Three changes the Revolution need to make vs. New York City FC
By Julian Cardillo
After dropping a 3-0 decision away at Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday, the Revolution are saddling up to play New York City FC next Sunday at Yankee Stadium and try to collect their first goal, win, and set of points this season. Such tasks are easier said than done—not only is the expansion side NYCFC loaded with weapons in all areas of the field, but they’ll be primed with energy and excitement in anticipation of their first-ever home game, as well as the full house that’s awaiting them at Yankee Stadium.
The Revolution aren’t scared by big crowds or afraid of teams with numerous high-profile players—evident by their late-season and playoff runs in 2014—but they’re nevertheless going into week two of the season with their tail somewhat between their legs.
Here are three things that eluded the Revolution a few days ago in Seattle that need to be adjusted ahead of their historical match-up with New York City FC:
1. Andrew Farrell and Jose Goncalves need to be on same page—Farrell is more in the doghouse than Goncalves, especially after allowing Obafemi Martins to out-jump him and sneak past him on Seattle’s second goal. But Seattle’s third goal, where Martins and Clint Dempsey strode in behind the back line, thus catching Goncalves and Farrell napping, was arguably worse. Communication between the recently converted center back Farrell and Goncalves, the captain and true rock in the middle, needs to improve.
With David Villa making his official home debut, there isn’t exactly a drop-off in talent from Martins and Dempsey. The key question mark truly will be Farrell. Will he make amends in training this week and learn to lock down his new position, or will this week’s game be another dud because he may simply need more match experience? On the plus side, Goncalves has shown time and again that he’s a bounce-back machine. Case in point: in 2013, after scoring an own goal in a mid-summer game vs. Colorado, he stormed back a week later to score his first Revolution goal and help his back line earn a shutout. Don’t expect Goncalves to go down easy in the Bronx.
2. Juan Agudelo needs to get involved— For all the talk about how Agudelo is tactically smart and didn’t lose a beat while being without a club last summer and fall, his performance in Seattle left much to be desired. Never mind bringing down Dempsey in the box in the first half, which led to Seattle’s opening goal. That was a soft call. What was worse was Agudelo’s contributions to the attack, as they were nonexistent.
Seattle put two defenders on Agudelo, which, in 2013, was no problem, as it meant another player, likely Diego Fagundez, was open and in space. But Agudelo didn’t look anything like his 2013 self—“Swagudelo”—much less the missing piece Revolution coach Jay Heaps said the club was getting back. All players have bad games, though Agudelo looked figured-out and exhausted on Sunday. He now has a chance, on a quick turnaround, to show why he’s so tactically smart and capable of injecting life into the attack.
3. Crowd control was good, now silence the spectators—Even when the Revolution conceded in Seattle, they didn’t appear to get rattled, especially by the 40,000-plus spectators. Their woes were a cause of their inability to defend properly or create any meaningful chances in the final third. That said, the best way to silence a crowd is to maintain possession and incessantly threaten the home team’s back line.
That means everyone in front of the back line has a responsibility to take care of the ball—keep possession and be creative in and around the opposing penalty area—thus playing that attractive, fun-to-watch tiki-taka that Heaps wants his team to play. With a full Yankee Stadium expected on Sunday, plus the collective excitement about New York City FC’s home debut, this weekend’s match environment won’t differ too much from last week’s. The question is, will the result?
Reach Julian by emailing at julianccardillo@gmail.com and follow him on twitter @juliancardillo
