Revolution II vs Red Bulls II: Three Thoughts
Three thoughts following Revolution II's latest outing on the road.
Sunday was a tough outing for New England Revolution II as Tuesday’s Open Cup match against Chicago left Richie Williams without most of his regular starters and required Williams to make eight changes to the lineup.
Unfortunately for Revs II, having most of their regulars out plus eight changes led to their road woes continuing as they suffered a 4-1 loss to New York Red Bulls II.
Here are three thoughts!
1 - Fountain of Youth
While having most of his roster out wasn’t ideal for Richie Williams, Sunday’s match saw Revolution II emphasize youth development by tapping into the Revolution Academy. Of the 18 players on the gameday roster, 12 are currently a part of the Revs Academy system.
Sunday saw Academy prospects Cristiano Carlos, Giuseppe Ciampa, Edwin Flores, Enzo Gonçalves, Levi Katsell, Josh Macedo, Sheridan McNish, and Bryan Norena make their professional debuts. It also saw Robert Nichols III, Josh Partal, and Judah Siqueira make their first starts with Revs II alongside Carlos, Katsell, and Macedo.
Since its inception, youth development has been a key focal point for Revolution II. Considering the circumstances heading into Sunday’s game, seeing many Academy prospects get valuable experience was a pleasant sight.
2 - Proficient Leadership
With so many names out, having the regulars in the lineup there to help guide the younger players was crucial. Out of the 11 starters, only Hesron Barry, Gabe Dahlin, Javaun Mussenden, and Donovan Parisian were the only regular names in Sunday’s lineup.
It was nice to see someone of Hesron Barry’s age and experience wear the captain’s armband and guide the team as a whole. It was also nice to see younger guys like Gabe, Donovan, and Javaun have the opportunity to gain some leadership experience.
3 - Rocky Road
If you’ve been keeping up with Revolution II in recent years, you’re well aware of the team's inability to pick up points on the road.
The last time the club picked up all three points away from home came on August 27, 2023, when a goal from Joshua Bolma and a Marcos Dias brace propelled Revolution II to a 3-0 win over Philadelphia.
It’s been all downhill for Revs II ever since. Sunday’s 4-1 loss to Red Bulls II saw the club’s road winless streak stretch to an 18 game. Since the win over Union II in 2023, Revs II have gone an abysmal 0-16-2 with two shootout victories.
To put that into perspective, Revolution II has scavenged just four of 54 points. Even more so, they secured zero of 42 possible points in 2024 alone.
Their inability to secure points on the road was a big reason why Revolution II finished the 2024 season at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and MLS NEXT Pro standings.
It’s still early in the season, but with 11 of 20 remaining matches on the road, Revolution II seriously needs to find ways to secure points on the road if they want to return to the playoff scene.