REVOLUTION RIDE SOUTH FOR A DATE NIGHT IN NASHVILLE.
DATE NIGHT IN NASHVILLE
The New England Revolution take on Nashville SC Saturday, June 1st at 830pm EST. This blog will get you up to speed on both teams’ recent form and give you some insight on who and what to look out for when watching this game. Nashville SC joined the MLS from the USL in 2020 and have played against the Revolution 6 times. The Revolution have 1 Win, 3 Draws, and 2 Losses against Nashville SC historically. The two teams last faced each other in October of 2023 where Nashville won at home 3-2.
On May 16, 2024 Nashville SC fired the teams only coach in franchise history, Gary Smith. Despite ending his tenure with a win the previous night 2-0 over Toronto FC, Nashville parted ways with Gary Smith after 7 seasons and leading the team from inception in the USL to the MLS and having never missed the playoffs. Despite a strong month of May, a coaching change was in order and welcomed by Nashville SC fans who were booing coach Gary Smith during his final match. Here is how Nashville SC performed this May.
Outside the playoffs looking in, Nashville is currently in 9th place in the Eastern Conference with 4 Wins, 4 Losses, and 7 Ties. For a club like the Revolution, seems like a decent record! We haven't fired our coach, and our record is far worse. Evidently though with the firing of Gary Smith, Nashville is tired of mediocrity and felt it needed to shake it up. And what is the result of shaking it up? A huge upset Wednesday night against MLS frontrunner FC Cincinnati 2-0 on the road. A big victory midweek for this squad and first victory for interim head coach Rumba Munthali. This is momentum Nashville can carry home with them as the struggling Revolution come to town Saturday night. FC Cincinnati drops this game while being a point down from Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference standings and in MLS overall. Both Cincinnati and Miami losing on Wednesday night is a rare sight to see, and Cincinnati losing to Nashville squanders a chance to jump Miami in the standings.
Here are the top players to watch in this upcoming match for Nashville SC:
Sam Surridge. 25 year old DP (Designated Player) Striker, wearing #9 playing at the #9. Top goal scorer with 5 goals including a hattrick in early May against CF Montreal.
Hany Mukhtar. #10 who plays at the #10. Orchestrator for this offense. 2022 Landon Donavon MLS MVP Award winner. 2023 MLS best XI, third consecutive year receiving that honor. Leads Nashville with 6 Assists this season. Has 3 goals as well. Assisted on both goals Wednesday night in the victory over a strong FC Cincinnati team.
Walker Zimmerman. Veteran defender #25 is the heart and soul of this Nashville team. 2023 MLS best XI award winner, one of six players in MLS history to receive the honor five or more times. Cornerstone of the Nashville defense.
In contrast, here is how the Revolution faired this past May:
An advantage the Revs could have in this game comparing both teams May fixtures is that the Revolution come into this match better rested, playing only 4 games in May compared to Nashville’s 6. However, Giacomo Vrioni had an interesting quote in a press conference Thursday stating in response to a question about the Revs having better rest after Nashville playing Wednesday something to the effect of, ‘sometimes it’s better to be mentally fit than physically fit.’ Referencing here that, despite three games in a week for Nashville with the Wednesday game sandwiched between two Saturday games, Nashville is riding a wave of confidence into the weekend that trumps any physical rest the Revolution may have an advantage with.
Revolution fans know the keys to victory. The players, the coaches, the opponents, everyone knows. Goals need to be scored. Looking above at the Revolutions May fixtures, that’s two scoreless games in a row at home. That is unacceptable. I go to games to cheer and make noise. There has been nothing to cheer- only to jeer. Caleb Porter did not speak with confidence in the status of Tomas Chancalay as of practice Tuesday regarding his leg injury from the NYCFC game last Saturday (and as of a Thursday press conference has now confirmed Tomas will be out for at least a few weeks!). I don't see anyone starting over Vrioni, so it'll be more of the same. Vrioni, Gil, Borrero, and Esmir most likely (who will be joining the US Men’s Olympic Team after this game from June 3-11). Can these guys score goals? They'll have to… Vrioni spoke highly of Dylan Borrero in a press conference Thursday. Vrioni stated ‘we are a team that is dangerous in transition.’ He’s honestly right. Partially. The Revolution created a number of opportunities against NYCFC, the problem is finishing when those opportunities arise. Coach Caleb Porter expressed Thursday that finishing has been the focus in practice the majority of this week stating, “I really feel like that’s the missing piece right now.”
Another key for the Revolution is the defense staying solid for 90 minutes. With an anemic offense, the defense needs to be mistake free if the Revs want a chance to win. With Kessler suspended for Yellow Card accumulation, fans will happily see Dave Romney take to the field. A player who played every minute in the 2023 season for the Revolution, hopefully he can make the most of his opportunity against his old club Nashville. Caleb Porter commented at training Tuesday "we have great confidence in him."
Prediction time.
2-1 Revolution over Nashville. Nashville will come into this game riding high from their past performance, but an early goal from Carles Gil on a spectacular individual effort will take the air out of their sails. Nashville will respond before half time with a goal scored by Surridge and orchestrated by Mukhtar to get the crowd back into it. Vrioni will find his form in the second half though and bury a goal inside the box from a Ema Boateng cross after Boateng relieves Esmir on the wing with a substitute around the 75th minute. What a game it will be. Let’s hope I’m right.
