The New England Revolution are a team of contradictions. They are one of the best passing teams in the league, but struggle at times in possession. They have four very good individual defenders but often lose their shape. They have great depth but change their lineup so often consistency becomes a struggle. They went to MLS Cup in 2014 but only snuck into the playoffs and lost in the first round in 2015.
This confusing trend continued into the off-season. The Revolution had a great Defensive midfielder in Jermaine Jones but couldn’t come to a contract agreement, so now he is a Colorado Rapid. To replace Jones they signed Xavier Kumasi from Swiss club Sion FC, who then almost immediately went down with a severe knee injury. Luckily, thanks to a recent trade with Vancouver, they now have a shiny new defensive midfielder in 24 year-old Ghanaian Gershon Koffie, who showed well in their 3-3 draw with Houston this past Sunday.
This off-season, besides Koffie and Je-Vaughn Watson, there weren’t any splashy signings. Luckily, besides Jermaine Jones, there weren’t any key losses. They still have Lee Nguyen, who came out the gate flying against Houston. Nguyen had the added bonus of gearing up for the season during the US Men’s National Team January camp, which seems to have him ready to go for this season. Charlie Davies looks to still be the same striker whose thankless, constant runs are impressive in their timing and incredibly important in creating space for Nguyen and the outside midfielders.
The Revs midfield corps will determine how far this team can go. The defense is capable of being stronger than they showed in the first game, but Diego Fagundez, Scott Caldwell and Kelyn Rowe, along with Nguyen will either lead them back to the playoffs, or prove New England is a conglomerate of unmet potential.
This past Sunday, Diego Fagundez certainly seemed to want to rise up and become the incredible player he is capable of being. Still only 21 years old despite playing over 100 MLS games, he was called up last year to the Uruguayan youth national team. Since then, he looks to have bulked up physically and seems ready to live up to the expectations heaped upon him. While the sample size is one game, Fagundez showed the mettle that often seemed to be missing from his skill set. He showed not only tenacity but flashed the technical side he was blessed with, along with glimpses of a killer instinct he needs to own. His goal in the 3rd minute was a thing of beauty and his two assists were just as splendid.
Kelyn Rowe and Scott Caldwell are also two burgeoning players that will play crucial roles this season. Rowe will have to figure out how to play with Fagundez and Nguyen, as too often last season they appeared to be 3 alpha males that did not understood their sum is better than their individual talents. Offensively they can be among the 3 best attacking midfielders in the league, provided they work together, keep spacing, and don’t disappear for long periods of the game. Much like the offense, their defensive midfield is also dependent on teamwork.
Scott Caldwell will be without Jermaine Jones this season but should pair well with Koffie to make a formidable defensive pair. Jones was great, but given his predatory instincts, Caldwell and Koffie will likely work better as a team than Jones and Caldwell ever could. They will be the final buffer before teams hit New England’s solid, yet often porous defensive line.
They’ll need to quickly develop a working partnership. We saw on Sunday how counterattacks find the defense often out of position. Part of the Revolution’s philosophy is getting their defenders up field and part of the offense. Too often they are so overzealous that their shape immediately breaks down. Andrew Farrell was guilty of this on Sunday. He could be a US Men’s National Team player if he stays consistent. He has some of the best feet in the league but often his man marking lags behind, he finds himself ball-watching, and goals occur as a consequence. Je-Vaughn Watson should help their fullback situation, but in recent years the defensive unit has proven to be a liability when it counts. It remains to be seen just how much Watson can help change that.
This New England Revolution team can go as far as any in the league. They have the ability. They have the depth. They have the superstar in Nguyen. They must learn to play to their potential, to play together, and to play consistently. The sky is the limit for the Revolution and the only way they don’t get back to MLS Cup is if they don’t live up to their incredible potential.
