Five Questions: #NEvNY
- Updated: September 16, 2015
Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com
A chance at knocking the Red Bulls out of their shared perch at the top of the table awaits the Revolution on Wednesday in what should be another smashing contest between the longtime rivals at Gillette Stadium.
The Revolution head into the contest on 43 points, which is exactly two fewer than the total the Red Bulls, who are tied with DC United atop the conference, currently own.
Historically, the Red Bulls have struggled in Foxborough, but the Revolution will be without superstar Jermaine Jones due to suspension.
Two teams with only room for one at the top once Wednesday’s clash concludes. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the questions surrounding the Revolution entering the midweek duel.
1. Who’s up for spots in the XI on Wednesday? With Jones out, the most obvious candidate for inclusion in the first XI is Daigo Kobayashi, who’s routinely spelled the designated player off the bench this year. Beyond the Japanese international, it looks like Kelyn Rowe is keen to resume his duties on the right after Teal Bunbury got the start in Toronto. Another player who stands to get a start: Juan Agudelo, who could either start up top for Charlie Davies, or reprise his role on the left after Diego Fagundez had a particularly active afternoon at BMO Field. Meanwhile, don’t be shocked if center back Andrew Farrell is spelled in favor of – gasp! – long-exiled defender London Woodberry, as the third-year defender was previously given a rest earlier this year when the Revolution played a midweek match at Sporting Kansas City.
2. Can the back line rise to the occasion again? Unless the likes of Bradley Wright-Phillips, Lloyd Sam, Dax McCarty and Sacha Kljestan all nosh on some bad sushi Tuesday night, the Revolution back four will have to be at their best to keep the Red Bulls off the board. Jesse Marsch’s men have won four of their last five, and scored 13 goals across that span. But the Revolution haven’t exactly left the barn door open as of late. In their last five, the locals have only conceded four goals, and recently posted a 450-minute shutout streak. Should the Revolution hold their shape, and each player stay committed to his defensive duties, the Red Bulls may find themselves thoroughly flummoxed once full time arrives.
3. What must the Revolution do to improve upon Sunday’s performance? The easy answer: hold the ball. After watching Toronto dominate the possession battle (60.2 percent), the Revolution were lucky in many respects that the scoreline ended up in their favor at the conclusion of Sunday’s contest. But that’s not the only area the locals will have to tidy up. They must be smarter near the area after gift-wrapping a number of dangerous free kick opportunities to Sebastian Giovinco and his cohorts on Sunday. In their last encounter in Foxborough, Marsch lamented the negative impact the plastic pitch had on his sophisticated, possession-oriented side. To avoid another turf-induced defeat, expect the Red Bulls to eye as many dead ball chances in order to unhinge their hosts.
4. Will the turf be a factor again? Only to the extent in which Marsch talks it up with his team. While the Red Bulls are no longer a squad whose superstar playmaker and top center back don’t travel to New England, there’s still some clear turf fear from their camp. After their 2-1 loss to the Revolution in May, Marsch openly talked about how the plastic pitch sabotaged his squad’s chances. Of course, the fact that Jones and Andy Dorman knocked the stuffing out of Felipe had nothing to do with it. Or the fact that Charlie Davies’ ninth minute goal knocked the wind out of the Red Bulls’ sails. No, it was all the turf’s fault. Should the Red Bulls drop another one at Gillette Stadium come Wednesday, you should fully expect more turf talk from Marsch after the match.
5. Can the Revolution get it done without Jermaine Jones? Yes, though it won’t be easy. Jones has the “it” factor that very few MLS player bring when they step onto the pitch. When a player like Jones isn’t available, it often doesn’t take long for the deficiencies to show up. And against a potent opponent, the Revolution will likely pay dearly if unless they get strong performances from Kobayashi, Scott Caldwell, Jose Goncalves, and even Bobby Shuttleworth. The first order of business is to ensure that every player’s defensive posture is sound, lest the likes of Wright-Phillips and Sam put up another three-goal lead inside 12 minutes. Once that’s established, the hosts can start picking their spots with Lee Nguyen leading the way. With his team on short rest, Jay Heaps has his work cut out for him to ensure that his side is fully prepared and ready to go without their skipper.
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