Choose your opponent is an interesting concept. I'd think it would really upset the team that gets "chosen"...
I've been a big advocate of that plan - and, yes, the chosen team is going to be able to play the disrespect card.
This is now official: New England Revolution II Sign Midfielder Noble Okello Thursday, Mar 16, 2023, 09:59 AM
Goalie Max Weinstein signs a professional contract with Revs II. He was in net when the U-19s won the title last year.
MLS 360 crew interviews MLS Next Pro Sr Vice President Ali Curtis Ali Curtis previews 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Season: "Innovation is one of our pillars" mlssoccer.com Video 5:14 They discuss some of the innovative rule changes the league has, including one I didn't know about: red card suspensions will be served the next time you face the same team (only if they are on the schedule again that season).
Nico Campuzano was on the bench in DC as the backup to Petrovic, then flew to ATL to start for R2 in their season opener on Sunday. POSTGAME NOTES: Revolution II Secure First Win of the Season at Atlanta United 2, 3-2 Sunday, Mar 26, 2023, 10:31 PM revolutionsoccer.net
They had to hold on, but luckily they did, giving up two late goals after being up 3-0. Game was on YouTube for free, will have to see if this will be the norm.
I watched the game sunday and did a commentary in another forum. Here were my player ratings: 3/26 vs ATL2 Player ratings: Adebayo - 7 Very solid. Clearly skilled with his feet, but also moves well and a solid physical presence up top Dias - 6 Decent on the LW. No major positives or negatives Rivera - 5 Quiet. Subbed off at halftime Fry - 6 Hardwork for 82. Lots of vertical runs Okello - 7 Beast in CM. Hes the 8 this team so desperately needed last year Rozhansky - 9 MotM. Strong defensively and contributed on all 3 goals Miller - 6 Strong outing from a 15 year old, faded toward the end Suarez - 6 Good 60 minutes. Not a lot to say as NE were comfortably cruising with him in the game Cayet - 7 A goal and some solid defending. Souza - 6 The new O'Hearn. started at RB and ended as RCB. Campuzano - 6 a little shakey at times, held when he needed to. Cant fault him on the pen, but could have done a bit better on the goal and nearly got chipped subs: Bolma - 5 came on at half and had a couple of nice passes while playing as a CAM, but shifted to FB down the stretch and our defense collapsed Weverton - 5 Very quiet. Struggled to find the ball Awashie - 3 made a mistake every time he got on the ball. Needs more time to bake Quinones - 3 I know hes a homegrown, but I just dont see it. Still struggles mightily as a FB and not dynamic enough to be a wing. Conceded the pen Greenridge-Duncan - N/A didnt really play enough to rate Bonus: Firmino - 8 Anything good the ATL attack did started with him. Burried the pen to bring the game within 1, and nearly beat Campuzano on a lofted header that scraped off the post. We miss him
Like their big brothers, R2 also taking on NYC this weekend (Sun 8pm) in R2's home opener. NYC2 had a bye in week 1, so this is their first match of the season. If you didn't watch the match on YouTube posted above, there was an interview at halftime with former Rev Darrius Barnes, who is now the president of Charlotte's MLS-NP club, Crown Legacy FC.
I watched the 2nd half live. Campuzano really kept them in the game, and nycfc were unlucky not to score at least 1 more. Even with that being true, the Suarez/Cayet CB partnership looked ok, and i like the trajectory Santi is on. After putting together a high quality performance last week, Okello really struggled to control the midifeld in this one and r2 basically had 0 attacks until he was subbed off for esmir in the 50'. Speaking of esmir, he had another really strong game. If you watch nothing else in this game, check out the highlight for his goal. The cross field pass Miller (only 15!) plays to start the sequence is great, and the little slip pass Fry plays to set up esmir is excellent. Final thought: Bolma had another lackluster game. He started as a kind of attacking midfielder, and then when esmir came on he moved to the 8. His ball control needs a ton of work, and i lost count of the number of times he dribbled into a defender and lost possession cheaply. Very far off senior team quality.
Schedule Update: Date Change to Revolution II’s Match vs. Philadelphia Union II Monday, Apr 3, 2023, 09:58 AM revolutionsoccer.net
R2 now 3-0-0. MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchday 3: New England Revolution II By Skylar Rolstad Monday, Apr 10, 2023, 07:08 PM
Its good to see some of the 1st team kids have a place to get minutes when they don't appear for the 1st team (Jack and Esmir especially) and its reassuring to see them dominate the lower level. This was the 1st game I saw where Bolma actually did productive things, leveraging his athleticism into a pure destroyer DM role. Although he conceded a penalty (one of the DM cardinal sins) I saw glimpses of a useful player that I have don't seen when he's been deployed out wide as a FB/wing or as an attacking minded midfielder. Rohzansky is the R2 captain, and a solid player, but I hope Bolma can play a bit more in that DM role. If he grows in the role then he'd surely be an upgrade from Makoun as the "utility guy" on the basis that at least Bolma would have utility in 1 role. Fry and Miller continue to impress. Akanyirge was actually very solid at RB and id like to see him a bit more. He would be a better Bye backup than Bolma already if he can consistently play like he did Monday. Only other note is that for a goal scorer it felt like Rivera had a quiet game. Id really like to see him sieze the reigns in a way like Esmir does and impose himself on the game. He wasn't bad, but was not so good that he's changed my opinion on his 1st team readiness (read: still not a 1st team option)
Peyton Miller is the only Academy player to make the gameday 20 so far, and he has played all 270 minutes. Definitely a player to watch.
plus the graduates on 2nd team deals weinstein, bueno, and fry. I know youre talking about youth players still with the academy, but i thinks its good to track the guys who were recently there too
Yeah, that's kind of how I feel about him - that he's reached a level of competence, but isn't showing he can be a difference-maker.
First loss of the season for R2 comes at the hands of the defending MLS Next Pro champs: POSTGAME NOTES: Revolution II Fall to Columbus Crew 2, 3-0 Sunday, Apr 16, 2023, 04:30 PM