News: Rev Roster 2018

Starting today:

Contract Deadline Day 2017: Stay up to date with all the moves around MLS

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/11/24/contract-deadline-day-2017-stay-date-all-moves-around-mls

New England Revolution (Deadline: Nov. 27)

ROSTERED PLAYERS (26 of 30 spots filled as of Nov. 27, 2017):

GK (3): Cody Cropper, Brad Knighton, Matt Turner
DEF (9): Benjamin Angoua (INT'L), Antonio Delamea (INT'L), Claude Dielna (DP, INT'L), Andrew Farrell, Donnie Smith, Joshua Smith, Chris Tierney, Je-Vaughn Watson, London Woodberry
MID (8): Scott Caldwell (HG), Diego Fagundez (HG), Zachary Herivaux (HG), Daigo Kobayashi, Gershon Koffie (INT'L), Xavier Kouassi (DP, INT'L), Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe
FWD (6): Juan Agudelo, Teal Bunbury, Femi Hollinger-Janzen, Kei Kamara (DP), Krisztian Nemeth, Brian Wright



UNDER CONTRACT (--):
OUT OF CONTRACT (--):
CONTRACT OPTIONS EXERCISED (--):
CONTRACT OPTIONS NOT EXERCISED (--):

 

Not sure if this should be it's own thread --- there is an expansion draft on December 12th. We get to protect 11 players and LAFC can pick one of our unprotected players assuming there aren't 5 better players exposed by other teams.

Can someone translate what this rule in the expansion draft means? Does that mean that Diego, Scotty and Herivaux are all protected without having to be one of the 11 protected players? I would think that Diego and Scotty are on the senior roster and not the Supplemental/Reserve Roster and so are NOT protected. Do I have that right?

• Generation adidas players who have not been graduated at the end of the 2017 MLS Season and Homegrown players on a Club’s Supplemental/Reserve Roster at the end of the 2017 MLS Season are automatically protected. Clubs do not have to use a protected slot on them.

Link to the rules; https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/11/13/mls-expansion-draft-rules-procedure

P.S. Kind of makes sense then to not sign anyone new until after December 12th.

 

I think we had to throw Atlanta a bone to get them NOT to take Diego last time around, so I'm guessing he and Caldwell would need to be protected.

So here is my list of protected players

1. Cropper
2. Delamea
3. Dielna
4. Farrell
5. Caldwell
6. Fagundez
7. Koffie
8. Nguyen
9. Rowe
   
10. Agudelo
    
11. Nemeth

I don't think LA will take Kamara since they likely have other options in mind when it comes to a high-priced striker. Kouassi might not also be that appealing. LA seems like they are going more the Atlanta route than the Minnesota route, so there are probably more appealing options for roster filler than our guys.

 

Here's a link the Revs roster as it currently exists on mlssoccer.net. According to that, Scotty is on the reserve roster. Beats the hell out of me why.

 

It means they don't need to use a protected slot for Scotty or for Herivaux as Home Grown players in that status are automatically protected.

 

IIRC, there was a new rule in 2015 that allowed the Revs to spend TAM money to re-sign Caldwell, thus keeping him in HG status. I believe that rule was good for two years, so Caldwell may not maintain that status in this expansion draft.

 

from the MLS site -- the Revs are the lead on the contract decisions today . . . looks like a major overhaul to me . . . although I guess they have until Thursday to sign the out of contract players, including those whose options they declined.

Kouassi, Angoua out in New England
New head coach Brad Friedel promised a defensive overhaul when he was introduced as head coach a couple weeks ago, and that's exactly what their initial offseason roster moves reflect. The two most significant departures are those of center back Benjamin Angoua and defensive midfielder Xavier Kouassi, the latter a DP. Both players had their options declined, along with defenders Donnie Smith, Josh Smith, Je-Vaughn Watson and London Woodberry and forward Brian Wright. In addition, defender Andrew Farrell, goalkeeper Brad Knighton (eligible for free agency), and forward Teal Bunbury are out of contract, while midfielder Gershon Koffie returned to his original club, Hammarby IF of Sweden.

 

From Revs site - this info is in list format towards end of article, for those of you who process that way:

https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/post/2017/11/27/revolution-announce-year-end-roster-moves

 

Agree with a lot of these decisions. Brian Wright will latch on somewhere, I think he showed a few flashes in his extremely limited minutes. Josh Smth is a serviceable backup and will land somewhere, same with Knighton. Otherwise, blow up that defense. See ya Farrell. He's regressed and I think he needs a fresh start somewhere else. Also, no idea why Tierney's option was picked up. Or Femi. What has either done this past year to deserve a spot? I don't get it. Must be those incriminating pics of Burnsie again.

FWIW, I would trade Nguyen for a ball winning midfield general or allocation rights to someone of that ilk. The revs direly need a younger JJ who commands the respect of the opponent, giving the skill guys the opportunity to exploit pockets of space. Right now, none of those mids scare anyone. They need someone with Koffie's tenacity and Kouassi's technical skills (pre-injury). If Kei stays, the revs need a fast winger to whip in crosses for headers.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

For no other reason than sheer numbers, we're going to get some data soon on how Friedel will do bringing in players. He's letting go of a whole lot of minutes.

 

We are officially down to 14 players.

 

Am I right in thinking that the Revs retain MLS rights to "out of contract" players, while free agents can go anywhere in the league?
If that's the case, I think there's a chance Farrell returns, assuming he can't get a nice deal with some Scandinavian side.

 

Yes, I think Knighton becomes a "free agent", but not the others.

 

Hey, starting 11 and 3 subs. Our work here is done.

 

I'd be willing to bet Teal, Farrell and Knighton are signed for less

 

so if this stands on the day of the expansion draft by all accounts the Revs basically only have 1 player to expose. Brilliant planning on the part of Burns!

 

I suspect the Revs will take at least one player during these drafts

Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Draft: Friday, Dec. 15 at 3 pm ET.

Stage 2 of the Re-Entry Draft: Thursday, Dec. 21 at 2 pm ET.

 

I hope they resign Knighton, Farrell and Kouassi for less money.

I agree that Farrell needs a change to develop, but I think Friedel and his staff can be that change. As a player, Heaps got by on his athleticism, and he didn't necessarily have that much tactical knowledge to pass on. Farrell's best game as a fullback this past season was after getting some specific attention from Soehn on his crossing. Farrell should have been receiving that type of attention for his entire career and I think/hope Friedel and his staff can give that attention.

Knighton is IMO one of the best backups in the league - always ready, never a problem, and certainly good enough to start games in MLS. I wonder if he was due for a big raise, or if Friedel knows some specific GK prospect somewhere that he'll bring in as a backup.

Our major weaknesses now remain fullback and left-footed attackers, and now include a ball-winning center mid. Maybe Herivaux will get a chance to win that spot, but we still need someone to physically dominate the center of the field. Caldwell and Rowe can be excellent center mids but neither will physically dominate anyone other than Maxi Moralez. Kouassi can be that player but was too expensive for $800k, but given what I saw from him, I think he would be a good signing for half that (still a very good salary).

Also surprised that Josh Smith was let go. I believe he was on the league minimum, and didn't seem out of place at all in his MLS minutes.

 

This whole thing is very hard to follow. Between lists that show players whose options werent picked up and those that were, I am having a hard time figuring out who is available to be protected/selected in this draft.

I would NOT protect Kamara, under any circumstances. I think the hacks are cleared out and with Caldwell and Lee around. We're good in the middle. Juan and Rowe could play there if need be

 

Got to believe Teal and Farrell will have plenty of offers, LAFC in particular. Knighton should have plenty of options too. Watson will land on his feet.

Smith, Woodberry and Wright probably are headed the NASL/USL route. Nothing wrong with that. It's a chance for them to play somewhere. Smith and Wright also serve as a reminded that the Superdraft is largely useless these days.

Kouassi - good riddance. He was a disaster of a DP. Anguoa actually finished strong, forming a solid partnership with Dielna, though I agree with letting him go. The Revs need to get younger in the middle.

I expect the Revs will entertain trade offers for Kei, Lee and perhaps Agudelo. And I still find it hard to believe Euro leagues won't be making transfer offers for Diego. He'd be a sweet fit for a mid-table Spanish team.

 

So I guess any ruminations on which 11 to protect in the expansion draft should really wait until after Thursday. Not sure if this is typical or not --- i.e. just part of the negotiation landscape every year, but we just don't see it.

Having only 14 under contract certainly would seem to indicate they are going to re-sign some of the out of contract or soon to be out of contract players. I can see doing an overhaul, but if we bring in 12-16 new players that would be tantamount to starting all over again. Not a bad idea theoretically, but a bit drastic practically.

 

I think a case can be made that he was a better keeper than Cropper. As the one true free agent, you have to wonder if he'd want to come back here for less if he can find either better pay or opportunities with another team.

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but don't the Revs still control the MLS rights to those two? They're not going anywhere in the league without the Revs say so.

Though I could imagine either being used as part of an expansion draft deal with LAFC.