Usseglio: Defensive Efforts Not Enough
Revolution fall short in Portland
The New England Revolution traveled across the country to take on the Portland Timbers at Providence Park this past Saturday night. If you were not able to watch given the 10:30 PM kick off, and you saw the statistics the next morning, you might think it had been a close game. You might think that the Timbers had just edged out the Revs by a score of 2-1, with the possession, shots, shots on goal, and expected goals almost exactly the same for both teams.
I think this is one of those times when the statistics can be deceiving. For those of you who did watch, maybe you agree with me; I don’t believe it was as close as the statistics make it seem.
The first ten minutes of the game were dominated by Portland. I thought the Revs were going to be lucky if they could hold the Timbers to less than 3 goals on the night. It seemed like the game plan for the Revolution was as follows: defend. The Revs could not possess the ball and string together passes. Portland clearly looked the better side and would for most of the night.
The Timbers were able to break through the Revolution’s defense in the 20th minute, when a slick series of passes led to a phenomenal strike by Ian Smith. After the goal, the Revs continued to struggle generating meaningful possession. Most of their passes were around their backline, deep in their own half.
It was only through the brilliance of Carles Gil and Luca Langoni that the Revs were able to equalize. Defending at the top of his own box, central midfielder Matt Polster intercepted a ball from Portland. He found Carles Gil to his left, who smashed a ball over the top to a sprinting Langoni. The Argentine took down the ball, driving into the right side of Portland’s box. He faked a shot with his right foot before executing a sweet cutback onto his left, sending his defender sprawling by him. Langoni cooly picked up his head and took a low shot past Portland’s keeper to tie the game.
Despite being outplayed, the Revs found themselves level in the 35th minute. They were able to hold on until halftime and, to be fair, they did generate a couple of other chances. Most of their chances came on the break, against the run of play, rather than through controlling the game.
Young left back Peyton Miller showed well. I would argue he was the Revs most dangerous attacking player in the first half.
The second half felt more open, but I always had the feeling that Portland was the better side. While the Revs tried to control the game through their defending and pressing, Portland was the team creating the chances through their sustained attacking pressure.
Defending and pressing is a hard way to play for 90 minutes. It is a hard way to win, especially against a top four team in the Western Conference like Portland. The Revolution played hard. There was no lack of effort or commitment from the players. Maybe it was the only strategy that gave them a chance to get a result. Maybe.
Unfortunately for New England, they could not convert the chances they did create. Portland, on the other hand, converted one of their own. David Da Costa scored in the 72nd minute, another goal conceded by the Revs on the counterattack.
The Timbers should have scored a third goal late in the second half when Revolution keeper Aljaž Ivačič spilled a rebound right in front of his goal to a Portland player. While Ivačič has been solid for New England this season, he does have a habit of giving up rebounds to the opposition.
The game ended 2-1, a disappointing result for a Revolution side that seems stuck in 11th place in the Eastern Conference.
It is hard to know whether another style of play or game plan would have fared better. Portland is a talented team, currently in 4th place in the Western Conference. What I do know, is that the longer the Revs remain in 11th place, the more likely that is representative of their true level.
You are what your record says you are.
Right now, the Revolution’s record says they are able to win against the teams below them in the table but not those above them. It also says they struggle to win games at home. As you might guess, this is not a great recipe for success in Major League Soccer.
Things do not get any easier on Wednesday night when the Revs take on Lionel Messi and the defending Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami at Gillette Stadium. We will see what their record says after the midweek match.