Mullins Makes his Mark in Second Ever Start

The New England Revolution extended their unbeaten streak to four when they defeated Toronto FC 2-1 on Saturday afternoon. Jackson gave Toronto the lead in the sixth minute, but goals by Patrick Mullins and Lee Nguyen made the final result favorable for the Revs. The game was a coming out party for Mullins, who successfully functioned as a center forward.

Head coach Jay Heaps surprised fans by naming Mullins as his starting striker. The rookie started and played 45 minutes on the flank in the season opener but hadn’t seen action since. With Teal Bunbury showing well as a winger last weekend, Heaps needed to find a new target player. Jerry Bengtson struggled against Sporting KC and Charlie Davies has been used solely as a substitute since joining the team last year. Heaps gave the nod to Mullins as he believed the rookie could provide what the team needed.

“We wanted his tactical sense and his hold up play up front, those were two things that really stood out for us up front today,” Heaps said. “We have played him out on the wing a bit and up top and his hold up play has really helped us dictate the games.”

The former Terp rewarded Heaps’ trust by putting in a solid 90 minute performance. Mullins provided excellent hold up play, battled for every ball and drew dangerous fouls. He ended the night with three shots, six layoffs and a passing accuracy of 74%.

Mullins’ most impressive moment came in the 24^th minute when he calmly collected a pass from Daigo Kobayashi, took a touch and fired a left footed shot past goalkeeper Julio Cesar. The goal came from 20-yards out and would serve as the first MLS tally for the 22-year-old.

Mullins remained reserved after the goal as his celebration included putting his arms out as he waited to celebrate with his teammates. The rookie showed similar composure when he spoke to Revolutionsoccer.net after the game.

“The most important thing is that we got the three points, especially in a tough place to play on the road,” Mullins stated. “I think the big thing today was not me scoring or Lee scoring, it was a full team effort from start to finish and us getting the win.”

After making his professional debut on the wing, Mullins proved that he’s more than capable as a lone striker. Although Mullins is willing to play both positions, he expressed a preference to playing in the center.

“It’s very different,” Mullins commented. “I think your role changes as it’s about holding the ball up for your team and dictating where we are going to press and how we are going to play defensively. I have the skills and confidence to play at this position and know that I can do well.”

Mullins’ performance could lead to a second consecutive start as the Revs are scheduled to play the Seattle Sounders next weekend. Heaps praised the eagerness and learning curves of Steve Neumann and Mullins. Both rookies have made the most of their limited minutes and are challenging their teammates for a starting position.

“The young rookies are chopping at the bit and it’s starting to show,” Heaps praised.

3 Thoughts from the Game

1. The Revs’ high-pressure tactics pay off. One of the first plays of the game featured Nguyen sprinting towards Cesar. That moment foreshadowed the Revolution’s tactics as the squad was constantly applying pressure as a way of disrupting the flow of the game. The moments before the penalty kick help highlight the usefulness of this strategy. After a failed corner kick, the Revolution players were committed to keeping the ball in Toronto’s defensive third. The Revs were successful in this endeavor as they regained possession and quickly moved towards goal, eventually leading to a handball. It should be noted that this isn’t an approach that should be used every week as the Revs were often exposed to counter attacks.
2. Nguyen is having an MVP caliber season. The Texas native signed a new contract before the season opener and it’s clear that he’s earning every cent of it. Nguyen is one of the team’s most dynamic players as he is constantly moving the ball and looking to make the slicing pass. Furthermore, he has shown that he can be dangerous shooting from long distances. Perhaps the characteristic that deserves the most recognition, however, is his defensive work. The 27-year-old always looks to get behind the ball to prevent his opponents from scoring. He’s also smart with his tackling, knowing when to commit a tactical foul.
3. The Revs are still getting fluky goals. All goals count the same, but it should be noted that the Revs are scoring odd goals. The team now has nine tallies, with three coming from the penalty spot. The goals from Bengtson and Kevin Alston are also outliers as the two players are infrequent scorers. Let’s not forget that Victor Bernardez gifted the Revs an own goal. Even the Mullins goal on Saturday, though absolutely deserved and beautiful, was strange as a Toronto player essentially passed the ball to Kobyashi ahead of the strike. It’s good that the attack is looking more lively, but more traditional goals need to be scored if the Revs are going to be a consistent team.

(Image courtesy of Kari Heistad)