The Revs welcomed the Pigeons to Foxboro
The New England Revolution needed three points on Sunday night and they did just that
The Revolution only made one change as Jon Bell Replaced Brandon Bye in the starting XI. With Bye out with what is understood to be a minor leg injury according to revolutionsoccer.net’s Jeff Lemieux, DeJuan Jones shifted over to right back.
Noel Buck got his second straight on the right flank while Tommy McNamara transferred to the midfield. Maciel also got his second straight start after an absence due to injury. Andrew Farrell also made his 299th appearance in MLS.
NYCFC trotted a lineup led by Sean Johnson and Maxi Moralez while Talles Magno started on the bench.
So what do you need to know about one of the most important Revs games of the season to date? Here are three thoughts.
1 – Buck is legit
Noel Buck was the second youngest player in Revolution history to gain consecutive starts with Diego Fagundez being the youngest back in 2011. The youngster showed on Sunday that he is worth every penny that New England is paying him. The youngster blasted a shot past Johnson in the 33rd minute to put the Revs up 2-0.
Buck has shown great confidence ever since his first MLS minutes. He has been strong on the ball and looks like a player who has the capability to make an impact in MLS. Buck looks technically sound and while not insanely fast, he is able to find open areas.
While the youngster got minutes at first due to injuries, he has made a case for him to continue to get minutes with the first team.
2 – Revs II Success Stories
If you are new here you might be unaware, but The Bent Musket is a pro-Jon Bell website. In his first start since August 20 and he made his minutes count.
Bell started at his more natural position of left back and you could tell that he was more comfortable. On the attack, Bell showed some speed and some ability to make some magic happen in the final third.
It took only 12 minutes for Bell to find the scoresheet as he worked hard in the box and poked a shot past Johnson. The defender seems to play well against the Pigeons as he scored his first MLS goal against NYCFC in June of 2021.
While getting most of his minutes at center back, it would be interesting to see if Bell could find a more prominent spot in the lineup if he stayed at his natural position. Bell played his best game of the entire season on Sunday at outside back.
Maciel also had a quality game, assisting on the Revs second goal. He made a beautiful turn to kick off the play and threaded a great pass to Buck. The young duo seemed to have built some chemistry with Buck and Maciel connecting multiple times.
With Buck, Maciel, and Bell having quality games, it was a great showcase of the talent that New England’s second team has been able to cultivate.
3 – Petrovoz
I know it might surprise you to hear that Djordje Petrovic is a great keeper but once again the goalkeeper came up big for New England.
Petrovic made multiple clutch saves to keep the game tied and then to keep the Revs lead in the second half. The goalkeeper has been a force ever since coming stateside. Sunday’s clean sheet was the seventh of his MLS career and the fourth in New England’s last five home games. The keeper is making a real case for earning the Newcomer of the Year award even though he came to MLS midway through the season.
With the win, New England is now above the playoff line and the playoff hopes of the club have been reignited.
The Revs next match isn’t until Saturday when they face off against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.