Expectations raised for deep Revolution squad
“If you want to compete in this city with the other teams, you better win.’’
After years of battling for a share of the crowded Boston sports spotlight, the Revolution may finally have a chance to shine bright in 2020. Yet with the season about to get underway, the team has to confront an unfamiliar problem: the increased weight of expectation.
In the last 12 months, New England has spent an unprecedented amount of money on new talent (in the form of three Designated Players), hired the most successful coach in MLS history, and opened a new $35 million training facility. It’s been an impressive series of profile-raising moves from a team that often has been overshadowed by its local counterparts.
Now comes the hard part, as the Revolution will have to live up to their potential. Bruce Arena, New England’s 68-year-old head coach, has won five MLS Cups in a career that dates back to the league’s inception. He’s no stranger to pressure, and hasn’t shied away from the challenge in his preseason comments.
“Welcome to Boston sports,’’ Arena said in a radio interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand’’ on Thursday. “If you want to compete in this city with the other teams, you better win.’’
The circumstances differ from Arena’s initial challenge when he took over as coach in 2019. Hired in the middle of last season with New England at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, Arena’s job then was simply to build for the future and assess who was worthy of keeping on the roster.
He responded by presiding over the longest unbeaten run in team history as New England — which started its run under interim coach Mike Lapper — climbed all the way back into a playoff race. It sent an unexpected jolt of energy into the club, culminating with the Revolution’s first playoff appearance since 2015.
Trying to forge a successful second act in 2020 will be more difficult. Instead of playing with nothing to lose, New England now must rise to the occasion.
Arena can call on a squad that is deep in talent, especially on attack.
Polish striker Adam Buksa, 23, was signed in December as a third Designated Player, joining midfield playmaker Carles Gil (the 2019 MLS Newcomer of the Year) and goal-scoring forward Gustavo Bou. Behind the leading trio, New England has an undeniably deeper roster than what was on hand a year ago.
All of this has led MLS prognosticators to take notice. Whereas a season ago only a few were even acknowledging the possibility of New England making the playoffs, the 2020 analysis is much more optimistic. On a panel of five experts assembled by USA Today, each picked New England among their expected Eastern Conference contenders for the postseason. ESPN ranked the Revolution seventh out of 26 in its final preseason power ranking of MLS.
While many believe a postseason appearance is possible, MLS Cup is seen as an unlikely destination. A CBS projection of the season has the Revolution essentially repeating the performance of a year ago. In that scenario, Arena’s team makes the playoffs only to lose in the first round.
Skepticism of the team, concentrated on the specific questions regarding its defensive stability, will only be dispelled through wins.
The season opener will provide an interesting test. The Revolution face the Impact in Montreal on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 3 p.m. New England hasn’t won its season opener since 2013.
And Arena will immediately have to confront a problem New England was spared all last season: Gil has been ruled out due to injury. The 27-year-old Spaniard started every game in 2019, leading the team in goals (10) and assists (14). He’s expected to return soon, but replacing his creativity in the lineup will be an uphill struggle.
How the team handles Gil’s Saturday absence, as well as an Impact team that recently advanced to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League, will be the first of many hurdles New England must clear this season to convert increased expectations into actual success.
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