Tag Archives: #MLS

The Revs Face Their Biggest Challenge of the Year

In case you haven’t been paying attention, the Revs are the hottest team in MLS, currently on an 11 game unbeaten streak. This Saturday they face the biggest challenge they’ve had in years. They will go up against league leading LAFC at home. The Revs currently sit in a playoff position in seventh place, but a win with some help could boost them up to fourth, third, or even second place in the East. As mentioned, LAFC are the best team in MLS, but the Revs are the hottest team. Since the hiring of Bruce arena, the Revs haven’t lost a single game. Saturday’s game will be the first big challenge of Arenas tenure. It’s also the biggest game of the year, and here’s why.

Make a statement

People have been talking throughout this streak that the Revs have a chance to make a push for the playoffs. But the fact of the matter is, with the exception of Gustavo Bou, this is the same team that went 2-8-2 to start the season. A win against a powerhouse like LAFC will prove to people that this team has what it takes to be contenders in the MLS Cup playoffs. The strongest team the Revs have faced on this streak is DC United, who they didn’t even beat. Although Bruce Arena has won four games on the road, something no other head coach had done since 2014, he still has more to prove.

A Familiar face

Jul 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen (24) celebrates his goal against the Los Angeles Galaxy during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday, the Revs will also be visited by a friendly face in Lee Nguyen. Lee, on paper, will always be regarded as a Revs legend. However, the way he exited the team has left a taint on his reputation. Half of fans will tell you he’s one of the best, some fans will tell you they hate him. One thing’s for sure: When the whistle blows on Saturday it will be all business. If you’re wondering if he’ll get cheered or booed on Saturday, think back to Wes Welcker’s return. It will be a healthy mix of both.

What This Game Means

If the Revs lose, the longest unbeaten streak they’ve had since 2005 will come to an end. But if they win, they will cement themselves as a real Cup contender. A loss could see the Revs fall out of a playoff position if Toronto is able to beat the Redbulls. However, a win could mathematically put the Revs into second place in the East. What would it take for this to happen? Montreal would have to lose to Colorado. Atlanta would have to lose to the LA Galaxy, and NYCFC lose to Real Salt Lake. Then DC United would have to lose to Philadelphia.

On top of all of this, the Revs would have to erase a 14 goal differential to take second place. And to take third, a 10 goal differential. A win, combined with loses from both New York teams and Montreal, would put the Revs in fourth. This will be the most important game of the Revs season up until this point, so get yourself out to Gillette Stadium at 7:30 on Saturday to witness it in person.

Robert Kraft NEEDS to Sell the Revs

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Revs overview

Robert Kraft is the worst owner in soccer history. If you’re a Revs fan reading this article, you’ll mostly agree with everything I have to say. If you’re a Patriots fan, you might be wondering who the Revs even are. In case you didn’t know, the Revs are Robert Kraft’s other team. Although they really shouldn’t be. Kraft has owned the New England Revolution since 1996, but has done almost nothing to help them out since then. Robert Kraft spends almost no money on his team, settles for mediocrity, and has almost no involvement with the team. You might be thinking, why would he care about them? Well just like every other sports team, the Revs have their own passionate supporters who are dying to see the day their team can lift the MLS Cup. Unfortunately, unless Kraft severely changes his business mentality that won’t happen under Robert Kraft.

Soccer is more than a business

Robert Kraft looks at the Revs as a business. At the end of the day, if he makes a profit From ticket sales and concessions he’s content with that. Essentially the way he runs the Revs would be equivalent to him being OK with the Patriots finishing out of the playoffs every single year as long as he makes a profit. This is not the way you want to run a team, especially not a soccer team. He never invests in soccer, ever. We’ve been looking for our own stadium since 2006. Playing at Gillette Stadium does not work for the Revs. There’s no public transportation to get there, and they sell maybe 20,000 tickets on average per game. This leaves almost 50,000 empty seats, making the atmosphere almost nonexistent.

Making Strides?

One of the better things to come out of the Revs camp recently is the rumor that Kraft has pledged to spend up to $400 million on a new stadium. As mentioned earlier, a stadium is the number 1 priority for the Revs right now. They’ve been looking since 2006 and haven’t been able to close a deal on a site. A few years ago they came very close to sealing a deal at Bayside, but it ultimately failed. So when it came out that Kraft was willing to spend 400 million on a stadium, people got excited. Although we’ve heard this story before, but it goes nowhere. Will this be the time that the rumor comes true? We’ll have to wait and see.

Struggle

This season, the Revs are on pace to finish last in the league. The same GM who has gotten them to the playoffs 3 times in the last 9 years has not been fired yet. It’s up to Robert Kraft to make a move. He either needs to sell the Revs to someone who will get us a stadium, invest in the team, has ambitions of winning the MLS Cup. Or, Robert Kraft needs to step up and put his wallet where is mouth is. A $35 million training facility is nice, but without a stadium, or quality players, it’s nothing. It is a stepping stone towards greatness, but there are hundreds of other stones left to go

New England Revolution home stand preview

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The New England Revolution are about to begin their only three game home stand for the 2019 season. Over the next three games they welcome Atlanta FC, New York Red Bulls and the Montreal Impact.

Obviously the Revolution haven’t started the season the way they expected. When you look at the moves they made in the offseason, sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with just one win in their opening six games, is disappointing. The side will be hoping to kick start their season over the next three games and gain some momentum to push for a playoff spot.

I’m sure the Revs will be looking to address their lack of offensive production. They are 4th overall In the MLS for touches inside the opponents 18 yards box, but have only registered 11 shots on target, which is 2nd fewest in the league. Add to that the pressure starting to mount on head coach Brad Friedel, and these games are crucial to the Revolutions season.

Revolution v Atlanta Fc

Both teams have started the 2019 season in poor form, creating pressure on both teams head coaches. The defending champions Atlanta Fc haven’t recorded a win in their first 4 games, but have had a busy schedule to start. They have had to balance both MLS games and CONCACAF Champions League games, but now that the Champions league has ended they may begin to improve.

One negative heading into this match is the loss of Centre back and Captain Michael Mancienne. He was given a 1-match suspension after picking up a 2nd yellow card during their home loss to Columbus Crew. Luckily for the Revs, Antonio Delamea will fill the gap competently as he started the season as Manciennes defensive partner. The revs will need their defense to be on its game against Atlanta, who have last seasons record breaking goalscorer Josef Martinez. He has only one goal in his first four games, and will want to find the net to kick start his season.

Photo Credit: MercedesBenzStadium.com
https://mercedesbenzstadium.com/atlanta-united-vs-philadelphia-union-3/#gallery1-14

Revolution v New York Red Bulls

The next team visiting Gillette Stadium on the stand is the New York Red Bulls. New York have had a very similar start to the season as the Revs, but also have a congested schedule to start the season with CONCACAF Champions League matches. But before they visit the Revs they have an away game at Sporting Kansas City to navigate, a game that could pose a significant challenge for them considering their last regular season home game they put seven past Montreal in a big win.

Assuming things go to plan for the Revs, and at worst they grab a draw from the Atlanta game, this game could help lift the Revs four points clear of New York. Depending on how the New York v Sporting KC game goes. A boost for the Revs in this game should be the return of Captain Mancienne to bolster the defense.

Anibaba rises over Wright-Phillips to win a header last season
Photo Credit; Red Bulls News Network

Revolution v Montreal Impact

The third game of the home stand is against the Montreal Impact. The Impact are coming off back to back 0-0 draws, which followed a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Sporting Kansas City. They also have two pretty tough fixtures before arriving in New England. They play top of the eastern conference Columbus at home, then the Philadelphia Union away, a side also performing well to start the season.

Theres a very real chance that the game versus Montreal could see New England jump them on the ladder with a win, depending on how their other results go.

Sporting Kansas City attacking the Montreal Impacts goal in their 7-1 win.
Photo Credit: Diane Scavuzzo

It’s hard to predict how these games will go. But if the New England Revolution are to have any chance of making the playoffs this year they need to take at least five points from the next nine. I honestly believe they can get the win over Atlanta and Montreal, but the New York game I can see being a draw. Anything less than 5 points could see the Revs well behind the playoff positions. Although it’s early in the season, if they can’t find form with three games at home in a row, it’ll be hard to find it throughout the rest of the season.

Jamie Brown

[Interview] DeJuan Jones Officially Signs with the Revs

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After a long preseason, the Revs have finally signed DeJuan Jones. Jones spent the last four years at Michigan State playing forward. The Revs took him 11th overall in the SuperDraft. Jones is coming off a great year at Michigan State. In 2018 he had 5 goals and 5 assists in 23 starts. Although Jones did get drafted as a forward, he has recently begun a transition to play more as a right back. This came up due to the recent injury Andrew Farrell sustained in preseason. As Jones said, “I am not exclusively a right back. With the injury to Farrel in preseason the team needed depth at the right back position.”

Jones grew up in Lansing, Michigan, just minutes away from where he would eventually play in college. He’s been playing soccer since the young age of 5 years old. Jones to this day still considers his parents his biggest mentors. As a winger/forward, Jones likes to try and adopt a lot of different players styles, but mostly models his type of play after Raheem Sterling. Jones had never played Right back before the draft. Despite this, he says he’s always had a defensive mindset. “I have always taken pride in my defending even as an attacking player. Just getting a better understanding of positioning and decision making has been a good learning experience.”

While Jones noted that most of his minutes in the preseason were in attacking wide positions and not at right back, with the injury to Farrell, right back seems like the most probable position to see him on the field as there is a lot of depth at the forward position. But don’t let this take away your opinion of his attacking abilities. Jones came out of the MLS combine with the fastest 30 meter dash and shuttle run times. When on the attack, Jones will always be a threat with his speed.

What’s Next For The Revs?

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The MLS offseason is in full swing, and its time for the New England Revolution to get going. They will start what is arguably the most important offseason in their recent history. After missing the playoffs for three years in a row, the team has a lot do to compete in 2019. So what exactly do they need to do?

Playmaker

The Revs haven’t had any real and consistent playmakers ever since they traded Lee Nguyen. The lack of one has really played a big role in their downfall. Nguyen, who occupied the teams #10 role in 2017, was replaced by a few players with no real results. First, it was Diego Fagundez who started in the number 10 role, but throughout the year Kelyn Rowe occupied it, as well as Guillermo Hauché; none of whom were ever a consistent starter or consistent producers. The Revs need someone who can make plays, create, and score goals. Now with Rowe and Hauche gone, the team has the assets to get a new playmaker, but will they?

Center back

For the past 2 years, the biggest defensive need for New England has been leftback. Last year Gabriel Somi was supposed to be the answer, but that move flopped. This year they have gone out and gotten Edgar Castillo. While his age might be unappetizing, he’s a proven MLS leftback that can help this team if he stays healthy. Now that the Revs have wrapped up the left back position, center back becomes their defensive priority. Their backline may have been the most inconsistent back line in MLS last year. Every week brought a new pairing. The Revs need a new center back to play with Michael Mancienne to solidify the backline.

Goal Scorer

The Revs have struggled to find a pure goal scorer arguably since the days of Taylor Twellman. Kei Kamara was the last decent goal scorer they could rely on, and he was viewed as a bust. The Revs have lacked a pure goal scorer they can rely on to score 15 goals a year for a while. In fact, the last person to score more than 15 in one season was Lee Nguyen in 2014 when he scored 18.

The Revs have already gone out and signed Columbian Juan Caicedo. While the signing has been generally viewed as good, Caicedo has never had a season with more than 15 goals. The Revs are also rumored to be signing forward Justin Rennicks to a Homegrown deal. However, there still is no guarantee he will be producing as much as the Revs need from a striker.

Club president Brian Bilello has said the team plans on signing some high salary players, and possibly a few Designated players. Although the past has shown us the Revs’ spending doesn’t always lead to quality. It will be interesting to see how the Revs utilize the rest of the offseason and see who comes in.

What Went Wrong For The Revs?

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The simple answer is a lot. but to get the true answer, we have to dive in a little deeper. There are a few elements that caused the Revs to drop from 4th place to missing the playoffs, but were only going to discuss the top 5.

Missing a True Leader

New England Revolution defender Chris Tierney (8) salutes the fans after a match. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s start off simple. The Revs came into the season with Claude Dielna as their captain. That didn’t work out as he was quickly replaced. Overall the Revs used a total of 7 different players as captain throughout the season. And arguably their best candidate for the role got hurt, and it’s no coincidence the team went downhill after Chris Tierney got hurt. Perhaps Tierney’s lack of presence made things a little harder for the team. Tierney is the teams most veteran player so he definitely served a purpose in the locker room. It might not be the biggest reason for their failure, but their lack of leadership from a true leader really killed the Revs mentality this season.

Rookie Mistakes

This was Brad Freidel’s first ever head coaching job. As experienced a player he was, he was still learning on the job this year. With that said, he’s bound to make mistakes. Whether those mistakes be signing the wrong players, not enough players, making wrong substitutions or not making enough substitutions. Freidel will use this season as a learning experience and should only get better from here. This will be an important offseason for Freidel as he will have to try and win back some fans and convince others that next year will be different. The last thing the Revs want to deal with right now is a fourth consecutive season without playoffs. The front office SHOULD be more determined than ever to fix things.

Road Woes

It sounds like a broken record at this point. The Revs still can’t win road games. It doesn’t matter what league you’re in, 5 road wins in 3 years is unacceptable. Sure the Revs got more points on the road this year than last year but that’s not good enough. Add this together with the fact the team only won 7 home games, they were doomed to fail. In the past 2 years, the Revs have lost 7-0 to Atlanta, 6-1 to Orlando and 4-1 to Real Salt Lake on the road. Not only were these games embarrassing, but they all also came at pivotal times of the season where the revs would have to win to make the playoffs. Performances like these can not, and should not be tolerated. Plain and simple, the Revs need to figure out why they can’t win on the road and fix it.

New England Revolution forward Cristian Penilla (70). Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Loss to LA

Yes, it’s stupid to blame the failure of a whole season on one game, but a game like this is morally devastating. It seems like every year the Revs lose one game that sends them down a downward spiral. Last years game was the 3-3 draw with Seattle and LA this year. To be winning a game going into the 90th minute after you were down a man for the majority of the match has to be a thrill. But when you crap the bed and allow 2 goals in extra time, yes, its tough to get over. The Revs were on a roll going into the game, but afterward, they went on a crash course. After that loss, they didn’t win a home game until October.

Team Wasn’t Good Enough

Plain and simple this team was not good enough. They didn’t sign the players needed to finish out the season in the summer and didn’t do enough in the winter. Right now, this team only has 4 key players for their future, and 2 of them are on loan. With a squad that was constantly getting rotated around, everyone was fighting for minutes. On top of that, for the majority of the season, the team lacked depth. All around the team wasn’t good enough. Next season will fall on how the front office turns this team around come this offseason. Expectations should be high, now it’s time for the ownership to show they care. For a team that has missed the playoffs now 3 years in a row, ownership has done nothing to improve it so far.

This offseason should be the most important one for the Revs front office in the last 4 years. If they do nothing, they are really gonna start to lose fans if something doesn’t change.

What Happened To Claude Dielna?

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Everything seemed to be looking up for Claude Dielna coming into 2018. He was the highest paid defender in the league, and potential and expectations were high. He was quickly named the captain of the squad during pre-season, further pushing the high expectations he had. He started off playing decent with the exception of the red card on opening day. But now he seems to have no part in this team, so what happened?

Playing Ability

Up until now, we can only really speculate what happened. There really is no definitive answer.

You can’t really say he was benched due to poor form because he wasn’t in any particular bad form. In fact, according to whoscored.com, Claude Dielna was the Revs best defender this year with a 6.73 rating. In comparison, Michael Mancienne had a 6.71 rating, Anibaba a 6.61 and Delamea had a 6.66 rating. The only “defender” to have a higher rating than Dielna was Andrew Farrell who had a rating of 6.89. But Farrell plays a more attacking position than Claude.

There were also reports that Spanish La Liga side Real Betis are interested in signing him this offseason. So here are the top 3 reasons why Claude Dielna may have been benched.

3. Off-Field Incident

Anyone who has seen Claude play on the field knows he’s bound to get into trouble. This year alone he has 4 yellow cards and 28 total fouls in just 17 games. So there’s a definite possibility his lack of discipline got him in trouble with Brad Freidel. Perhaps he said something to the coach or maybe even another player that coach didn’t like that got him put on coach’s naughty list.

It’s no secret that Freidel seems to hold a grudge. In his first game ever, Toni Delamea got a red card in the 24th minute and it took Toni over 2 months just to get back on the field.

If there was a feud, it seems that Brad Freidel is the one who’s holding back as Dielna took to Twitter to explain his side of what might be going on in a tweet he quickly deleted, saying, “…I am ready to play for Coach whenever my name is called upon.”

If there was a feud, Freidel isn’t ready to get over it yet.

2. Not Good Enough

I know I said earlier that statistically, Doielna is the Revs best center back, but maybe the reason is as simple as Brad Freidel doesn’t think Claude is good enough for this team.

The only problem with this theory is that when a team has only won two home games since June and is struggling as bad as they are, it’s hard to not be good enough. In the offseason, Freidel made it clear he wanted to bring in his own guys and seeing how Claude isn’t one of “his guys,” perhaps he thinks playing Claude could do more damage than good.

It could also be that Freidel just values the other options he has more.

1. Money

Knowing Robert Kraft, this is probably the most likely reason. Before Michael Mancienne, Claude was the highest paid defender on the team, and at on point the whole league. In that ginormous $900,000 contract, there is most likely a few bonuses and clauses.

Perhaps the Revs are keen to play him because they don’t want to trigger a clause that will give Claude a big payday. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing depending on the clause.

Any potential clause could range from triggering a 1-year contract extension to triggering a big cash bonus. It is entirely possible there is a clause to give Claude a contract extension and Freidel has decided he doesn’t want to bring Claude back so he decided to bench him.

Either way, it seems as if Claude’s time here is up, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, I doubt we’ll see him in a Revolution jersey next year.

Who Would You Want at Your Side for a Bar Fight: Boston Sports Edition

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Patriots: Rob Gronkowski -By @Boston_sports18

If I had to pick a Boston athlete to win a bar fight, it’s got to be Gronk. Rob grew up in a house with four brothers, and each has gone pro. They pushed each other every single day, making Rob an absolute beast.

Getty Images

Gronk’s father had them all on a training regimen at an early age. This eventually led Gronk to become arguably the best TE the NFL has ever seen. He has incredible blocking skills and unmatched work ethic. While running with the ball after the catch, forget about bringing him down without a cheap shot to the knee. He’s known for swatting linebackers and corners off of him like annoying mosquitoes at a BBQ. Gronkowski finished one block to the point he actually threw the defender off of the field into the media section. “I had to throw him out the club,” Gronkowski said after the game. THIS IS THE GUY I WANT.

Keith Bedford Boston Globe

Besides Gronk’s football toughness, I’m pretty sure he can hold his own at the bar. He’s also good friends with WWE star Mojo Rawley, who Gronk has actually been training with. Last year Gronk even stepped into the ring. He got into a three-point stance and clotheslined another wrestler. Real or fake, Gronk is an animal and would be my top choice of Boston athletes to have in a bar fight. Tough, big and known to party. For me, this is an easy choice. It’s Rob Gronkowski.

Bruins: Zdeno Chara -By @TheBigBlue30

If I am picking any Boston sports athlete to win a bar fight, it is without a doubt Boston Bruins defenseman and Captain Zdeno Chara. At 6’9″ and over 250 pounds, Big Z is a physical powerhouse. If you follow him on Instagram, you would know how much of freak of nature the guy really is. His workouts put superheroes to shame, whether he is climbing up a 30-foot rope and back down in the blink of an eye, riding the Tour de France every summer, or shoulder pressing over 400 pounds. Chara is a physical specimen, unlike any other human being. The scary part, however, is that Chara’s physique and fitness are the least of people’s worries. His father is a former Olympic Roman Greco wrestler, which Big Z has been practicing since a young age.

On top of all that the guy is a genius. He earned a financial planning diploma from Algonquin College in Ottawa in 2015, and took classes at the University of Harvard over this past summer. There is a reason why nobody in the NHL fights Zdeno Chara. Just ask former NHL winger David Koci, who Chara beat so bad in a fight you would have thought he was making a blood donation to the Red Cross. In conclusion, if you don’t pick Zdeno Chara for a bar fight, you are just downright stupid.

Celtics: Marcus Smart -By @jackbuffett_

If I’m picking one player from the Celtics to have my back in a bar fight, I have to choose Marcus Smart. No matter what situation I’m getting into, if he’s on my side, he’s going to fight. Doesn’t matter how many guys, how big, how menacing, Smart will challenge each and every one of them. Ever seen an altercation during a Celtics game? Every time, without fail, Smart is either the one causing it or the first one to a teammate’s defense. It also helps that Smart is the most all-out hustle player on the team, so I’d assume he’d take the same attitude in a bar fight. Smart is an incredibly passionate player. Some players on the court are always emotionless- that’s never him. No matter what he’s doing, he’s going to get super into whatever that activity is. It also helps that Smart is built like a tank at 6’4″, 225 pounds, and absolutely ripped. If I get one phone call to fight some guys at a bar, it’s to Marcus Smart.

Red Sox: Joe Kelly -By @_porchie

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 11: Tyler Austin #26 of the New York Yankees fights Joe Kelly #56 of the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning at Fenway Park on April 11, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

If I were to pick any Boston Red Sox player to be on my side in a bar fight there would only be one option. Joe Kelly would totally have my back! Did you see not only the way he taunted Tyler Austin, but throw him down and was ready to beat him down. If it wasn’t for Aaron Judge that man would probably not be alive right now! He has the fire and intensity that I would want in my corner 100%. That’s why my pick is Joe Kelly.

Claude Dielna Working Out | Photo Credit | Claude Dielna

Revolution: Claude Dielna -By @Marbies3762

While Claude Dielna is only 6’0″ tall and only weighs 190 pounds, he can pack a punch. Anyone who follows him on Instagram knows when he isn’t at practice he is in the weight room. There are plenty of taller guys on the Revs that could be good picks as well, but none are as good as Claude. He has a much different work mentality than everyone else on the team. When he leaves practice, he trains at home. If he isn’t playing in a game, he is training. When Claude goes to Chipotle, he orders double meat. Every game he plays, he out muscles and throws guys to the ground. In a bar fight, there’s no doubt that Claude would go off. The guy is jacked. Without a doubt, when it comes to bar fights, he’s the guy I want by my side.

Scouting Report and Interview w/ Revs Academy Prospect Nick Woodruff

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Nick Woodruff grew up in Attleboro Massachusetts. He started off his soccer career just as any other kid would. He began playing club soccer around 5 or 6 years old for his local soccer team. After that, Nick played club soccer from age 10 to 13 before joining the Revs academy at 14. Nick made 17 appearances for the U14 team and was eventually named the captain before being called up to the U16s. There, he made 27 appearances and another 35 appearances as the captain. Later that year he would be voted player of the year by his fellow academy players. Between 2015 to 2017 Nick made 51 appearances with the U18 team before ultimately committing to Michigan State.

College (so far)

Nick Woodruff on Defense | Photo Credit: Quinn Bezenah

After redshirting his freshman year, Woodruff has played in all 4 of Michigans State’s games, going the distance in 3 while adding a 110 minute outing vs Tulsa. He takes his soccer career very seriously and expressed his desire to one day sign a professional contract with the MLS. He would be honored to don the Revs jersey and play in front of his friends, family, and New England supporters. Over the summer, Woodruff joined the first team for 4 weeks of training which he said was a great learning experience. There isn’t many things that Nick can’t do on the field. He strives in a variety of different categories, but he and I both agree that passing is his strongest attribute. When I asked him what he thought his weakest attribute was, he gave a very strong and encouraging answer.

“I have made some huge strides on 1v1 defending over the last year but that being said I think I just need to grow in every aspect of my game and strive to get better everyday. I want to keep pushing my limits and each training and game is a new challenge. You can always get better and im very hard on myself. I watch every little detail on film and try to learn.”

His natural position is at center back, but in his younger days he played CDM, which is what plays this year. At 6’2″ Nick is not a small guy. He is always in the box for corners and is a big target. The one goal he scored this year was off of a loose ball corner that found him at the back post. Nick likes to compare himself to Diego Godin, saying that he likes to play with “controlled aggression, patience, and calmness on the ball, & try to be the best leader I can be.”

MSU Pregame Huddle | Photo Credit: Quinn Bezenah

Nick Woodruff’s Scouting Report

One thing to note is that Nick is 19 years old. His passing is amazing. But just how good is it? In the 4 games he has played thus far this year his accuracy hasn’t dropped below 90% in a game. He already has an assist, as well. When he was younger he was called into training centers but says the national team hasn’t called him lately.

“At one point that was a big goal of mine but now im focused here at MSU and I’m hoping to sign a professional contract and then would love to eventually play for the national team. But all in all im committed to the process and just look to take it one day at a time.”

Overall, Nick is a great athlete and has a bright future ahead of him. He’s trained with the academy, he trained with the first team, now it’s his chance to impress at the collegic level. So without further delay, here is my scouting report on Michigan State and former Revs academy Defender, Nick Woodruff.

Passing: A+

Marking: B+

1v1 Defending: C+

Shooting: B

Heading: B

Nick Woodruff Giving Instructions | Photo Credit: Yours truly

Mid-air battles: A-

Communication: A

Pace: A-

Vision: A

Strength: A-

Clearing Ability: A

Defending Set Pieces: B

Overall Grade: B+

New England Stands With #SaveTheCrew

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Times are difficult in Columbus right now. It has been almost a year since the first reports came out that team owner Anthony Precourt intended to move the team to Austin. While the Save The Crew movement is as strong as it ever was, Columbus has been hit with some roadblocks. For people hearing about this for the first time, the Columbus Crew was MLS’s original team. They built the first Soccer dedicated Stadium in MLS and have been there for over 20 years. Team Owner Anthony Precourt doesn’t find that the team is making him enough money, so he wants to relocate the team to Austin. Now you may be wondering “how is this different from a team relocating in say the NFL?” To answer that question and find out why we should #SaveTheCrew, we have to dive in deeper.

The #SaveTheCrew Movement

Photo Credit: SB Nation

To anyone who is new to this movement, it’s not just a hashtag. It’s not a few hundred people tweeting angrily at the ownership. It’s a whole community that involves all the fans from every team. I recently spoke with David Miller, who is spokesperson for the Save The Crew movement. This is what he had to say.

“Save The Crew is a representation of the Columbus community standing up to fight for what’s right. MLS has long said that these teams are part of the community and we are fighting for that. We are showing the soccer world what the sport means for us, and we will Save The Crew.”

The idea of a team in the US relocating due to lack of profit isn’t new. Teams have been doing it for decades now. With soccer, however, this is a brand new concept. Even international football has, for the most part, avoided moving franchises. There is a reason for this. Soccer is a completely different culture than other sports because fans are the most important piece of a club’s identity. When an owner tries to put profits before the fans, it doesn’t go over well. MLS fans were quick to come forward with the statement “if they can do this to Columbus, it can happen to any of us”.

Fan Support Has Been Phenomenal

The Columbus Crew fans have made this into a full-on movement. Together they have gathered up public support, gotten the local government involved who have launched lawsuits, and they now have the entire MLS community behind them. The movement has gotten over 10,000 signatures on a pledge to buy season tickets under new ownership, have acquired 300+ business partners and allies, and most impressively have created their own new stadium rendering. Banners can be found at every stadium pledging support to the movement. There have been protests at other teams’ stadiums, such as the Patriots’ own Gillette. The message is clear- MLS fans want the Crew to survive. Because you can’t hate a team if they don’t exist.

Austin FC

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

On Wednesday, August 22nd, Precourt Sports Ventures unveiled the name and logo of the pending MLS expansion side. In my own personal opinion, I found the logo and name to be rather silly. People were quick to point out similarities between the Austin logo and a Tifo that Crew fans displayed last year. It would seem as if Austin is trying it’s best to troll Crew fans, although that could never be proven. Obviously, anything that can be seen as progress in Austin isn’t good for the Crew, but Columbus officials are still optimistic about keeping the Crew in Columbus. MLS Commissioner Don Garber has said it would be more ideal to keep the Crew in Columbus, but has done very little to show that he actually means this. And by very little, I mean nothing.

Like I’ve said, the Crew has been here since day 1. Getting rid of them would not be good for the sport or the identity of MLS. Soccer should not be run with a business mentality, it’s not like other sports. The fans give their all for the club, and it’s up to the owner to give just as much back. If attendance is bad, the owner is not doing something right. It’s up to the owner to fix it, not pack everything up and relocate the team. With that being said, I speak for all of New England and for all of us here at BSE when I say that we stand with you Columbus. You would fight for us, so we fight for you. Together, we’ll #SaveTheCrew

Photo Credit: Doug Buchanan

Photo Credit: @cutlinejoe