COAST TO COAST - PLAYERS TO WATCH - NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION VS VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
Carles Gil. It’s an easy choice, and anyone who is even a casual fan knows that Carles Gil is elite and carries this team. Leading the team in both Goals with 5 and Assists with 3, he has generated a majority of our offense, as well as dictated our possession consistently week to week. With an expected goals of 1.64, Carles creates magic to get his results and over performs expectations. He leads the team in minutes played, and looking at fbref.com he leads the team in Progressive Carries, Progressive Passes, and Progressive Passes Received. He is the focal point of our team. He is the conduit leading from defense to offense, and from possession to goals. If and when the Revolution win, Carles Gil will have left his mark on the game in some form. As evidence, look to his beautiful cross to Ema Boateng on last weeks game winning goal against the New York Red Bulls. A great cross from his weaker right foot and a beautiful finish from Boateng.
Giacomo Vrioni. Admittedly, again, another easy choice. And again, even casual fans know that Vrioni has been a grand disappointment this season. Leading the team in Expected Goals with 3.9, Vrioni in actuality has 3 G+A, 2 Goals and 1 Assist on the season. This is despite clocking in 5th most minutes on the team, despite missing an entire game due to Red Card suspension. He has been at staple at Striker, and Caleb Porter even mentioned him in the same sentence as Carles Gil in a Thursday press conference when describing the key players for us to win Saturday. So we will continue to see more of him. Therefore, all I can do is wish him the best, and hope that maybe the power of my well wishes provides the spark he needs to net a goal tonight. I will give him credit, he is a monster at midfield headers. If you want a guy who is going to compete and win headers on goal kicks to midfield, this is your guy. Elite. I’m being sarcastic, but he does win a lot of headers on goal kicks from Ivacic. So, credit where it’s due.
DEFENSE. Another cop out answer. The entire defense. I suspect we will see Dave Romney again over Henry Kessler, because why switch it up when it’s been working. The Revs have allowed zero goals from scrimmage the last two games which have been wins. Only the PK going against them. And the Nashville game brought unprecedented shot blocking numbers. This great team defensive effort has brought about victory the last two games, and that is why it is a key to victory and a player to watch. Xavier Arreaga has been a very solid pick up and has performed well in his time in New England thus far. And considering Ali Ivacic a member of the defense, he has been a stud in between the posts. With game changing saves week to week, he has changed the trajectory of our season. Another big piece of the defense is Dejuan Jones who continues to find form returning from injury a few weeks backs. His combination play with Dylan Borrero up the left wing is a big recipe for dangerous attack opportunities for the Revolution. Dylan and Dejuan combining up the left, getting into the attacking zone, finding Carles Gil in the middle, switching fields, getting a cross in. That is a recipe for goals for this team as we’ve seen that exact description pan out before.
Bonus: Ian Harkes. With Matt Polster suspended for Yellow Card accumulation, I suspect to see Ian Harkes slotted into that CDM spot. We’ve seen him there before. I think he is stronger where we saw him last week when he filled in at a RW position for Esmir. I believe Esmir is back, so I suspect to see Harkes again be the first choice but now moving to the defensive midfield spot. Whether it’s him, Noel Buck, or anyone else. Matt Polster quietly plays a physical and pivotal midfield role helping hold down the defense and transition into offense. Let’s see how the team can fill that gap. Ian Harkes himself is one game away from suspension for Yellow Card accumulation, and frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pick one up if he is in at CDM. He tends to be physical, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a hard tackle go awry and pickup his 5th yellow of the season.
Vancouver Whitecaps
Let me start by giving you my general vibe and knowledge of Vancouver. It’s not a deep depth of knowledge, but let me transfer my surface knowledge to you, and we can all pretend we know a little more than when this exercise started. I know Bradley Wright Phillips was very high on Vancouver to start the season, and in fact, they had a great start. A team that was atop the Western Conference as Summer approached, but after a difficult May, has fallen to 5th in the West. With 1 Win, 2 Draws, and 3 Losses in the month of May in League play, the Whitecaps have rebounded so far in June with a 2-1 Win over Colorado in their last match. They look to continue back in their winning ways against the Revolution Saturday. To my understanding they have the same sort of vibe as a Minnesota, in the sense that they are less star driven, and more performance by committee. It’s a team effort. That being said, they do have a few key players I’m watching out for tonight.
Ryan Gauld. Leading scorer for the Whitecaps with 7 Goals and also team leading 4 Assists. Driving the offense. And besides the keeper, leads the team in minutes played. He’s definitely the guy Lima, Arreaga, Romney, Jones, and Kaye (just naming a bunch of our defensive guys) need to keep an eye on.
Brian White. Vancouver Whitecaps all time leading scorer in the MLS era. He lead the Whitecaps in 2023 with 15 goals. Currently sitting at 5 Goals and 2 Assists, Brian White is a dangerous player and someone to watch out for in this game. Next in line in minutes played behind Ryan Gauld, it’s clear these guys are the straw that stirs the drink for this Vancouver attack.
GOALKEEPING. Looking at MLSsoccer.com the Vancouver Whitecaps have the 5th lowest goals allowed at 19. With 24 goals for they have a differential of 5 (compared to Revs G12 and GA27 so -15). This signals some strong play from the Whitecaps defense and Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka. Additionally, I notice Vancouver has the second least fouls in the league at 155. This tells me they are disciplined. This speaks to their win by committee vibe I mentioned in my opening blurb to this section. They play smart and to their tactics. Porter mentioned this week how Vancouver plays a true 3-5-2, and even mentioned Gauld and White as men to watch out for. They will stick to their tactics and play smart.
Wrap Up and Predictions
In the Revolution’s first West Coast match up of the year, Vancouver is a team the Revs play less often and will be a great test to see how much the Revs have truly grown through the first half of the season. There are less implications in terms of standings and playoff picture, and there is more incentive to bring home the 3 points rather than Draw. Caleb Porter described this as a game both teams are going to want to win. That being said, I expect the Revs to come out aggressive. As the Home Team, you have the advantage, and need to use it. I expect aggression, and hope for an early goal for the home side to set the tone.
PREDICTION: 3-1 Revolution win over Vancouver. The Revolution have been building and getting better each week. The flood gates will open tonight. Vrioni will get on the board in the first half, finally finishing on one of his insane amount of transition opportunities he’s been gifted this season. Carles will have a left snipe. I’d love to see Borrero get on the board. An inevitable late goal from Brian White will make the Revolution faithful nervous, but the boys will pull through. Let’s goo!!!
