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Could New England be Headed For a Revolution This Offseason?

By Daniel Shulman

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 07: A general view during the round one A-League match between the Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC at Etihad Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 07: A general view during the round one A-League match between the Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC at Etihad Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) /
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The New England Revolution will take the field on Sunday October 22 with one final chance at winning a road game this season.

The Revs have not been victorious on the road since a trip to Montreal last September. What’s more, they’ve failed to win a road game on American soil in over two years. When the season draws to a close this weekend, New England could begin a revolution of their own as the search for a head coach and new players begins.

COACHING VACANCY

After the long-awaited sacking of Coach Jay Heaps, assistant Tom Soehn has taken over on the sideline for New England. The Revs have seen a mixed bag of results under Soehn, including a win over the East’s second-place New York City FC and a loss to struggling Orlando City SC.

Tom Soehn’s tenure with the Revs as an assistant has been positive, and it would be nice to see him maintain that role in the future. As for who will be head coach, names from Shalrie Joseph to Thomas Tuchel have been listed as possible candidates.

Given the Revs youth at many key positions, a club legend doesn’t seem to be the right man for the job. Personality clashes between the old guard and the new locker room culture, as we saw under Heaps, are inevitable.

As for a candidate like Tuchel, his recruiting prowess would be top notch for a club like New England. Buying young talent for cheap before selling them for a much higher profit could benefit the club and the ownership.

Although, as displayed this past summer, Tuchel isn’t always great at reigning in the egos of his young stars. Dortmund starlets Emre Mor, Mikel Merino, Ousmane Dembele seemed at wits end with Tuchel. That led to Tuchel’s sacking along with Mor, Merino, and Dembele moving elsewhere.

An alternative for the Revs might be someone like New York Cosmos coach Giovanni Savarese. Originally hired as an academy director at the club, Savarese has proven he can develop young talent well to create a positive, winning atmosphere. He also played a brief stint with the Revs and has experienced the rigors of MLS.

SHAPING THE DEFENSE

The Revs will have to find answers on defense ahead of next season. Despite having two solid options in goal with Cody Cropper and Brad Knighton, there’s only so much they can do without a good defense in front of them.

At center-back Benjaming Angoua, though on loan with an option to acquire permanently, hasn’t really made the impact the Revs had hoped for. With the acquisitions of Claude Dielna and Toni Delamea along with a potential star in rookie Josh Smith, Angoua’s spot is not guaranteed. The Revs will likely hold onto Angoua and look to restructure his contract.

Full-back is the team’s biggest area of concern at the moment. Right-back Andrew Farrell seems to be the most stable option heading into 2018. New England will likely see Je-Vaughn Watson, London Woodberry, and Donnie Smith leave this offseason.

There is the option of placing Kelyn Rowe as a left-back full-time, but he is more valuable in the midfield. The Revs put more trust in veteran Chris Tierney over the second half of the season. However, they will need to find a more suitable option at left-back as well as a depth signing at full-back.

MIDFIELD & FORWARD DEPTH

The Revs midfield has been decently solid all season. In the diamond 4-4-2 system New England played, Lee Nguyen played up top and Xavier Kouassi in the back. When healthy, this was a good combination at central midfield.

However, with the addition of Krisztian Nemeth, the Revs seemed to have abandoned the idea of a 4-4-2 and could revert back to the 4-2-3-1.

With the club’s traditional formation in use, Kouassi and Scott Caldwell as the pair of defensive midfielders seems most logical. In attacking midfield, Lee Nguyen will be flanked by either Nemeth or Teal Bunbury and either Rowe or Diego Fagundez.

At the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1, Juan Agudelo looks to be a solid option if the Revs choose not to resign Kei Kamara. Bunbury or Nemeth could also be used in this position with Femi Hollinger-Janzen serving as a depth piece.

If the Revs choose to move on from Agudelo and Kamara as primary strikers, look for the new coach to make a big name signing in this position.

DRAFT DAY NEEDS

If only fellow Gillette Stadium coach Bill Belichick could help the Revs during the SuperDraft. New England has failed to select impact players at the draft for the past few years and it’s no coincidence they’ve lacked success over that time.

The Revs have produced some gems in the past from the draft, including Andrew Farrell, Patrick Mullens, Kelyn Rowe. Even late round selections like Femi and Josh Smith have come up big for New England. The Revs have a pair of draft picks in the top 10 this season with several high-profile defensive prospects available.

The Revs could stay local, selecting Wyatt Omsberg from Dartmouth via Scarborough, Maine. Either of Michigan State’s top defenders – Jimmy Fiscus or Brad Centala – also makes sense as the other selection.

2018 PROJECTION

The Revs are certainly not expected to break off a magical run in 2018. Although, making the playoffs with the talent they have is certainly not out the equation. During a rebuilding year in 2013, the Revs managed to forge a playoff appearance. Despite a first-round exit, they gave eventual champ Sporting Kansas City a scare in the first round.

This time next year, the panic that has encapsulated Fortress Foxboro over the past two seasons will finally be lifted.

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