Revolution running ragged, no thanks to MLS
Frank Dell’Apa
If there is a contention MLS teams are not operating under conditions to succeed in multiple competitions, the Revolution are Exhibit A. Last week, the Revolution blanked LD Alajuelense, 4-0, in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Then, they were defeated, 4-1, by Atlanta United in a league match Saturday night.
The Revolution looked dominant in victory without captain Carles Gil.
They so humiliated Alajuelense, Los Leones endured a hostile “reception” upon their return to Costa Rica and fired coach Andres Carevic.
Three days later, the Revolution got off to a strong start, but faded dramatically in Atlanta.
So, the Revolution are 3-0-0 (pluseight goal differential) in CONCACAF and 0-3-0 (minus-six) in MLS. While taking into consideration a difference in the level of the opposition, this raises the question: Are the Revolution that good, or that bad?
Both. The undefeated Revolution display high energy. The winless Revolution are running on fumes. The roster is simply not built for what will be eight games in 26 days to begin the season.
“I mean, it’s not really made, this game, to be played every two days, three days, like we’re doing,” coach Caleb Porter said after the Alajuelense match. “But especially when you’re not conditioned, early in the year, to do it.”
Seven other MLS teams are in the same boat, the idea being the rising tide will float them all. But Major League Soccer does not seriously take into account international tournaments. The league never said it opposed outside competitions, but neither did it build in necessary flexibility.
Other teams are struggling with scheduling demands, as well. Mexican powers Club América and Tigres fielded backups in Liga MX on Saturday night, though both seem prepared for the circumstances. They are conducting affairs without salary-cap restrictions and have recruited reinforcements. Plus, their play is possessionoriented, and they are performing on well-groomed grass fields, giving them a chance to conserve energy and preserve health.
Alajuelense is not as fortunate financially, and are juggling competitions while both their coaching staff and roster are in transition. But their supporters still demand 100 percent effort and focus — win, lose, or draw — and they will certainly get that when they play host to the Revolution on Thursday.
There are ways to deal with excessive games, but it requires compromise. You commit to one competition, or the other. Former Revolution coach Bruce Arena chose to prioritize MLS, and only went all-out in CONCACAF with teams he felt could advance. (His D.C. United won the Champions’ Cup in 1998.)
That might be a way for the Revolution to go this year. If they get past Alajuelense in the second leg, they will be in the quarterfinals in three weeks. Once their CONCACAF participation concludes, they can try to make up for a slow league start.
Another method is to adopt survival mode, which means defend first, attack later — much later. The Philadelphia Union are among the teams who have developed this strategy; it was on display when they eliminated the Revolution in the playoffs last year. The Union simply threw everything they had into defense, took Gil out early, then cruised through the next 160 minutes of play.
The hit-’em-hard approach makes sense, based on the soccer axiom that it is easier to destroy than create. This is especially true for teams with limited budgets. Also, rough-and-tough defending has been a part of MLS DNA since early on, and it continues to be emphasized over skill.
Unfortunately for the Revolution, Arena set them up to go all-out attack, all the time. It made the team worth watching, and in 2021, the Revolution finished with the league’s best-ever regular-season record. Part of the reason for their success centered on complete focus on the league, since they were not entered in either CONCACAF or the US Open Cup. Part of it owed to the setup ability of Gil, complemented by scoring threats provided by Gustavo Bou, Tajon Buchanan, and Adam Buksa.
Porter is modifying that approach, varying the Revolution’s tactics with 42-3-1 and 4-3-3 alignments. The back line has been solid, the midfield consistent, Tomás Chancalay and Gil dynamic, forward production lacking. The setup has worked well, but only when the team is fresh and at full strength numerically.
The Revolution are not going to be in position to be well rested, not for a while. They have a couple of days to regenerate, then regroup for a battle in Costa Rica and a home game against FC Cincinnati next Sunday.
As for Cincinnati, it played D.C. United to a scoreless draw Sunday and visits Monterrey on Thursday before traveling to Foxborough.
Then there’s the Union. They probably got a break when their Saturday match against the Seattle Sounders was suspended in the sixth minute because of a storm. They can use the rest to prepare for a visit to Pachuca on Tuesday.
Fiscal caution has been, understandably, an MLS tenet. But if the league is going into these competitions, it should do things right and allow teams the option to add to their roster budget. Investment in talent pays off. Providing incentives pays off, as well.
Under the current setup, there is little motivation for MLS teams to commit to tournaments outside the league. The Leagues Cup, an in-season event established last year, illustrated how the competitive level can rise by incentivizing players via bonuses. Something similar will have to happen to rekindle interest in MLS to participate in the US Open Cup.