourth in the East, sixth in the MLS, you couldn’t ask for too much better of a start. With the addition of Cristian Penilla and the development of Diego into the 10, there wasn’t any need for Lee. Essentially, Lee has just been a $500,000 salary being wasted.

Why Is This Trade so Good for the Revs?

With Lee gone, the Revs have accomplished three things. They have freed up $500,000 in salary cap, and have gotten rid of any bad chemistry still in the locker room. Finally, and most importantly, The Revs now have $700,000 in allocation to spend this summer. To summarize, the Revs got rid of an asset they weren’t using and didn’t seem to be using anytime soon. In the process, they also cleared salary cap and got free money in return. Also, now that they have freed up cap space, they can really get out there and make a splash on a summer signing.

The icing on the cake is that the Revs managed to send Lee to a Western Conference team. Revs fans were not shy to express their disappointment if the front office did in fact trade Lee to Eastern Conference team where they would have to fight for a playoff spot.

The Revs Fallout?

The best part of this is the Revs will receive almost no fallout from this trade. The little backlash they could get is what separates this trade from perfection, and a great trade. While the cap space freed up is great, and the money received is great, there’s one little problem. The Revs play LAFC on the road later this year on September 15th. As we learned last year, every point counts in MLS. A game coming so late in the season could be a momentum changer.

There is hope though, as five out of the six games after playing LAFC are against Eastern Conference teams. That would give the Revs multiple chances to win six point games regardless of the result in LA. Then, there is the idea of “what if”. What if the Revs find themselves in the MLS Cup Final going head to head with LAFC. The idea is not out of this world as both teams are showing strong candidacies for playoff contention so far in 2018. Overall, this really is a GREAT trade for the Revs.

Nov 29, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen (24) runs with the Eastern Conference Championship Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

Transaction

According to the Revolution, they will receive $700,000 in allocation money which could go up to $950,000 based on compensation yet to be determined. The Revolution also could receive LAFC’s natural 1st round pick in either the 2019 or 2020 MLS SuperDraft.

Player Ratings for Crew SC vs New England Revolution

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Last Saturday, the Revolution marched into MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus with their heads high. After a 1-0 home loss the previous week to FC Dallas, they were dying to get some points back. The Revolution got off to a rough start as Andrew Farrell headed in an own goal in the 9th minute. The Revolution quickly answered back after Teal Bunbury scored on a bad angle to tie it in the 14th minute. In a game that went back and forth with both goalies making great saves, the Crew broke free again in the 43rd minute off of a Gyasi Zardes goal from inside the penalty box. It seemed that was going to be the score going into the half, but once again the Revolution answered back in the 45th+1 minute on a Cristian Penilla volley, with an incredible set up from Juan Agudelo.

The 2nd half was back and forth football that saw each team get great chances. In the end, it came down to the last second when a shot from Cristian Martinez knocked down by Turner and ricocheted off the post came right out front only to be cleared away by Scott Caldwell, to see the Revolution steal a point in a 2-2 draw.

Revolution Player Ratings

Matt Turner 7.3

Matt Turner faced five total shots on net in the stat line. However, he did much more than stats can show. Turner came up big making three big saves along with multiple rush outs to steal the ball off the feet of Crew players. He also cleared the ball off the line a few times to keep the game level. Then of course, is the elephant in the room. Stats say he let in two goals on five shot on net, but forget to tell you one of the goals was an own goal.

Andrew Farrell 6.7

Andrew Farrell didn’t get Revs fans too pumped after scoring an own goal early into a road game. It definitely wasn’t one of his better moments. But afterward, he really stepped his game up. Farrell made key defensive plays throughout the rest of the night and continued on like it was a new game.

Claude Dielna 7.4

Claude Dielna may have executed the best slide tackle of the year in the 72nd-minute, completely pickpocketing Gyasi Zardes and avoid a breakaway chance with an opportunity to take the lead. Claude Dielna also spent the night winning six aerial battles and racking up nine clearances, earning him a spot on the MLS Team of the Week.

Jalil Anibaba 7.9

Claude Dielna may have made the Team of the Week, but Jalil Anibaba should have won Defensive Player of the Week. Jalil single-handedly saved the Revs from conceding a goal three different times. On the night Jalil blocked four shots and cleared two balls off the line, while six clearances and six interceptions. Jalil most certainly earned his starting spot on.

Gabriel Somi 6.2

Gabriel Somi could have had a better game, but he could have played worse too. He only registered two clearances and three interceptions. He also getting burned by the Crew three times, one of which was in the penalty area. Somi had less than 70% pass completion and to add insult to injury, he also picked up a yellow card.

Wilfried Zahibo 6.6

Zahibo didn’t play especially bad. However, he also didn’t contribute much to the team that stood out. He played a pretty average game, registering a pass completion percentage of 80%. It was higher than it has been, but that’s really the only takeaway. Zahibo also had two clearances and two tackles on the night. He also was awarded a yellow card.

Cristian Penilla 8.3

Mar 31, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; New England Revolution forward Cristian Penilla (70) celebrates after scoring a goal during the second half against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Ecuadorian Dellorian continues to tear up MLS in 2018. Penilla played great notching the game-tying goal on a beautiful volley, and also provided the assist to the games first tying goal scored by Teal Bunbury. Penilla came very close to scoring two other times with his three shots on net, which was half of the Revs total shots on net. With that, Penilla wins my vote for Man of the Match.

Luis Caicedo 6.7

Caicedo does his job, that’s the bottom line. So far in 2018 Luis hasn’t done anything to really disappoint people. He did deliver an almost 82% pass completion rate, which is well above average. He also registered four tackles and three clearances of the ball.

Diego Fagundez 6.6

It was definitely an off day for Diego, and not just because he didn’t score. Diego looked sloppy at times. He made some bad passes, bad decisions, and really just didn’t fully show up to play. While he registered 82% pass completion, Diego was not his normal self.

Juan Agudelo 7.0

In his first start of the season since week one against the Philadelphia Union, Juan surely impressed Brad Freidel. Juan was able to give the Revs an additional offensive asset with Scott Caldwell on the bench, and it definitely showed. The Revs had more scoring chances and were getting forward more often. To add to his night, Juan provided Penilla with a beautiful assist for the game-tying goal.

Teal Bunbury 7.8

I have been pretty hard on Teal for a while now. But on Saturday, he really impressed me. Teal got forward and created chances to provide 1/3 of the Revs’ total shots on net with two. This includes one he buried in off the post to tie the game. Teal really stepped up for me and has given me confidence in him. I never thought I would say this, but I’ll be happy to see Teal in the Revs next starting XI.

Kristian Nemeth 6.6

There isn’t much to say about Nemeth as he only played about 15 minutes, but he looked good I guess. Didn’t screw anything up for them and helped preserve the tie. I still think Nemeth should be given another chance to start to show us his full potential.

Scott Caldwell 6.9

This substitution confused me at the time. Juan was having a great game and they put Scott in, a defensive player, in for a forward. Scott only played about 34 minutes, but in that time kept things in line and came up huge in the final seconds clearing the loose ball out of the area to end the game.