2023 New England Revolution End of Season Review

FOXBOROUGH, MA– The New England Revolution have officially concluded the 2023 MLS Season with a record of 15W-10D-9L, 58 points.

The team held the position of 6th place across Major League Soccer (5th in Eastern Conference).

With the Revolutions 2023 campaign coming to a close, its time to reflect on some of the results that the squad had this season and how they faired in all competitions this season.

Wins: 18

Charlotte FC, Houston Dynamo FC, Nashville SC, DC United, CF Montréal, Sporting Kansas City, Hartford Athletic (US Open Cup), Toronto FC, Inter Miami, Orlando City, Toronto FC, Atlanta United, D.C. United, Atletico San Luis (Leagues Cup), Atlas FC (Leagues Cup), New York Red Bulls, Charlotte FC, Phialdelphia Union.

The Revolution’s first 17 games came with a couple easy victories against weaker MLS sides and started the season for the first time in the 28-year history with two consecutive victories along with beginning the league campaign with back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2006. The key wins that stand out the most are Nashville SC and Toronto FC, as the team in 2021 were 0-1-1 versus Nashville SC and last season were 0-2-0 versus Toronto FC. Their final 17 games came with a lot of controversy. With the Bruce Arena situation causing a heavy strain on this team, the squad only won 4 games after his dismissal. With 2 leagues cup victories, and a trio of MLS victories, the most notable was the last game of the season where Gustavo Bou’s brace kept them in the top 5 in the East. The team finishing with 18 wins in all competitions is a positive one, but injuries and coaching changes have caused a massive strain on their results, which can be reflected in their losses.

Losses: 14

LAFC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds (US Open Cup), Inter Miami CF, Philadelphia Union, New York Red Bulls, New York Red Bulls (Leagues Cup), Querétaro FC (Leagues Cup), CF Montréal, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, Orlando City, Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union, Philadelphia Union

The Revolution’s first loss of the season on March 12th was a gut punch. Travelling to the defending MLS Cup Champions and not just losing 4-0 but being completely dominated on the field. Offensively, the team only managed 4 shots to LAFC’s 18 and did not look like a squad that had just started the season 2-0-0. Thankfully, the Revolution picked up their heads and managed to go roughly two months without losing another game. When May 9th came around, the Revolution played a heavily rotated squad versus the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and they did not come to play. It was clear and obvious that the team did not deserve to advance in the US Open Cup, and their run ending in the round of 32. Following their loss versus Pittsburgh, the team lost their next two matches (both on the road) versus a struggling Inter Miami side and a strong Philadelphia Union side. Moving on, the squad lost back to back matches against New York Red Bulls, once in MLS, and one in Leagues Cup. Both matches coming from struggling defensive miscues and a penalty shootout. Their appearance in leagues cup was not really warranted and successful, but it was caused due to the coaching changes and the transition period that the team went through. The team then lost to CF Montréal due to an 86th minute goal which came at a horrific time in a back and forth battle. The team then lost to last place Colorado Rapids in horrible fashion. Questionably one of the worst games the team had played all season. With the form still plummeting, three straight losses due to horrible starts against Columbus, Orlando, and Nashville led to a demise of their playoff position for the season…. With the first round of the playoffs starting versus Philadelphia, the Revolution were dominated on almost every aspect in game one and it wasn’t pretty after that… Game two was met with red card drama, poor refereeing, interesting lineups, players axed from the match day squad due to “team decisions”, and intriguing substitutions… the 1-0 loss just inevitable.

Draws: 10

NYCFC, Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, Chicago Fire, Atlanta United, NYCFC, FC Cincinnati, Austin FC, Minnesota United, Chicago Fire,

In the draw department, the Revolution have had great results against rivals NYCFC and managed to sneak away with a point versus Supporter Shield leaders FC Cincinnati. Along with these results, the team had to fight for two comebacks versus Chicago Fire (down 2-0 in 22nd minute) and Atlanta United (blew 2-0 lead, scored tying goal in 90+3rd minute). Their worst draw came on April 15th versus the Columbus Crew. The squad was leading 1-0 in the 65th minute when Dylan Borrero received a red card and the squad had to play the remainder of the match down to 10 men. Unfortunately, the squad gave up a 90+8th minute tying goal to drop points on the road versus Columbus. A frustrating result, but thankfully, the squad walked away with points. The FC Cincinnati game in July came at a battle period with the squad fighting off the Supporter Shield winners for their second draw against them this season. The next draw came in September against a weak Austin FC side due to a last minute goal from Alexander Ring, this began the point of the season where the dropping of points was at its highest point. The form didn’t change, as the next match a week later was met with yet another last minute equalizer versus Minnesota which felt like a gut punch to this squad. Their last draw came versus Chicago Fire, which in all was a great game with goals 2 minutes apart and 5 minutes apart for either side.

It’s important to note the overall status of results, but to not shy away from individual player grades. Here is how I would grade each individual player on the entirety of the New England Revolution’s 2023 season. Midseason Player Grades will also be present with their grades to see how they changed based off of my perception from midseason form.

Individual Player Grades:

#1 – Tomáš Vaclík – Midseason Grade: NOT RANKED | End of Season Grade: F

With the departure of Đorđe Petrović in August of 2023, it was really exciting to see the team quickly acquire a goalkeeper of Tomáš Vaclík on such short notice. However, it was really disappointing to see that Vaclík would only appear on the bench once. With sources stating fitness, poor work-effort in practice, and noting that he struggles to walk…. Vaclík has a lot to prove if he is to return in 2024. As of now, Vaclík is a bust. F Rating.

First Team: ZERO GAMES PLAYED

Second Team: ZERO GAMES PLAYED

#2 – Dave Romney – Midseason Grade: A | End of Season Grade: A+

The signing of Dave Romney was an exciting one, and it stood strong. With Romney impressing in preseason and winning the starting job, the statement of his iron man status remained true, as the player played — games for the Revolution, starting all of them. He is my defender of the year and is the local media’s defender of the year. No shock when that was named on October 19th…. Congratulations on a fantastic first season… A+ for sure.

6.9 average match rating, 3060 Minutes played, 1 goal & 1 assist. 3 shot on target with 85% pass accuracy, 61% on tackles won, 154 clearances along with 36 interceptions. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

He missed 0 games due to injury.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearance.)

#3 – Omar Gonzalez – Midseason Grade: C | End of Season Grade: B

A player that fans have had their woes with. Omar played in 17 matches last season, 0 of them leading to clean sheets and managed to be at fault for 6 goals last season. In 2023, he appeared in 15 matches this season and wore the captain’s armband twice. Not entirely bad but not a major improvement. I’d argue a B rating would be fine for Omar as he hasn’t been a key reason that we have dropped points this season and hasn’t been obviously poor in the backline. He had a better season, and had a goal to contribute to the team this year. I’ll take it from the veteran.

6.6 average match rating, 861 Minutes played. 1 goal scored on 2 total shots. 83% pass accuracy, 67% on tackles won, with 51 clearances along with 2 interceptions. He had 1 errors leading to goals.

He missed 0 games due to injury.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearance.)

#4 – Henry Kessler – Midseason Grade: B+/A- | End of Season Grade: B+

King Kessler started off this season on a completely different foot from last season. On paper, this is his best start to a season since he joined Major League Soccer and was a key component and contributor for the Revolution this season. Unfortunately, Kessler obtained an injury in the match versus CF Montréal on April 8th and was forced into surgery to repair his right hamstring. His return was a great piece to the squad and added to the lack of depth and showed that he was back right where he left off. I’m happy to see he got his long awaited contract extension, tying him down for the future, as I view him as a leader of this squad. It would be fair to rank Kessler with a B plus rating.

7.1 average match rating, 784 Minutes played, 1 goal. 1 shot on target with 89% pass accuracy, 100% on successful dribbles, 87% on tackles won, 26 clearances along with 5 interceptions. Had 0 errors leading to goals.

(2 Team of the Matchday appearances.)

He Missed 28 games due to injury.

#5 – Tomás Chancalay – Midseason Grade: NOT RANKED | End of Season Grade: A+++++

Wow, oh wow. The best signing of the season. Tomás Chancalay showed all of the doubters that he is a player that should be noticed in MLS. With 6 goals and 0 assists in 11 games, Chancalay proved that DP or not, he deserves a contract in New England. It’s is crucial that he is signed to a full-term deal this offseason so that we can build around him for the future. Wow. What a Player. A+++++

With the first team: 7.5 average match rating, 1029 Minutes played. 6 goals and 0 assists. 12 total shots on target with 78% pass accuracy, 69% on successful dribbles, and 4 chances created and 1 big chance missed. Defensively he was 67% on tackles won, 4 clearances along with 2 interceptions. 0 errors leading to goals.

With the second team: 6.6 average match rating, 21 minutes played. 0 goals, 0 assist with 1 shot. 100% pass accuracy, 100% on successful dribbles. Left his lone match with an injury. (Play led to a goal)

(2 Team of the Matchday appearances.)

He missed 1 game due to injury.

#6 – Christian Makoun – Midseason Grade: B | End of Season Grade: D

Makoun is definitely a strange player to grade for this Revolution side. With 9 matches played this season, the player has been in three different positions. With time as a center back, left back, and center defensive midfielder, Makoun has done a good job. Defensively he might need a little bit of work, but the 23-year-old will continue to learn as his career progresses. He also received 2 National Team call-ups this season, with very little done for the Revolution. I’d argue that Christian deserves a D end of season rating. He’s done his job when called on and has been all over the place. He’s definition of a utility guy, but I’d argue that he didn’t do anything that stood out when he was called upon. Overall a weird player to have, and weird to have national team call-ups with very little contributions.

6.9 average match rating, 493 Minutes played, 1 assist. 2 shots on target with 81% pass accuracy, 43% on tackles won, 14 clearances along with 6 interceptions. Had 3 errors leading to goals.

He missed 6 games due to injury.

#7 – Gustavo Bou – Midseason Grade: B- | End of Season Grade: B+

La Pantera has been plagued with injuries this entire season.  He showed glimpses of himself from years past. With his contract set to expire in December, it is currently unclear regarding his contract situation and where Bou stands in regards to the future of this roster. If this is the end of Gustavo Bou, he leaves New England 5th all time in scoring, and has been the definition of a Revolution star. The end of season rating of B fits Bou perfectly.

7.1 average match rating, 1438 Minutes played, 8 goals with 4 assists. 17 shots on target with 47% accuracy. He had 73% pass accuracy, with 24 chances created and 2 big chances missed along with 60% dribbles completed. He had 26% cross accuracy. Defensively, he was 40% on tackles won and had 3 clearance along with 7 interceptions.

(3 Team of the Matchday appearances.)

He missed 17 games due to injury.

#8 – Matt Polster – Midseason Grade: B+/A- | End of Season Grade: B

To casual fans, Polster isn’t someone you’d pay much attention to, but to the ones that watch weekly or pay close attention to the little things, Polster is one of the most important players on the field week in and week out. The midfielder is all over the field and when he “goes missing” it’s very visible in both how the team performs. Polster was called upon to complete out of position duties and did so in a respectable fashion. Though it wasn’t the prettiest at times, he did the job well, and proved he is a good player to have on this roster. I think a B rating is smart for Polster, due to his rough patch at left back, though I think that he did well this season.

7.2 average match rating, 2918 Minutes played. 2 goals and 1 assist. 5 total shots on target with 88% pass accuracy, 70% on successful dribbles, and 15 chances created. Defensively he was 56% on tackles won, 41 clearances along with 44 interceptions. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearance.)

He missed 1 games due to sickness.

#9 – Giacomo Vrioni – Midseason Grade: D | End of Season Grade: C+/B-

The 24-year-old designated player  struggled in Major League Soccer since his arrival in mid 2022. With 2023 destined to be his breakout season, Vrioni struggled to make the starting XI at the start of the season and struggled to stay in form. The player worked overtime at training sessions with Richie Williams and Kevin Hitchcock in order to improve his game altogether this season. Though he improved his game, it’s not enough for a player of his caliber. The rating of C+/B- is a good standpoint for Vrioni, but overall, not good enough

6.6 average match rating, 1355 Minutes played, 9 goals with 3 assists. 18 shots on target with 60% accuracy. He had a 72% pass accuracy, with 8 chances created and 4 big chances missed along with 60% dribbles completed. Defensively, he was 71% on tackles won and had 12 clearances and 4 interceptions.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearances.)

He missed 2 games due to injury.

#10 – Carles Gil – Midseason Grade: A+ | End of Season Grade: A+

The 2021 MLS Most Valuable Player has continued to show that he is a major contributor to this team. He led the team in both goals and assists. Along with this, he continued to be one of the most fouled players across the league and has shown that when he is on the pitch, he makes a huge difference. Without Capi on the field, I argued that without him this team wouldn’t have more than 3 wins. It was clear as day that he would win Team MVP and Players Player of the Year, and it wasn’t a shock when it was announced on October 19th…

My statement remains the same. Anything below an A+ rating is wrong.

8.0 average match rating, 2731 Minutes played. 11 goals and 15 assists. 29 total shots on target with 83% pass accuracy, 62% on successful dribbles, 25% on accurate crosses and 92 chances created. Defensively he was 88% on tackles won, 4 clearances along with 14 interceptions. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

(9 Team of the Matchday appearances, 1 Player of the Matchday)

He missed 1 game due to injury.

#11 – Dylan Borrero – Midseason Grade: A- | End of Season Grade: A- 

The Tajon Buchanan replacement came alive at the beginning of the 2023 season. With head coach Bruce Arena complimenting his pace and technical play, it was time for the breakout youngster to shine for the 2023 season. Starting off with 2 goals and 1 assist, disaster struck for the 21-year-old when he went down in a heap during the Revolution’s April 29th contest versus FC Cincinnati. Unfortunately, the midfielder tore his Right ACL and underwent season-ending surgery on May 4th. Borrero started the season correctly and showed he would’ve been a star on this roster. An A- rating would fit his performance for the 8 matches he appeared in. Hopefully the healing process goes the correct way. It is expected that he has 6 months of recovery remaining, and the hope is that he can return to the field in no time.

7.1 average match rating, 516 Minutes played, 2 goals with 1 assist. 7 shots on target with 58% accuracy. He had a 78% pass accuracy, with 7 chances created and 1 big chance missed along with 58% dribbles completed. Defensively, he was 57% on tackles won and has 1 clearance along with 3 interceptions.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearance.)

He missed 30 games due to injury.

#12 – Justin Rennicks – Midseason Grade: D | End of Season Grade: F

The 2019 homegrown player made 14 appearances this season and only contributed 1 goal in a US Open Cup contest. For a player that has only his 3rd goal as a forward in 5 seasons with the Revolution, it would be wrong to grade him with anything higher than a F rating. I think he will be released at the end of the season, or traded to another team. Could easily see him on Rhode Island FC.

With first team: 6.2 average match rating, 382 Minutes played. 1 goal and 0 assists. 1 total shots on target with 78% pass accuracy, 42% on successful dribbles, and 4 chances created. Defensively he was 50% on tackles won, 4 clearances along with 1 interception. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

He missed 0 games due to injury.

#13 – Lucas Maciel – DNP/OUT – Midseason Grade: N/A | End of Season Grade: B

With Lucas Maciel having 1 first team games played this season, he recovered from his achilles injury and performed quite well for the New England Revolution II. With 3 appearances, Maciel proved he still could contribute in this league. Hope to see him back in 2024. Good grade of a solid B would fit for Maciel.

With the second team: 7.1 average match rating, 77 minutes played. 0 goals, 0 assist with 1 shot. 97% pass accuracy.

He missed 26 second team games due to injury.

#14 – Jozy Altidore – Midseason Grade: F | End of Season Grade: F

This former United States international has had a lot of down moments with this squad, and the fanbase is quick to notice any mistake that the forward makes. With 6 big chances missed in 2023 and scoring 1 goal (that he fanned on while shooting), Altidore is an F rating. The forward, who was under contract until December of 2024, and was on a 1,650,000 MAX TAM salary deal, he is questionably the worst signings in Revolution history. Absolutely an F rating. Horrible player.

6.0 average match rating, 195 Minutes played, 1 goal with 1 assist. 2 shots on target with 67% accuracy and had 6 big chances missed. He had a 76% pass accuracy, with 0 chances created.

He missed 0 games due to injury.

#14 – Ian Harkes – Midseason Grade: NOT RANKED | End of Season Grade: A-

What a signing. A player that was written off by the fan base before he even joined, Ian Harkes proved that he isn’t a “nepotism” signing. Harkes is the real deal and has contributed a ton to New England since his arrival. The midfielder is definitely someone who will continue to contribute to this squad as a whole and definitely a player that gave life to this team midseason. Though his Adam’s Apple fracture effected the end of his season, Harkes deserves an A- for his impact.

7.1 average match rating, 606 Minutes played, 2 goal with 1 assist. He had 4 shots with 93% pass accuracy, 67% on successful dribbles, and 5 chances created. Defensively he was 17% on tackles won, 4 clearances along with 9 interceptions. 1 error leading to goals.

(2 Team of the Matchday appearances.)

He missed 7 games due to injury.

#15 – Brandon Bye – Midseason Grade: B+/A- | End of Season Grade: B+

Wingback Brandon Bye has been a threat both offensively and defensively since joining the Revolution in 2018. With 8 goals and 14 assists, the defender has performed better than most strikers that have come through the Revolution ranks. He has been a great contributor to the backline and continues to show why he has been a starter since he got here. Unfortunately, Bye went down with a right shoulder injury in the last minute of the Revolution’s match versus Inter Miami CF on May 13th and ended up being sidelined til July. Injuries plagued him once more as he tore his right ACL in a Leagues Cup match versus Atlas FC. A huge loss for New England, he solidifies his season at a B+ rating.

7.2 average match rating, 1665 Minutes played, 2 goals with 1 assist. 2 shot on target with 75% pass accuracy, 54$ on successful dribbles, 67% on tackles won, 55 clearances along with 20 interceptions. He had 1 error leading to goals.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearance.)

Has missed 18 matches due to injury.

#16 – Joshua Bolma – Midseason Grade: (First Team C-) (Second Team B) | End of Season Grade: (First Team C-) (Second Team A-)

The 4th overall pick in the 2023 MLS Super Draft has appeared in just 2 first team matches. The player has done well when called on with just one key error versus the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. For the Revs II, the player has made 18 appearances and has been a key contributor. With 2 goals and 1 assists, the player has been a key utility player by playing both on the wings, in the backline, and in the midfield. He continues to be a player to watch for the future. The rating of a C- would make the most sense for Bolma with the first team, as he was directly at fault for the goal v Pittsburgh. For the second team, Bolma deserves a A- rating for his contributions and stellar season contributing on all cylinders for the second team.

With the first team: 7.2 average match rating, 159 Minutes played. 93% pass accuracy, 50% on successful dribbles, and 2 chances created. Defensively he was 60% on tackles won, 5 clearances along with 2 interceptions. 1 error leading to goals.

With the second team: 7.1 average match rating, 1141 minutes played. 2 goals, 1 assist with 5 shots on target 85% pass accuracy, 31% on successful dribbles and 11 chances created. Defensively he was 58% on tackles won with 24 interceptions.

He missed 0 first team games due to injury.

#17 – Bobby Wood – Midseason Grade: A+ | End of Season Grade: B-

This former United States international was the shock of the season when the Revolution entered the midseason. For the first time since 2016-17, Bobby Wood has scored more than 5 goals in a single season. The team acquired Wood this offseason in the 2023 MLS Re-Entry Draft by trading the 9th overall pick in the MLS Re-Entry Draft and $50,000 in GAM to DC United for the first overall pick and it has been the move of the season by Bruce Arena. Unfortunately, Wood had a rough patch towards the end of the season and struggled to continue to keep his hot start form. The rating of B- would be suffice for Wood due to his poor end to the season.

6.7 average match rating, 1566 Minutes played, 7 goals with 5 assists. 12 shots on target with 52% accuracy. He had a 71% pass accuracy, with 11 chances created and 6 big chances missed along with 41% dribbles completed. Defensively, he was 56% on tackles won and has 13 clearances along with 3 interception. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearances.)

He missed 3 games due to injury.

#18 – Emmanuel Boateng – Midseason Grade: A | End of Season Grade: B

For only $95,784 a year, Emmanuel Boateng is an A rating alone. But if you look at his contributions,  in 27 games, Boateng had 2 goal and 3 assists and had been a key contributor coming into the field starting as Dylan Borrero’s substitute and starting in 16 of those games following his injury. He has used the term “role player” to a new level, and likely would have started at a plethora of other MLS clubs if they came calling for his number, but the player regardless of the money wanted New England, and fans can be thankful f0r that. He had an okay end of the season, and contributed when he played.. The rating of B would be perfect for Boateng.

6.8 average match rating, 1453 Minutes played, 2 goal with 3 assists. 6 shots on target with 60% accuracy. He had a 84% pass accuracy, 25% cross accuracy with 22 chances created and 3 big chance missed along with 63% dribbles completed. Defensively, he was 33% on tackles won and has 11 clearances along with 10 interceptions. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

He missed 0 games due to injury.

#19 – Latif Blessing – Midseason Grade: B+/A- | End of Season Grade: D

On January 1st, 2023, Tom Bogert reported that the New England Revolution were acquiring Latif Blessing in a trade from LAFC for $400,000 GAM + $300,000 GAM in add-ons. With Blessing requesting the trade at the end of last season. With the club obtaining the player on a massive discount (due to the incident with Ismael Tajouri-Shradi according to Bruce Arena), the player made key contributions for the club by appearing in 11 matches at the midway point and was given a B+ / A- rating, however, Blessing had a fall from grace and played only 4 more matches for New England and became at fault for poor results in 3 of those 4 matches. He was then traded to Toronto FC for Mark-Anthony Kaye. The rating of D is a good spot for Blessing, as his form just didn’t stay up to par for New England.

6.8 average match rating, 1184 Minutes played. 0 goals and 1 assist. 5 total shots on target with 87% pass accuracy, 62% on successful dribbles, and 12 chances created. Defensively he was 55% on tackles won, 6 clearances along with 14 interceptions. 1 error leading to a goal.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearance.)

He missed 2 games due to injury.

He missed 2 games due to family leave.

#22 – Jack Panayotou – Midseason Grade: (First Team – C) Second Team – B / B+)| End of Season Grade: (First Team – C) Second Team – A+)

The U-19 MLS Next Cup Champion and 2022 Revolution Academy Player of the Year has had an interesting start to his MLS Career. With the player making 11 appearances (2 starts), he has played well, but not shown the flashes that he had at his short one season stint at Georgetown University, where the player had 7 goals and 3 assists. With 5 goal and 3 assists this year coming for the second team, the player’s first team rating of a C and second team rating of an A+ stand strong. It will be fun to watch the player as he continues to gain experience.

With the first team: 6.1 average match rating, 316 minutes played. 80% pass accuracy, 17% on successful dribbles, 12% on accurate crosses and 3 chances created. Defensively he was 67% on tackles won, 2 clearances along with 2 interceptions. 0 errors leading to goals.

With the second team: 7.4 average match rating, 906 minutes played with 5 goal and 3 assists. He had 7 shots on target with 85% pass accuracy, 41% on successful dribbles, 35% on accurate crosses and 17 chances created.

He missed 1 first team games due to illness.

#23 – Nacho Gil – DNP/OUT – Midseason Grade: NOT GIVEN | End of Season Grade: B+

At midseason, Nacho was yet to play a game due to injury. Once returning from injury, Nacho has made a stellar impact to show he isn’t just Carles Gil’s brother, but he is Nacho Gil. Great player and hard worker on multiple assets both on and off the ball. Nacho has made 9 appearances (8 starts), has supplied 2 assists, and has made the most of his appearances with New England this season. Impressed, and a B+ rating is suffice for Nacho.

With the first team: 6.9 average match rating, 546 minutes played. 0 goals and 2 assists with 83% pass accuracy, 50% on successful dribbles, 24% on accurate crosses and 7 chances created. Defensively he was 63% on tackles won, 2 clearances along with 4 interceptions. 0 errors leading to goals.

He missed 27 games due to injury.

#24 – DeJuan Jones – Midseason Grade: A | End of Season Grade: A

DeJuan Jones has shown why teams in the Bundesliga, Eredivisie, and Pro League have been monitoring his status in New England. With rumors being active since mid 2022, the defender had quite the 2023 season with 1 goal and 7 assists. If he keeps up at this rate, it will be hard for New England to say no to a high transfer fee. An A rating makes the most sense for DeJuan as fans are quick to notice if the player is not playing up to his game, with opposing fans complimenting that majority of the play runs through him. He also was met with a handful of International call-ups. Impressive.

7.3 average match rating, 2343 Minutes played, 1 goal with 7 assists. 7 shots on target with 83% pass accuracy, 56% on successful dribbles, 56% on tackles won, 44 clearances along with 30 interceptions. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearance.)

3 matches missed due to injury.

#26 – Tommy McNamara – DNP/OUT – Midseason Grade: NOT RANKED | End of Season Grade: B

Tommy Mac. A player I didn’t really expect to get any time this season after rehabbing a left leg injury until late July. He has made me bite my tongue a bit the last couple of months, and I’ve been quite pleased with the performances that he has given. I’ll give Tommy a B rating for the season, as he did good while he was out there, but missed so much of the season to be overly impactful.

With the first team: 6.1 average match rating, 188 Minutes played, 0 goal with 0 assists. 0 shots on target with 90% pass accuracy. 2 clearances along with 1 interceptions. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

With the second team: 7.3 average match rating. 150 minutes played with 0 goals and 0 assists. 13 shots on target with 90% pass accuracy and 3 chances created.

He missed 27 games due to injury.

#28 – Mark-Anthony Kaye – Midseason Grade: NOT RANKED | End of Season Grade: B

Acquired in the Latif Blessing trade, Mark-Anthony Kaye has done quite well providing defensive depth next to Matt Polster in controlling the defensive midfield on all cylinders. A stellar player, who has done well in his time with New England with just a few miscues. I’d argue that with more time, Kaye will become a great player in New England’s system. The rating of B is suffice for Kaye’s contributions.

7.3 average match rating, 2716 Minutes played. 2 goals and 3 assists. 5 total shots on target with 86% pass accuracy, 47% on successful dribbles, and 19 chances created. Defensively he was 73% on tackles won, 48 clearances along with 39 interceptions. 0 errors leading to goals.

(1 Team of the Matchday appearance with Toronto.)

He missed 0 games due to injury.

#29 – Noel Buck – Midseason Grade: A/A+ | End of Season Grade: A/A+

This 18-year-old has put himself on the map due to his 2023 season. With 3 MLS team of the matchday appearances and 8 young players of the matchday appearances, it is no surprise that Noel Buck was named a top 5 U22 player in MLS. He has shined. Buck has had 3 key goals (1 game winner), 1 assist, and has shown why European Football is in the players future. A shocking snub from the USMNT in the U20 World Cup was a key moment in the season for Buck, who then took a shocking call-up to the England U19 national team and is attracting attention from Manchester City, Burnley, Arsenal, and a plethora of Bundesliga teams. A or A+ rating, no doubt about it.

7.0 average match rating, 1918 Minutes played. 3 goals and 2 assists. 6 total shots on target with 84% pass accuracy, 74% on successful dribbles, and 15 chances created. Defensively he was 62% on tackles won, 15 clearances along with 18 interceptions. 0 errors leading to goals.

(3 Team of the Matchday appearances.)

He missed 5 games due to injury.

#34 – Ryan Spaulding – Midseason Grade: A/A+ | End of Season Grade: B

Starting the MLS season with the New England Revolution, defender Ryan Spaulding knew he had an uphill battle going up against Brandon Bye and DeJuan Jones for playing time. With an injury in preseason, Spaulding was sidelined to start the season. On April 21st, following a full recovery from his leg injury, Spaulding joined the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL Championship and has taken the opportunity with full stride. In 7 matches played with the Rowdies, Spaulding has gotten 4 assists and has been mentioned in 3 team of the weeks and is currently leading votes for USL Championship player of the Month. With Bye out with an injury, it’s not surprising that the Revolution decided to recall Spaulding due to his spectacular form with the Rowdies. It will be important to monitor his offseason status a B rating is a great rank for the wingback who shined on loan, and provided good moments with the team this season.

With the first team: 6.8 average match rating, 706 Minutes played, 0 goal with 0 assists. 1 shot on target with 1 chance created. He had 85% pass accuracy, 80% on successful dribbles. Defensively, he was 67% on tackles won, 11 clearances along with 3 interceptions. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

While on loan: 7.7 average match rating, 622 Minutes played, 0 goal with 4 assists. 1 shot on target with 13 chances created. He had 75% pass accuracy, 65% on successful dribbles and 23% on accurate crosses. Defensively, he was 78% on tackles won, 5 clearances along with 5 interceptions. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

(3x USL Team of the Week, 1 player of the match)

He missed 2 games due to injury.

#36 – Earl Edwards Jr. – Midseason Grade: NOT RANKED | End of Season Grade: B

The goalkeeper that stepped up. From the leagues cup fiasco, to becoming the Revolution starter after the departure of Đorđe Petrović, Earl was good when you needed him to be, but was left out to dry on a couple of occasions while commanding his net. I’d argue that majority of the goals conceded by Earl were not his fault, and I would say that Earl has done well with what he’s been given infront of him. B Rating.

6.3 average match rating, 900 minutes played. 16 goals conceded with 1 error leading to goals. He held a 1.5 Goals Against Average and 68% Save Percentage with 34 total saves. He ended with 1 clean sheet and held 67% pass accuracy with a 43% long ball success rate.

He missed 0 games due to injury.

#44 – Ben Sweat – Midseason Grade: B | End of Season Grade: D

Following his waive from Sporting Kansas City on April 5th, the Revolution picked up Ben Sweat just 13 days later. Fans were quick to notice about his release from SKC with some of their fans commenting, “he’s pure trash” and “do not put this man on the field for the sake of your club”. In his one appearance since joining the club, Sweat made his Revolution debut versus his former club and played 16 minutes. His 16-minute performance helped lead New England to their 2-1 victory over his former club. The Ben Sweat era in New England started to be good, but then curtailed back into what fans from former clubs have stated. Sweat simply is not good enough. He struggles when he is on the pitch, and has been a key reason why the Revolution have dropped points on numerous occasions. I think an F is a harsh rating, so I’d give him a D instead. I’m not entirely sure he will be here next season.

6.4 average match rating, 640 Minutes played. Had 79% pass accuracy, 57% successful dribbles, 100% on tackles won, with 19 clearances along with 9 interceptions. He had 4 errors leading to goals.

He missed 0 games due to injury.

#47 – Esmir Bajraktarevic – Midseason Grade: (First Team B- / B) (Second Team – A) | End of Season Grade: (First Team B) (Second Team – A+++)

18-Year-Old Esmir Bajraktarević was a great contributor this season both for the first and second teams for the New England Revolution. Starting in 5 of his 13 MLS matches, Bajraktarević has offensively done quite well, with more playing time due to the injury of Dylan Borrero. Though, he has been subbed into 3 matches and subbed out earlier than expected twice, Esmir has shown that he has grown to do with the first team and has shone his experience with his time with the second team. In MLS NEXT Pro matches, Bajraktarević had 8 goals, 1 assist in 9 matches. For his season success, it’s clearly obvious for Esmir, as he was given a call-up to the United States Mens National Team for the Pan-American games. Esmir deserves a B rating for the first team and deserves an A+++ rating for his contributions to the second team.

With the first team: 6.4 average match rating, 493 Minutes played. 1 goal and 0 assists. 5 total shots on target with 79% pass accuracy, 29% on successful dribbles, 25% on accurate crosses, 2 chances created with 3 big chances missed. He had 0 clearances and 1 interceptions, with 0 errors leading to goals.

With the second team: 7.7 average match rating. 602 minutes played with 8 goals and 1 assists. 13 shots on target with 83% pass accuracy, and 57% on successful dribbles along with 10 chances created.

(1 MLSNEXTPro Player of the Matchday)

He missed 0 first team games due to injury.

#72 – Damian Rivera – Midseason Grade: (First Team B- / B) (Second Team – A) | End of Season Grade: (First Team D) (Second Team – A-)

With 7 games played for the first team in 2023, Homegrown player Damian Rivera has been a part of the struggling woes that fellow homegrown Justin Rennicks has faced. The player who has just 1 first team goal in four seasons has struggled. He has most of his success with the second team where Rivera held 6 goals and 3 assists in 10 matches played. For the first team, Rivera deserves a D rating, as he has failed to show glimpses and simply was not good enough to consistently receive playing time. For the second team, Rivera deserves an A- rating. It was unfortunate for his season to end early due to a knee injury. It will be interesting to monitor his future for next season.

With the first team: 6.6 average match rating, 180 Minutes played. 1 total shots on target with 72% pass accuracy, 38% on successful dribbles, and 2 chances created with 2 big chances missed. Defensively he was 100% on tackles won. He had 1 clearance and 1 interception, and had 0 errors leading to goals.

With the second team: 8.0 average match rating, 521 minutes played. 5 goals and 3 assists with 8 shots on target with 1 big chance missed. He had 80% pass accuracy, 12% on accurate crosses, 63% on successful dribbles and 9 chances created.

(1 MLSNEXTPro Player of the Matchday)

He missed 7 first team games due to injury.

#77 – Ben Reveno – Midseason Grade: C/C- | End of Season Grade: F

Prior to the start of the 2023 MLS season, defender Ben Reveno was loaned to Birmingham Legion FC of the USL Championship for the entirety of the season. The player who all time has made 1 first team appearance and has 20 total appearances for the Revolution II would have been fighting for playing time versus newly signed defender Santiago Suarez (17-year-old prospect set to join first team in 2024), and Victor Souza (2023 MLS SuperDraft pick). During his loan with Birmingham, Reveno has made 10 appearances for the club tally 1 assist. He then was relieved of his duties, returned to New England, and was re-loaned to Indy Eleven of the USL Championship for the remainder of 2023. He has appeared only in 6 matches for Indy.  Reveno will receive an F rating for his efforts as he has been deemed unsuccessful for playing for New England. I highly doubt he will be with New England next season.

With the first team: Zero Games Played this season.

While on loan: 6.4 average match rating, 609 Minutes played, 0 goals and 1 assist. 0 shots on target with 3 chances created. He had 77% pass accuracy, 100% on successful dribbles. Defensively, he was 86% on tackles won, 12 clearances along with 2 interception. He had 0 errors leading to goals.

He missed 0 games due to injury.

#88 – Andrew Farrell – Midseason Grade: C+/B- | End of Season Grade: B

11-Year veteran Andrew Farrell started 2023 in a very peculiar position. The team’s iron man started the season with a leg injury and surprisingly changed from his trademark #2 to #88. A week prior to the injury of Henry Kessler, Farrell made his 2023 debut playing 1 minute versus NYCFC. The next week, Farrell entered for the injured Kessler and was in the starting XI  (bare injury) since. During this season, Farrell captained the team once and surpassed 30,000 career MLS minutes. He had a shaky start replacing Kessler but showed glimpses of his natural self. I’d give Farrell a B rating for 2023, as he did the job for when Kessler was gone, and then got caught in injury trouble.

6.8 average match rating, 2105 Minutes played. 86% pass accuracy, 63% on tackles won, 63 clearances along with 24 interceptions. He had 3 errors leading to goals.

He missed 7 games due to injury.

#98 – Jacob Jackson – Midseason Grade: B | End of Season Grade: B+

A player who has had quite the journey for his MLS career, Jacob Jackson is one player to continue to monitor for the 2023 season. The goalkeeper in 2022 had 9 appearances in MLS NEXT Pro, 5 of those matches ending in shutouts. The 2022 MLS Super Draft 24th overall pick was shining for the Revolution II before completely tearing his Right ACL in July of 2022. The player shockingly fully recovered 10 months later and made 14 appearances for the Revolution II. The goalkeeper held a 9W-0D-3L record with 55 saves. He was granted a starting spot toward the end of the season with the Revolution after I mentioned he would be someone to watch as a potential starting goalkeeper when regular starter Đorđe Petrović left the club. He might be a goalkeeper for the future, and has done a fantastic job when called upon.

With the first team: 5.6 average match rating, 180 minutes played. 7 goals conceded with 1 errors leading to goals. He holds a 3.00 Goals Against Average and 61% Save Percentage with 11 total saves. He had 0 clean sheets. He held 73% pass accuracy with a 44% long ball success rate.

With the second team: 7.1 average match rating, 1080 minutes played. 18 goals conceded with 1 errors leading to goals. He held a 1.50 Goals Against Average and 73.8% Save Percentage with 55 total saves. He had 3 clean sheets. He also held a 71% pass accuracy with a 35% long ball success rate.

He missed 14 games due to injury.

#99 – Đorđe Petrović – Midseason Grade: A+ | End of Season Grade: A+

The MVP of the season until his departure, Đorđe Petrović had been spectacular in his second season in New England. With 99 saves (2nd in MLS when he left), the Serbian goalkeeper had 7 clean sheets. When Petrović departed, he was in 3rd place across the entire league in MVP predictions, and was almost a guaranteed lock for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. It was clear that a team would come knocking for Petrović, and it was hard to say no to a massive free off from Chelsea FC of the English Premier League. Petrović is without any doubt an A+ rating and would have been the unanimous team MVP.

7.2 average match rating, 1980 minutes played. 27 goals conceded with 1 error leading to goals. He held a 1.23 Goals Against Average and 78.6% Save Percentage with 99 total saves. 4 penalties faced with a 25% save rate. He ended with 7 clean sheets and held 61% pass accuracy with a 34% long ball success rate.

(5 Team of the Matchday appearances.)

He missed 2 games due to personal reasons.

It’s also important to judge absolute turmoil of the results due to the issues midseason that involved the Revolution’s coaching staff.  Here is how I would grade each COACH on their impacts of the New England Revolution’s 2023 season.

Individual Coach Grades:

Head Coach Bruce Arena – 3/25/2023 -> 8/1/2023 – B

Head Coach Bruce Arena started this season right where he left off. A strong roster with just a few holes to fill, overall, this roster was created for success. With results going his way and holding a comfortable 2nd place position in the MLS Eastern Conference and keeping the team on a roll with the struggling injury trouble and up and down form of a handful of his players heading into the Leagues Cup tournament, Arena was destined for success on all assets on the field. However, on August 1st, all of that changed. Bruce Arena was suspended indefinitely by the team and by MLS for “insensitive and innapropriate remarks”, with Richie Williams taking over for the time being. Bruce would never return to coach New England, and enacted his resignation on September 9th. Bruce stated, “I know I have made some mistakes, and moving forward I plan to spend time reflecting on this situation and taking corrective steps to address what transpired.”. Though we don’t know any context to what mistakes he is admitting guilt to, it’s clear Bruce did something wrong. Judging Arena’s time with the squad, I’d give Bruce an B rating for his coaching, as I’d argue that they had vintage Bruce throughout the season and this became a massive roadblock and issue in affecting the season.

Interim Head Coach Richie Williams – 8/1/2023 -> 9/9/2023 – D

While the entire Bruce Arena situation transpired, Richie Williams was elevated from his assistant coaching role, and took upon the duties of Head Coach. Throughout his spell, Richie and the Revolution went on questionably their worst run of form in recent seasons. From August 1st to September 9th, the Revolution went 2W-2L-2D and it seemed as if Williams would continue at the helm for the remainder of the season, until Bruce Arena resigned, and it was revealed that Williams was apart of the investigation. Following backlash from fans and reported backlash from assistant coaches and players, Richie Williams was “given time away from the team” and Clint Peay, the head coach of Revolution II, was elevated along with his staff to take the duties of the first team for the remainder of the season. During this time period, assistant coaches Dave Van Den Bergh and Shalrie Joseph were both relieved from their duties. It was also reported and then redacted by Taylor Twellman that Shalrie and Richie got into a physical altercation on the training ground due to being involved in the investigation. For his involvement in the investigation, lying to media about not knowing what was happening, lying to players, and having poor results, Richie Williams will receive a D rating. I’ll be shocked if he coaches in professional soccer again.

Interim Head Coach Clint Peay – 9/9/2023 -> 11/1/2023 – C-

Following the entire Bruce Arena v Richie Williams situation, Clint Peay became not the step coach, but the coach that stepped up. Peay obtained a broken roster on a days notice after being a key factor in the Revolution II’s best season in their history. Peay had some struggles to start while trying to deal with the injuries, the shaky roster, and attempting to right the ship of the season before it became too late. Peay went on to coach the Revolution to a  1W-4L-1D regular season record, and then led New England into the playoffs as the 5th seed in the MLS Eastern Conference. The squad played the Philadelphia Union and were defeated 3-1 and 1-0 in the first two matches of the best-of-three series, eliminating them from the MLS Audi Cup Playoffs. I wouldn’t entirely place blame on Peay, as he got given a broken roster, with a broken front office.. I commend Peay’s attempt, but he will likely not return.

New England Revolution Midseason Team Grade: B / B+ (June 17, 2023)

This team has exceeded expectations so far this season and need to right their ship in order to succeed in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Thankfully, the playoffs aren’t decided until the end of the season, and though they haven’t gotten a win in their last 6 games, they have gotten a lot of help across the league and remain as one of the top 5 teams in the league. It is more valuable to lose games in May/June rather than September/October. This team is a playoff team, and definitely is a contender. In regard to the team grade, they deserve a B / B+. The squad would have had an A- or even an A rating if they had shown up to perform in the US Open Cup but decided otherwise.

New England Revolution End of season Team Grade: C- (November 1, 2023)

Talk about a shambolic way to end a season. Following Bruce Arena’s departure, the squad went 0W-0L-0D, which is questionably their worst form in recent years. The playoffs didn’t change for better either, with a 3-1 loss and a 0-0 loss to Philadelphia to end their playoff journey in the first round.

It will be imperative for this squad to correct these changes this offseason if the squad wants to remain serious in the eyes of the competition.

The ranking of C- will be suffice for this squad. They had a fall from grace after being 2nd place in the Eastern Conference for 6 months, to falling to 5th place and their playoff run resulting in an extremely disappointing first round exit.

Many fans called that the season was over when Bruce Arena resigned, and they were right. Many fans and journalists, most notably Tommy Quinlan, stated that the season was over when Đorđe Petrović was sold midseason, and once again, fans and notably Tommy were right.

Lots of bad decisions led to the downfall of this team.

Offseason thoughts:

Heading into the offseason, the Revolution have run into a few road blocks regarding their sporting director, head coach position, Revolution II head coaching position, academy direction, and much much more. The roster also has a lot of changes coming, with multiple players out of contract or negotiating extensions. The implications show that the Revolution will have an open Designated Player slot, and a lot of money to spend this offseason.

It will be interesting to see the directive that Robert & Jonathan Kraft do with their team. The hope is to hire a competent Sporting Director, a well known Head Coach, and allow them to spend some of the $35,000,000 that the team has acquired over the last 3 seasons with their outgoing transfers.

In my honest opinion, some key areas in need for improvement or depth involve the outside back position, center back depth, and the forward position. The center of the park is quite content. One thing also to look at is the fact that there are a handful of players across the board that are attracting European attention that may need to be replaced.  It will be interesting to view the structure of the team, the new coach and director, and how the team will look to operate in 2024.

The New England Revolution will look to right their BROKEN ship to improve their roster, fix their holes, and push to acquire their coveted MLS Cup in the 2024 MLS campaign. For all MLS content, you can find it on the MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.

(Editor’s Note: For more of Burt Granofsky’s photos, click on the link)