Thanks to @asctester for reminding me. So ... let's talk about how we think this season will play out for the Revs. Seeing media basically (mostly) putting us in the top 3 in the East, but there's a minority that do seem to believe we'll be mid-pack. So ... how about you? Please vote ... and tell us why. I'm going to close the voting 30 (or so) minutes before game time.
If memory serves, the Revs best season ever was 2005: 59 pts in 32 games. I'm going all in and say they will surpass that this year, with 61 pts: 18W-7L-9T 61 points would have finished 3rd in the East in 2018, 2nd in 2019.
Thanks for this; fun annual event. 14W 11L 9D = 51 pts This assumes Gil not available for a handful of games (3-4 games, possibly) - that will turn Wins into Losses or Draws. (I don't feel it is rational to assume Gil will be available for every minute this season - which is what I think it will take for Revs to reach the lofty predictions we're now seeing in the media.) (Of course, I really really hope it is actually better than this. But "hoping" isn't the same as trying to do rational math.)
I selected 61 points or higher. I went thru their schedule and came up with 19 wins, 6 losses, and 9 ties for 66 total points. I'm not normally this optimistic, but I'm excited for this year. Maybe it has something to do with the pandemic lockdown. Of course, the key being avoid any major injuries. And then there is World Cup qualifying. Do we lose Turner, Tajon, Buksa, Traustason, and any others for those qualifiers?? Hey good news, we have players that get called up to their national team. The bad news, it is a World Cup qualifying year. I'm looking forward to the season and I'm going to remain optimistic. Go Revs!!
Thank you for creating the thread. In my time here, this board has tended to be a bit pessimistic, so I was wondering if the board was having trouble dealing with the potentially better prospects of the team this year. I can relate. Being a revs fan can be a roller coaster. For this season, I am going with 51 to 55 points and hoping to be low. It feels like the coaches understand what this season will look like with a lot of two game weeks and the likelihood that some players will miss time on international duty. It looks like the team has been built with some depth that will hopefully mitigate this. There is a lot to be excited about this year. There is potential for great things if players stay healthy, new acquisitions prove to be quality, and promising young players continue to develop. It could all go wrong with some combination of key injuries, new players not proving useful, and young players regressing. I am pretty excited to see it get going. Coach Arena has been preaching a fast start to the year. I hope that is exactly what we see starting on Saturday.
It has been said that this is the one time of year when even the NNNs (nattering nabobs of negativity) become optimists...
56-60, 17w-7d-10l, 1.7 ppg vs. 1.4 ppg last year. Not especially expecting squad improvement as much as full seasons of Gil and Caicedo.
I too went for 56-60 for similar reasons. Add in a potentially better season from Buksa and the remainder of the squad being quietly "solid" or better, the Revs could be a tough nut this season.
I see so many reasons to be bullish on this team, that I have to remind myself of how often things have gone sideways for them over the years. Opening in Chicago seems an appropriate test, as they've so often found weird/crazy ways to not win there (PKs, red cards, strange deflections, goalkeeping blunders, ...). The most important thing, maybe, is that this is a team that should (and I think does) believe that any time they step on an MLS field they expect to win. Stud goalkeeper, check. Talented strikers, check. Depth at virtually every position, check. Coach whose been there, done that WRT championships, check. Young, emerging players, check. An offensive creator as good as any in the league, check.
The other piece of good news is in their last 16 road games last year they went 8 wins, 5 losses, and 3 ties. And 3 of those losses were in Philly and 1 in the final at Columbus. So I don't fret them going on the road. At home, well a different story. During that time period, we went 3 wins, 3 losses, and 4 ties. If we can maintain the road record and improve on our home record it should be a good season.
I know I'm getting myself too pumped up for this season ... and so I voted 61+. I just feel there's something here with this club. But as usual, health will be an issue. And I'm still worried about defensive depth. I'm going 18-7-9. Two wins for every loss seems manageable for this team. The lack of having to fly out west for multiple trips should also help.
my 2021 Revs predictions: Buksa: doubles his output from last year 12g,2a Bou: benefits from Buksa,Gil and Taurstason making space for him, has his best year in MLS, 9g Taurstason: Hard to handle on the left. Good pace, 6ft tall and with a good nose for the goal. he could be the Revs MVP, 7 goals and adds 5 assists Tajon: break out year, will make the Canadian Senior club starting11. 6g, 4a playing RB and RW Gil: stays healthy all year and gets the offense moving from game one. 6 goals 10 assists Kessler: has a sophomore slump and loses his starting job for a few games to Bell Jones: starts game one and never loses the job at LB. Mafla: released by the team in July Caicedo: MLS comeback player if the year Kaptoum: Splits the season with Polster, Maciel and Caldwell playing next to Caicedo Turner: Another solid year, starts two gold cup games Rennicks: Loaned out to Hartford Athletic where he finds his touch round the net, comes back at the end of the year to finally score a goal in MLS Bye: delegate to the sub role most of the year
We're just past the halfway point of the season and the Revs are currently on pace for 69.9 points (at 2.05 points per game). Our best season had us finish at a 1.84 points per game pace in 2005 (59 points in 32 games, as noted by @NFLPatriot a few months ago on this thread).
Someone on MLSsoccer.com, can't remember who, stated (before the Nashville game) the Revs were on pace for 72 points, which would tie record set by LAFC in 2019.
With 5 games to go, the Revs have already exceeded my wildly optimistic prediction for wins! What a lot of fun it has been to watch them this season.
Now I see why I was labeled as part of the NNN. Only 18 wins? Man, Doc would be having a field day with us right now.
Yes, if there had been a 61-65, I don't think any of us (certainly not me) would have taken 66 or higher.
Let this be my official mea culpa. I never thought we’d dominate the eastern conference the way we have.