On Saturday, February 16, the New England Revolution captured their first preseason victory when they defeated the New York Red Bulls 3-1. After going down a goal in the 11th minute, the Revolution rallied in the second half with Lee Nguyen scoring a penalty, Jerry Bengtson putting in a header and Marco Jesic slotting in the security goal. With the win, the Revs have control of their fate as a victory will put them in the finals of the Desert Diamond Cup. Below are 5 lessons from Saturday’s game.
Playing Two Defensive Midfielders is Stifling Creativity
For the second straight game, the Revolution trotted out a 4-4-2 that featured Kalifa Cisse and Clyde Simms in the center of the park. The hope behind playing two defensive midfielders is that the Revs would be able to control the play and limit the number of opportunities for New York. While the idea was noble, the execution left much to be desired, particularly when it came to the attack.
The two veterans didn’t get forward very often which forced outside midfielders Donnie Smith and Lee Nguyen to cut towards the middle in order to fill in the space. This was problematic because the team needs width in order to provide proper service for the forwards, especially Jerry Bengtson.
When the center midfielders did try to get into the attack they didn’t look particularly dangerous. Simms’ best foray forward came in the form of a long range shot that missed the mark by a large margin. Meanwhile, Cisse relied on long passes as a way of sparking offense but sometimes failed to find his target. This was evident when the player from Ghana failed to find Smith in the 28th minute.
Cisse and Simms both deserve to be on the Revolution roster, but playing them side-by-side is going to be an issue. If the team is to continue to play a 4-4-2, Heaps should consider pairing Cisse/Simms with a more attacking player like Scott Caldwell, Andy Dorman or Lee Nguyen. When Caldwell replaced Simms in the second half, the Revolution attack came to life while still offering solid defense.
The Guys you would Want to Score Did
On Saturday, Lee Nguyen scored a penalty kick that ended the Revs’ 221 minute scoring drought. After Jamison Olave was whistled for a handling offense in the box, Nguyen chipped the ball into the center of the goal once he noticed goalkeeper Luis Robles leaning. The impressive part of Nguyen’s goal was not the fact that he scored, but the fact that he stepped up with confidence. The 26 year-old was last season’s Most Valuable Player and will need to replicate that type of performance while also providing leadership if New England is going to succeed in 2013.
Like Nguyen, the Revolution will be expecting a big year from Jerry Bengtson. After a frustrating 2012, where Bengtson scored more with Honduras then he did with the Revs, fans got to see what their Designated Player can offer when he scored in the 58th minute. The goal came when Donnie Smith sent a ball in from the left flank that Bengtson handled perfectly. The goal was exactly what you would want from a poacher and highlighted the fact that the Honduras international can be one of the best scorers in the league if given good crosses.
The final goal of the night came from trialist Marco Jesic. The Australian looked lively in his 45 minute shift on Wednesday but didn’t get to put his name of the score sheet. In his second game with the Revolution, Jesic only got 26 minutes but made the best of his time by converting an 88th minute pass from Juan Toja. In his two appearances for the Revs, Jesic given Heaps a lot to think about since he will soon be making his final roster decisions.
Donnie Smith might be Chris Tierney 2.0
Chris Tierney has been a staple for the New England Revolution since 2008. Whether he’s in the midfield or in the defense, the Massachusetts native is always an asset to the team because of his ability to get wide and provide solid service. With Tierney expecting to miss several weeks with a sprained ankle, Donnie Smith might be the best option to fill in.
On Saturday, Smith started and put in a solid 62 minute shift during which he constantly threatened New York’s defensive third. A Smith cross in the 52nd minute caused the penalty that led to the Revs’ first goal. The UNC graduate would later help Bengtson find the net with a lofted cross in the 58th minute.
Like Tierney, Smith provides the team with width from the left flank. What makes Smith a possible upgrade over Tierney is his speed. While it didn’t lea d to a goal, the North Carolina native showed his pace when he beat Kosuke Kimura in the 20th minute and put in a dangerous ball. It is important to recognize that Smith is not officially signed but with two solid shifts in the Desert Diamond Cup, it seems likely that he will be donning a Revs jersey in 2013.
The Defense Looked Solid
The Revolution defense rebounded from poor performances against the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Seattle Sounders with a game that was void of any major mistakes. Against the Red Bulls, the Revs started with Darrius Barnes, Jose Goncalves, AJ Soares and Andrew Farrell. These players, and the ones that replaced them, limited the Red Bulls to one major scoring opportunity. The goal that they did allow came from Juninho and can hardly be blamed on the defense. Goalkeeper Matt Reis tried to offer a quick restart but Lee Nguyen was caught off guard and mishandled the ball. From there, the Red Bulls were able to put the ball in the back of the net.
While all the defenders should be applauded for their efforts, Barnes in particular deserves to be recognized. The former Duke standout started every regular season game in 2009 but has seen his playing time decrease over the years. Despite the inconsistent play, Barnes has been ready whenever called upon. The North Carolina native has been played in the center, the right and the left at various points. On Saturday, Barnes played on the left and did well to get into the attack while also performing his defensive responsibilities. If Barnes continues to put in these types of shifts, it will be difficult for Heaps to keep him on the bench.
As Roster takes Shape, Rhino Candidates become apparent
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises on Saturday was Darrius Barnes starting over Tyler Polak. With Chris Tierney and Kevin Alston on the injury list, Polak is the team’s only natural left back. The Generation Adidas player put in a 52 minute shift on Wednesday but was limited to 26 minutes against the Red Bulls. While the decision could be Heaps trying to manage minutes, it could also be an indication of where Heaps rates Polak. Perhaps a year with the Rhinos can help the 20 year-old meet his potential.
Dimitry Imbongo and Matt Horth could be competing to see who remains in Foxboro and who travels to Rochester. Both are physically impressive forwards who use their stature as a way of trying to create space and score goals. With both players being similar, it seems likely that at least one of them will see time with the Rhinos. It will be particularly important to keep an eye on Imbongo as he takes up an International Slot.
The remaining candidates will depend on who is asked to fill the rest of the roster. If signed, Gabe Latigue, Cameron Brown, Nermin Crnkic and Luis Soffner would likely see time with the Rhinos before being asked to play with the Revs’ first team.
Potential Opening Day Lineup (As of 2/17/2013):
(image courtesy of revolutionsoccer.net)
