<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a title="Defend the fort by Lorianne DiSabato, on Flickr" href="http:\/\/www.flickr.com/photos/zenmama/4009761467/"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div></a>Photo by Lorianne DiSabato</div>
 
Team: New England Revolution 
Coach: Steve Nicol 
Last Year’s Finish: 9-5-16, 32 points. &nbsp;Eastern Conference: 6th
The big news this offseason was the recent arrest and suspension of Shalrie Joseph and Kevin Alston. &nbsp;While the situation is still under investigation, both players just returned to the team but face possible disciplinary action from the league. &nbsp;This unfortunate situation has taken attention off a team that has made some solid offseason moves and looks to vastly improve after a terrible season last year. &nbsp;The big keys for this team are resolving the situations of Joseph and Alston as well as finding that elusive striker the team needs so desperately.
The steady presence on this team is head coach Steve Nicol, who returns for his ninth season and is the longest tenured coach in MLS. &nbsp;Nicol’s team has gone through a rough patch; after making six conference finals and MLS Cups his fix six years they have gone three years without advancing to the final four, missing out on the playoffs last year for the first time since 2001, before he became the permanent head coach. &nbsp;To return to the playoffs and start a new streak, the team must find someone (or someones) to score goals consistently for the team.

Key Roster Additions: The Revs made two very recent acquisitions, picking up French international Ousmane Dabo and Argentine defender Franco Coria. &nbsp;Dabo, who previously played for Manchester City and Lazio, will provide some defensive help in the midfield and could be penciled in as a starter immediately. &nbsp;Another defensive signing is former PSG and Newcastle defender Didier Domi, who will likely be a starter at left back and make the New England back line even more “seasoned”. &nbsp;To offset some of their older signings, the team was active in the college draft, taking A.J. Soares with the sixth pick. &nbsp;Soares, another defender but one with a knack for scoring, played at Cal and was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy.
Key Roster Subtractions: The biggest subtraction last year was the retirement of American legend (<a href="http:\/\/www.twitter.com/TaylorTwellman" target="_blank">and prolific Tweeter</a>) Taylor Twellman, a forward who suffered from terrible concussion issues. &nbsp;Obviously the club has not found a way to replace his scoring up front. &nbsp;In recognition of the defensive shortcomings last season, the club also let go two of their starting defenders: Cory Gibbs to the re-entry draft and Emmanuel Osei.
Projected Starters: Even with all their turnover, Matt Reis will be the starter in goal. &nbsp;The 35 year old was decent last year and will look to provide some stability in defense. &nbsp;On the backline, I can see newcomers Domi and Corba eventually becoming starters once they work their way into the system. &nbsp;Darius Barnes will probably be the only returning starter at center back and may be pushed by A.J. Soares, who also could get a look in midfield. &nbsp;Once MLS is done with him, Kevin Alston looks to be a starter at left back. &nbsp;Re-entry draft pickup Ryan Cochrane is also a starting option here.
Assuming Nicol goes with a four-man midfield, we could see newcomer Dabo hold down the middle with Joseph once he returns or, if he feels like experimenting, Nicol could move Soares to midfield where he could score an occasional goal. &nbsp;On the wings Nicol could start Sainey Nyassi (who started 27 games last season) and Kenny Mansally (who scored four goals last season, good for third on the team).
The problem last year that looks to be a problem again is at forward. &nbsp;To be honest, the talent up front is lacking, so look for the Revs to try and make an international signing in the near future. &nbsp;Right now your starters are Marko Perovic and Ilija Stolica, who combined for nine goals last season. &nbsp;Also in the mix is Zach Schilawski.
 
Player to Watch: The player to watch is a player who might not even see the pitch this season. &nbsp;Diego Fagundez is the teen prodigy who is coming through the team’s academy and is tearing up nets left and right. &nbsp;He scored 28 goals in the past year and a half with the youth team, but at only 15 years old he is too young to regularly contribute to the senior club. &nbsp;However, if the Revs don’t find that high-scoring international player and struggle to score goals, look for the young man to get a few minutes for the senior team this summer and fall.
Predictions: The depths to which this&nbsp;proud&nbsp;franchise have fallen can be summed up in this sentence: of the players in the Revolution’s camp, only two (Joseph and Reis) have played in an MLS Cup with the Revolution. &nbsp;For a club with a great recent history of Cup runs, that’s astounding. &nbsp;It also speaks to how bad the team was last season, though injuries did play a part in that. &nbsp;This team has significantly upgraded its defense and I think it will not be letting in another 50 goals this season. &nbsp;But can it score more than 2010’s 32 goals? &nbsp;That’s the big question.
One thing is for certain: I expect New England to get off to a slow start. &nbsp;With so many late signings and new players getting integrated into the system, as well as Joseph’s possible suspension or&nbsp;disciplinary&nbsp;action, this team will probably have a rough start to the season. &nbsp;However, if they can find that goal scorer or have their current forwards improve, then this team could be a dark horse for the third Eastern Conference playoff spot. &nbsp;However, call me a skeptic.
Prediction: 6th place, Eastern Conference

MLS '11 Preview - Can New England Reclaim the Glory? - World Soccer Talk

MLS '11 Preview – Can New England Reclaim the Glory?

Good morning MLS fans! &nbsp;We are now mere weeks away from the season and, if you’re like me, the previews we have been running on the site have been getting you fired up for an exciting season. &nbsp;Amidst all the preseason matches and television/playoff drama, here are some stories that flew under the radar last week and this weekend:
<ul>
<li>Over the weekend, the U.S. U-17 team won the U-17 title with an overtime 3-0 win against Canada. &nbsp;The match was scoreless during regulation but the Americans found their scoring touch in overtime. &nbsp;This is the U.S.’s first title at this level since 1983 (when it was U-16), although this was also the first championship held since 1996. &nbsp;The highlights are above.</li>
<li>Welcome back Carlos Ruiz! &nbsp;The one-time Golden Boot winner has come back from Europe (specifically Aris) and <a href="http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/22/AR2011022204265.html" target="_blank">signed an MLS contract</a> with Philadelphia. &nbsp;A bit older at age 31, Ruiz can still give the Union some goals this season.</li>
<li>For those who have missed the D.C. United drama over the past week, here is a recap: newly-acquired keeper Steve Cronin broke his wrist in training camp and, with Bill Hamid still recovering from shoulder surgery, goalkeeper coach Pat Onstad has come out of retirement to play for the club. &nbsp;This allows DCU to at least have someone with MLS experience in net but Hamid is still considered the starter when healthy.</li>
<li>This story was referenced in our MLS Talk podcast, but terrible news out of New England training camp as Shalrie Joseph was arrested in Orlando for trespassing. &nbsp;He and Kevin Alston, who was also involved in the altercation at the party, have been dismissed from the team’s training camp and their status is still up in the air for the season. &nbsp;A bad situation that muddles the Revolution’s season, to say nothing of the legal situation.</li>
<li>And finally, who says ESPN doesn’t care about MLS. &nbsp;The Worldwide Leader has released a fantasy MLS game called FC Manager, which can be <a href="http:\/\/games.espn.go.com/fc-manager-mls/en/frontpage" target="_blank">found here</a>. &nbsp;Basically&nbsp;you have&nbsp;&nbsp;to build a roster of 15 MLS players under the salary cap, and collect points every week. &nbsp;If anyone is interested in an MLS Talk league, sound off in the comments section.</li>
</ul>

Week in Review - February 22-27, 2011 - World Soccer Talk

Week in Review – February 22-27, 2011

The rumor mill was in full tilt Tuesday with the news that national team member Charlie Davies was sent by his French club Sochaux to train with D.C. United in Florida, with a successful training leading to a year-long loan.&nbsp; Yesterday, the Black-and-Red confirmed Davies was in camp and was being given a fitness tryout to see if he is physically ready to receive playing time again.&nbsp; Assuming Davies is fit, United would have the striker they have sought this offseason and Davies would have a chance to rehabilitate his career.
The reaction not surprisingly has been mixed, with some opining that this is <a href="http:\/\/sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/grant_wahl/02/02/charlie.davies.mls/index.html?eref=writers" target="_blank">exactly what Davies needs to restart his career</a> (<a href="http:\/\/www.blackandredunited.com/2011/2/2/1969712/charlie-davies-to-dc-united-an-innovative-approach-to-mls-allocation" target="_blank">and DCU their franchise</a>) and others saying that <a href="http:\/\/www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2011/02/02/2334615/mccarthys-musings-dc-united-faces-complicated-decision-in?utm_source=twitterfeed&amp;utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">this deal is not only not workable, but possibly </a><a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/usa-davies-joy.jpg"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/usa-davies-joy.jpg"></a></figure></div>a mistake.&nbsp; My thought is this deal is a win-win.&nbsp; Davies gets the chance to see exactly where he is in his rehabilitation and how far away he is from competing for a national team spot, if that is even possible.&nbsp; Sochaux gets to see if Davies, whom they have put on their bench once since the accident, is a potential addition for them or a valuable trade chip.&nbsp; And D.C. United and MLS have a familiar face for U.S. soccer fans in the nation’s capital.
But the focus of this post is not to analyze this from a personal angle, but from a league-wide angle, specifically does the Davies acquisition make D.C. United an MLS Cup contender.&nbsp; If you look at the circumstances, the answer looks to be “possibly yes”. This scenario would assume that not only is Davies close to his previous level of health, but that the Black-and-Red avoid the injury bug that infected them last year.&nbsp; These things of course are unknown and a major assumption, but they are not impossible.
DCU’s offseason has been a frantic remake of the club such that the team that finished last in goals scored in 2010 and close to last in goals allowed are bringing in a series of new faces in a variety of positions.&nbsp; The entire back line will be a mix of now-healthy players (Jed Zayner, Dejan Jackovic) and acquisitions (Rodrigo Braseca, Perry Kitchen) that will help relieve pressure off of now-healthy highly-rated academy product Bill Hamid in goal.&nbsp; The midfield is also vastly improved with the Dax McCarty trade and the continued emergence of MLS ROY Andy Najar.&nbsp; In fact, the roster looked set except for that elusive big-play striker.&nbsp; United had acquired Josh Wolff and Joseph Ngwenya, but neither has been a big scorer in their career and both look to be more complementary forwards.&nbsp; Now, with a potentially healthy Charlie Davies, DCU has that playmaker up front to score and take the pressure off Najar.
However, the names of the players in the previous paragraph are for the most part not likely to elicit shivers of expectation.&nbsp; After all, besides Najar and McCarty, none of the DCU starters can be considered currently elite or close-to-elite (maybe a healthy Santino Quaranta, but that’s a stretch).&nbsp; But the second factor in a potential D.C. United Cup run is the conference.&nbsp; Look at the 2011 Eastern Conference.&nbsp; Besides a loaded New York team, who is the second best team in the conference?&nbsp; Last year’s second best team is going through a total rebuild.&nbsp; Teams like Chicago and New England competed for playoff spots but both have glaring weaknesses.&nbsp; Toronto is talented but in flux with a totally new leadership team.&nbsp; Kansas City has a ton of talent and upside, but still have defensive holes to plug.&nbsp; Philadelphia is going in the right direction but still needs some more offense.
With a new ten team playoff structure, a middling club can make the playoffs and, depending on the structure, automatically have a chance at the MLS Cup.&nbsp; But if D.C. United turns out to be the second place Eastern Conference team, and the league continues to value conference finishing and give the #2 conference seed a bye, then the playoff schedule could fall out well for DCU.&nbsp; We saw this last year: Colorado, a very good but not one of the best teams gets a favorable playoff schedule and makes a run to the Cup.&nbsp; A high-finishing good team in 2011 can do the same thing, especially if they play in the weaker Eastern Conference.
So should we begin to add a fifth star to the DCU jerseys?&nbsp; Not by a long shot.&nbsp; This scenario is based on a lot of conjecture and assumption.&nbsp; But if Charlie Davies is healthy and on his way to recovery, then there is a path to success this season for United.&nbsp; They could enter that second tier of clubs in 2011, right behind the Galaxy/RedBulls/RSL types, and that might be enough for the team to make some noise in the playoffs.

Could Charlie Davies Make DC United an MLS Cup Contender? - World Soccer Talk

Could Charlie Davies Make DC United an MLS Cup Contender?

<div style="text-align: center"><a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/mls-portraits/image/10255511?term=jeff+larentowicz" target="_blank"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div></a></div>
In any sport, a championship season depends on getting some breaks at the right times. &nbsp;Some of those breaks occur in the offseason, when the current season’s roster is composed of trades scrutinized by the media as well as those that fly under the radar. &nbsp;The trade of Jeff Larentowicz to the Rapids was the former, one noted by the press. &nbsp;But its true impact wasn’t seen until November when the former Revolution midfielder, who arguably was the MVP of the MLS Cup, helped lead Colorado to their first championship.
The Larentowicz trade this offseason was not a surprise; the Brown graduated needed to get out of town to fully realize his potential. &nbsp;After some overseas try-outs that he admits were not as promising as they seemed as well as offseason surgery, he and Wells Thompson landed in Gary Smith’s lap in a trade both teams needed. &nbsp;Colorado had been watching Larentowicz for some time and was ready for an offer as soon as the overseas possibilities fell through. &nbsp;He was a playoff veteran who would stabilize the Rapids’ midfield.
And stabilize it he did. &nbsp;The 2010 All-Star had a banner year, providing the midfield stability needed for Smith’s team and serving as a defensive stopper. &nbsp;His presence also allowed Pablo Mastroeni to be more involved in the offense where he matched his career high in goals. &nbsp;Plus his stellar season earned him a call to Bob Bradley’s January camp for a shot at making the U.S. national team. &nbsp;Undeniably, acquiring Larentowicz was key to Colorado’s unexpected MLS Cup run.
But what is Colorado had not been able to acquire him this past offseason? While Larentowicz acknowledged that overseas offers were not forthcoming, the trade could have fallen through. &nbsp;Despite his unhappiness playing in Foxborough, the Revolution could have kept him as they went through somewhat of a transition year after their great runs in the late-2000s. &nbsp;If keeper Matt Reis would not have been hurt, the Revolution would not have needed Rapids’ keeper Preston Burpo, an important part of the trade. &nbsp;Or maybe another club, like Philadelphia where he went to high school, could have swept in with a better offer.
A Colorado without Jeff Larentowicz would have been a vastly different team. &nbsp;Without his pairing with Mastroeni, I suspect the Rapids would still be without an MLS Cup. &nbsp;Their defense, which was a team weakness this season, would have been even worse. &nbsp;As for Larentowicz, he may have still been struggling in his career and not have been able to reach his full potential. &nbsp;On the other hand, maybe Philadelphia could have paired him with Sebastian Le Toux. &nbsp;Talk about an interesting midfield pairing!
But what do you think would have happened had Colorado not traded for Larentowicz?

WHAT IF 2010: What If Colorado Hadn't Landed Jeff Larentowicz? - World Soccer Talk

WHAT IF 2010: What If Colorado Hadn't Landed Jeff Larentowicz?

<a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/chicago-fire-new-england/image/9239685?term=chicago+new+england" target="_blank"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/sports/chicago-fire-new-england/image/9239685?term=chicago+new+england" target="_blank"></a></figure></div>
The second half of the MLS season started in New England on Sunday for the Fire and saw the squad earn the three points they so desperately needed to start the march to the MLS playoffs.
A first half blast from 30 yards out by Marco Pappa after a swift move to escape his defender, scoring his 6th goal of the year allowed the Fire to take the lead which they never relented on this summer Sunday night in New England.
Both teams clearly had a disappointing first half of the season and in the case of the Revolution they were clearly expecting better things with the return of their standout goal keeper Matt Reis. The Fire dominated the play in both the first and second halves but amazingly New England had over twenty shots on the night without a goal.
The Fire line-up saw Brian McBride and Patrick Nyarko starting as forwards for the Fire. The pairing of the veteran McBride with the much younger Nyarko (3 years in the league) produced results for Chicago in quality chances on the net. Nyarko was taken off in the 70th minute and we saw the Chicago attack feature McBride and Deris Umanzor for an extended period until McBride came off for defensive purposes. The Chicago midfield provided the forwards with the ball where they liked it to create the opportunities that helped control the game for the Fire.
Chicago had to scratch Justin Mapp with an injury during warm-ups and an injury to Baggio Husidic after the 37 minute mark lead to a Chicago makeshift midfield that still as above mentioned performed well on the night. Michael Banner had a particularly good night coming on for Justin Mapp on the flank.
The Revs had two good opportunities in the second half which Andrew Dykstra the Fire keeper could have played better but ultimately kept the balls out of the net.
It was another clean sheet for the Fire net minder but he seems always to make things interesting for himself and the Fire even with the opponent being shutout. The Fire unable to score a second goal decided to play defense later in the game and kept the team packed in defensively and frustrated a desperate New England attack. Carlos de los Cobos the Fire coach seemed to have used the break well to find the right combination of players and it seemed to pay off on this fine summer evening against the Revolution. Both defensively and offensively the Fire eleven never seemed more in tune with each other this season then what they showed in New England.
The victory for the Fire was their fourth of the season and left them in 4th place in the Eastern Conference. Despite an unbeaten run of five matches the Fire are still trailing Columbus and New York by seven points and are one point behind third place TFC. The Fire can improve things considerably for themselves with a win over the Crew on the road next Saturday night. A defeat can leave title hopes seriously in doubt, especially with New York expected to announce a major player signing before long. The Fire may very well respond with a signing of their own but the conference title chance may be gone with a win in Ohio next week.
Fire Alarms 
While home MLS games will be rare for the Fire during July with only Salt Lake visiting Toyota Park on July 8, the Fire will have US Open Cup action and Superliga action in Bridgeview to keep the home fans occupied. On June 29 the Fire take on the Charleston Battery in the Fire’s first US Open Cup action of the year. Then the attention will turn to Superliga with action at Toyota Park on July 14 vs. Monarcas Morelia, July 17 vs. New England, and July 20 vs. Pumas Unam. I happen to love Superliga but will it require a bit too much out of the team during hot summer nights? We shall see.

Chicago Fire 1-0 New England Revolution: Restart - World Soccer Talk

Chicago Fire 1-0 New England Revolution: Restart

<a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=new england revolution&amp;iid=8810675" target="_blank"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=new england revolution&amp;iid=8810675" target="_blank"></a></figure></div>
The New England Revolution are struggling right now in Major League Soccer. They are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference with 7 points. This seems like a strange time to be confident, but Revs fans should be encouraged by the youth movement with the club. There are three rookie players who are starting to make an impact with the Revolution. They are Seth Sinovic, Zack Schilawski, and Zak Boggs. I will give you some background on these 3 young guns below.
Seth Sinovic is a left back who played college soccer at Creighton. He was drafted in the second round of the MLS Super Draft this year. He has already been a starter for the Revs this season. He is a left back that so far has been very solid on defense. What I have also noticed is his ability to push forward and help out in the attack for the Revolution. At 23 years old he is still a very young player. It is very encouraging to see him getting so much experience so early in his career.
Zack Schilawski is a forward that played his college soccer at Wake Forest. He actually was on the national championship team in 2007. He was drafted 9th in this year’s MLS Super Draft. He is a forward for the Revs. So far, Zack has scored 4 goals for the Revolution. He even scored a hat trick against Toronto FC. What was great about this performance is the variety of the goals scored. He was able to score a goal off of an assist from a fellow Revolution player. He was also able to score a goal with a rocket shot that got by the goalkeeper. He has already show the ability to finish and strike to score. To be a great scorer those qualities are probably very important. He has only played in 8 games for the Revs.
Zak Boggs had a different journey to the Revolution. He played college soccer at three different schools. Most recently he played at the University of South Florida. He was also drafted in the second round of the MLS Super Draft this year. He is a forward for the Revolution. In his first start for the Revolution he scored 2 goals against the Columbus Crew. You will notice Zak if you watch the Revolution. He has been very active up front in a short period of time.
In concluding, the Revolution are not winning many matches lately. There could be few factors involved in the lack of wins. Shalrie Joseph has taken a leave of absence from the club. He is a huge force in the midfield for the Revolution. I think the Revs are still adjusting to life without him. The Revs have also introduced many new players to the club. It will take time for the Revs to get their continuity working on all cylinders. The positive for Revs fans is the youth are getting the experience they need now. It is a long season. In my opinion, the future looks bright for the club. I think the “Youth movement could really help the Revs contend by the second half of the season.”
Russ Goldman is a Fulham blogger who posts regularly on his website <a href="http:\/\/www.cottagersconfidential.com/" target="_blank">www.cottagersconfidential.com</a>. His website is a part of sbnation. This is a network of 250 sports blogs. There are several soccer related sites and many more to be added soon.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "new england revolution" - Page 3

Leagues: MLS

MLS '11 Preview – Can New England Reclaim the Glory?

Leagues: MLS

Week in Review – February 22-27, 2011

Charlie Davies

Could Charlie Davies Make DC United an MLS Cup Contender?

Colorado Rapids

WHAT IF 2010: What If Colorado Hadn't Landed Jeff Larentowicz?

Leagues: MLS

Chicago Fire 1-0 New England Revolution: Restart

Leagues: MLS

New England Revolution Youth Could Help In Second Half of Season