Know Thy Enemy: Revolution vs D.C. United Black Parade Edition
Two old MLS originals in similar positions: outside of the playoffs and drifting aimlessly.
Old MLS rivals will meet again at Gillette Stadium, as the New England Revolution host DC United (7:30 pm, MLS Season Pass) as both teams come out of the Leagues’ Cup break well below the red playoff line in the Eastern Conference.
Coming off a disappointing home loss to last place Montreal in their last MLS game, the Revs are desperate for points and failing to get a win against a D.C. team that has literally one point in their last eight games could be the final nail in the coffin for 2025 if that hadn’t happened already.
DC has another new coach, the fourth in about five years post Ben Olson. The well travelled former defender Rene Weiler has extensive experience in his native Switzerland as well as stops in Belgium (Anderlect), Egypt (Al-Ahly), and Japan (Kashima). Weiler takes over a DC United team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2019 and haven’t registered a playoff win since beating the Revs in 2015.
So D.C. is stagnant and miserable…and the Revs are trending in that direction… if not already there. It’s been a fairly brutal week for New England, as the Revs SSS situation in Everett got bogged down in politics again and the supporter’s groups effectively going into open revolt as the Revs spiral out of control with two points in nine games, one win in fourteen, and thirteen points adrift of a playoff spot…no the play in game does not count.
My opinions on this matter are well documented, today should have been the debut of two new head coaches in MLS. Caleb Porter remains in charge for now and losing back to back games to Eastern Conference basement dwellers is about the only thing he can do to make his position more untenable. A loss on Alumni Night in front of a protesting black shirt clad Fort would be a new low point on an already very low season.
Joining us today to talk about low points is Ryan Keefer of The District Press, because misery loves company. Be sure to check out my answers to Ryan’s questions over on their site.
1) Troy Lesesne is out, Rene Weiler is in as DC's head coach. What went wrong in the Lesesne era (besides trying to pick up Wayne Rooney's mess) and what should be the short term focus for Weiler the rest of the year?
Not to turn this into a Shawn Michaels promo but the team has to find their on-field smile again; DC social media has been touting his record of trophies with League and Domestic Cup wins in three different countries (Belgium, Switzerland, and Egypt), and Troy Lesesne was a people person first following the occasional stressful presence of Hernan Losada and casual indifference of Wayne Rooney. So maybe Weiler (who I have searched as Rene Zellweger because I’m confusing the two) is the happy balance, and his resume should help find some sort of groove again.
I’ll note something I said elsewhere, since the beginning of 2020, D.C.’s had Losada, Rooney, Lesesne and now Weiler as full-time coaches, and at some point organizationally you have to suck it up and deal with it lest you continue to screw other unseen parts of it up.
2) DC has given up a league high 49 goals so far this year, is the defense actually that bad? Is either keeper (Barraza or Kim Joon Hong) helping the situation? Any young players or hope in the pipeline for this transfer window to start fixing it?
Well part of it is injury, part is acclimation, with dustings of expectation; Lucas Bartlett is…OK, but he’s 28 and getting his first real run at starting minutes, so there’s not much left to go there, Kye Rowles started slow, has been improving but hopefully can continue to get better in this league. Matti Peltola has played a bit deeper at times to be the third center back but it’s been a Spinal Tap drummer situation occasionally. In goal, Hong has been up but mostly down and has not hit the ground running as much as the team hoped; Barraza has been OK for a guy who’s been a backup elsewhere; Jordan Farr provided the best moment in net for the team earlier this year when he stoned Charlotte in the Open Cup and even said he would before doing so, but that stability in back has been missing too. A evil mix of yucky ingredients.
I allude to it in question 3 partly to keep you reading but also this is an area where D.C.’s hopefully going to address.
3) Christian Benteke has only an option year left on his DP contract, any rumblings on if the team is going to pick that up or move on this offseason?
An observational word on Benteke as a DP first; he’s done a lot of off-field stuff that for a guy of his stature, would hope that other DPs can follow; he’s backed whatever style his coach as preached to a degree, been a presence at sports games around town like the Spirit and the Wizards, and even attended graduation ceremonies of Academy players. Cool, right?
All that said, I’d be doubtful if he returns, or at the least personally skeptical; if Weiler is as solid as people say he is, he’s going to want to provide some sort of imprint of his on this group. Benteke takes up DP and international spots, there is European interest of Gabriel Pirani from Malmo which would open a U22 spot up as well, Mateusz Klich (who DC traded to Atlanta but had to retain most of the salary and roster designation on) should have his DP spot open either as soon as he signs back home in Poland or at the end of the season.
TL;DR - DC is going to have a lot of roster flexibility to play with, arguably the most since Ally Mackay took over as GM at the beginning of 2024(!), Benteke would presumably move to the Saudi League or something (his offseason training is in Dubai) and both sides would be the better for it.
Lineup/Predictions/Injuries/Etc.
Lineup: Barraza; Tubbs, Rowles, Bartlett; Schnegg, Enow, Peltola, Herrera; Pirani, Benteke, Peglow
Injuries: Fletcher (out), MacNaughton (questionable)
Predix: I feel like this will be the extension of May’s 1-1 draw, dour soccer that may have a really good goal in it? 1-1, Peglow with the goal in question.