Our New England Revolution travel to Chicago this weekend. The Fire have gone from a team that experienced a similar series of disappointments last season, a late season surge, and arrive this year in the playoffs with a chance to improve their position. Our Revs are dangerously close to finishing this season having made many changes but with results similar to last year’s disappointments.
This week on The Rebel Alliance Podcast we spoke with long-time Revs fan Jim Powers. After briefly discussing last week’s loss to Montreal, and debating whether or not our club has a coherent long-term plan, we attempted to delve into what we can expect from this game in Chicago. Recent results suggest that Revs fans shouldn’t expect much.
Our Revs are in the midst of a couple of notably unflattering streaks. We haven’t scored in our last two games. We knocked in one against Philadelphia three games ago. We haven’t won in the last six, only totaling two goals in that time. Our last win came against New York Red Bull and since then droughts, vanishing hopes, and diminished aspirations for 2012 have been the stories. The players and coaches are as frustrated as we, the fans, are feeling. What might we see in Chicago?
We beat this Chicago Fire team in New England earlier this year – something the Fire will certainly look to avenge. Their speedy forwards, Oduro and Nyarko, have not been especially accurate – a plight the Revs fans will relate to easily. The difference seems to be the consistency of Chicago’s Marco Pappa, Pavel Pardo, and their defense which is back stopped by Sean Johnson. Pappa is Chicago’s leading scorer and has already secured a January 2013 transfer to the Dutch Eredevisie. Maybe he’ll be wistfully distracted by thoughts of his impending European adventure. Sean Johnson went through some struggles – the Olympic disappointment chief among them – lost his starting spot, won it back again and is returning from the US triumph in Mexico City. This guy will be a quality goal keeper for years to come and he is playing well. Chicago has talent, and in contrast to our Revs, they have performed this season.
Our Revs will have to convert their chances this week if we want to break those ugly streaks I mentioned earlier. That means tucking shots inside goal posts, not clanging them off the woodwork. I hope we return to a more simple 4-4-2 formation with Saer Sene and Jerry Bengston as our forwards. They will still have to work for their shots. On the podcast we suggested that Benny Feilhaber’s play could prove to be the difference in the result. If Feilhaber can successfully navigate his increased defensive responsibilities, which he has embraced this season, and add in some incisive passes that spring a teammate for goal scoring opportunities, then he just may meet our expectations. Setting up Sene or Bengston for an easy looking goal would get some attention. Adding to the effort at both ends hasn’t quite happened for Benny, though poor finishing from our forwards might be obscuring his contributions. With veteran Pavel Pardo on patrol for Chicago, this week’s game will certainly be a test for our midfielders.
This week I’ve read articles in which the Revs mention their record and their style. It is true that we rarely seem to lose by more than one goal and it is also true that we get fouled often. There is also no denying the truth in cliches like, “you’re only as good as your record.” There are no style points in the standings. Whether you think the defense or offense is a higher priority for improvement, we all agree that the Revs have to improve. A shutout win looks unlikely, but we’ve done it against this team once already this season. C’mon you Revs!
(image courtesy of revolutionsoccer.net)
