The New England Revolution will open preseason camp on Saturday, January 25 with a roster that currently consists of 24 signed players, 20 of which are holdovers from 2013. The returnees combined to produce 75.5% of the goals last year, 91.1% of the assists and 83.9% of the minutes played. The impressive roster consistency doesn’t mean that there won’t be drama as there are plenty of questions about how the Revs will lineup on opening day.
The Fight between the Pipes
For the first time in eleven seasons, the Revolution’s goalkeeping corps will not contain Matt Reis. The legendary netminder called it a career during the offseason which leaves a void between the pipes.
Bobby Shuttleworth appears to have the inside track to becoming the Revolution’s first-choice keeper after serving as Reis’ understudy for five seasons. The New York native had a breakout season in 2013 when he made 23 appearances (22 starts), earned a 7-11-5 recorded and amassed nine shutouts. As a goalkeeper, Shuttleworth is scarcely called upon to make the spectacular save because he uses his acute positioning to keep attackers honest. Shuttleworth has however shown vulnerability when it comes to long-range shots.
Shuttleworth’s primary competition will come in the form of a familiar face, Brad Knighton. The North Carolina man will rejoin the Revs after spending time with the Philadelphia Union and the Vancouver Whitecaps. In 2013, Knighton made a career-high 11 starts as he went 6-3-2, collected two shutouts and recorded two assists. His seven save performance against the Seattle Sounders in week 19 was awe-inspiring and enough to earn him Player of the Week honors from MLSSoccer.com. Knighton is an outstanding shot-stopper but the jury is still out about whether or not he’s a legitimate MLS keeper.
The Search for Goncavles’ Compliment
Playing every minute of the 2013 season, Jose Goncalves was the only constant on the Revolution’s backline. Although the Portuguese Man of War seemed unfazed by the constant shuffling, he would surely appreciate finding a fulltime partner. AJ Soares and Stephen McCarthy shared the center back position last season as they each making 17 starts.
Soares regained the starting position for the final six games of 2013, a period in which the team went 4-0-2 en route to making the playoffs. The former Golden Bear is a natural center back who can read the game well and make the important tackle. Soares is also a leader, having donned the captain’s armband in high school, college and the pros. Soares most glaring weakness revolves around his distribution, although this improved greatly during his competition with McCarthy.
Listed a five inches taller and 20 pounds heavier, McCarthy brings a more physical presence to the backline. Last year, the Hawaii native was rated as one of the best players in MLS when it came to winning aerial duels. McCarthy is also good with his feet and he can switch the ball quickly and effectively into the attack. That having been said, McCarthy is a midfielder-turned-defender and that sometimes shows through in his positioning and his overly aggressive tackles.
The Struggle between Youth and Experience
It didn’t take Scott Caldwell long to make an impact on the Revs. The homegrown player split time with Clyde Simms, Kalifa Cisse and Andy Dorman before becoming the team’s first-choice defensive midfielder 12 games into the season. His keen understanding of the game is evident in his smooth tackling, flawless positioning and seamless transitioning. The rookie DM is an attack-minded player who likes to move the ball forward instead of laterally or backwards.
Despite all his success, Caldwell encountered some struggles towards the end of the 2013 season which allowed for the return of Dorman. Dorman served as a veteran presence during the team’s playoff run and could reprise that role since he’s the only player over the age of 30 currently on the roster. The Boston University likes to get into the attack by making late runs into the box. He can also be a bit more unpredictable than Caldwell as evident by his two red cards and his sometimes questionable positioning.
The Need for a Sene Stand-in
For the second season in a row, Saer Sene won’t be with the Revs on opening day. Bad luck struck on October 12th when Sene, who had finally regained form after last year’s ACL surgery, collapsed in Montreal with a broken leg and dislocated ankle. With a long road to recovery ahead, the Revs will need to find an alternative.
Charlie Davies would be the most heartwarming stand-in as most New Englanders want their prodigal son to return to form. The former national team player only played 23 minutes last year, but claimed that this was mostly due to bad timing and a steep learning curve. A full preseason with the team could prep Davies for a breakout season.
The Revs two top draftees could use the unfortunate injury to make a splash. Steve Neumann is a hybrid player who has seen time as a forward and as a midfielder. The Georgetown product is very creative and possesses the ability to whip in a decent cross.
Jay Heaps could substitute a lefty with a lefty if he elects to put Patrick Mullins on the wing. The Herman Trophy winner does some of his best work in front of the net but he isn’t exactly the classic number nine. Playing him on the periphery would allow give him space to sneak behind defenders and ignite the attack.
Replacing Agudelo
As the Fort will remind us, “there’s only Juan Agudelo” which makes replacing him that much harder. The 21 year old was exceptional for the Revs as he helped transform a dismal attack into one of the most attractive in MLS. Agudelo is now on a European adventure which puts the Revs on the hunt for a bonafide goal scorer.
Dimitry Imbongo will be looking to make his third year with the Revs his most successful. Imbongo has the size and strength to be a classic holdup player in MLS, but his strike rate and discipline leaves something to be desired. The 22 year old finished the 2013 season with three goals, four assists and three red cards in 21 appearances. It should be noted that Imbongo did have a significant finish in the playoff series against Sporting KC.
While Jerry Bengtson has had a disappointed tenure with the Revs, there is no denying that the Honduras international has talent. Bengtson had scored 18 times with the senior team while also collecting three goals at the 2012 Olympics. Another season with the team combined with the added pressure of the upcoming World Cup could be enough for Bengtson to finally translate his international form to the club level. Not exactly a holdup player, Bengtson could see time on the wing.
Mullins and Davies are also options to serve as the team’s primary goal scoring threat, but expectations should be kept low until they become first team fixtures. Mullins accumulated 47 goals in his four years, but the last three notable forwards drafted by the Revs (Zack Schilawski, Kheli Dube and Adam Cristman) topped out at four goals during each of their rookie campaign. Davies presents a similar question mark since the once promising player hasn’t scored in over two years.
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