Pros

Revolution continue pre-season at home By Andrew Hush
February 28, 2007


After spending last week in Bermuda, the Revolution continued their preparation for the 2007 season on Tuesday inside the Dana-Farber Fieldhouse at Gillette Stadium.

Noonan was rested as a precaution in Bermuda (Photo by Chris Aduama - Photoplay)

Steve Nicol's squad was in good spirits upon its return to New England, following a training camp which was supplemented by two scrimmages, both of which resulted in 3-1 wins, over a Bermuda National Select XI and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

“It was good to get outside, which was the important thing,” said Nicol. “We got a couple of games and winning them was a bonus. Everything went pretty smoothly.”

A feature of the Revolution's two games in Bermuda was the depth of the squad that was used. Mixing his veteran players in with several rookies and less experienced players ensured that the Revs were competitive throughout both games and Nicol believes that is a positive sign of things to come:

“I think we are in good nick. I am pleased with what I have seen. The one thing you can never complain about is the way the guys work. If they do that, then they'll be fit and then it's a battle for places after that.”

The feeling among the Revolution coaching staff and players is that the squad's younger players have the right attitude to be successful in MLS. Indeed, as Nicol pointed out, the more experienced men are already feeling the pressure from the new boys:

“(The veterans) have looked at the guys that have come in and have all pricked their ears up and thought ‘uh-oh, I need to watch my back here', which is always what you are hoping to do when you bring in some of the young guys. This year, hand on heart, that is exactly what has happened.”

To emphasize the strength of squad that Nicol has at his disposal, four players that turned out for the Revolution in Bermuda are unlikely to return to the side. Trialists, Jorge Ramirez, Takashi Hirano and Takayu Yamada, as well as Supplemental Draft pick, Phil Marfuggi, will not be offered contracts, with the latter man having lost out to Brad Knighton in the battle for the third goalkeeper spot.

Two men that played no part in either game in Bermuda due to injury were Pat Noonan and Marshall Leonard. Both have suffered injury-ravaged years and Nicol was keen to protect then at this early stage of the pre-season:

“Marshall just felt something in his thigh. As I said to them after the game, we don't get any points for winning in pre-season and we still have six weeks until we start. Pat was the same - he felt a bit tight - so he didn't play.”

A regular feature of Revolution pre-seasons is the coaching staff's preference for a 4-4-2 system, in contrast to the 3-5-2 which tends to be the formation of choice once the competitive action begins. As Nicol explains, at this stage of the year the three-man backline puts too much pressure on the side's wide players:

“To play 3-5-2, you have to be in tip-top condition. To be one of the two guys out wide is a hard job at the best of times and to ask people to do it when they are not fit is, number one, not fair and, number two, you'll demoralize them because they'll be a hard behind chasing. The pre-season is to get fit and to get confidence.”

The Revs will train locally for the rest of the week. Next week, they travel to Cancun, Mexico, for more warm weather training. The trip will feature two friendlies, against Pioneros Cancun and Playa del Carmen of the Segunda Division.