WWND - What Will Nicol do?

Looking ahead to the 2010 MLS SuperDraft this Thursday in Philadelphia, one would think that the Revs would go for a top notch striker in the first round, right?

After watching the New England Revolution over the last two seasons, it has become increasingly obvious to even the casual fan that the team needs help up front. And with your top two goal scorers from 2008 starting 2009 on the injured list, you would think that the Revolution would have added some support to the forward line during the off season last year. Well they didn't and they were forced to move Shalrie Joseph into a more attacking role, a move which paid off in terms of goals scored (he led the team with 9) but the midfield suffered as a result.

So you would think that the Revs, learning from the experience of last season, that they need to pick up a goal scorer in the draft, right? Once bitten,twice shy?

Nope. Here's why.

As discussed in depth and ad nauseum on the latest episode of The Midnight Ride Podcast, the Revolution have big gaping holes on the roster, and not just at forward. At Goalkeeper, they have lost Brad Knighton in the expansion draft to the Philadelphia Union, and Matt Reis has undergone rotator cuff surgery. In the back line they have lost a key defenseman in veteran Jay Heaps who has decided to retire. Another cause for concern will be the absence of regular starting midfielders Jeff Larentowicz, who is probably going to leave the team as his contract is up, and Steve Ralston, who is recovering from an ACL injury. Twellman's injury status is still questionable -and when you consider the lack of goals scored by the forwards (10 goals total - not including Twellman's 100th and 101st- a contibution of less than 33% of the team's total), and the likelihood that forward Edgaras Jankauskas is not returning to the team, you have to wonder where the goals are going to come from (the Revs scored only 33 goals last year - second to last in the league).

And while the last point is probably the most critical toward the team's success, it is also the chief reason why the Revolution should NOT draft a forward/striker in the first round this Thursday.

The chief reason is this: The Revs need instant offense. New England can not afford to wait for a goal scorer to develop the way that other teams with deeper forward lines can. And while there is undeniable talent available in the draft at the forward position, history has shown that Forwards taken in the draft have not paid instant dividends and in some cases have not paid off at all.

If you look at last years draft, there were three forwards taken in the first round. Zakuani (4 goals) was taken first by Seattle, a team that had depth at the forward position with Montero and Jaqua. Marosevic (0 goals) was taken by Dallas who started the season with Cooper and Cunningham. O'Brian White (2 Goals) taken by Toronto FC who although they struggled to score goals, on paper they were very deep at Forward. So from the top three picks at the forward position, a grand total of 6 goals over the course of the season.

The prior drafts were not much better. Patrick Nyarko, who appears to be coming into his own with the Chicago Fire, has still only scored 5 goals in his career - 4 of them in his second year. The two forwards picked in first round in 2007 draft are not even in the league. The only forward from the draft that has found success in the league is outlier Robbie Findley, who as a second round pick has 26 goals in three seasons.

So the point I am making in a rather round about way is the best way for the Revs to get offense is to look outside the draft; either by trade, or by free agent acquisition. If they were to pick up someone like Ryan Johnson (11 goals with San Jose), they would be providing Kheli Dube or Twellman (if he's healthy) with a formidable striking partner up front. The Revolution still have a designated player spot available to them as well, which they could use to attract a big name, perhaps from South America or Central America, which could also help fill the seats.

And most importantly, by looking outside the draft for help at forward, The Revs could then focus on other areas of the team where the draft has proven successful for them: Namely, Defense (See Barnes, Alston) and Midfield (Dempsey, Dorman).

Episode 8 - Questioning Steve Nicol's Tactics

In Episode 8, TMR takes a hard look at the tactics employed by Coach Steve Nicol against Kansas City - also special guest Lisa Eisenmenger (Boston Pro Soccer Examiner) talks Shalrie Joseph, and TMR looks ahead to SuperLiga.

Click here for this weeks episode

Episode 8 Show Notes

Special thanks to this week's guests - Lisa Eisenmenger - Boston Pro Soccer Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-4128-New-England-Revolution-Examiner

Music: Kicks - By Paul Revere and the Raiders
Xica da Silva - By Jorge Ben (I know it's not original, but you can blame Peter Brown on CSRN's Divers and Cheats for introducing it to me)
"Why?" clip - excerpt from Rhymocerous and Hiphopopotamus - Flight of the Conchords

Props:
Scott Bornstein, Sandra Franz, Zach Woosley, and the Immortal Erik Young http://www.winninguglyradio.com

Zach Woosley - http://www.gingetalksthefooty.com

Twiggster - Glory Glory Leeds! http://www.csrnusa.com/glorygloryleeds/ podcast: http://www.csrnusa.com/glorygloryleeds/glory-glory-leeds-show/

Jason Davis - http://www.matchfitusa.com
http://www.csrnusa.com

Chris Nee and Gary Andrews - http://www.twofootedtackle.com

Michael Johnson (MJ_in_Pitt) - http://www.steelarmy.com/
Kartik Krishnaiyer - http://thekartikreport.com

Brian O'Connell - http://houseofsoccer.blogspot.com/

Be sure to check out the new article by L.E. Eisenmenger
http://www.examiner.com/x-4128-New-England-Revolution-Examiner
http://twitter.com/madisonroad

Additional Props to Jorge Ben, Paul Revere and The Raiders, Flight of the Conchords
and the Midnight Riders Tailgate Party

Questioning Steve Nicol's Tactics

I have never been one to criticize the coach, but I have to wonder what Steve Nicol was trying to accomplish last night - and why he continues to play Shalrie as Striker - yes I know Shalrie scored a goal.... but that was practically a set piece (in fact it was the rebound from the set piece corner kick that led to the goal) and Shalrie always runs forward and scores most of his goals of the cross into the box - so you can't tell me that Shalrie as striker is working. Yes - It WAS a good idea when Ralston was still OUT - but now he's healthy and playing - so why continue?

Also with the lack of width on the pitch - Mansally and Nyassi were basically handcuffed from the get go. My preferred lineup would have been play a midfield of Tierney - Shalrie - Larentowicz - Thomson and clog up the middle. Play Dube or Mansally up top with Ralston and leave Shalrie in the midfield.

But After Osei went out with the red card, Nicol could have brought back Shalrie to the midfield and played Mansally up top with Ralston, and instead of using Dube - put on Tierney, Thompson, or even Videira, to keep the play clogged up the middle.
Instead he put on Dube for Phelan - when the game was already lost. A last gasp effort to manage some offense? Too little too late.

The game was not lost with the red card fellas... Nicol could have restructured the lineup to play for the draw.