Three Thoughts on the Revs’ Second Week in Florida
Keep an eye on the formations, plus two more thoughts.
The New England Revolution have now been in Florida for two weeks preparing for the 2023 MLS season. The club is 1-1-1 as they’ve tied Inter Miami 2-2, lost to the Philadelphia Union 2-0, and defeated Nashville SC 1-0.
None of these games have been streamed, but we’ve got three thoughts for you anyway.
1. Keep an eye on the formations
The Revs started in a 5-3-2 against the Union, deploying Ryan Spaulding and Joshua Bolma as wingbacks while Dave Romney, Christian Makoun, and Brandon Bye occupied the middle.
Less than a week later, the Revs utilized a 4-2-3-1, which is what they used to end the 2022 season.
It’s good that head coach Bruce Arena is experimenting with different looks during preseason. I suspect that he will continue to do this during the early stages of the regular season, especially as guys continue to get healthy (more on that in a minute).
Beyond analyzing the formations, be sure to notice where the players are playing. Revolution senior staff editor Jeff Lemieux noted that during Friday’s game Makoun, who has played center back and defensive mid, was operating as a left back. Meanwhile, Jack Panayotou, who primarily plays in the center, was out wide against Nashville.
Another thing to keep an eye on is partnerships. For example, Romney and Henry Kessler played together on Friday. After the game, Kessler said, “It’s important to gel with [Romney]. I thought we had good communication today, so building on that relationship.”
Will we see more of that partnership? How will Andrew Farrell fit in?
While we can’t watch the games, these lineups do give us a glimpse into what Arena is thinking. Definitely analyze them, but don’t make too much of them as things will likely change.
2. Pay attention to who is playing and who isn’t
We don’t know who played against Inter Miami, but the following players didn’t see the field against both Philadelphia and Nashville: Gustavo Bou, Farrell, Nacho Gil, Jacob Jackson, DeJuan Jones, Maciel, Ben Reveno, and Bobby Wood. Andreas Ueland (draft pick) and Nico Campuzano (Revs II) also didn't play.
We know that Bou is in Argentina waiting for his green card. Nacho arrived to camp late, so it’s possible that he’s building fitness. Meanwhile, Jackson and Maciel are rehabbing long-term injuries while Reveno suited up for Revs II on Saturday.
The statuses of the others are less known, but little knocks happen during preseason. Load management is also a consideration because you don’t want to work guys too hard.
The positive thing is that players are getting healthy. Henry Kessler, Matt Polster, and Tommy McNamara played against Nashville after missing the game against Philadelphia. Farrell and Jones have been seen practicing recently, so they should be ready soon.
3. We’ve seen a couple of nice goals
We’re not getting much in terms of highlights, but we have seen the goals scored by Panayotou and Dylan Borrero.
Panayotou scored against Miami in a play that had some fun build-up. It starts when Noel Buck applies pressure. Esmir Bajraktarevic then slides the ball to Panayotou, who has made an excellent forward run. While the 18-year-old misses his first shot, he finishes the second. It’s all good stuff from three Revs Academy products.
Borrero’s goal against Nashville also has some nice build-up. It starts with Omar Gonzalez finding Carles Gil. The midfield maestro plays a centering ball that Giacomo Vrioni calmly collects with a world-class turn. The DP forward finds the U-22 initiative midfielder, who puts it away.
Vrioni’s turn and Borrero’s goal are exciting because both players need to be good if the Revs are going to be good. When asked about Borrero after the game, Bye said that he’s “very special.” Kessler said, “He’s always difficult to defend, so it’s nice that he can give these guys trouble as well.”
As always, remember that this is preseason. Nonetheless, it’s positive to see.