Tag Archives: #NewEnglandRevolution

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.

McHale’s Musings Vol. 4: A Whirlwind Week

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Wow, what a whirlwind this week has been in the world of sports. The past seven days were filled with ups and downs, great wins and brutal losses, and everything in between. Let’s get right to my takes for the week!

Red Sox

  • I’m man-crushing hard on Alex Cora. Did you see that man strut his way up the Brookline Avenue Bridge on the way to his introductory press conference? What a badass. I’m hopeful he’ll inject the Red Sox clubhouse with some much needed enthusiasm.

  • If the rumors are true, and free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez is looking for a long-term deal upwards of $200 million dollars, I’m out. Do I think Martinez would be a good fit for this ballclub? Sure. However, I’m not pulling the trigger on a player 30 years of age or older.
  • Happy Birthday, Giancarlo Stanton. There are so many ways to celebrate future birthdays in the city of Boston. Click here for ideas! See you soon?
  • Mitch Moreland, we hardly knew ye.

Celtics

  • A 10 game winning streak is nice.

  • I’ve never seen someone handle the basketball as gracefully as Kyrie Irving. As much as I think he’s an odd character (Did he really go back to the flat earth theory?), he’s one of the most entertaining Celtics players in recent memory.
  • I’m already intensely infatuated with this Celtics team. They are, for my money, head and shoulders more interesting than last year’s group.
  • Jason Tatum is going to crush it in the NBA.

Patriots

  • John Lynch, you’re one crazy S.O.B.

  • Sorry, but the Patriots did not win the Jimmy G. trade. I know, I know. How dare I question The Hoodie. In Bill We Trust. I just don’t think New England managed the Garoppolo situation well at all.
  • Truthfully, I’m not a fan of Brian Hoyer.
  • I’d love to see the Pats snag Martellus Bennett off waivers tomorrow. The offense could use another passing option with so many key injuries. Dwayne Allen has been a bust, and Jacob Hollister has been…well…Jacob Hollister.

Bruins

  • Oh vey, it’s going to be a long year.

  • David Pastrnak, the $40 Million Dollar Man, needs to get it together.

Revolution

  • I’ll have more on this story later, but if the New England Revolution were hoping to reignite the wavering passion of their fan base, the rumored hire of Brad Friedel isn’t going to get the job done.

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  • Did you know that Friedel was once the roommate of the Revolution’s much-maligned GM, Mike Burns? Normally, I wouldn’t make such a big deal about this little tidbit, but it’s worth questioning the motive for such an uninspired hire.

Miscellaneous

  • Yes, I heard Mike Felger’s rant on Roy Halladay’s tragic passing. It was in poor taste. Without a doubt, it was #toosoon. However, I disagree with the notion that Felger must be suspended, or even fired, for his comments. At the end of the day, he’s playing a role. He’s an antagonizer. It’s how he makes his living. The very nature of sports talk radio requires on-air personalities to deliver takes that are controversial in nature – or at least against the grain. It’s frankly the only thing that separates one show from another. In the never-ending battle for ratings supremacy, it’s no wonder why hosts from both 98.5 and WEEI are continually filling air time with ludicrous remarks. Why is that? They know we’ll be tuning in tomorrow for more.
  • How did A.J. Green avoid suspension for his WWE-style sleeper-hold on Jacksonville CB, Jalen Ramsey? Frankly, he should have to sit a game for stupidly punching a helmet.

  • Do you all remember when the Arena Football League was an up-and-coming alternative to boring summers without the NFL? That was neat.
  • I’ve caved and started watching Stranger Things on Netflix. I “get it” now. Great show!

 

That’s it for me! Until next time…

McHale

Revolution Seeking Road Redemption

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After a roller-coaster season that will end Sunday without playoff berth, the New England Revolution hope to close out the 2017 campaign by doing something they haven’t done all year– win on the road. The Revs, winners of a club record 12 home matches this season, found each visiting venue to be a house of horrors. With a victory on Sunday, however, the team could finally lift a weight off their shoulders heading into the 2018 season.

As it stands, the Revolution have a league worst 0-13-3 record away from Gillette Stadium. It’s an embarrassing feat for a soccer club full of pride. Never in the team’s 22-season existence have they gone without a victory on the road. They know that Sunday’s match, regardless of having zero playoff implications, is vital in sustaining momentum heading into next season.

Players Speak

Forward Teal Bunbury, fourth on the team with 7 goals this year, stressed the importance of Sunday’s clash with the Montreal Impact after yesterday’s practice. “It’s got to be huge for all of us. We pride ourselves on winning games and being professionals and we need to go on an away trip and be able to get three points. It’s something we should’ve already done.”

Chris Tierney, longest tenured member of the Revolution, also spoke following the uptempo practice. “There’s plenty to play for. You want to finish as high as you can and any time you put the jersey on, you want to put in a good performance individually and collectively for the club.”

While a full season without a road victory would be disastrous in itself, it’s the way in which the team lost away from Gillette that’s truly shocking. More often than not, the Revs found themselves outplayed, out-manned, and out-coached away from the Razor. Frustration finally boiled over during a string of three consecutive road loses in September.

September Trainwreck

On September 13, the Revs found themselves out-manned, and subsequently, man-handled by the Atlanta United FC. In a night everything went astray, the Revs were forced to play with nine players by the end of the first half. By the 38th minute,  Xavier Kouassi and Antonio Delamea had both been ejected from the contest for committing hard fouls. Atlanta would tack on five goals following the ouster of the Revs competitors to blow out New England 7-0.

Following the trainwreck in Atlanta, things didn’t improve for the Revs three days later in Kansas City. That’s not to say things started poorly. In fact, the Revs took it to KC early with Teal Bunbury scoring just 4 minutes into the affair. However, the good times would not keep on rolling. In the 11th minute of the match, the Revolution’s Krisztian Nemeth was shown the red card for violent conduct. With 10 players on the pitch and Kouassi and Delamea serving their suspensions, the Revs would surrender three consecutive goals. They’d go on to lose 3-1.

After two cringe-worthy performances on the road, the New England Revolution relieved head coach Jay Heaps of his duties. With the playoffs still a mathematical possibility, the organization hoped the switch would light a fire in the squad. The effects of the change proved unsustainable as the Revs would be obliterated in Orlando 11 days later. During the one-sided contest, New England yet again found themselves undermanned as Kouassi earned another red card and ejection. The Revolution would go on to lose by a final of 6-1.

In a span of 3 road games, opponents had outscored the Revolution by a 16-2 margin. With those back-to-back-to-back crushing blows, hope of a playoff berth went by the wayside.

The Revolution’s Road Ahead 

The Revolution will undergo many changes this offseason. Without question, the biggest decision looming over the organization than the selection of a new head coach. The Revs will interview numerous possible candidates, including the club’s current interim coach, Tom Soehn.

Following Heaps’s firing, General Manager Michael Burns affirmed the club will conduct an extensive search for a new head coach. With a fan base growing impatient, Burns knows the organization’s next pick has to be right on the money.

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“We’re not going to make any rash decisions, but we want to begin the process now in searching for that candidate. There’s no timetable that we’ve set on hiring a candidate. We want to make sure that we do our due diligence and make a smart hire, Burns said back in September.

“It would be important for the next head coach to be able to get in here as soon as possible to be involved in player personnel decisions, roster construction and all the things that go into drafts and protected lists for expansion.”

Finding prospective candidates for the position does not seem to be an issue as Burns had previously mentioned to members of the media that “there’s a lot more interest and intrigue internationally than there was even six years ago, from a coaching standpoint and from a player standpoint.”

Ending on a High Note

While the New England Revolution’s 2017 campaign failed to live up to expectations, there’s belief across the organization and fan base that they’re on to bigger and better things. Led by stars Diego Fagundez, Lee Nguyen, and Kei Kamara, the future of the Revs certainly has potential. However, fans will want to witness the scrappy squad they’d once been accustomed to seeing each and every match.

A season-ending victory this Sunday would be a great start.