<div>The New England Revolution are a team in transition this offseason. &nbsp;Long-time coach Steve Nicol has been fired and replaced by a man familiar to Revs fans: former player Jay Heaps. &nbsp;The new head man comes in at a time when the team’s glory days of MLS Cup appearances seem in the distant past, which a last place finish in the Eastern Conference will do to you.</div>
<div>So far this offseason, the team has made a few intriguing moves to bolster its lineup and when they trot out for First Kick 2012, the Revs will be a recognizable and veteran team. &nbsp;But is this the right strategy for a team that is currently mired in mediocrity? &nbsp;Let’s continue our offseason “3 Questions” series with the Revs.</div>
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<div><strong>1. Can Jay Heaps replace Steve Nicol?</strong></div>
<div>Really this is the most important question for this club, but the question might be better phrased as can Jay Heaps make a difference? &nbsp;Stevie Nicol was undone towards the end by a couple of factors: the end of his dominance in&nbsp;collegiate&nbsp;scouting, his owner’s unwillingness to spend more on players, and untimely injuries to key players that have not been fully replaced.</div>
<div>In comes Jay Heaps from the team’s broadcast booth, and these challenges will be facing a guy who’s never been a coach at any level. &nbsp;This does not mean he will not succeed; in fact, the trend in MLS is to hire former players as coaches and there is a record of success with this route. &nbsp;That said, team blogs like <a href="http:\/\/www.thebentmusket.com/2011/11/18/2571932/revolution-jay-heaps-hired-head-coach-reaction#storyjump" target="_blank">The Bent Musket</a> have been underwhelmed by the hiring, noting that this may have been the Krafts simply going after the cheapest and easiest coaching option. &nbsp;In addition, the fact that Heaps was never a team captain is an intriguing point. &nbsp;Nevertheless, all of this will be moot if he can turn the culture around and begin finding success in a “fluid” Eastern Conference.</div>
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<div><strong>2. Where will the goals come from?</strong></div>
<div>This team has an offense and defense problem, but the glaring lack of production from the Revs’ forwards is an obvious deficiency in this team. &nbsp;Shalrie Joseph was the team’s leading scorer, and with the acquisition of Clyde Simms (see below) he will be able to continue to be a threat up front for the team. &nbsp;Rajko Lekic chipped in six goals in his first MLS seasons (<a href="http:\/\/www.thebentmusket.com/2011/12/11/2629414/rajko-lekic-contract-new-england-revolution" target="_blank">and could be resigned for cheaper</a>), but the rest of the forwards vastly underachieved or simply couldn’t contribute with any consistency.</div>
<div>There are two ways this team can improve here, and the most obvious one is to do a little shopping for new forwards. &nbsp;New England will&nbsp;likely&nbsp;go sniffing around for new faces, but how much money they will commit to buying a top flight striker (especially after taking on Benny Feilhaber’s salary plus <a href="http:\/\/bostonglobe.com/sports/2011/12/06/soccer-notes-revolution-sign-shalrie-joseph/Q77pvlzCu6dgB4DDKRZmeK/story.html" target="_blank">bumping up</a> Shalrie Joseph) is a key question. &nbsp;Their move to cut-and-restructure some of their higher-salaried players may clear up space.</div>
<div>But a second in-house option is to gamble on soon-to-be 17 year old Diego Fagundez. &nbsp;The young midfielder made an impact with two goals in the Revs last six games and is being touted as an up-and-coming star. &nbsp;However, as long-time MLS watchers know, depending on a teenager to lead an attack can be a dangerous proposition, and Heaps may be content to let him stay in the more veteran midfield anyway.</div>
<p><strong>3. Is a more veteran team a better team?</strong></p>
<div>New England was one of the more aggressive teams in the Re-Entry draft, grabbing Clyde Simms from DC United and Nate Jaqua from Seattle. &nbsp;Simms is a veteran holding midfielder who can provide some consistent defensive cover while Jaqua can give some depth and a potential scoring punch. &nbsp;For a team whose best players are aging, this is an interesting strategy. &nbsp;If the team adds only one or two new contributors, the starting XI we will see in 2012 will be familiar to MLS fans and have years of MLS experience.</div>
<div>But is this a good thing for a team like New England who again has stagnated over the past few seasons? &nbsp;Without making a game-changing signing this is the type of team that can tread water and maybe be a threat in the East. &nbsp;Last year that may have been good enough for a playoff spot but with the improvement of teams like Chicago, it will be harder to make a playoff run being just mediocre. &nbsp;However, depending on who they sign or how the conference shakes out, maybe this low-cost strategy could be the key to bringing them back to the playoffs.</div>


Heaps of Trouble? Three Questions for NE Revolution - World Soccer Talk

Heaps of Trouble? Three Questions for NE Revolution

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Heaps of Trouble? Three Questions for NE Revolution