Revolution Tactics: Bobby Wood Performs Well Against Montreal

Bobby Wood's performance on Saturday showed why he's starting for the Revs.

Photo Courtesy of J. Alexander Dolan

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Expectations weren’t necessarily high for Bobby Wood heading into the 2023 season as the New England Revolution had other forward options in Gustavo Bou, Giacomo Vrioni, and Jozy Altidore. We’re now seven games in and Wood has collected two goals and two assists in 420 minutes.

Saturday’s 4-0 win over CF Montreal, who haven’t been good so far, showcased why Wood has been a starter since Matchday 2.

The first thing to understand about Wood is that he’s active in leading the press. The Revs pushed up the field on Saturday, looking to create turnovers. Wood was a large part of that as he forced Montreal defenders to make insecure passes towards Revs players, including Bou and Carles Gil.

A play from the third minute is a good example as Wood earns a free kick because of his relentless energy. Wood almost scores on the subsequent set piece.

In general, Wood is a player who is always moving, which makes him a nuisance to defenders. It also allows him to get into positions to win the ball. Here we see him pounce on a loose ball, which he eventually gets back.

Most importantly, Wood has been a good back-to-goal target. In this clip, Wood collects the ball then plays it to Gil. The playmaker finds Dylan Borrero, who is making a run forward. Wood’s contribution here is simple, but it’s also essential.

In this next clip, Wood once again lays the ball off to Gil to create a good opportunity. Over the course of the night, Wood successfully found Bou three times, Gil twice, and Latif Blessing once. Wood, as well as Bou, understood that “up-back-up” was a dangerous pattern, especially with the Revs playing a 4-3-3.

The clip is also notable because Wood stretches the field to create space for Gil and Borrero. Wood gets his head on the cross, but isn’t able to get his attempt on frame.

This last example of Wood’s hold-up play is a good one because it highlights his movement and strength. Wood darts forward then cuts back. He then uses his frame to hold off a defender, allowing him to link up with Brandon Bye.

The last clip I pulled really summarizes Wood as a player.

He once again serves as a target, taking down a pass from Gil. It’s not the cleanest play, but he fights hard to control the ball. He eventually lays it off to another attacker before pushing to get into the box. A cross never comes, but Wood stays engaged from a high position. Blessing ultimately gets him the ball, which he fires into a Montreal defender to earn a penalty.

I want to make a couple of things clear. First, Montreal hasn’t been good this season as their only win came against the Philadelphia Union, who had a player ejected in the 69th minute.

Second, there are some deficiencies in Wood’s game. Some of his touches, shots, and headers need to be cleaner. That said, he’s a hard-working player who is combining well with his teammates.

Offensively, he’s serving as a target, stretching backlines, and getting into the box. Defensively, he’s putting opponents in uncomfortable positions when he leads the press.

To be honest, I don’t know what will happen at the striker position as the season goes on because Wood will continue to receive competition, primarily from Vrioni and Altidore. There’s also a possibility that Borrero moves up top. That said, Wood has offered the Revs a lot during the first part of the season.