For the second time this season, the Montreal Impact hosts the New England Revolution at Stade Saputo, this time at 7:30pm this Saturday (RDS, TSN, 985sports.ca, TSN Radio 690). Here are 10 things to know about the Revs.
Context
The Revs have a steep hill to climb. They have lost four of their last eight games, and they sit seventh in the Eastern Conference with 33 points. While the team won its MLS game last weekend 3-1 against a somewhat sleepy NYCFC, the Revs had to concede defeat by the score of 4-2 in the US Open Cup final to the hands of FC Dallas, Tuesday night, in Frisco, Texas. In the loss, forward Juan Agudelo scored both goals for New England; the Colombian attacker is in good form right now, having scored four goals in his last three games.
Current form (MLS)
L-L-D-L-W-W
Head coach
Jay Heaps (62-65-38 all-time as New England Revolution head coach) became Revs head coach on November 15, 2011. An elite player in the college ranks in the 1990s, Heaps was the Miami Fusion’s first pick (second overall) in the 1999 MLS College Draft. Named Rookie of the Year after his first season, Heaps was then traded to the New England Revolution, his hometown club, in June 2001. Heaps became one of the top MLS defenders but never could translate his individual prowess into collective glory as he was part of the cursed generation that reached four MLS Cups in six years but was unable to win the trophy. Heaps and the Revs did win silverware, though, lifting the U.S. Open Cup in 2007 and the short-lived SuperLiga in 2008. He retired at the end of the 2009 season with several club records to his name. Inducted into the New England Soccer Hall of Fame in 2011, Heaps then took charge of the Revolution with a view on making it a thrilling, ball-playing team.
Current top scorer
Lee Nguyen (6)
Players to watch
1. Chris Tierney (#8) – An attack-minded left back, Tierney is a handful on set pieces and delivers a good cross – which could come in even handier now that Kei Kamara is part of the Revs.
2. Kelyn Rowe (#11) – Versatile and responsible, Rowe is constantly on the lookout for space and can adapt to all situations.
3. Kei Kamara (#13) – This guy likes playing against the Impact. Kamasa has already scored four against the Bleu-blanc-noir this season (for two different teams, no less).
Team profile
The Revolution wants to take the game to the opposition and has what it takes: full back that contribute, central mids that provide options, a handful of attacking midfielders whose heads and legs are quick, and a forward that weighs on the backline and can connect on crosses. Tierney, Bunbury, Fagundez and Rowe can float in good balls for Kamara – and the Revolution can be dangerous by switching the point of attack, particularly from left to right. Down the middle, Kamara’s presence can create space for his colleagues to change the pace of an attacking sequence and play the ball in behind, but the Revs mostly use this feature to then play the ball wide. With a rather high block, defensive transitions can be a problem, and the Revolution can struggle with fast play and with crosses played close to the goal, especially from the right. If the opponent let the Revs reorganize, however, the Revs can soak up pressure with two banks of four and Nguyen/Kamara leading the pressing but not over-committing. Set plays can hurt them, too – but the Revs score from set plays at just about the same rate as they concede from them.
Tactical formation
Jay Heaps mostly goes for 4-2-3-1, but he’s tried out a 4-4-2 formation of late, with a diamond midfield. Lineup v. New York City (September 10): Knighton; Farrell, Woodberry, Gonçalves, Tierney; Koffie, Caldwell, Fagundez, Rowe; Nguyen, Agudelo.
Most recent games against the Impact
The Impact won the most recent game against the Revolution, played on July 2, rallying from 0-2 down for a 3-2 win. And the Bleu-blanc-noir didn’t lose in three games against the Revs last season, either. The first game, on March 21, was a 0-0 tie that fans will mostly remember for the devastating injury that Cameron Porter sustained in the first half. Montreal then won 3-0 at Stade Saputo on September 19, snapping an eight-game streak without a loss for the Revs. Then, on October 17, in front of the largest home crowd in Revs history, the Impact won 1-0 on a goal for the ages by Ignacio Piatti, sending Montreal through to the MLS Cup Playoffs. Three games, three clean sheets.
Injuries, absences and call-ups (as of September 15)
G Bobby Shuttleworth (lower back)
D Jordan McCrary (groin)
D Je-Vaughn Watson (groin)
M Gershon Koffie (ankle)
M Xavier Kouassi (right knee)
Next games
Columbus Crew SC v. New England Revolution (MLS, September 25)
New England Revolution v. Sporting Kansas City (MLS, October 1)
Chicago Fire v New England Revolution (MLS, October 16)
