The New England Revolution was ousted from the US Open Cup on Wednesday when they suffered a 3-1 defeat to DC United. Chris Pontius provided the night’s first goal but Juan Toja equalized when his free kick hit the post and bounced off Joe Willis’ back. DC dominated that scoring from there with Dwayne De Rosario converting a Pontius cross and Lionard Pajoy slotting in a penalty kick.
Normally I try to provide clarity in my post-game report but I was left with only questions after viewing the game on a poor stream. As a result, I present eight questions related to the Revs:
1. Was this lineup aggressive enough? Before the game, head coach Jay Heaps promised an aggressive lineup that wouldn’t disrupt the positive aspects of the Revs’ Open Cup run. With this mind, the team trotted out a lineup that featured a mix of first-team starters, including Jose Goncalves, Andrew Farrell and Diego Fagundez, and reserves, including Darrius Barnes, Andy Dorman and Dimitry Imbongo. Heaps obviously had some difficult choices to make since he was trying to balance the Open Cup with MLS play. However, fans have to wonder if Kelyn Rowe, who has been fiery during the Open Cup, or Juan Agudelo, who provides confidence in front of net, should have started.
2. What is the role of Jerry Bengtson? Bengtson made headlines a couple weeks ago when he chose to leave the Honduras National Team in order to return to the Revolution. The striker has remained silent on the topic while his club coach and teammates have provided plenty of support. Regardless, Bengtson’s role has to be examined since he’s no longer starting and failed to see action against DC United. There is no denying that Bengtson has talent but can the 26 year-old become a contributor for the Revs? The controversy and scoring slump will make it difficult to trade Bengtson so what do you do with the Honduran?
3. Does Scott Caldwell bring enough bite to the midfield? Caldwell has slowly established himself as the team’s first-choice defensive midfielder by beating out Kalifa Cisse, Clyde Simms and Dorman. The homegrown player offers timely tackles, accurate passes and a desire to hold possession. Caldwell’s primary issue is that he doesn’t offer much of a physical presence since he stands at 5’8 and weighs 150 lbs. There have been times this season where an enforcer in the midfield would have served the team well. Does Caldwell need a partner or will he toughen up with more time?
4. Is this Matt Reis’ final run? Reis has had a strenuous year during which he has faced on- and off-the-field issues while losing his starting possession to Bobby Shuttleworth. Reis has been a stalwart between the pipes but at 38 years-old his time as a professional is nearing a conclusion. There is a possibility that Reis could earn some minutes if Shuttleworth gets injured or experiences a dip. Otherwise, the Open Cup could have been Reis’ farewell tour.
5. What’s up with the backline? The Revs’ defense leads MLS in several categories, including shutouts (nine), save percentage (77.3%) and goals allowed (13).Despite this, the Revolution failed to keep a clean sheet through three Open Cup matches. Obviously personnel changes are a major factor since Gabe Latigue started at right back against the Rochester Rhinos and Cisse featured as centerback against the Red Bulls. Wednesday’s lineup, however, featured Barnes, AJ Soares, Goncalves and Farrell. This backline evoked a lot of confidence because of the players’ experience and general cohesiveness. However, the group struggled to neutralize Pontius and De Rosario while allowing three soft goals. Do the Open Cup results have any bearing on the way we should view the Revs’ defensive efforts?
6. Why does this team fall apart? Since becoming coach, Heaps has done an excellent job preparing his team by increasing roster competition and offering thorough scouting reports. Even during last year’s rebuilding period, the Revs kept games close and only lost by more than one goal on two occasions. That having been said, the Revs have proven to have difficulty adjusting on the fly. A slow start against New York earlier in the season resulted in a convincing 4-1 defeat. Farrell’s red card against Vancouver caused disorganization and a 4-3 loss. On Wednesday, the Revs allowed DC to score first which seemed to elicit panic from the players. What can be done to prevent the wheels from falling off the wagon?
7. Does Ben Olsen have Heaps’ number? Although the two exchanged results while playing, Heaps has never recorded a coaching victory over Olsen. While the sample size of five games is small, one has to wonder if Olsen is outcoaching the Massachusetts native. This season’s draw and loss should be particularly alarming since United are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a record of 2-11-3. DC has scored 14 goals in all competitions, including three against the Revs. Furthermore, United has allowed 28 goals in all competitions with the Revs only scoring once in two games. Is Olsen Heaps’ boogey man?
8. Can the team rebound? Being removed from the Open Cup tournament by the league’s worst team is depressing, but there is still plenty of upside to this Revolution squad. After struggling in the beginning of the season, this team knows how to overcome adversity. Furthermore, the attack has provided positive moments, the defense has been steady overall and the youngsters are growing up quickly. With 19 games left and a crowded Eastern Conference, this season is far from over. A victory on Saturday ocer lowly Chivas USA would help restore faith among fans.
