After a report-putting regular season, the New England Revolution input the MLS Cup Playoffs with their eyes on the massive prize.
The Revs lifted the Supporters' Shield for the first time in their history with a single-season report 73 points, scoring a league-high 65 dreams and losing just 5 of their 34 fits.
Here's everything you need to realize about the New England Revolution in advance of the publish season - from strategies to key players, and their chances of winning the big prize.
The Revs have won 4 or extra consecutive games on 3 one-of-a-kind occasions this season, even as they didn't lose again-to-lower back games at all. That tells you the entirety you need to realize approximately their unshakable consistency.
First, it turned into simply an excellent begin. Then it have become about sealing their Playoff spot. Then, attention grew to become to triumphing the Supporters' Shield. And while that came about very quickly, all focus become on putting the everyday season points report.
The Revs have been a juggernaut at some stage in the complete everyday season and with the aid of a ways the quality attacking force. Shield and MLS Cup doubles are uncommon, however few were higher prepared to provide it a shot.
Bruce Arena has particularly stuck to a 4-2-three-1 gadget this season. Center-backs Andrew Farrell and Henry Kessler are on the whole tasked with stopping the competition and are shielded in front with the aid of retaining midfielders - often Matt Polster and Tommy McNamara. This lets in complete-backs Brandon Bye and DeJuan Jones to push forward and offer width.
But that solid significant unit's foremost characteristic is to free up the attacking quartet of Carles Gil, Gustavo Bou, Adam Buksa, and Tajon Buchanan. The 4 interchange positions regularly, distorting the opposition backline and growing space for every other, whilst their moves centrally create even more space for the total-backs to get forward.
The Revs do leave space in behind thanks to their attacking nature and might frequently find themselves running again towards their personal goal. But when you have such a lot of guns to your armory, is that any such awful issue?
Carles Gil: The leading MVP candidate, Carles Gil has loved a stellar creative season for the Revs. Throughout the whole league, best Djordje Mihailovic (14) has greater primary assists (13), at the same time as he's 38 clear in chances created (a hundred thirty), and 5th for a success dribbles (76). All while missing the whole of August with a muscle harm. Whether it's via precision passing or dynamic dribbling, Gil isn't fussy. He'll slice and dice the competition defense one way or any other. The only grievance you can level on the Spaniard is that he doesn't rating sufficient goals (he has simply 4 this season). But if he's presenting such reliable ammunition to Bou, Buksa, and Buchanan, who truely cares?