Revolution fans from the Jay Heaps tenure will know exactly what this means. Every year under Jay Heaps, the Revolution would have a disappointing to moderately encouraging start to the season, only to forget how to play soccer during the summer months. I want to point out here that I’m not trying to disparage or blame any of the players or coaching staff, just point out the team’s bizarrely streaky play during the summer.
In 2012, Heaps’ first year, the team went winless for ten games between July 14 and September 1, including 5 straight losses during this period. The next year, they actually seem to have avoided the summer slump, starting with only one win in the first six games, but never losing more than two games in a row the entire season. During 2014, the Revolution went eight straight games without a win from May 31 to July 26, but then came into form in time to go all the way to the MLS cup final to lose a record fifth final, this time to the Galaxy.
In 2015, they lost five straight from June 25 to July 11, but shortly after rallied to win six straight in August and September. In 2016, after drawing 7 of their first 10 games, the Revolution went from July 31 to August 28 (6 games) without winning. Then last year, they stumbled through the majority of the season, needing a strong fall performance to make the playoffs. Instead, they were murdered by Atlanta and Orlando within the span of two weeks. Heaps was fired, Brad Friedel was brought in during the offseason, and the first half of the 2018 season happened, which brings us to this July.
July 7, 2018, vs. Seattle Sounders, 0-0 T
Not a whole lot happened in this game, which you can kind of tell from the scoreline. It took seventy-three minutes before there was a shot on goal – a forty-yard attempt from Seattle that Matt Turner took care of by basically standing there and letting the ball fall into his arms. Even the Revolution social media team acknowledged the lack of excitement by posting a highlights video featuring kickoff, streamers, the final whistle, and postgame fireworks. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Tear my heart out, why don’t you?, July 14, 2018, vs. Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-3 L
This game, maybe more than any of the other games so far this season, captures the spirit of being a Revolution fan since 2008. After losing Cristian Penilla to a red card 23 minutes into the game, the Revolution went up a goal in the 28th minute. The Galaxy tied the game, but New England took the lead again shortly before the first half ended. They were moving the ball well and looked good up through around minute 75. It’s a lot to ask to be playing down a man and keep pressing, but the Revolution were doing it. Then in minute 85, the Galaxy’s Ashley Cole was baited into a second yellow and sent off. What the Revolution should have done was take the time to regroup, settle down, and prepare to play hard for up to ten more minutes. What they did was go into panic mode, watch the clock, and let momentum shift to the Galaxy. In the second minute of second half stoppage time, LA got a corner kick. I’ve been following this team for awhile, so my first thought was (depressingly enough) if they let in a goal on this set piece, they’ve lost the game. LA scored on the corner kick. In the third minute of second half stoppage time, after the restart, the Revolution were too casual with possession on the right sideline, lost the ball, and that’s how the Galaxy scored their third, and game-winning, goal.
Hey, Bobby, July 18, 2018, at Minnesota United FC, 2-1 L
Anything that happened in this match was ultimately overshadowed by the fact that former Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth chose this night to have the best game New England’s seen from him in awhile. To be fair to Shuttleworth, I liked him when he played for New England. You can’t say that he wasn’t invested in the game. He just inexplicably had this habit of letting in long shots while making ridiculous reaction saves. Also of note were a couple of Scott Caldwell shots, including a one touch outside of the foot attempt that was bound for the back of the goal if (guess who) Shuttleworth hadn’t showed up to make the save.
I Give Up, July 21, 2018, vs. New York Red Bulls, 0-2 L
Missed this game because I was playing board games with people from church. Can’t bring myself to watch the replay.
We’ll see what happens in August, but history is not on the Revolution’s side.
Record for July: 0W-3L-1D
Overall record: 7W-7L-7D
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