Revolution Return For 2015 Season
Saturday, March 07, 2015
Exactly 13 weeks after falling to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2014 MLS Cup final, the New England Revolution will begin their 2015 campaign when they take the field in Seattle against the defending Supporters Shield winner's, the Seattle Sounders.
The Revolution will look to continue their recent run of success under head coach Jay Heaps, coming off an Eastern Conference Championship - their first since the 2007 season. A majority of the 2014 roster is back for 2015 and looking to avenge their finals loss, but the team will have a new look as familiar faces have departed and returned to Foxboro.
With only one major departure from the healthy starting XI in 2014, the Revs appear poised to make another run at the top of the Eastern Conference and even their first MLS Cup in franchise history.
Coaching
Some teams in MLS, including New England's Eastern Conference Finals opponent the New York Red Bulls, parted ways with their coaches and coaching staff following 2014. That did not happen in New England. Jay Heaps is back in Foxboro for his fourth season as the head coach of the New England Revolution, bringing back his entire staff.
Heaps is flanked by Tom Soehn, Heaps' assistant coach, and Remi Roy, the goalkeeping coach, marking the second year as a coaching unit.
Goalkeepers
The goalkeeping situation is no different than it was in 2014. Bobby Shuttleworth will be protecting the net for the Revolution, coming off a year where he boasted just a 1.25 goals against average. Shuttleworth started in 32 games and held a 16-12-4 record with the team.
Brad Knighton will also be returning to the Revs, moving into his second year behind Shuttleworth. Knighton only had two starts for the Revs in 2014, registering a 1-1-0 record. Finally, the Revs recently signed former Chivas USA keeper Trevor Spangenberg after he was on trial with the team throughout the preseason.
Defense
The New England defense is the unit that will undergo the most changes in 2015. A.J. Soares is no longer with the Revolution after he pursued an international contract, eventually signing with Viking FK. Soares was a stalwart at center back with Jose Goncalves, having his best season in 2014.
With Soares leaving, former top overall pick Andrew Farrell will move from right back to a central defensive role in 2015. HE will pair with former MLS Defender of the Year, Jose Goncalves. Goncalves has spent each of the previous two seasons as arguably the best defender on the Revs.
The combination of Farrell and Goncalves creates a dynamic central defense. Farrell is very athletic and has a good offensive touch. He also stepped into the central defense role with ease during 2014 when Jose Goncalves missed time due to injury. Goncalves is one of the most physical defenders in MLS. Goncalves directs the Revs defense from the back and has the ability to lock down the middle.
The Revs will have Chris Tierney back for another season at left back. Tierney is entering his eighth MLS season, all have come with the Revolution. Despite battling with a knee injury through the middle of the 2014 season, Tierney played in 24 games, starting in 21. In those games he registered one goal and five assists and was the Revs' free kick and corner kick specialist. Tierney is known for creating a large amount of offensive chances with his strong ball handling and terrific ability to cross the ball.
Right back is the biggest question for the Revs strong back four. With Farrell moving inside, it has been an open competition at right back. The competition has come down to Kevin Alston, Darrius Barnes and Jeremy Hall. Fans are familiar with both Alston and Barnes as both will be entering their seventh seasons with New England. Alston is a gritty defender who is known for his lock-down ability. Barnes is a versatile defender who can play on the outside or on central defense. His ability to move the ball is clear, but his value appears to be in the defensive substitute role due to his ability to play all four defensive positions.
The wild card, and favorite to win the job in the eyes of some, is Jeremy Hall. Hall will also be entering his seventh season in MLS, but his first in New England after coming over from Toronto FC. Hall appeared in just three games in 2014, but has experience at both midfield and defense in his MLS play. Hall's versatility is something that Jay Heaps generally looks for in his players, giving Hall an edge. He played well in his preseason action and could crack the very strong back line of the Revs.
Midfield
Midfield play is the strength of the New England Revolution. Highlighted by U.S. Men's National Team players Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones, the New England midfield has tremendous talent in Jay Heaps' 4-1-4-1 system.
Nguyen, the 2014 Revolution MVP and a finalist for the MLS MVP award, is coming off a career year. He netted 18 goals and tallied five assists in 32 games, setting a MLS record for goals in a season by a true midfielder. That play earned Nguyen a spot as a reserve on the U.S. Men's National Team. Nguyen's central midfield teammate Jermaine Jones was the piece that changed the Revs in 2014. Jones played in 10 games, netting two goals and adding four assists. His professional attitude and national team mindset made Jones an instant leader. He brought a new attitude to the team and was a major factor in the Revs going to MLS Cup.
Both Jones and Nguyen are nursing injuries that they played through while on National Team duty. Jones recently underwent sport's hernia surgery and will miss the start of the season while Nguyen is recovering from a groin injury. Nguyen is on the season-opening trip with the Revs, but it is unclear if he will play.
On the outside, the Revs have options. They have the chance to use a combination of Diego Fagundez, Kelyn Rowe and Teal Bunbury. While Bunbury is listed as a forward, he played on the outside of the midfield throughout the season. His four goals and six assists were key in the Revs' run through the late season. Bunbury has great ball control ability and terrific speed and quickness. His play drew good reviews from Jermaine Jones, and Bunbury became one of the Revs' best scoring options late in the year.
Rowe has been a consistent performer in each of his three seasons in New England. In 2014, Rowe registered five goals and five assists in just 27 games. He has never registered less than five assists in a season and brings strong possession and the ability to uncork a shot from anywhere inside of 40 yards.
Fagundez is the most intriguing option for the Revs. The young star is looking to rebound following a disappointing 2014 season. Fagundez has five goals and four assists after an breakout 13-goal, seven-assist season in 2013. That season Fagundez had Juan Agudelo drawing defenses away from him while playing up top. This year, Fagundez will possibly have that presence back. Fagundez also spent an extended amount of time training and playing with the Uruguay Under-20 international squad. This could be the training that Fagundez needed to push his game over the top and unlock his true potential.
A forgotten position to many is the holding midfield role that is pivotal to Jay Heaps’ system. The Revs have two strong holding midfielders, one veteran and a rising star. The veteran is six-year MLS and 11-year professional Andy Dorman. Norman’s ability to prevent clean entry into the offensive zone and his ability to facilitate the ball going forward make him a very good option for Heaps. Dorman has stiff competition in third-year pro Scott Caldwell. Caldwell is a homegrown Revs player who is showing that he is a potential rising star in MLS. Caldwell’s defensive prowess are perfect for Heaps’ system, and his toughness shows in each game. Caldwell showed improvement throughout the second half of 2014, when Dorman was out with an injury. He played so well that when Dorman was back for the MLS Cup playoffs, Caldwell continued to start.
Forward
The 2015 season could be the year of the forward for the Revs. They will bring back their starting forwards from each of the previous two seasons — Charlie Davies and Juan Agudelo. Agudelo is back with New England after a frustrating year that included work permit problems and lack of time on the field.
When Agudelo was with the Revs in 2013, he was one of the most electric offensive players in all of MLS. In just 14 games Agudelo scored seven goals and registered one assist. He has terrific speed and a special ability to finish around the net.
That skill set is very similar to the skill set of Davies. Davies played his first full season since 2011 and thrived in 2014. He finished with three goals and four assists before adding four goals in the MLS Cup playoffs. Davies ability shined through during the season as he continued to fight his way back from a devastating car accident in 2011.
While it appears that Agudelo has the upper-hand to be the starter, having both players is a huge advantage for the Revs in 2015.
Expected Starters
The Revs will start the season on Sunday against Seattle and are expected to wear their new secondary kits. It is expected that, baring injuries, this will be their starting lineup.
Goalkeeper: Bobby Shuttleworth
Defense(L-R): Chris Tierney, Andrew Farrell, Jose Goncalves, Jeremy Hall
Midfield: Scott Caldwell
Midfield: Diego Fagundez, Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe, Teal Bunbury
Forward: Juan Agudelo
Related Slideshow: New England Revolution Secondary Kit Unveiling
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