P/I/P Match 14: Revs @ ATL, Sat 07/17/21 5:00p [R]

More like the Delamea red against NYCFC. Upon review it was determined that there was no foul on the challenge and could not be a red.

 

Does Knighton get a chance to redeem himself? Do the Revs finally pull their collective heads out of their asses and get a win? Can the defense go 90+ without a screw up? Revs won 1 of the last 3 meetings with Atl. Atlanta is a mediocre team at best this year. Revs have given up 11 goals the last 5 games and are 2-2-1 in those games.

 

So who is the mystery player they have been tracking all these months?

 

The reported long-duration aspect of this player pursuit has a bit of a Cristhian Machado-esque feel to it.

 

As much as I'd like to believe they have a difference maker in their back pocket, I'd be surprised by a "wow" move. If anything happens, I would expect a move to give the team more depth.

Side note: Is Elizabeth always so robotic in these interview segments?

 

Short answer: yes. But, the producer does her no favors. It's set up as a conversational format, yet she's just give interview questions to file off in sequence.

If they are going to set it up that way, let them have a real conversation for an hour and then edit it down to the interesting clips. Instead, coffee with the coach is just coach answering questions with a coffee to sip - and a brand placement at the end.

 

I. 3-5-2

A. The Toronto Match

In the Revs’ match against Toronto on July 8, Bruce Arena started the team in a 4-4-2 formation. Here was the formation:

------------------------Knighton-------------------------


Bye-------------Farrell-------------Kessler----------Jones


--------------------Polster----------Maciel---------------


Gil----------------------------------------------------Bunbury


--------------------Buksa-------------Bou--------------------

After the team’s shaky start (including going down 2-0), in the 20th minute Arena switched the team to a 3-5-2. Here is what the formation looked like:

------------------------------Knighton-------------------------


------------Bye--------------Farrell-------------Kessler---------


Bunbury-------------Polster----------Maciel---------------Jones


------------------------------------Gil-----------------------------------


--------------------------Buksa-------------Bou--------------------

Although the Revs conceded a third goal after the formation change, they did play better overall after the change. For instance, after the change, they scored two goals compared to Toronto’s one. So, should the Revs start in a 3-5-2 tomorrow against Atlanta?

It may be a better idea to start in a 3-5-2 than to start in a 4-4-2. This season, the Revs’ record when starting in a 4-4-2 is 1 win, 3 losses and no draws, for a winning-percentage of 25%. In addition, the Revs played reasonably well in a 3-5-2 against Toronto.

Moreover, if the Revs were to start in a 3-5-2 tomorrow, what line-up should they start? Here’s what I would do:

--------------------------------Knighton-------------------------


------------Bye----------------Farrell-------------Kessler---------


Jones-------------McNamara----------Maciel---------------Boateng (or Traustason)


-------------------------------------Gil-----------------------------------


--------------------------Buksa-------------Bou--------------------


B. Outside midfielders

DeJuan Jones is right-footed and has been good when he has played outside midfield. So, I’d start him at right midfield. Emmanuel Boateng played well against Toronto and had a nice assist. Although Boateng is right-footed, he’s good with his left foot. So, I’d start him at left midfield.

However, I’m concerned about Boateng’s defense and that he is so small that he is often dispossessed. So, I may start Arnor Traustason at left midfield, or start the latter at right midfield and start DeJuan Jones at left midfield. Traustason has been playing solidly recently, and he played pretty well at right midfield against Toronto. For instance, according to whoscored.com, in 18 minutes of play against Toronto, he attempted 11 passes and completed 90.9 percent of them. Here:

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1...Soccer-2021-New-England-Revolution-Toronto-FC


C. Defensive-midfielders

If Arena starts the team in a 3-5-2 tomorrow, which two defensive-midfielders should he start among Tommy McNamara, Maciel and Matt Polster? First, I’d start McNamara. He has played solidly this season, and had a solid game against Toronto, including completing a team high 96% of his passes (on 25 attempts). He also had the pass to Boateng that led to Boateng’s assist.

What about the other defensive-midfielder? Should it be Maciel or Polster? It’s close. Polster is physically stronger than Maciel and may be better at holding the ball when under pressure. Also, against Toronto, in 45 minutes of play, Polster attempted 54 passes and completed 94.4%, good passing statistics. However, although I don’t remember Polster making any crucial mistakes against Toronto, he has shown a tendency to do so. Maciel seems to have made fewer big mistakes, and, among players who have played significant minutes for the Revs this season, he leads the team in pass completion-percentage at 89.7%. Here:

https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/stats/

Interestingly, Polster is close behind Maciel in completion percentage at 89.5%.


II. 4-2-3-1

However, tomorrow, I would start the Revs in a 4-2-3-1. Here is what the formation would look like:

--------------------------------Knighton-------------------------


Bye------------------Farrell-------------Kessler----------Jones


--------------------McNamara----------Maciel---------------


Traustason------------------------Gil-----------------------Boateng


--------------------------------------Buksa----------------------------

This season, the Revs’ record when starting in a 4-2-3-1 is 7 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw. That’s a winning percentage of 81% (I count wins as 1.0 point, losses as 0 points and draws as .333 points). That's the best winning-percentage in MLS this season.

Nevertheless, I’m sure Arena wants to get all three of his Designated Players in the starting line-up. And that would be difficult to do in a 4-2-3-1. For instance, Adam Buksa likely would not play well on the wing or underneath the center-forward. Moreover, overall, Gustavo Bou has been somewhat disappointing when he has played underneath the center-forward. He’s turned the ball over too much.

But it’s more important to win or draw tomorrow than for Arena to keep all three of his DPs totally happy at this time. Analogously, last season, sometimes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started Edson Cavani at center-forward; sometimes Solskjaer started Marcus Rashford at center-forward. And when Solskjaer started one of them at center-forward, sometimes he started the other one on the bench. Moreover, Manchester United was a good team that finished second in the EPL, and both Cavani and Rashford scored double-digit goals—Cavani with 10 and Rashford with 11.

Finally, against Atlanta tomorrow, I would start Buksa over Bou. Last week against Toronto, Buksa scored and was more goal-dangerous than Bou.

One question: How about trying Bou on one of the wings in a 4-2-3-1? He’s skillful, and he could give the team another scoring threat coming from the flanks.

 

I get that Farrel is our most experienced back, but I feel like especially with a game like tonight it might be worth giving Kessler and Bell a chance. To be fair to Bell, Pepi had a free run down the middle because Farrel is pushing so high up. Same thing happened in the toronto game again... I think his experience at the position is overrated and Kessler does a better job managing the defence and making call outs.

 

Yes.

 

Agreed. Kessler and Bell is *the* pairing of the future. I'm not entirely sold on Bell, but I've bought enough of what Farrell is selling over the years, and I still get spit on my burger every once in a while. I think that he has a lot of the athleticism necessary to be a great CB in the future, and I do think that Kessler has enough soccer IQ and leadership quality to help him as they move forward.

As I had mentioned in the off topic thread, I'm hoping it's somewhere between a depth and "wow" signing. A 2 way CM that could be a bit of Kaptoum and Caicedo and actually see the field would be great.

 

As for the game, could be another rough one. Atlanta has been hurting, but we've always struggled against BAD teams for whatever reason. The guys had 10 days off. Maybe Kaptoum is healthy and we get to see some significant minutes from him.

I've often ragged on Tommy McNamara with drunk uncle comments, but he's been looking like a player recently. I've been pleasantly suprised, and wouldn't mind seeing him contribute.

I'm looking for what I assume will be Bye and Jones stay back a bit more defensively tonight, and help what I pray is Kessler and Bell in front of anybody but Knighton for previously stated reasons.

I'd like to see Ema come on around the 60th minute for some pace on the wing. Encouraging he got the assist in his first appearance. He's serviceable as a shorter, stockier, and probably faster Tajon. Not sure how I feel about him for the full 90.

We need to pass with purpose and protect whoever is in goal tonight.

If we're getting clear cut chances, we need to be burying them, or this could be a long night.

 

Well the lineups out...

Looks like a 4-4-2

...........Bou...Buska
Kaptoum.....Maciel....Polster....Gil
Jones...Kessler....Farrell....Bye
........... Knighton

Different formation.... Left side of Mid is interesting
I am surprised at Kessler starting again. Since Henry missed the Gold Cup.... He's started every game. I wonder if Arena:
1) Started Bell many times - was he preparing in case Henry got the call or
2) Was hiding Henry to make sure he didnt get picked???

I wonder which it was?

 

Atlanta used to be the envy of the league. Now the whole thing is in danger of going down the dumper because they can't get the coach part right. A big Revs win might result in the much deserved sacking of Heinze.

 

I guess my biggest takeaway from the game...I miss Turner. Knighton stumbles around in front of the net and gives up rebounds on simple shots. I found myself holding my breath and thinking what's going to happen now every time Atlanta shot. But on the bright side, the first win in Atlanta!

Pardon me while I get on my soapbox.

The Revs at the end of the game did what I have argued for years. They killed the game by moving the ball around. I hate the "take the ball to the corner flag" to waste time. That's great if you want to kill 5 to 10 seconds. Yes, Teal one time this year killed off almost 30 seconds in the corner. One time!! If you keep possession and move the ball around; it does 2 things: kills time and tires the defenders out. As long as you don't pass the ball to the other team, which the Revs like to do, you should be able to kill more time than you do by taking the ball to the corner. Ok, I'll get down from my soapbox now!

 

A classic good-enough victory, and three points on the road.

Agreed on the above. I'm led to wonder how bad Edwards must be. There has to be a better backup goalkeeper somewhere in the depths of MLS.

And Kaptoum was a bright spot, but I wasn't really able to get a read on Glass-Legs. Though, as far as I know, he finished the match intact

 

They were good enough to grab the 3 points, that matters the most. I thought the passing from both Jones and Bye was poor. Seems like they should have been able to score at least 2 additional goals but way too many giveaways and they weren't the only ones. Kessler I thought had a good game.

And adios Heinze.

 

It's a win (and a shutout) and we needed both. But, it wasn't a very impressive one.

The defense survived, but wasn't without it's scary, helter-skelter moments. At least the 2nd half was better.

Offensively, it just feels like we should have been able to bag one or two more. Gil's shot off the post clearly could have been one of them - he had the keeper beaten by a large margin. Buksa made a very nice/unselfish play on the goal, but clumsy touches wasted a lot of other opportunities. He had an early header that I thought he could have done better on.

And, goal-a-game Bou didn't disappoint when he had a clear chance on goal - but was out-of-sync with both Gil and Buksa too many times.

 

Are some of you being a little harsh on Knighton? He had the bad mistake to give up the first goal against Toronto, but it is hard to put the other goals in that game on him. It thought he was decent yesterday. It was a clean sheet after all.

We are all looking forward to Turner's return. Hopefully Knighton can continue to get results until then.