Revvin' for the Playoffs

October 27, 2007

By Sean Donahue

For the sixth year in a row, the New England Revolution are ready to kick off another postseason run. And, for the sixth year in a row, the Revs are trying to advance past the first round when they face the New York Red Bulls today. The two teams limped into the playoffs. New York won just once in its last seven games and the Revs went their final three matches without a win. The Revs, however, finished the season 2-0-1 against the Red Bulls this season and go into the two-leg series as the favorites.

Twellman-Noonan

The Revolution kick off their first round playoff series Saturday.

The Revs started the season strong and led the Eastern Conference for much of the year. Though still racking up the wins in the second half of the season, New England suffered a few disappointing losses that exposed worrying defensive weaknesses. Despite coach Steve Nicol consistency with the lineup, the team has yet to find consistent play on the defensive end. The offense has been strong, having not been shut out since mid-August, but the team will need consistent defense if they hope to make an impact in this year's playoffs.

New York went unbeaten in the first month of the season, but never managed to string together another good run. Similar to the Revs, but to an even greater extent, it's been the defense that has let the team down. Bruce Arena hasn't kept his line-up as steady as Nicol throughout the season, with injuries and poor performances causing the former US National Team coach to change around his backline and goalkeeper.

His expected backline for the playoffs features center backs Carlos Mendes and Jeff Parke, a combination Revolution forwards Taylor Twellman and Pat Noonan have enjoyed success against, as well as Hunter Freeman and Dave van den Bergh, a converted midfielder, on the outside.

If either side can find the solution to their defensive woes, they certainly have the offensive weapons to be a contender. Twellman and Noonan and the Red Bulls Juan Pablo Angel and Jozy Altidore are easily two of the best forward combinations in the league.

Both sides have a few decisions to make in their starting line-ups. Altidore may well end up starting on the wing with Francis Doe up top for New York. Clint Mathis is also always an option to start in the midfield for New York, should Arena choose to bench Seth Stammler or Claudio Reyna.

For New England, Nicol must decide whether to reinsert midfielder Andy Dorman into the line-up, or keep in rookie Wells Thompson, who got the start for the final few games of the regular season. On the defensive end, Nicol must decide between Avery John and James Riley for the left side of the defense.

The first leg of the series kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and can be seen live on Fox Soccer Channel. The winner, which is determined by total goals scored over the home-and-away series, will advance to the Eastern Conference Final, where they will face the winner of the D.C. United-Chicago Fire series. Should D.C. win, that match will take place in D.C. If Chicago, who currently leads the series 1-0, wins the Conference Final, it will take place at the home of winner of the New York-New England series.