Well, that was a frustrating experience. Despite more evidence of our Revs’ 2012 improvements, we lost to the Philadelphia Union Sunday evening. New England’s current place in the Eastern Conference standings, penultimate place, and this game in particular remind me of 2011. While I begrudgingly, and figuratively, try to swallow this bitter pill I will also attempt to highlight some essential differences between the 2011 and 2012 Revs. I do believe we are an improving club, which implies progress and leaves room for struggles and set backs.
These two teams in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference met each hoping to show more than potential. The Revs struck first with a Saer Sene left-footed blast that swereved into the back of the net. As the Revs tried to push the field of play into Philly’s end of the field, pulling our defensive line higher, Jack McInernery had several break away opportunities. Most of those opportunities in the first half were swept up by Matt Reis and New England’s defense. In the second half, however, McInerney drew a foul from Alston and, despite the replay showing the foul outside the box, Philly was awarded a penalty shot. Matt Reis nearly had the save but Adu tied the game. As the clock went well past 90 minutes Sheanon Williams hit a pretty cross that came down right at the back post. There was McInerney again, who beat a wrong footed Alston to crack a header into the net for the win. Some of the extra time was due to McCarthy’s head injury – we might be on a ‘bloody head gash’ streak. We also saw both AJ Soares and Stephen McCarthy pick up yellow cards and watched replay show a clear Philly handball in the box that was not called. I suppose there is likely some Karmic scale where these types of calls and non-calls are balanced, bottom line is the quip that “you’re only as good as your record.”
Last year, later in the 2011 season than Sunday’s match, New England traveled to Philadehia. Both squads were struggling then, though the squads were very different. Both teams have since changed coaches and several regular starters from each club have moved on to other teams or even other leagues. New England scored three goals in the first half hour through Zerka, Leckic, and Soares. Benny Feilhaber would push our lead back up to three goals after Philly pulled one back. Then our 3-1 lead would collapse as the Union rallied for a 4-4 draw. Though some of the players and both coaches have changed, as a fan, this visit to Philadelphia felt similar to that disappointing draw. We had a lead and for whatevere set of reasons we couldn’t hold on for a win. Another dent in our aspirations, the Revs’ record again has us drifting towards the bottom of the standings.
Despite those ugly similarities to our atrocious 2011 season I believe that a comparison clearly shows more reasons to hope in 2012. Leckic, Caraglio, and Zerka, the last two late season additions in 2011, all fell short of our hopes last year, probably because of general roster weakness more than anything. While they improved the overall quality of our roster we weren’t a club whose starters had to work hard all week in practice to earn their minutes. This past week we have watched Jerry Bengston start a tidy scoring streak in the Olympic tournament, Saer Sene has rediscovered the feeling of scoring a goal, and Dimitry Imbongo played his first minutes for our club. All three of these players are in the early or mid-twenties and, unless we switch to a three forward formation, all will compete for starters minutes with each other and the other forwards we already have on the team. Also, this year we have a young coach at the beginning of his career and the beginning of his contract. More telling is the difference between this year’s substitutions and last seasons. Last year we would remove an attacking player to insert a sub, usually a defensive midfielder, seemingly in hopes of holding on so things didn’t get worse. This year, Heaps has demonstrated again and again that he is in search of goals and wins. Late in 2011 teenager Diego Fagundez seemed to be the only New England player whose play embodied belief and hope. This season Diego has finished high school and we haven’t needed him to energize our efforts. The 2012 Revolution are an improving club, which is probably why a last second loss feels as ugly as our 2011 season made us feel.
(image courtesy of revolutionsoccer.net)
