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‘It doesn’t make any sense’: Bruce Arena was among those shocked at Carles Gil’s All-Star snub
"Carles is one of the top five players in the league," Arena said of the Revolution's playmaker.
Though he’s arguably one of the most important and impactful players in Major League Soccer, Carles Gil was not selected for the upcoming All-Star Game.
Set for July 19, the MLS All-Stars will play Arsenal in an exhibition matchup at Audi Field. It’s a game that will feature a matchup of New England goalkeepers past and present, with Matt Turner — now with the North London club — likely facing his Revolution successor, Djordje Petrović.
Yet the game was also expected to be another showcase for Gil, the 30-year-old playmaker who won league MVP in 2021. Instead, Petrović will be the team’s sole representative from the current roster.
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It’s not as if the Spaniard’s stats or performances have slipped in 2023: He currently leads New England in assists (nine) and is tied for the team’s lead in goals (seven).
It was a decision that left Revolution coach Bruce Arena baffled.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Arena told reporters on Tuesday. “You shouldn’t be calling it an All-Star game if Carles isn’t in the lineup.”
Arena, who acknowledged that he hasn’t weighed the alternative options at Gil’s position, nonetheless contended that his team’s captain warranted inclusion regardless of the other players involved.
“It’s hard in the league with 29 teams,” said Arena. “I don’t know anyone playing in the west for the most part, but I think it’s tough. Carles is one of the top five players in the league. Leave it at that.”
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Arena wasn’t the only notable figure shocked at Gil’s exclusion.
Former New England forward Taylor Twellman, now an MLS analyst, pointed at Gil’s impact through the first 19 games of the year.
“His 16 total goal contributions are tied for [second] most league wide this season,” Twellman tweeted.
Gil, who’s recently stated that he’s tried to up his goal-scoring in 2023 to help keep defenses from simply concentrating on his passing ability, scored a pair of goals to help lift New England to a 3-3 draw in a difficult road atmosphere against Atlanta United earlier in June (including the tying goal in stoppage time).
More than that, his ability to simply keep the ball for the Revolution and make composed, thoughtful passes allows Arena’s team to reach its attacking potential.
Gil’s problem is that his position — as an attacking midfielder in the No. 10 role — is occupied by several other top players in the league. Establishing how many of those other players actually deserve to feature in the game over Gil is another question, one which Arena clearly had a different answer than MLS All-Star coach Wayne Rooney.
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