Five Things We Learned: Revolution at New York

Revolution forward Saer Sene sought to level the score on three separate occasions Saturday, but fell short each time in the Revs' 1-0 loss to New York. (Photo: Joshua Pearson)

Although they may have avoided granting another late-game goal, the Revolution’s shaky form in the opening minutes proved to be their undoing in Saturday’s 1-0 road loss to the Red Bulls.

While many predicted a high-scoring affair, Thierry Henry’s 7th minute goal sealed it as the Revolution struggled inside the attacking third and became the victim of the Red Bulls’ first defensive shutout of the season.

In the wake of their third straight loss – each decided by a single goal –  here are five things we learned from Saturday’s conference clash.

1. Though they may not admit it, the Revolution stepped onto the pitch at Red Bull Arena with a serious case of jitters. And it’s something they’ll have to shake before they can consider themselves a contender. It only took thirty seconds until the Red Bulls ran over and through the Revolution defense when Dane Richards set up Thierry Henry for an early bid. And from there, the hosts forced the issue at length, flustering their guests with precision passes and well-timed runs. Whether it was Richards, Henry, Kenny Cooper, Mehdi Ballouchy or even Connor Lade, the Revolution continued to cower when the horns were pointed in their direction. And wasn’t just inside their own end. On 50/50 balls across the pitch, the Red Bulls won and won and won the aerial battle. Though the Revs eventually plugged the gaps and grew confident after Henry’s injury, the first 20 minutes proved to be a hard lesson in what happens when you respect your opponent too much.

2. Aside from the early jitters, credit the Revolution for sticking to its gameplan after Henry’s goal. It may not have been a Barcelona-esque display of possession, but one Henry left the game, the Revolution kept the ball, regularly switched the point of attack, and found gaps in the backline. The midfield dictated the tempo by the half, and the defense sharpened against Cooper and Richards. And the chances came. Saer Sene broke into the box three times while Benny Feilhaber put two menacing shots on frame in the second half. By all accounts, it was a display of controlled soccer that Jay Heaps has been preaching since day 1. Now, all they have to do is sustain it for 90 minutes.

3. For all the chances the Revolution created, the fact of the matter is that the Revolution weren’t up for it when the moment of truth arrived. Saer Sene had not one, not two, but three – THREE – chances to level it. The first chance – which came in the 20th minute – saw him go unmarked inside the box with a sizable portion of the net to shoot at. The result? A brave save from Ryan Meara. The second came in the 38th minute when the French forward went alone on Meara.  Once again, Sene hesitated to pull the trigger and when he finally  did, the shot ricocheted off of Meara’s mitt and died at the post. The third arrived in the 58th minute when he turned on the afterburners and went into the box before Brandon Barklage somehow caught up to him, then dismantled the threat with a well-timed tackle that may or may not have been a penalty. But, it wasn’t just Sene who looked gun shy. Even Benny Feilhaber came up short when Shalrie Joseph chipped it far post, where the winger tentatively headed the ball right to Meara. The chances? They were there. The killer instinct? Not so much.

4. A.J. Soares is well on his way to becoming an elite center back. There’s no question what the Revolution were hoping for when they selected Soares with the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft: an unshakable center back. And on Saturday, he took another step forward in living up to that label. With Cooper, Henry and even Lindpere lurking, the second-year center back showed his teeth. Smart positioning and an eagerness to beat his mark to the ball, Soares canceled out Cooper, provided cover when Richards broke into the box, and talked to his teammates under pressure. Soares may not be a finished product just yet, but his performance against the most potent attack in the league suggests that it may not be long before he’s one of the league’s best.

5. Call me crazy, but Stephen McCarthy may – just may – have what it takes to partner with Soares for years to come. It may be easy to scapegoat McCarthy on the Thierry Henry goal, but let’s face it: the only player in MLS capable of scoring that goal is Thierry Henry. And to the converted center back’s credit, he didn’t give Henry an inch, despite the fact he was alone on an island. But aside from Henry’s goal, McCarthy displayed a keen sense of positioning, even against speed merchants like Richards. And when Soares needed help with Cooper, the former Tar Heel was there to snuff out the opportunity. And the aerial battles? Well, McCarthy had no problem getting over his marks and winning the ball. All things considered, McCarthy made a strong statement on Saturday. Not bad for a guy who essentially volunteered his time to play in the rear during the preseason.

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