Jeremy Hall. Photo/Kari Heistad
When the New England Revolution signed Jeremy Hall last offseason from Toronto FC in exchange for a fourth round pick in next year’s draft, they might not have realized what a sweet deal they’d just arranged.
But a season that’s been filled with ups and downs, as well as plenty of injuries and suspensions to the Revolution’s back line, has given Jeremy Hall ample opportunity to showcase why he’s one of the most underrated fullbacks in MLS.
Last week he helped shut down David Villa and NYCFC in a 1-0 win that snapped a five-game losing streak. And this Saturday, with a chance for back-to-back wins on the line, Hall could deservedly get the start on the road at the Chicago Fire.
“I’ve been lucky and blessed,” said Hall, who is 26 years old and has played with five teams in his six-season MLS career.
The Revolution didn’t afford NYCFC and Villa many scoring opportunities last weekend, which was a key step in turning around a tough stretch that had included giving up nine goals in three games.
Villa got by Hall once—but Hall recovered, working with his teammates on the back line to push Villa wide and force him to shoot from a tight angle. The result was a routine save by goalkeeper Brad Knighton and, eventually, a clean sheet.
Hall’s career has included many stops, but the experience he got in each place was valuable. He’s played with high-level designated players in every setting, which has enabled him to go toe-to-toe with the best of the best with relative calm. Nothing showcased that more than his performance against Villa and NYCFC.
“When I was in New York I trained all the time with Juan Pablo Angel and Thierry Henry, then more recently in Toronto there was Michael Bradley and Jermaine Defoe,” explained Hall.
“It was definitely amazing to see them and play with them every day. They’re all hard workers, they keep their heads down and are so incredibly professional. The experience of playing with them has definitely helped.”
So now the Revolution turn their sights on Chicago, who have three designated players of their own. The likes of David Accam, Kennedy Igboanaike, and Shaun Maloney haven’t done too much to spark Chicago’s season, but individually they’re technically sound players.
The Fire has the league’s worst record and their DPs haven’t done much to curb the poor run of form. They’re current 10-game stretch is only slightly worse than the Revolution’s; they’ve secured a horrid 2-6-2 record.
“They don’t have a great record, but they’re dangerous,” cautioned Hall. “Their players are dangerous, so they can beat anyone. It’s a tough one for us.”
On the plus side, Hall and the Revolution’s performance against NYCFC kept them in the playoff picture and was good for morale. Another win this weekend could go a long way to further boosting spirits.
“We went through a tough period, but we’ve got a great locker room,” said Hall. “We’re always laughing, always hanging out. No heads are ever hanging here. We’re capable and we’re going to go for it.”
If you want to reach Julian email him at julianccardillo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @juliancardillo
