We're back just over a week away from the New England Revolution's first round, best-of-three series against the Philadelphia Union and everyone's least favorite player, Kai Wagner. The Revs have health and selection questions in critical positions after limping to the finish with back-to-back losses and multiple players injured or working back to full fitness.
The moment of happiness in enjoying the Revs' unexpectedly successful season will come and go over the next few days as the expectations of a postseason run begin to take hold. The top four teams in MLS, afforded a three-game series with the opening and potential deciding games at home, are expected to advance to the next round. Not all eight of them across the two conferences will but that is what the fans of each will expect.
The regular season ended with the double disappointments of running up a white flag in the season finale against Orlando and the injury to Peyton Miller. We will go position by position to assess what is needed from each for the Revs to push on to the next round in the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Goalkeeper
Matt Turner is the unquestioned choice in goal and has been since his return last season. He has proven himself to still be one of the top shot-stopping goalkeepers in MLS this season, picking up right where he left off in his first stint with the Revs before his European folly. He led all of MLS in goals prevented, totaling 14.1, one of only three keepers with more than 10.
For the series with Philly, he will need to work closely on set pieces in trying to handle their 6'5 centerback, Neil Pierre, who had five goals this season. All of his goals were from point-blank range, and three were from set pieces.
The Revs have a clear matchup problem with Pierre. Turner will need to be alert to getting out and punching anything headed towards him in the penalty area.
Turner's well-documented struggles with his passing ability can't go unmentioned, even being nothing new to Revs fans. He has had several close calls under pressure this season where he just about scurries the ball away or outright clears it out to no one in particular. He also on two occasions, played ill-advised balls on the ground directly to opposition attackers, most recently gifting Antoine Griezmann a clean shot on goal.
Cavan Sullivan would relish such a gift in this series. Turner has to do better in these moments; it won't just be memed up if it happens in the playoffs.
Center backs
This is where the Revs have a somewhat unexpected selection problem. Ethan Kohler has proven himself as an excellent defender with a high degree of mobility in a variety of defensive situations this season. He should be a lock at right center back. His ability on the ball is also indispensable given Turner and, left back, Will Sands limitations with the ball.
It wasn't too long ago that it was a foregone conclusion that Mamadou Fofana would join Kohler as the other centerback. That has been thrown into question as of late.
Fofana missed time due to injury and wasn't immediately reinserted into the starting eleven upon his return to fitness. That may have been a precaution initially; however, Josh Wynder has played better game by game. Wynder had some shaky moments in his first few games out but has found his footing defensively, shown himself a presence on attacking set pieces, and improved his passing each time out.
Wynder simply looks like a more polished, more capable version of Fofana. They have similar profiles but Wynder has shown to be at least as capable in defense as Fofana while offering more dynamic passing and seems to have replaced the aerial attacking ability that's been missing since Brayan Ceballos was shipped off to Montreal in the spring. With Sands and Turner's poor ability on the ball, Wynder exudes more confidence when the Revs try to play out than Fofana who looked shaky in several moments against Orlando.
Whatever the pairing is, they will need to deal with being pressed while finding passing or dribbling opportunities to advance the ball. They also need to know Turner's limitations and assess how much difficulty they are placing him under when passing to him. There have been many moments where Turner clearly does not or should not want the ball played to him. The centerbacks need to ensure they don't set him up for a gaffe in front of goal.
Defensively, all three have done well this season in covering for one another, slowing down counterattacks and being in the right place at the right time to stop threatening opportunities from being realized. They need to be mindful of stepping into the midfield high up the field and leaving their partner exposed 1v1. The positional discipline of those in front of them needs to be present for this to happen as well.
