Revs off-season Part II

You know the Revs, once they have a foreign-born Portuguese former youth international name Goncalves with SPL experience work once, they're just going to keep trying it until it doesn't. No creativity.

 

Also, interview with Bobby on his relationship with Reis, with a quick quote about Knighton coming in:

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/...leworth-aims-for-starting-gig-in-new-england/

 

you know the old saying, Live by the former Portuguese Youth international with SPL experience die by the former Portuguese Youth international with SPL experience by

 

While I have never seen him actually play, what I remember hearing is that is he is very athletic keeper but his positioning and distribution are lacking. Those things are of course the skills that come with age so it's possible with some experience in Rachacha he will hone those skills and be a solid keeper some day.
The problem with drafting keepers imo is that most of the time they don't reach their potential until mid-late 20's, sometimes even 30+. You do get the rare case of a player being a solid pro keeper at a younger age, but in those cases they tend to have blossomed very young and succeed in the youth academy's in their teen's and early twenty's so it's no surprise to see them successful right out of the gate. With college guy's however, if they were already pro material, they likely would not have been in college.
So basically, just like Matt Reis and many other keepers, it will probably take him at least a few years to be ready. If your a hockey fan you see pretty much the same scenario in the NHL.

 

That was helpful. Thank you!

 

Two Revs (Rowe and Fagundez) make this list:

The 2013 SBI MLS Most Improved Best XI
Posted on December 29, 2013
by Ives Galarcep

 

Best of 2013: New England Revolution's Diego Fagundez the Breakout Player of 2014
December 31, 2013
Andrew Wiebe
MLSsoccer.com

 

Revs To Bring in Goncalves Jr??
Revs Reportedly went to cyprus to scout another player with the last name of Goncalves..
The revs idea of "doing more of the same" to bring in high quality of transfers.

 

Well, he can score with both feet. That's a start.

 

---and he likes to run at people with the ball at his feet--thats nice too

 

I saw that as well, and mentally retracted my earlier criticism. He seems like a handful, and looks solid enough to survive MLS reffing.

 

The Revs already had a type they were in to, lets add some variety...

 

I'll throw it out there. Jermaine Jones is looking for a new club.

People have asked for more bite in the midfield, and I personally don't think the Revs take the next step forward until they start winning more balls in the center of the park.

A 4-2-3-1 with Jones and Caldwell playing behind a trio of Fagundez, Rowe, and Nguyen in the midfield? Sign me up. If they get the Juan Agudelo replacement right, then they're on to something.

 

They would likely have to make him a DP to overcome the issue of not being at the top of the returning USMNT pecking order, correct?

 

That's a good question - he's not exactly returning, is he? Maybe we should file a discovery claim.

 

The Globe claims Davies and Esmael Goncalves set to sign.

 

Its early January and we're signing players? I thought 2014 was starting well when I saw that Puppy Bowl X features penguin cheerleaders...

 

It's nice that they signed a 22 year old rather than a 32 year old at least.

 

Yup.

 

Commentary: Should your MLS club make a move for USMNT star Jermaine Jones? Proceed with caution
January 2, 2014
Charles Boehm
MLSsoccer.com

 

Counter-argument...

If we go ahead and make Jones a DP, could he be any worse of a value than our current DP?

-----------------Agudelo Replacement-------------------

Fagundez------------Nguyen----------------------Rowe

------------Caldwell------------Jones--------------------

Tierney---------Soares-------Goncalves----------Farrell

---------------Knighton/Shuttleworth-------------------

Reserves: Alston, Barnes, Davies, DelPiccolo, Dorman, E. Goncalves, Imbongo, McCarthy, Sene, Woodbine

That's a deep team with enough versatility to play a number of different ways. If they get the right Agudelo Replacement, they'd be a nightmare to play against.

 

That looks pretty nice on paper but it's also very narrow, especially when you consider the fact that Diego and Rowe would be pinching in most likely. Then again, maybe Caldwell and Jones would be able to cover more ground together.