Maybe the next guy we sign will be better than the "Haitian Sensation," the "Thai Guy" or the "Argentine Saltine." Hopefully he will also have better fitness than the "Congolese Wheeze."
If Brad wants a rhyme from a bigger movie franchise, perhaps he could call Penilla the Ecuadorian Midichlorian, or the Ecuadorian Mandalorian. 'Cause, like, Penilla uses the Force and stuff.
MLS Power Rankings: Red Bulls claim top spot after win in Atlanta May 22, 2018, 2:14PM EDT MLSsoccer staff Code: Pre : 21 . . . Wk 10: 12 Wk 1: 22 . . . Wk 11: 10 Wk 2: 22 . . . Wk 12: 12 Wk 3: 22 Wk 4: 20 Wk 5: 17 Wk 6: 11 Wk 7: 13 Wk 8: 13 Wk 9: 9
It's one thing to have a good plan to counter a high press and yet another to execute it well. Cbus did execute: the service over the Revs midfield was very good and I thought Zardes did an exceptional job winning those long balls. Even with that, the Revs had their chances and limited Cbus to a handful of their own. It was a classic 'stolen point's road game - pretty even, with the Revs being somewhat more threatening, but getting victimized on a late set piece. As I said in another thread, it really came down to our center back missing an open header in front and their's didn't. I don't consider this game proof that the Revs have been solved. Cbus kept it close and didn't make critical mistakes.
The classic stolen points road game, in which the road team steals the points by taking more shots, having more possession, and having more than double the expected goals (2 to 0.9).
Road draw moves them up two. MLS Power Rankings: Orlando City slide down after latest loss May 30, 2018, 1:35PM EDT Alicia Rodriguez Code: Pre : 21 . . . Wk 10: 12 Wk 1: 22 . . . Wk 11: 10 Wk 2: 22 . . . Wk 12: 12 Wk 3: 22 . . . Wk 13: 10 Wk 4: 20 Wk 5: 17 Wk 6: 11 Wk 7: 13 Wk 8: 13 Wk 9: 9
Big win knocks Red Bulls out of the top spot, and ties the Revs season high ranking (week 9). Code: Pre : 21 . . . Wk 10: 12 Wk 1: 22 . . . Wk 11: 10 Wk 2: 22 . . . Wk 12: 12 Wk 3: 22 . . . Wk 13: 10 Wk 4: 20 . . . Wk 14: 9 Wk 5: 17 Wk 6: 11 Wk 7: 13 Wk 8: 13 Wk 9: 9
Top 10 remain the same as last week. MLS Power Rankings: Top teams stay in place after Week 15 June 12, 2018, 11:21AM EDT Alicia Rodriguez Code: Pre : 21 . . . Wk 10: 12 Wk 1: 22 . . . Wk 11: 10 Wk 2: 22 . . . Wk 12: 12 Wk 3: 22 . . . Wk 13: 10 Wk 4: 20 . . . Wk 14: 9 Wk 5: 17 . . . Wk 15: 9 Wk 6: 11 Wk 7: 13 Wk 8: 13 Wk 9: 9
Power Rankings: A look at the state of MLS at World Cup break June 19, 2018, 11:05AM EDT Alicia Rodriguez Code: Pre : 21 . . . Wk 10: 12 Wk 1: 22 . . . Wk 11: 10 Wk 2: 22 . . . Wk 12: 12 Wk 3: 22 . . . Wk 13: 10 Wk 4: 20 . . . Wk 14: 9 Wk 5: 17 . . . Wk 15: 9 Wk 6: 11 . . . Wk 16: 9 Wk 7: 13 Wk 8: 13 Wk 9: 9
This year, after 16 games, we've scored 27 goals, given up 23. Last year after 16 games, ... yup. Scored 27 goals, gave up 23!
We could run an optimism poll - while the numbers don't look much different, I suspect most of us feel a lot better about where we are and where we are headed. Clearly, not all though.
My point was simply this: The 2017 Revs started 5-4-5 (20 pts), 1.43 PPG. They then went 5-9-0 from June 17 to Sep 16 (aka Summer Swoon), leading to Heaps' firing. Fourteen games into 2018, the Revs were 6-4-4 (22 pts), 1.57 PPG, 2 points ahead of last year's pace. They have since tied two games. What does that all mean? It means that Guzan will need to avoid (or at least minimize) the summer swoon in order finish ahead of last year's team. Whether he can or not remains to be seen. I'm not saying he can or can't, I have no idea. I think what happens during the transfer window will greatly impact that task.
So statistically speaking, this year we won one game that we lost last year. Other than that, it's the same. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I think this year's team has a bit more promise and I'm thinking the traditional summer swoon won't happen, or won't be as bad. Also there is a chance that this summer transfer window we might actually sign a useful player or two, which we all knew was never going to happen last year. Let's check back on September 1 and see where we are with all this...
Strangely enough, we had played 9 home and 7 away in the first 16 last year ... same as this year. The schedule parts now though, as after these next three games, the Revs will have 5 home and 10 away left. Last year after 19, they had 7 home and 8 away.
So that basically means they need to get as many points as possible from the next 3 home games. If not, it will be an uphill climb later in the year.