It’s easy to draw parallels from this New England Revolution season to those of the past, particularly because the team’s present form and needs mimic what’s come before so starkly.
The Revolution have almost always been a team that starts off slowly, picks things up in the spring, crashes through the summer, and then closes the season off strong. Usually, a spark has been needed to transition the team out of their summer slump and into a steam-rolling, post-season run. That’s been especially true under head coach Jay Heaps.
In 2012, Heaps’ first season at the helm, the Revolution traded away long-time captain Shalrie Joseph, whom the team relied too much on. Though the Revolution didn’t make the playoffs that season, it set a precedent for the club making a high-profile transaction in the heart of the season.
In 2013, the Revolution traded for Juan Agudelo, a move that almost singlehandedly jumpstarted the offense and carried the Revolution into the playoffs, while last season, the acquisition of Jermaine Jones as a Designated Player launched an unbeaten streak that lasted through the MLS Cup final.
So here the Revolution are, again, slumping, and again, needing some kind of a pick-me-up.
They’ve won once in their last 10 games, blowing lead after lead, seeing their unbeaten home record evaporate, and crashing out of the Supporters Shield race. With a pack of teams approaching the second place Revs with half the season left to play, it’s reasonable to be concerned about the status of their playoff hopes, too.
The obvious hole on the team is in defense and has been since A.J. Soares left for Europe. Making Andrew Farrell a central defender turned out to be a viable tactical move, but it didn’t exactly shore up the team’s depth along the back line. Darrius Barnes is out long term while Jeremy Hall and Kevin Alston are outside backs.
Having Jones injured takes away some defensive depth, too, but his absence is a loss across the board. Jones is a team leader and a midfield general, the energizer bunny that is so crucial for the Revolution in transitions and in physical play.
These are the intangibles. The Revolution need an addition to beef up both their midfield and defense. The question is, where does it come from?
American soccer transfer guru and former Revolution striker Taylor Twellman, now of ESPN, Tweeted recently that he expects his old club to work out some kind of trade to meet their needs.
Not that we needed Twellman to spell it out for us. Heaps has gone the trade route before, as we saw with the club dealing Joseph in 2012 and signing Agudelo in 2013. Remember also that the Revs haven’t been shy to trade allocation money and draft picks for a greater purpose, too.
Not to mention that the Revolution haven’t been as enthusiastic about their trialists in recent weeks. They’ve had at least two—Will Packwood, a local defender with experience playing in England, and Marvin Caballos, a midfielder out of Guatemala—but the trail on them has gone cold.
That’s not to say that the Revolution won’t outright sign a player; it’s still early in the transfer window. But signing a player from outside the league will take longer unless something is already in the work because the paperwork for contracts and visas often delays the signing process, and the Revolution needs something now.
The current cycle isn’t sustainable. With Farrell suspended for the Fourth of July game at Dallas, expecting anything other than the status quo, especially this weekend, is overly optimistic.
The Revolution has plenty of offensive depth and it could be time to package it in a deal.
If you want to reach Julian email him at julianccardillo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @juliancardillo
