New England Revolution
Regardless of Wayne Rooney’s aggressive tactical strategy, New England ultimately overwhelmed United.
The Revolution began slowly however wound up with a convincing 4-0 win over D.C. United on Saturday evening in entrance of 29,884 at Gillette Stadium. The victory extends New England’s unbeaten run at house in league video games to 13 in 2023.
After a comparatively uneventful first half, Carles Gil jumpstarted issues for the Revolution within the forty fifth minute, lofting an ideal cross into the field which Gustavo Bou flicked over the outstretched fingers of United goalkeeper Tyler Miller to present New England a 1-0 lead. Moments later, a poor turnover from Miller and DC midfielder Russell Canouse led to Ian Harkes scoring on a well-weighted chip.
The second half produced a extra lopsided show of Revolution dominance. A second purpose from Harkes and a further DC personal purpose capped a complete show from Bruce Area’s workforce of their last MLS league recreation earlier than the All-Star break and the Leagues Cup.
Listed here are a number of takeaways:
D.C United went towards the same old strategy at Gillette Stadium.
Throughout the Area period in New England, a majority of groups touring to play the Revolution at Gillette Stadium have adopted the same technique: sit deep in a low block and look to play on the counter (or on set items).
DC head coach Wayne Rooney opted for an reverse strategy on Saturday. As has been the case for a lot of the season, he deployed a excessive line defensively. He additionally tasked Polish midfielder Mateusz Klich with man-marking Gil.
This plan, working counter to what Gil and the Revolution are used to going through in house video games, appeared to trigger some hiccups in New England’s efforts to create probabilities throughout the first 45 minutes of the sport. The normally ubiquitous midfield presence of Gil was held to a restricted variety of touches.
His — and the Revolution’s — finest probability for a lot of the half got here on a counterattack, when Gil was in a position to shake freed from Klich’s tight marking, bursting down the center of the sphere earlier than firing a low shot that deflected off Wooden and out for a purpose kick.
Ultimately, changes had been made as Gil and his teammates picked up on the opposition’s plan.
“We talked about it straight away as soon as we seen it,” Harkes stated of United’s man-marking technique. “Carles was dragging him sort of out of the best way. He’s sensible in the best way he performs that, so we had been in a position to open up some gaps and expose it.”
This, plus a level of excellent fortune, was how the opening purpose was created. After Klich fell over making an attempt to play a go on the left aspect of the sphere, Gil rapidly shifted to the appropriate.
Freed from his marker, Gil obtained the ball from Bou and was in a position to compose himself earlier than trying up and recognizing the Argentine’s intelligent run into the field. Given time and house, New England’s Gil-Bou duo made no mistake in combining for a purpose.
Ian Harkes and the Revolution press exploited Tyler Miller’s positioning.
With ahead Bobby Wooden again within the lineup after being rested within the midweek win over Atlanta United, New England was extra in a position to press DC so as to win again the ball.
Although used sparingly on Saturday, the press delivered a turnover forward of the Revolution’s second purpose. Coming in stoppage time of the primary half, it started when Miller tried to play a go into Canouse, who was standing in a central place.
Each Miller’s go and Canouse’s contact had been at fault, looking back, as Harkes rapidly poked the ball away. Wooden latched onto possession, and noticed Harkes monitoring in behind the United protection.
Seeing Miller — who Rooney has notably dedicated to enjoying within the position of a sweeper keeper — properly off his line, Harkes calmly chipped him. Although Miller was in a position to get a hand to the ball, he couldn’t preserve it from bouncing over him and (ultimately) into the web.
“We’ve seen [Miller] do it throughout the year and Wayne Rooney talked about that as properly,” Harkes stated of Miller’s positioning. “He needs them to be aggressive, come out and assault the ball. We knew they’d take some probabilities and fortunately, we capitalized on them.”
The sport opened up within the second half, however not in the best way United supposed.
Trailing 2-0, Rooney subbed on ahead Nigel Robertha and shifted methods. Klich went away from his man-marking of Gil, and United dropped deeper defensively.
The consequence, considerably predictably, was that New England started to monopolize possession, with Gil orchestrating an growing variety of the Revolution’s strikes within the attacking third.
The Spanish playmaker — held to an abnormally low variety of touches for a lot of the primary half — completed the evening tied with left again Ryan Spaulding for probably the most touches on the workforce. Not tracked repeatedly by Klich, Gil flourished.
He mixed with Harkes on the sting of the field for a flowing one-two, with the latter making use of a scientific end for his second purpose of the evening.
With the win, the Revolution stay second within the Japanese Convention. New England now heads into the All-Star break earlier than starting the brand new model of the Leagues Cup. Gil and goalkeeper Djordje Petrović would be the Revolution’s representatives at Wednesday’s All-Star Recreation (through which English membership Arsenal — probably with former Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner in web — will characteristic because the opposition).
“Don’t work too onerous for MLS All-Stars,” midfielder Matt Polster jokingly instructed Gil within the locker room following the sport.
Regardless of enduring his workforce’s share of challenges over the primary a part of the season, Area praised his gamers for managing to nonetheless get outcomes.
“We’ve had a tough 23 video games with accidents, suspensions and [international] call-ups,” Area stated. “Our guys have hung in there and have completed properly. I give them numerous credit score. They’ve completed a great job.”
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