Nothing more than what was noted in the club's news and notes on the Revs website from a couple days ago: Joe Nasco – goalkeeper – Colorado Rapids (MLS) Trevor Spangenberg – goalkeeper – Chivas USA (MLS) Jacob VanCompernolle – defender – University of North Carolina – Wilmington (NCAA) London Woodberry – defender – Arizona United (USL PRO) Tyler Rudy – midfielder – Georgetown (NCAA) Marco Fenelus – forward – Cal State-Fullerton (NCAA) Tim Mulgrew – forward – George Mason (NCAA) Yuzo Tashiro – forward – Vissel Kobe (J-League)
Wow that is a really underwhelming list. At best is looks like tryouts for a group to commute to Rochester. But who knows there may but be a player we can use in the batch. I wonder if there will be another bunch of trialists coming in later.
FWIW, reviewing my twitter timeline I think that I saw that Donnie Smith played as a right back today.
REVOLUTION 2015 Preseason Competitive Minutes Tally REVS 2, REAL SALT LAKE 1 60 - Donnie Smith 60 - Jeremy Hall 50 - Steve Neumann 40 - Bobby Shuttleworth 40 - Chris Tierney 40 - Jose Goncalves 40 - Andrew Farrell 40 - Andy Dorman 40 - Kelyn Rowe 40 - Scott Caldwell 40 - Teal Bunbury 40 - Charlie Davies (1 GOAL) 40 - Brad Knighton 40 - Sean Okoli (1 GOAL) *40 - Jacob Van Compernolle *40 - London Woodberry *40 - Marco Fenelus *40 - Tyler Rudy *40 - Timi Mulgrew (1 ASSIST) *40 - Yuzo Tashiro (1 ASSIST) 30 - Daigo Kobayashi 0 - Lee Nguyen (with USMNT) 0 - Jermaine Jones (with USMNT) 0 - Darrius Barnes (1 gm. injured) 0 - Kevin Alston (1 gm. injured) 0 - Jerry Bengtson (on loan) *0 - Joe Nasco (signed with Ft. Lauderdale)
Well, those highlights were a good woodstove season snack, and a win is a win. Great hustle by Davies, who got that goal all on his own. Looked like our 2014 lineup to start, with Daigo replacing Lee, Dorman replacing Jones, and Hall/Smith slotting in the backline. So far, all the articles say Agudelo up top with Davies taking Rowe's place on the left wing. Can he track back and defend well enough? Bunbury does that on the other side, but I don't know about Charlie. Would love to haver all of them on the pitch at once. Maybe we could play the old 3-5-2, and put Goncalves in Parky's spot!
Looked like the goal given up was due to a soft backpass from Woodbury that Knighton made a mess of (knocking it back off Woodbury and back into the middle). Nice assist by Mulgrew on Okoli's goal. Nice strength and physicality from Davies on his solo effort.
February 4th: New England Revolution vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, Desert Friendlies (12 pm, Tucson, Arizona)
Lineup vs. #VWFC: Shuttleworth; Tierney, Goncalves, Farrell, Hall; Dorman, Caldwell; Rowe, Kobayashi, Bunbury; Davies #NERevs— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015
HT #NERevs 0 #VWFC 0The action significantly picked up in the last 20 mins. Highly entertaining first half, but scoreless at the break.— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015 Second-half lineup: Knighton; Smith, VanCompernolle, Woodberry, Hall; Fenelus, Rudy; Mulgrew, Neumann, Tashiro; Okoli #NERevs— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015
53' #NERevs 0 #VWFC 0Big save from @bbknighton who went full stretch back across goal to tip a looping header off the post. Danger cleared.— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015 GOAL - Vancouver takes the lead in the 57th minute. Rivero races onto a through ball, holds off a challenge, and pokes past Knighton.— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015 This is the first preseason appearance for @D_Barnes25, who has slid into central defense. Woodberry now playing on the right. #NERevs— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015
Well, it's good to see that our defense is right in regular season shape. GOAL - Vancouver adds a second in the 62nd minute and again it's Rivero. Gets behind the backline and rounds Knighton for a tap-in. #NERevs— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015
65' #VWFC 2 #NERevs 0Another chance for Rivero as he's played into the box, but this time @bbknighton comes up big, diving to his right.— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015
75' #VWFC 2 #NERevs 0Rudy with a curling cross to the back post which skips to Mulgrew, who contorts to head on goal. Tornaghi saves.— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015
87' #VWFC 2 #NERevs 0A spell of possession for the Revs finishes with Rudy giving it a go from distance. Simple save for Tornaghi.— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) February 4, 2015
#NERevs undone by Octavio Rivero's brace in 2-0 loss to #VWFC in Wednesday's scrimmage.— Brian O'Connell (@BrianOConnell21) February 4, 2015
REVOLUTION 2015 Preseason Competitive Minutes Tally REVS 2, REAL SALT LAKE 1 REVS 0, VANCOUVER 2 (*-Unsigned) 110 - Jeremy Hall 105 - Donnie Smith 95 - Steve Neumann 85 - Bobby Shuttleworth (0.00 GA/90) 85 - Chris Tierney 85 - Jose Goncalves 85 - Andrew Farrell 85 - Andy Dorman 85 - Kelyn Rowe 85 - Scott Caldwell 85 - Teal Bunbury 85 - Brad Knighton (3.18 GA/90) 85 - Sean Okoli (1 GOAL) *85 - Jacob Van Compernolle *85 - London Woodberry *85 - Marco Fenelus *85 - Tyler Rudy *85 - Timi Mulgrew (1 ASSIST) *85 - Yuzo Tashiro (1 ASSIST) 75 - Daigo Kobayashi 70 - Charlie Davies (1 GOAL) 40 - Darrius Barnes (1 gm. injured) 0 - Lee Nguyen (2 gms. with USMNT) 0 - Jermaine Jones (2 gms. with USMNT) 0 - Kevin Alston (2 gms. injured) 0 - Jerry Bengtson (on loan)
Could Jeremy Hall be our new RB? Is anyone ok with that? Interested to see how "prolific" Okoli can be for the rest of the off season. Where's Diego? When might we hear word on Soare's return (or not return)?
Hall is speedy and seems to have good tactical awareness, but AFAIK he has only played as a midfielder for the majority of his pro career. Pretty sure that he's comparable to Alston at RB, but Alston has a ton more experience so maybe he's our 5th defender (in off the bench). Okoli might be a beast. He has the right skills to succeed in the league (powerful, fast, big) and the Seattle bunch was pretty bummed to lose him from what I've heard. Diego is with Uruguay at the U20 Olympic qualifiers. Won't be back till they cut him loose, but he's getting play time so he isn't going to come back rusty. It would be great to have Soares come back, defense and attacking finishing were our weak links last year and making sure we have depth and experience is going to be key. Plus, every successful defense in MLS and around the world is made up of three or four guys who have played together for a while and know what to communicate to the rest of the line. I think last year's back four with Bobby in goal (and a full year of starting under his belt) will do enough to keep whatever lead our attacking game can give us. Revs allowed 38 goals in 2013 and 49 goals in 2014. The two differences defensively were McCarthy and Reis. As long as they allow fewer than (let's say) 45 goals or so, I think our attack will be able to put enough in at the other end to achieve a 18-20 win season. Maybe I'm just really, really optimistic.
Not quite "our" defense - at least not yet. The goals against were against the 2nd half trialists, for the most part.