The makeup of this game screamed “trap game” from the start, but credit where credit is due: New England was having no part in being tripped up. On the road for the first time in what feels like forever, the Revs got luck to be on their side in the first half, then rode a stellar defensive performance home for the three points. Being in first place feels GREAT.
The starting lineup going into the game showed how injuries have really hit this Revs squad. Ema Boateng started on the left wing in place of Dylan Borrero (who is officially done for the year), Andrew Farrell started on the back line again, and Esmir Bakraktarevic (I’m going to learn that before the All-Star Game) earned the shout out right. What was good to see, was that there was no letdown in the revamped side. Instead, it was business as usual, as the Revs notched another clean sheet and further buttoned up their spot as the top dawgs in the East.
- Ema isn’t Dylan but that doesn’t mean he isn’t good. Ema’s industry on the left means there’s almost always an outlet for defenders to lump the ball forward too, and when he gets on the end of it, Ema is ready to keep piling forward. I also think that Boateng and DeJuan Jones are building a real chemistry on the left, and one that opposing team right flanks are going to hate. Would need to dive into the tape more, but it seems that Ema does a good job of holding the touchline and forcing opposing fullbacks to come out to him, allowing DeJuan to use the inside channel to get forward and cause problems. A perfect example of this is DeJuan’s goal. See how Ema floats out wide, forcing the Toronto fullback to follow and allowing DeJuan space to rush into the 18? That was *chef’s kiss* movement by a winger to open up space for his fullback.
- Got to the second goal before the first, but since we scored two: Is Bobby Wood secretly our signing of the season? I think Dave Romney has it locked up barring any lengthy injury stint, but man is Bobby a workhorse in attack. His goal was strictly individual effort, as he picked Sigurd Rosted’s pocket clean then sprinted half the field before bundling past Sean Johnson—yes, bundling is a good word to use. He almost made a meal of it in the end. BUT! He didn’t! Instead, Bobby got his team-leading third goal of the season. Bobby is also second on the team in assists (albeit just two). He isn’t the most technically flawless player in the world, but teams need workhorses, and Bobby fuckin’ works, man.
- Latif back! So good to see Latif on the pitch again after his journey to bring his family to the states. He’s going to be a key component of the midfield, and the rotation of him/Noel Buck/Matt Polster gives the Revs a trio of great players to fill out the two midfield pivot spots.
- For as good as the team was at points, they didn’t value the ball much last night. Too many sloppy turnovers, too much open space at points. Especially in the second half, the Revs could have been punished for not valuing the ball as much as they should have. They also get away with having Djordje Petrovic in goal. Twelve shutouts in just 32 career MLS starts, five shutouts so far this year. I don’t think the MLS will ever vote a goalie as MVP, but if ever a goalie was making the case for earning the Landon Donovan MLS MVP trophy, it’s Petro.
- In the same vein: Lorenzo Insigne wasn’t very good in the first half, but he was pushing the issue in the second. I still don’t get how a team featuring him and Frederico Bernardeschi isn’t more deadly, but maybe that’s credit to the Revs’ back line and Petro? Insigne definitely stood out more than Bernardeschi did last night. Neither, though, seems like a great fit as a winger, especially not playing together. Wonder if a heat map would show both standing more in the middle of the park than on their respective wings.
- Yeah I really don’t get how Toronto only has 11 points on the year. They should have a lot more. Perhaps, and I know this is crazy talk here, Bob Bradley isn’t all that good as a coach anymore? Someone’s going to comment, without a hint of irony, that Toronto was missing Michael Bradley in the engine room last night and not realize that it just further proves the point.
- Great stat shown by the MLS TV guys last night (commentary team was OK, FWIW): 11 second-half goals by the Revs this year, tied for second-most in the league. Team has no quit in it.
- F*** CANADA WE MAKE BETTER MAPLE SYRUP IDC IF TORONTO ISN’T KNOWN FOR MAPLE SYRUP WE TALK SMACK ON OUR CANADIAN BRETHEREN WHO’S YOUR KING(S) NOW!?
FC Cincinnati also won yesterday so the Revs stay on top of the Eastern Conference through GD, with both teams at 7-3-1 but the Revs +9 on the year and FCC just +3. A third of the way through the year, it’s always better to be on top than to be down low. Next up is more U.S. Open Cup play, as the Revs get set to host the USL’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Tuesday. After that is a trip to Miami to face Inter Miami, which is coming off a big win over Atlanta United. Busy week!
Extra Kicks
- That Inter Miami win was great to see as a table watcher. Atlanta is a dangerous team with great attacking options, but doesn’t have the depth of other top teams in the East. Always good to see teams like that drop points
- Remember when I said last week that San Jose was my West Coast team? Knew I was onto something. Huge win over media darling LAFC, and my guy Cristian Espinoza getting it done again! (Best Argentinian in the MLS! Hehehehe)
- I gush about Carles Gil here a lot, but I imagine that Nashville SC supporters rave about Hany Mukhtar more than Revs fans do about Gil. I tuned into the second half of that one last night, and wow is Hany a stud. Nashville played a pretty woeful Chicago team off the pitch last night and Mukhtar was in the middle of it all en route to a hat trick. (Shaqiri a DP that has next to no influence, BTW, Fire might as well just start the Brian Gutierrez kid and put B2B midfielders behind him).
A Whately Devil 