A Closer Look At Giacomo Vrioni's Hat Trick
I liked the third goal the most.
Giacomo Vrioni scored a hat trick on Wednesday, helping the New England Revolution defeat Atletico de San Luis 5-1. Let’s take a closer look at the impressive performance by the Designated Player.
Vrioni’s first goal starts with some solid work from Mark-Anthony Kaye, who links up with Ian Harkes. Harkes plays Gustavo Bou, who has moved into a wide space.
It’s worth noting that La Pantera has been shifting into the peripheries in recent weeks. Keep an eye on this because it could become an established trend.
After beating his defender, Bou attempts a give-and-go with Harkes, but the ball ends up in front of Vrioni, who puts it in the back of the net. It’s a good finish from the 24-year-old striker, and it’s only possible because of simple movements.
Vrioni’s second goal is more impressive because it involves all three DPs.
DeJuan Jones wins the ball and then finds Carles Gil. The No. 10 plays Bou, who has pushed forward on the left. Bou offers a centering pass that Gil lets by for Vrioni to finish.
The goal is a good example of counter-attacking soccer. It also highlights Gil’s understanding of his teammates. Would the three DPs have better chemistry with more time on the field?
Consider this, Bou, Gil, and Vrioni have only played 326 regular-season minutes together. This number doesn’t include preseason, U.S. Open Cup, or Leagues Cup games.
The three attackers were all on the field for 17 minutes in the Leagues Cup game against the New York Red Bulls and 63 minutes against San Luis.
Vrioni’s third goal is my favorite. It also happens to be the one that head coach Bruce Arena enjoyed the most.
The Revs love to attack from wide areas, in part because they have two excellent outside backs. As such, it’s important to have a striker who can make runs into the box.
On Wednesday, Brandon Bye played a trademark low cross that Vrioni put past the goalkeeper.
It might seem like a simple finish, but it’s important to remember that the Revs were unable to convert on three similar crosses that occurred against the New York Red Bulls. There are many strikers that make a living off of scoring on those types of runs.
The main point of this article is to say that I see potential in Vrioni and would like to see him get more time with the other Designated Players.
San Luis was an interesting opponent because they sent numbers forward.
After the game, Arena said, “This was an open game, almost too open to my liking. They attack with six, seven players all the time. And when that ball turns over, there's space to counter.”
Can Vrioni have the same success against a more disciplined opponent?
I will say that Vrioni has improved since joining the Revs. He’s making more attempts to come back and receive the ball. He’s also showing an increased willingness to press opponents. Finally, his runs are becoming more varied.
The Revs have attempted 417 crosses during the regular season, according to FBref. This is the 9th highest number in the league. If Vrioni, or any Revs striker, makes hard runs into the box, goals will be scored.
As a final note, I don’t think Bobby Wood has really done anything to be benched. The striker has collected seven goals and five assists, and he’s doing a lot of work out of possession.
I really like Vrioni and would love, as you stated, to see him get more field time with Gil and Bou. He's built like Jozy and has a powerful leg. I think he can do some great things with the Revs and maybe even fill the goals gap left by Buksa. Nice work, Seth!
Nice note on Wood at the end. Having 3 solid strikers is never a bad thing, and we know the Vrioni/Bou, Bou/Wood, and Wood/Vrioni combinations all work.