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New England Revolution Revolution looks to plug holes as season draws near
By Michael Lewis, CNNSI.com After making some great strides to the break-even barrier for the very first time in team history, the New England Revolution is poised to take it to the next level. Or are they? Entering the MLS season, the Revs don't look anything like a playoff contender or a team that finished at a promising 13-13-6 in 2000. They don't have a midfield general. They don't have anyone who has shown he can complement Wolde Harris on the forward line. And they don't have several key players entering Saturday's season opener at the MetroStars. Despite those negatives, coach Fernando Clavijo is confident, believe it or not, his team will acquit itself well and then some this season. "I'm definitely going for No. 1 in our division," Clavijo said. "I want to go much further in the playoffs. I know it's going to be a very hard job to do. I think we are very deep on the roster ... I want to make a run for everything. I don't want to stay in the middle and make it halfway. "We have some people who have been around and they find some ways to win. We have a very good group of people. If we surround them with the right pieces, we will be a very good, competitive team."
The goalkeeping is adequate. Jeff Causey is coming off his best year, and the return of Juergen Sommer gives the Revs excellent depth. The backline is young, but has speed and loads of potential. The mercurial Mauricio Wright, 30, anchors a backline that includes Project-40 rookie Nick Downing (21), Rusty Pierce (20), who has been bothered by a hamstring pull, Joe Franchino (24) and Brian Dunseth (24). The midfield, on the other hand, is experienced, but is slow. During the offseason, the Revs unloaded Bolivian midfielder Mauricio Ramos, who never became the midfield general that Clavijo envisioned, and Imad Baba, who was sent packing to the Colorado Rapids after a career season (nine goals, eight assists). Defensive midfielder Leonel Alvarez still has some spring and kick left in his step, although there are rumblings the New England midfield isn't big enough for him and former U.S. national team captain John Harkes, who will patrol the right side. Ted Chronopolous, who missed most of the preseason with a knee injury, is a solid citizen, as is former A-League All-Star Yari Allnutt, who comes from the Rochester Raging Rhinos. Clavijo is awaiting the transfer papers to come through from Italy for Brazilian midfielder Marco Antonio Cate, who played well in training camp. Whether he can be here in time for Saturday's game is anyone's guess. Who knows? Perhaps the arrival of two-time reject Andy Williams will help the midfield. Williams, who had unsuccessful stints with Columbus and Miami, joined the Revs shortly before the season opener and played in a 1-1 exhibition draw with the A-League Boston Bulldogs. "He's been training every day [on his own] but to come in without really knowing what's going on is hard for him," Clavijo told the Boston Herald. "Overall, he looked pretty good in the game. He wasn't at the top of his game but nobody was. But like I said before, he's a foreign player who doesn't have to go through the adjustments because he already knows this league." Last season, the scoring centered around Wolde Harris, which was good for the Jamaican international, but not so good for the Revs. He scored almost a third (a career-high 15) of the team's 47 goals and lacked a consistent partner up front. "I told Wolde from the very beginning that 'If you play to your strength you would be a force in this league. If you go through the motions, you're an average forward,' " Clavijo said. "I think he understood that message very well. He's working very hard. He's getting his time back on the national team. I expect a lot from him. He will have a lot [better] players around him. His service is going to be better. I expect more goals from him this year." The combination of Jamar Beasley (overshadowed by younger brother DaMarcus), former U.S. international Eric Wynalda (when he was healthy), Costa Rican international William Sunsing and the departed Eduardo Hurtado and Paul Keegan combined for seven goals and 12 assists. Not exactly awe-inspiring numbers for a team that wants to move up the MLS ladder. Sunsing, Wynalda, former Cameroon international striker David Embe or Matthew Okoh, obtained from Colorado in the Baba deal, will given the opportunity as the second forward.
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