Still one game left in the regular season, but now that they are officially eliminated from the playoffs, time to start thinking about the off-season. Three big questions following New England Revolution's 2022 season By Tom Bogert Monday, Oct 3, 2022, 09:34 AM mlssoccer.com What the 2022 MLS season meant for New England Revolution By Matthew Doyle Monday, Oct 3, 2022, 10:39 AM
From Matt Doyle's article... I started noting this problem after the Philly game in May. They never got out of that rut.
From the first article: A couple more thoughts… Is highly-rated 17-year-old USYNT midfielder Noel Buck ready for starter-ish minutes next year? Can Esmir Bajraktarevic (17) contribute or does he need another year of seasoning in MLS NEXT Pro? Will Christian Makoun be a starter on his third MLS team in three years? Is Nacho Gil back in 2023 or was he just a short-term safety valve? My thoughts: - I think Buck is ready for at least part-time starter. I'm not sure I'd hand him a position and if they did, what position would it be? But, I think he proved that he is a valuable MLS player who has a very promising upside. Bajraktarevic looks promising at well, but definitely can only be counted on as a depth-piece at this point. Get this kid as much p.t. as possible, wherever you can. - I think Makoun has all the physical tools and skills to be the starting dmid we need. Whether he can be consistent and reliable and make the right decisions are the questions. - Put me on the Nacho bandwagon - the first article mentioned getting more wing depth; I think the answer is right here in Nacho. And, at least for now, he looks like he may be more durable than Borrero and ITS (both of whom will always have injury concerns IMO). In Saturday's game he frequently flowed from wing-to-center-to-opposite-wing, interchanging with big brother and Bou and looking totally comfortable doing it.
They did for a while. From Jul 23 to Sep 4 (9 games) they only lost a lead once (Aug 17 @ TOR, up 2-1, ended 2-2). Which, compared to 9 of the first 20 games, is good.
The Revs are like the shark that will drown if it ever stops swimming - the Revs defense gets exposed if it can't keep attacking and prevent teams from pressuring them in their own end. So, even an offense that gets a few opportunities and manages to capitalize can't protect a defense from giving up leads if the defense can't do reasonably well at transitioning to offense when they get possession. The number of times the defense gets into the mode of passing it around and back and ends up conceding dangerous chances or just hands to ball over with long clearances is .
C'mon ... in how many of those games did they actually have a lead? I mean, yes, they didn't blow leads in those games ... because they rarely had them. The first two of those, they didn't score. The second two, they held the lead. The next you already explained. They next three, they never led, and then the last one on 9/4. So in those 9 games, they led in 4. Statistically, you're correct. But it's like the Revs posting about ending their home undefeated streak. If you tie the majority of those games, does it really matter? That's because our defense is f'in abysmal. We're in the bottom half of the EC for GA this year, and even with the Shield, we were just 6th best last year (in the EC). I like Farrell, I lost all respect for Kessler, but they both need to be replaced ... and sooner than later for Farrell.
They had 6 shutouts in those 9 games, so the defense (blowing leads) wasn't the issue, it was the offense.
I'm still bugged over Kessler and the Canada trip, but I still think he's someone to build around. He had some rough patches this year, but I think those were mostly due to losing rhythm due to missing time because of injury and, uh, ... other stuff . I find Farrell pretty maddening - he's got the physical tools and good enough skills, but makes too many blunders for a guy with his experience. But, he often rebounds with a really strong stretch, so is it all mental? Since his PK blunders a while back, he's hardly made a mistake since. But, with him, just when you think he has it figured out ...
Revs offseason checklist by position: GK: clear out the excess. We have 5 GK on the roster thats too many. CB: add a starting caliber CB to share time with Farrell and Kessler. Dump the chaff FB: add at least 1 starting caliber FB. To push Bye and Jones DM: add a proper backup for Polster CM: add a minimum of 1 starting #8. Dump the chaff AM: Gil is great no notes Wing: figure out if any of Borrero, Nacho, ITS can be a full time starter in the league and address any remaining deficiencies Striker: We have 2 DP strikers. Are either of them good enough to start in MLS anymore? We have a minimum of 5 guys we need to add. I dont think the offseason can be viewed as a success unless a minimum of 10 new players are added. This projection also doesnt account for possible sales of Petrovic or Jones, each of which would necessitate additional signings.
Not sold on Makoun as a starter. AJ and Omar need to call it quits. 5 keepers on a roster is ridiculous. Need 2 or 3 attacking players and two or 3 starting caliber defenders
I think this problem is going to solve itself - there are reports that Petrovic could be sold for 13-15M; Knighton likely gone one way or another. Diop would probably be the front-runner, with Jackson probably still rehabbing well into 2023 and Edwards the likely backup. The best longer range prospect is probably Max Weinstein, but he's at least a couple of years away. So, depending on how far along Jackson is, we probably either bring Knighton back or look for a shorter term fill-in/prospect - or just depend on the Revs II keepers from this season.
The main needs I see: - centerback - a big, quality, experienced back who can at the minimum rotate in with Kessler and Farrel and provide depth - i.e., a fit Omar. - outside backs - I'd look at Bell as a backup left back, more than centerback and develop him there. But, we need younger, better depth left and right - i.e., a couple of younger DeLa Garzas. If Bye or Jones leave, we need established starting level backs. - dmid - I like what I've seen from Makoun, but I think this is the #1 area to be upgraded. I think Polster is overrated, good defensively, even though range/speed limited, but below average in the transition game, which is critical for how this team plays. Maciel might have been a factor, but that's moot with his likely being out up to a full year. Kaptoum isn't really a great fit defensively and he's too expensive for what they've been getting. I'd like to see us really spend to bring in a veteran leader here. - wings - I actually think we're pretty good here, if we can keep people healthy. I think Nacho is a good fit, with Borrero and ITS likely to have injury concerns, and Ema is a good option of the bench, occasional starting. This might be a good position to draft for, to get a young, domestic player in the mix (although Buck could be considered that player). - amid - Gil, nothing to be said there. Is Esmir his backup? - forward - I think we've got to give Vrioni time next spring to fit in. I still think Bou is very capable and if other parts of the team are functioning, he'll get goals and assists. We should try again (last year's draft pick was a fail) to get in a young, fast striker. Rennicks made good strides and is improving into a good bench option, though likely not much of a scorer.
Doesn't he 5 keepers on the roster also include populating REV II? 5 over 2 teams is not that outrageous.
Clement Diop has had stints of being started quality in the league, but thats not a wagon im excited to hitch to. I was implying we need to clear out both Edwards and Knighton. On the field our problem isnt that we lack players who *can* play the positions. The issue is players capable of performing. As an example look at pur midfielders. We've had as many as 7 guys who could be classified as CMs, but very few who can be relied upon week in and week out. Of our current guys we have: Capable MLS Starter: Polster Capable MLS bench guy: Tommy Prospect: Buck, Makoun Deficient: Maciel, Kaptoum Too many people look, see 6 guys, and think we have depth. In reality we cant even field 2 quality starters! If as an org we're going to buy in to being a development club, then fine. Sell Gil, Petro, Jones, Bye, and anything that isnt nailed down. But if the goal is to win trophies (and with Bruce I hope it is) then we need to have a roster with enough players that can support that goal
R2 has a completely separate roster. Using 5 senior team roster slots on GK is ridiculous. Using 4 is slightly less ridiculous. Most teams carry 3 and only expand if there is an injury crisis
Edwards has been the backup for Petro on the bench every game since Diop arrived. Diop was on the bench (along with Edwards) for one game (Aug 20 in MON, when they were desperate for warm bodies). So unless they were made with 2023 in mind, the trades for Diop and IT-S were completely useless. Jacob Jackson is on the senior roster, but was the everyday starter for R2 until he got hurt. Petro made one "get your feet wet" appearance for R2. Edwards played one game for them as well. Once Jackson got hurt, Weinstein (on loan from the academy) was pressed into service. The only non-academy GKs on the R2 roster are Marzuq Puckerin, who has served as the backup, but never played, and Yannik Oettl, also never played this year.
The point is the R2 GK don't need to come from the senior team. If the plan is to develop guys down there then sign them to R2 contracts (Like we should have with Jackson). If the plan is to keep a guy warm down there (like we did with Petro/Edwards) you still don't need to use 5 senior team roster slots on GK. Not that Bruce the GM has a stellar track record of hitting on signings, but imagine if instead of carrying 5 GK all year we had used 2 slots on field players. Would we have needed to spend the entire year playing our best 8 (Lletget, then Tommy) as a winger? Could we have had another trustworthy player on the bench that would let us use all 5 subs?
Do you really think Bruce would have played those two guys when there were already other players on the roster not getting time? He plays the players he trusts the most and has never been good at developing young players.
I agree his reputation isn't toward developing young players. So why are we carrying so many? By my count our roster has somewhere on the order of 10 guys who could be considered a young prospect. Emir, Buck, Rivera, Rennicks, Spaulding, Bell, Reveno, Makoun, Jackson, Maciel. I would add Kaptoum to the list as a guy clearly under development. Kizza too depending on how you want to handle his roster status. MLS roster rules more or less force a team to carry 4 U24 players (roster slots 25-28) and the 2 HG slots more or less count as well. So the revs are currently committing at least 2x the minimum number of developmental slots that they have to, on a team built to win now, with a coach that isn't inclined to incorporate unproven guys into his team. Add in the wasted roster slots for excess replacement level GK and its no surprise that 1-2 injuries completely torpedo the team! The roster construction just doesn't make any sense.
When I try and be the voice of reason, I know all is lost in the world. I actually think the overall construction idea is correct. Some high level DP players, some middle level MLS talent, and then keep bringing up the Academy kids to see what you have (as theoretically they should soon compete with the middle level talent and for cheaper). I hate thinking this, but I think two things really f'ed up this season. One was the spate of injuries, and the second was Bruce thinking that Jozy and Omar were ready to start the season. I don't believe he really wanted to be using those guys in March, but he was out of options. Those two signings should have been better.
Djordje signs an extension with club option through '26. Guess he's staying at least a year - and Revs transfer fee is going up. I think this is a great piece of business by all involved. He must like it here.
Yeah, I think you nailed it. On the second point, I think Arena thought he could reclaim those guys careers and it turned out he couldn't. I think in the last 3 appearances (if my count is right), we've seen how Arena intended to deploy Omar - and it has worked. I think injuries early forced him into a role he's no longer capable of. With Altidore and Lleget, they are players he's had success with in the past, but they just didn't fit well with what we're doing here. Probably a case of Arena's ego getting the best of him. There are reports about how he's happy here and good with staying another year, but I think when the offers solidify and some big team names get floated (and his agent pulls him aside), the temptation is going to be too great to turn down. The Revs, through talent and/or luck, found a big diamond - it's going to get cashed in when the market is high. With Diop, I think that was absolutely the case - at the minimum, I think he will replace Knighton next year. One, I don't think we carried 5 all year - Diop was added, what, in August? We had some overlap with Petro and Turner, but we knew Petro was leaving, so I consider the two of them really one spot. And, then you're assuming that if they carried fewer goalkeepers, they could have found difference makers elsewhere. I think the Revs, and this goes back to when they first signed Turner, fill out their roster with project keepers because they don't have any field players they want to or can sign. Edwards was a Turner-like signing, but of course, rarely, if ever will they work out as well at Turner. But, the GK coach sees something in a guy, they like to give him some guys to try to develop. Nacho filled a spot, but he was a pretty special case: out of contract, relatively cheap and had a special reason to be interested in signing here.