Despite their late push in the regular season, the New England Revolution narrowly missed out on the MLS playoffs in 2016.
While the Revolution boast some wonderful attacking talent, the forwards failed to deliver, scoring just 44 goals. Only the Chicago Fire (42) managed fewer than the Revs in the Eastern Conference. Injuries took their toll on New England, but with a few holes to fill in the squad, it should have a busy offseason.
Here is a closer look at what the Revs have done and what remains on their to-do list:
Who’s In?
N/A
Who’s Out?
Jordan McCrary, Steve Neumann, Darrius Barnes, Jose Goncalves, Femi Hollinger-Janzen
Draft
1st Round: No. 20 overall
2nd Round: No. 31 overall
4th Round: No. 75 overall
Remaining Needs
The Revolution’s future hinges on Jose Goncalves re-signing with the team. New England needs a capable partner beside Goncalves, who is out of contract. If the 31-year-old departs, the Revs’ front office will need to pursue at least two centerbacks.
Elsewhere, the Revs are loaded. Designated Player Xavier Kouassi was signed last winter, but missed the entire 2016 campaign due to injury. He will bolster the center of the pitch along with Gershon Koffie and Scott Caldwell. Kei Kamara and Juan Agudelo should be the main options up front, plus Lee Nguyen will be a crucial member of the squad.
Outlook
The Revolution’s success will be determined by the team’s centerback partnership and Juan Agudelo’s form. It’s no coincidence that when Agudelo began scoring consistently, New England’s form improved as a whole. However, the sloppy individual errors at the back hurt the Revs in the long run.
That is why signing at least one defender is significantly important. The Revs typically conduct their offseason signings in January and February, so fans should expect at least one major signing in the next few weeks.
If management fails to deliver in the transfer market, then the Revolution may be in for another rough season in 2017.