With each passing week of the MLS season, we see more teams have their postseason aspirations crushed. Specifically, after the Red Bulls awakened this weekend to beat the visiting Whitecaps 3-0, they clinched the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. This officially knocked out the rest of the teams out East not named DC United (who were eliminated weeks before), including Orlando City, Philadelphia, Montreal, and the New England Revolution. As time progresses I want dive into the individual situations for these teams as they each approach the offseason, and we will start with the New England Revolution.

2017 Season

Two games remain in the 2017 campaign for New England, but they are pretty much meaningless after their elimination last Saturday. They sit at 39 points (1.22 points per game) and 48 goals scored against 58 goals conceded. The Revs have been two different teams this year, depending on where they play. A strong 11-2-3 record at home has been offset by an atrocious 0-13-3 road record that has sunk them. This inconsistent play all season (they did not have an unbeaten run longer than three games), combined with the their road woes and ever-changing lineup eventually led to the dismissal of longtime head coach and franchise face Jay Heaps. The Revs now limp into the offseason in need of a new head coach and a cultural overhaul from the top down within the organization.

Goalkeeping/Defense

Having conceded the most goals in the Eastern Conference with 58 this season, New England has some clear issues along the back line. The problem is that prior to the start of this season the Revs committed serious money to tighten their defense, which allowed 54 goals a year ago. They acquired Benjamin Angoua on loan and paid him over $600,000, as well as Slovenian International Antonio Mlinar for $400,000. Additionally, they brought in French defender Claude Dielna over the Summer transfer window as well. At the fullback spots, Chris Tierney, Andrew Farrell, London Woodberry, and even Kelyn Rowe have all rotated in. And although the center back pairings stayed fairly consistent all year, the defensive results still were not there. Once again, it is has been a case of Jekyll and Hyde with this team. At home they were strong, conceding only 14 goals in 16 games (so far). However, away from Gillette, they have allowed a whopping 44 goals in 16 games, thanks in large part to a huge jump in shots on the road vs at home (14.4 vs 10). All in all, even after major spending on the back line, the Revs defense regressed this year. Now moving to goalkeeping, I have not been impressed by Cody Cropper. He has not appeared to control his box this year, and I have felt his reflexes are below par. A paltry 58.3% save percentage combined with 50 goals allowed in 28 matches is not a good look for Cropper. But sometimes these numbers can lie, so I attempted to dive a bit deeper. With the help of www.americansocceranalysis.com, I ventured into their expected goals for keepers. These numbers made Cropper look even worse than I expected, with the Revs keeper having the highest GA – xGA mark, meaning by their stats he conceded .41 more goals per game than he should have, one of the highest totals in the league of any starter. Cropper is only 24 years old, so he has room to grow, but he will need to show serious improvement in his second full time season in net next year in New England. (Read more on Cropper here http://www.americansocceranalysis.com/keeper-xg-2017/)

Midfield

There is no denying that the New England Revolution possess talent in the midfield. Lee Nguyen has been spectacular this season, notching 15 assists (good for third in the league) as well as 11 goals. He single-handedly kept the Revs afloat at times during their campaign, and formed a strong partnership with Kei Kamara in the process. Diego Fagundez seems like a seasoned veteran at this point as he finishes up his seventh season in MLS; but in reality, he is only 22 years old. Having been in MLS that long, it may be fair for New England fans to have hoped for more than the four goals and seven assists he has tallied this season. He has the ability to have a huge impact on any game, as evidenced by his four games with two goals+assists, but too often he seems to fade into games and lose his presence. The remaining duties in central and defensive midfield have been primarily held by Scott Caldwell, Xavier Kouassi, and Gershon Koffie. Caldwell has made the most appearances of the three, providing a solid option in the middle of the park. However, Kouassi has been up and down in his time playing defensive mid, at times protecting the back line well but at others exhibiting disciplinary and composure issues. Koffie returned to the Revs on a season long loan in May, but he has not performed as well as he did the year prior. The last mention in the midfield needs to be Keyln Rowe. He has performed admirably anywhere he has been lined up, whether it be at left back, center or attacking mid. Although it is great to have a swiss army knife player like Rowe, he is 25 years old, and I feel he is too talented to continue being constantly shifted around. Whoever ends up coaching the Revs needs to determine where his skills will be most effective and begin a permanent transition for the US International.

Attack

On a year to year basis, the Revolution have made some strides offensively. Last season they ended with 44 goals, and this year with two games remaining they have eclipsed that mark by four goals. The first place that obviously needs to be looked at is Kei Kamara. After the midseason trade last year he struggled to find his footing, but he settled into his new environment much better in 2017. He currently leads the team with 12 goals, and has formed a strong partnership with Lee Nguyen along the way. The lurking question though is how long will he be effective/how long will the Revs trust him in his role? He is already 33 years old, and although his game is not solely predicated on pace, you would think his vaunted aerial ability would have to decline at some point as his athleticism wanes. Juan Agudelo is another curious situation for this team. Jay Heaps struggled to fit him alongside Kamara early on, and since he has been deployed at numerous spots, up top, as an attacking mid, and even on the wing. Only 24 years old, he is in a similar situation as Kelyn Rowe. He still notched eight goals this season, but with the talent he possesses, the Revs need to find a stable position for the man who always seems he can not reach his true potential. Sensing a common theme, Teal Bunbury was also inserted at multiple positions. He struggled early on, but ignited late in the season to the tune of seven goals overall, but does not figure to be a part of the Revs plans going forward. The most intriguing name of the bunch is recently acquired Kriztian Nemeth. I personally a big fan of Nemeth from his time in KC, and whatever new coach comes in will have the opportunity to utilize his attacking talents and skills on the ball.

Looking Ahead

The New England Revolution will be disappointed with how 2017 turned out. A porous defense at times overshadowed the offensive improvements made this season. Although their home record was surprisingly strong, their abysmal road woes may highlight a lack of mental fortitude. Not only will whoever ends up coaching this team need to make some definitive decisions regarding the team’s roster and individual players, but a cultural overhaul may be in order as well, from ownership on down. This will be a big offseason for the Revs, with many moving parts. They probably will not be able to solve all their problems in one Winter, but this is a crucial first step in setting the club in the right direction for years to come.

Luke Benigno