just watch the game I recorded yesterday. My take on the game is: 1) our biggest problem is the midfield. We arent scoring because of little creativity from the midfield. No matter who they put up top... they get few feeds 2) Rennicks - played well ... ran his ass off. Few feeds but still did well when he got the ball. Im sure Arena will banish him when Bou returns 3) Jones - Still cant cross to save his life. Bye isnt much better. Boateng crosses better than either of them 4) Petrovic - MOTM. Saved our asses on numerous cases. Doubt we will be able to hold him long if he
We are now up to 7 games without a single win, 0-2-5. The difference in the results between last year and this year are just complete polar opposites. The only plus I have is that for the first time this year, the Revs have back-to-back clean sheets.
Petrovic really is Matt Turner's brother from another mother. We've not skipped a beat on keeping with him stepping in. That's about the only positive takeaway from the match, though, other than I did like like our run up the back of Toronto and steal the ball from them strategy. Too often that gets used against us to great effect. Not that we had a whole lot of options without any viable forwards, but it's nice to see that we can be the harassers rather than the harassed.
I have one other positive. NO MORE JOZY. It's nice to see forwards that actually run and fight for the ball. Not like Jozy. I hope his loaner contract says he can't be sent back? I never want to see him again in a Rev uniform. It took Arena a long time but he finally saw the light on Jozy. He should next work on Omar. He's also dead wood.
Its weird harping on the crossing. Gil and Bye are #1 and 2 in crossing in all of MLS, and Jones is in the top 5 in assists by defenders. In previous years id definitely have agreed about poor service from our FB, but this year the stats dont back that up
Our two best attacking threats right now are Borrero and Bou and we look pretty toothless without them. The story of this season for the Revs has been 'out of sync', and it remains so - now that our defense seems to have stabilized and put in back-to-back solid games, our offense has gone missing w/o B&B and Vrioni still coming up to speed. This miss by Vrioni hurts - could have been a real dramatic game-winner, but it was a tough chance and he did well to get a foot on it. Just too many mistakes by our outside backs. I think Bye was better this game, but Jones was worse. Just not the consistency we need from either. We did really well closing down Toronto's Italian stars when they got the ball. The refereeing in this was pretty mind-boggling. Some seemingly wrong calls on throw-ins and corners, but an insane decision on the pk after review. And, why on a play like that does it take several minutes to decide to review it? The whole process incentivizes the defense to complain and protest and delay until they decide to review it. What if the Revs hadn't gotten in the ref's face - would he still have waited for a decision to review? It looked like he was ready to let Toronto go ahead with the kick. And then to ignore a blatant take-down of Gil just before the final whistle is pretty hard to explain. A controversial pk awarded to one team, but a very clear trip at the end of the area becomes a play-on?
MLS Team of the Week | Penalty save, clean sheet earn Petrović leaguewide honors By Jeff Lemieux Monday, Aug 1, 2022, 02:00 PM
I read somewhere that he won't be in a Revs uniform again (of course that's opinion, but sounded like informed opinion). My take is that this was a quick solution while a longer-term one was being worked out. It's true - and it's very strange, almost like the team has stage fright or something. 29K was a great turnout - we deserved some goals. Another weird thing - that touched on one of my pet peeves. For much of the game, they didn't show any replays on the scoreboard. There were a couple of near misses on long-range shots, but nothing on the scoreboard. I don't know if they were having a technical problem or not, but I can't imagine anything like that happening at an NBA, NHL, NFL or MLB game - everything is replayed multiple times, multiple ways. Which brings me to my peeve - if there's anything controversial (like a PK call, or anything being VARed), they don't show a replay at all. It's like they (whoever that is) feel like the crowd can't be trusted and will riot or attack the referee or throw things on the field if there's something upsetting. I just can't imagine that happening in any of the other major pro sports in this country, not to mention major college sports or any major televised sporting event, for that matter. I find it incredibly patronizing and disrespectful to the people who are actually paying money for tickets. In a situation that is being VAR'ed, no one is less informed than the fan in the stadium.
That's the norm in every sport. Until they actually go to review, they won't show it. But a few times over the past couple of years, when they've gone to VAR (meaning the ref goes over), they have shown it to us as the ref is watching the replay.
Not that it means much, but in his post game press conference, Bruce was asked to assess Jozy's tenure with the Revs. His reply was something like: "It's not over yet, we will assess that when his time with us is completed."
Interpretation: technically Jozy is still a Rev because we loaned him out. When he gets released in the off-season, you guys will have forgotten about him by then and I won't have to answer that question.
I read somewhere that they had Jozy and others warming up to go in (NY I think) and when he didnt he went over and sat down, took his boots off. One of the assistant coaches spoke to him and he told that guy to f***k off. Arena has to react to that, besides the fine Jozy got. Next thing we see Jozy banished to Mexico. I would be amazed if Arena will ever let him return to the Revs. Kind of gets Arena out of a bad decision to even sign him and he can blame Jozy for his demise. Jozy will bomb in Mexico too. They run there and he doesnt. He should just retire for good if he is smart
PRO's video review recap of last week (link in the tweet takes you to the entire video - the penalty sequence from the Revs game starts at 4:06). This is equally insightful and infuriating. Insightful because it gives us a great look at how this process works. Infuriating because what is the friggin point of video review if it can still allow an incorrect call to stand? The "eye in the sky" should just be able to overturn incorrect judgements in limited circumstances (goals, penalties, cards, offside). 🎥// 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄Here's what we've got covered in this week's Inside Video Review >> https://t.co/ukcoI2fX5s. #PRO | #MLS pic.twitter.com/RtN8oZveLm— PRO (@PROreferees) August 6, 2022
Still no Bou or Borrero. Looks like no Revs goals again. Hope the defense holds. This is depressing as the season is getting late and we need some wins.
The old no attackers 11. If we find a way to lose central midfield with this group on the pitch then I don't have any words. I'm trying to understand the logic. I think Bruce is going with the 11 guys he trusts the most, and hoping something good comes out of it?? Not that Arbor is a dynamic attacker, or that Rivera has shown a ton of reliability wide, but with them at least you have players that might turn in a goal. Instead it's 4 CMs, Gil, and a pressing forward (I love rennicks but what he's shown has been poaching instincts and an engine, not much more). What's worse is the bench, which has only 4 players that aren't a defender or a GK. No Boy and Borrero for injury. ITS still in transit. Ok. Esmir??? We need wins and you can't win if you never score
My takeaway is that the ref is feeling rushed and doesn't really take enough time to understand the situation. Somewhat understandable in that it was already several minutes in at that point, but you still have to focus on getting it right.