Over the next two weeks, MLSsoccer.com will take a look back at the 2013 season that was for all 19 clubs in Major League Soccer, starting with D.C. United and ending with the Supporters' Shield-winning New York Red Bulls. You can find the schedule and comprehensive reviews for each team here.
2013 record: 14-11-9 (51 points); 49 GF / 38 GA (+11 GD)
They said it...
Revolution GM Mike Burns on finding reinforcements:
“A couple of years ago, we were looking to add pieces all over the field. I'm not discarding that approach – if a player came up in a position we felt OK about, we'd still explore it. Two years ago, we were looking all over the field. Last year, we got a little bit more specific. And I think this offseason, we're even more specific. I think it's a good thing. Everyone wants to get to a point where you have very little, if any, turnover. That means you're in MLS Cup or you're competing for MLS Cup.”
Revolution captain Jose Goncalves on 2014:
“There is a lot of quality in this team. There is a lot of talent. I think there's a lot. I think everyone can profit from that and learn for the next year. I believe the club has a big, big future. To be a part of this future is something very important for me. I enjoyed this year and working with the guys and the club. I know it's a new year. Hopefully, the story will continue.”
Revolution coach Jay Heaps on 2013 success into '14:
“I really felt that – at the end of the year – we asked a lot of our younger guys. You don't always like to be in that situation where there is a lot of must-win, no-room-for-error type games. But it also builds a good résumé in that experience column. You know you can do it. You know you have the ability to win games. It'll help a lot of our guys.”
New England grew by leaps and bounds in Jay Heaps' second year in charge. The performances and the results improved. The noticeable rhythm in possession led to more entertaining fare. The promising young players in the ranks blossomed within the revised operating principles.
Those noticeable strides prompted progress toward the upper half of the Eastern Conference table and ultimately yielded the Revolution's first postseason berth since 2009. If all proceeds according to plan in Foxborough, then the Eastern Conference semifinal exit to eventual MLS Cup winners Sporting Kansas City will merely represent the first step in the club's continued resurgence.
Best Moment of the Year
Four long years passed between postseason appearances. The drought fittingly ended in Columbus, the same location where the Revs secured their last playoff berth. At the final whistle, the players erupted after their late-season push guaranteed a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The swashbuckling wins over LA Galaxy (5-0 on June 2) and Philadelphia (5-1 on Aug. 25) weren't bad days, either.
Worst Moment of the Year
Two awful off-the-field occurrences – Kevin Alston's chronic myelogenous leukemia diagnosis and the life-threatening injuries sustained by Matt Reis' father-in-law, John Odom, during the Boston Marathon tragedy in April – rocked the Revs. Both men provided inspiration to the club and the squad as they recovered during the course of the year. Alston even returned to the field in July and settled back into his usual duties for the second half of the season.
Best Goal
Juan Agudelo shined during his brief stint in Foxboro. The former Chivas USA star's positive and tidy approach fit neatly with the the expansive work through midfield and into the final third. His pièce de résistance came with an instinctive and sumptuous back heel over the onrushing Sean Johnson on Aug. 17 in a 2-0 win vs. the Chicago Fire.
Team MVP
The team as a whole improve with the arrival of José Gonçalves in central defense. His consistently imperial displays shored up the revamped back four and solidified the foundation of the side. He assumed the captaincy as the season progressed in a reflection of his widespread influence on the squad.
Best Move
New England invited Gonçalves for a training spell just over a year ago. Gonçalves and the Revs reached an agreement to end his spell in the wilderness with FC Sion and start a new journey in the United States. Gonçalves' presence steadied the young Revs and underpinned their progression to the postseason.
Quotable
“You play for the playoffs. We definitely have had ups and downs this season, but I think we're coming together as a group. We're getting our young guys big minutes in big games. And they're winning games and finding results,” Revs coach Jay Heaps said after securing a playoff spot on the final day of the regular season.
Offseason Needs
- Striker:
Revolution general manager Michael Burns acknowledged this department as an area of emphasis with the departure of Agudelo, the
severe injury sustained
by
Saër Sène
and the
uncertainty surrounding
Jerry Bengtson (pictured right)
. Expect the club to move quickly to find a player capable of leading the line and linking the play in their stead.
2. Goalkeeper:Reis' retirement left the Revs with a glaring vacancy between the sticks. The acquisition of Brad Knighton from Vancouver last week essentially filled the berth, though. Knighton will compete with Bobby Shuttleworth for the No. 1 shirt in 2014.
3. Central midfield: The search here focuses on a robust holding player to complement the current group of technicians. A similar move for Kalifa Cissé during the close season last year did not pan out, but the Revs will try again to locate an authoritative presence to complement holdovers Scott Caldwell and Andy Dorman in the traditional No. 6 role.
