MLSsoccer.com continue our look back at the 2014 season that was for all 19 clubs in Major League Soccer, starting with the Montreal Impact and ending with the MLS Cup-winning LA Galaxy. We'll also take a peek at the two new clubs coming in and pour one out for departed friends Chivas USA. You can find the 2014 Year in Review HERE, and the club-by-club history of MLS HERE.
2014 record: 17-13-4 (55 pts.); 51 GF / 46 GA, MLS Eastern Conference Champions
The New England Revolution took one giant stride forward in 2014 and, despite losing to the LA Galaxy 2-1 in extra time in the MLS Cup Final, this season was highly successful for head coach Jay Heaps and company.
They said it...
Midfielder Lee Nguyen:
"Even though we’re a little heartbroken today, I think we’re going to learn from this, and it’s going to make us even hungrier next year. We’ll soak it in, take a nice little vacation and get back to work.”
Head coach Jay Heaps on MLS Cup:
“Other than the first two minutes of the game when they had that chance, I’m telling you I thought we had them.”
Attacker Teal Bunbury:
"It is devastating and disappointing for all the fans that came out, family members and all the people that have supported us the whole season. They have to be proud as well. We gave everything we got. We move on now to next season and start preparing.”
After returning to the playoffs in 2013, hopes were high coming into the season. They began living up to those expectations with a torrid five-match winning streak in early spring, but followed that up with an eight-match losing streak during the summer. The Revs couldn't get a lead, the couldn't keep a shut out, and they couldn't find answers at any level of the field. They looked, for all intents and purposes, very much like a bad team.
But in early August they started to turn it around, and come the end of the month they got a turbo boost to their playoff hopes in the form of USMNT midfielder Jermaine Jones. He was the piece the team needed, and led New England's sprint to the finish and all the way into the last game of the season..
With Lee Nguyen breaking out in a big way and the reemergence of Charlie Davies, New England captured the Eastern Conference Championship and should have many of the same pieces in place heading into the 2015 season, turning New England from hopefuls to favorites.
Best Moment of the Year
In front of 32,698 fans, their largest crowd since the 2002 MLS Cup, the Revolution secured their first Eastern Conference Championship since 2007 with a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls on Nov. 29. After taking a 2-1 win in the first leg, the Revs never let up despite trailing the second leg on two separate occasions. Davies' second goal of the match in the 70th minute ensured that extra time would not be necessary as the Revs held things down for the next 20 minutes to punch their tickets to the MLS Cup Final.
Worst Moment of the Year
On Aug. 2, having just broken an eight-game losing streak, the Revolution needed only 20 minutes to secure a lead against New York at Red Bull Arena. When the Red Bulls' Matt Miazga picked up a red card just before halftime, it looked like New England were in good shape. Yet despite the one-player advantage, the Revs were sunk in the second half, as the Red Bulls chipped and sliced home two goals to hand the visitors their ninth loss in 10 games, a 2-1 defeat.
Best Goal
It was a nationally televised game, and Jones was poised to make a statement. Playing at defending MLS Cup champions Sporting Kansas City on Sept. 26, the Revs midfielder found himself moving forward in the 85th minute with the ball at his feet and room to fire. The match was tied 2-2, but Jones turned the tide in the Revs' favor with a low blast from outside the box that found paydirt and gave New England a 3-2 win. The season sweep of Sporting and Jones' confidence showed the ferocity of the Revs moving forward.
It was a breakout year of epic proportions for Nguyen, who netted a career best 18 goals, the most by a pure midfielder in league history and the most by a Revs player since Taylor Twellman scored 23 times in 2002. Of those goals, a league-best nine were game winners, including seven over the club’s final 14 matches. For his efforts, Nguyen was named to the MLS Best XI and was one of three finalists for MLS MVP. Nguyen's creativity and flair in the attack set the tone for the rest of the team, and gave New England a distinct identity in a league better known for more robust, physical play.
Best Move
It was easily the best move for any team this season, and it took a little bit of luck to pull it off. In acquiring Jones, the Revs won a blind draw with the Chicago Fire and inked the World Cup standout to a 15-month deal through 2015. The move put New England over the top, as Jones led on and off the field, and the club went 11-2-2 after his arrival.
Quotable
“It’s still a big difference. The league has to grow, and it’s growing year by year, but it’s a good league, and you see that there is a lot of talent that you can push. When you see that game, I hope that not only a [MLS Cup] final is so packed, but every game for every team gets that support. This is, I think, what everyone wants.” – Jones on the growth of MLS
Three Offseason Needs
1.
Help up top:
Prior to the Expansion Draft the Revs traded away former Ajax product
Geoffrey Castillion
. Then they lost rookie standout
Patrick Mullins
when NYCFC selected him with their second selection of that draft. That pretty much leaves Davies, and despite his incredible return to form this year, it would be tough to expect him to shoulder the load for an entire season up top. Some depth to spell the former USMNT late in games is now a necessity, and perhaps a bit of size to add some variety to the attack.
2. Backing the Center: With A.J. Soares headed to Italy, New England must look to add more available center backs. Jose Goncalves will return to captain the back line and Andrew Farrell could slide over from right back. However, after that, there is not much defensive depth. Whatever happens, do not expect Heaps to take a page from Jurgen Klinsmann's playbook by putting Jones back there - he's proved to be far too valuable in central midfield, and is probably irreplaceable at that spot.
3. Return of The Kid: A year after breaking out at age 18 with 13 goals and 7 assists, Homegrown attacker Diego Fagundez was mostly anonymous with just five goals and four assists, and was basically a spectator by the time October rolled around. While this is partially a good thing – Teal Bunbury and Kelyn Rowe were excellent on the wings from mid-summer onward – Fagundez is as clever as they come off the ball in the attacking third, able to find gaps that others don't see. New England need him to be back to his best come March.
