Charlotte FC Is Back! - New England Revolution Preview
By Tyler Trent
Several New England players try to defend against Karol Świderski. Photo courtesy of MLS.
Last Season Recap
The New England Revolution finished last season in 10th place of the Eastern Conference with 10 wins, 12 draws, 12 losses, and 42 points. The biggest weak points for the team were in central defense and up top after losing their Polish attacker Adam Buksa during the season.
Last season, Charlotte split their games with New England winning the first 3-1, but losing the away match 2-1. Both matches came early in Charlotte FC’s season while former manager Miguel Ángel Ramírez was still in charge of the team.
What’s New?
Photo courtesy of New England Revolution.
The Revs added some depth in the offseason with defender Dave Romney, midfielder Latif Blessing, and forward Bobby Wood. Blessing and Romney will likely step directly into the starting lineup for the Revs and provide a much-needed boost to the team. Bobby Wood will likely play a role from the bench and in rotation for the busy MLS schedule this season.
The Revolution quietly improved their starting lineup that already boasted a very strong goalkeeper in Djordje Petrovic and former MLS MVP Carles Gil. If Blessing and Romney are able to adjust and contribute quickly, the Revolution will be a much stronger team than last season.
The core lineup and subs that finished the 2022 season will return. The main departures were midfielder Wilfrid Kaptoum and defender Jon Bell. However, both those positions have likely been upgraded with the previously mentioned Blessing and Romney.
Players to Watch
Latif Blessing – Latif Blessing had a very hot start to his LAFC career in 2018 and 2019. However, since then his numbers have dropped and he has been getting less playing time for the MLS Champions. There were rumors that Charlotte FC might add Latif Blessing last summer, however those ultimately didn’t come to fruition. Blessing got his move this winter and will look to improve his play from the last two seasons with a new team.
Carles Gil – The former MLS MVP finished with 7 goals and a massive 14 assists in the 2022 season. Gil was at the heart of nearly all the success that the Revs had last season and honestly since his arrival in New England in 2019. Gil is arguably one of the best attacking playmakers in the league and really shined playing along talented player like Tajon Buchanan and Adam Buksa in the past.
Dejuan Jones – The exciting left back recently received his first cap for the United States National Team in the January Camp. Jones adds a lot to the attack for the Revs from the defense with overlapping runs and dribbles. His opposite, Brandon Bye, also provides a significant contribution to the Revs attack that the Charlotte defense will have to deal with.
Outlook For 2023
The New England Revolution are projected by most MLS pundits to improve on their standings from last season. This will ultimately come down to whether the addition of Dave Romney can boost the central defense of the Revs and if they can get more production from their two Designated Players up top, Giacomo Vrioni and Gustavo Bou.
Be sure to checkout MLS Corner on the TopBin90 YouTube channel tonight at 9pm EST. We will have special guest Sam Minton from The Blazing Musket to help us talk through the home opener against the Revs.
