One More Thing: Revolution v. Nashville
A collection of observations and notes.
Each week quotes, stats, and stories fall through the cracks. This is my attempt at catching them.
Below is a collection of items related to the New England Revolution’s game against Nashville SC. None of them really deserve their own article, but I still find them interesting. Perhaps you will too.
One Stat
The Revs had four regular season losses before the Leagues Cup break, going 12W-4L-7D. They’ve had five regular season losses after the break, going 2W-5L-3D. Of course, Bruce Arena stopped coaching the team in between those two dates.
UPDATE: It should be noted that other major events happened during the Leagues Cup date, including Brandon Bye’s injury and the sale of Djordje Petrovic.
One Quote
Tomas Chancalay has been so good since joining the Revolution. He’s collected six goals (1 via header, 2 via left foot, 3 via right foot) in 10 appearances.
But this section isn’t about stats, it’s about a quote.
Earlier this season, Jeff Lemieux asked Earl Edwards Jr. who has the hardest shot on the team. Edwards Jr. said it was either Chancalay or Gustavo Bou.
I decided to ask Jacob Jackson the same question after Saturday’s game. Below is his response:
“It’s amazing. He [Tomás Chancalay] hits the ball so hard and he can put knuckle on it, he can curl it in. I would definitely say him, Dylan [Borrero], and Gustavo [Bou] probably have the hardest shot and you can never actually really tell what they’re going to go because they can wind up, hit it, and it just keeps speeding up, so I think some of the goals you see in training videos, in games, Chancalay just hits it and you kind of either have to react and hopefully you get a hand to it, but most of the time it finds its way into the back of the net, and I think we see it today. I believe [Chancalay] was the one who scored the second goal as well, so he had two goals, and congratulations to him. He’s a phenomenal player, so I would definitely say it’s Chancalay.
One Clip
The Revs started the game in a 3-5-2 with Nacho Gil and Ema Boateng tracking back defensively. The formation didn’t really work as expected and the Revs were down 3-0 at halftime.
One interesting moment came in the 37th minute when the Revs were down 2-0. It appears that Henry Kessler was gesturing “4-4-2” to the sidelines. It’s worth noting that the Revs switched to a traditional backline at halftime.
One Question
How will the Revs line up during the postseason?
The Revolution have experimented with a few different looks since Bruce Arena departed. It’s worth noting that some of these changes were made because the team was dealing with absences.
Still, it’s concerning that we don’t know the Revolution’s best lineup because the playoffs will start soon.
Personally, I’d like to see the Revs simplify their tactics on Decision Day and go with a 4-4-2. The exact personnel depends on who is available.
Listen, at this point I’m not expecting the Revs to make a run at MLS Cup, but can you really rule them out when the team has difference-makers like Chancalay, Carles Gil, and Bou?
Post Leagues Cup this year’s Revs have become brittle. Other teams can break them down way too easily. Yes, there are talented difference makers on this team and the group can rally for stretches. They haven’t been able to sustain their defensive cohesion in weeks, though, so we can’t really expect that to develop just because the playoffs start. I really hope I’m wrong.
I like this compilation of stories. RE your last question, can we rule them out? With Gil, Bou, Chancalay, we SHOULD have had a chance, but not with this coach. Not a chance. Sadly.