We’re now entering the third week of the MLS and no one can claim to have a clue as to what kind of squad the Revs truly have.
There was a lot of positive talk about the Revs starting line-up this past Saturday as they took on Sporting Kansas City at Livestrong Sporting Park. Following the posting of the Revs line-up the #Revs hashtag on twitter was full of positives vibes.
After the week one line-up weakened by injuries, the 4-2-3-1 that Jay Heaps was set to employ against SKC looked to be populated by what many would consider a nearly full strength squad.
One reason for this optimism was the placement of Benny Feilhaber in the center of the pitch. Despite some of his best performances coming for the US Men’s National Team occurring when he was on the left wing, Feilhaber has never looked comfortable at this spot for the Revs. Further, he rarely sees enough of the ball on the wing to influence the game in a way that you would expect from someone of his talent level. Feilhaber was also set to share the central midfield with Shalrie Joseph and Clyde Simms, players that would allow Feilhaber the freedom roam and dictate the game.
The match was also the first that the Revs were set to have new signings Saer Sene and Lee Nguyen in the starting line-up.
Conclusion
After only 14 minutes, the match, as a spectacle for the new Revs formation, was ruined by a red card to Stephen McCarthy. Any attempted analysis of the match from this point forward was a wash due to the Revs being outnumbered. Sporting Kansas City did what good squads do to undermanned squads, they dominated the ball, created chances, and kept things fairly tight at the back. All things considered, the red card incident made for an easy day at the office for SKC.
Going by the 14 minutes that the Revs played at full-strength there is plenty to be excited about as the Revs move forward. Nguyen was again strong on the ball and looked a threat to create on the counter. Benny popped up with a decent chance from the top of the box early on as well. This type of opportunity is something to expect from Feilhaber as he settles in to his central playmaking role. Hopefully more big goals like this one will follow.
Unfortunately for the Revs and their fans, they may need to wait another week before they can expect to see the Revs for what they truly are. With McCarthy set to miss the home opener this Saturday at Gillette Stadium with his suspension and Sene and Soares both laboring heavily towards the end of the last match the Revs could very well be delving deep into their reserves just to field a full eleven.
Soccer Theory 