Adding to the Established Core

By: Dan | March 2nd, 2008

The Revolution are a unique team in a couple of ways. They don’t make make huge blockbuster deals, but choose instead to sign role-players. There isn’t much turnover from year to year, so there’s always an established core of players. This core is an important part of the successes that the Revs have had over the past few years, and I’m confident that we’ve restocked with quality youngsters, who’ll grow into the system.

I was thinking, last night, about which youngster is ready to step up: Thompson? Mansally? Nyassi? Cristman? Who has enough seasoning to make go out on the pitch every game and make a difference? Now, be warned that I think that all four of these guys are going to be quality players – someday. But who’s ready now? I’m thinking Wells Thompson is going to make some waves this season. With Dorman and Noonan gone, there’s not a whole lot of depth in our midfield attack. And once Thompson settled in last season, he looked lively.

Cristman is definitely an able foil to Twellman, but I don’t see him as being ready for an everyday role. Although, his tenacity has caused a few problems for defenses, he’s not a proven scorer. And that’s what we need right now more than anything. Somebody to pick up the slack when Twellman isn’t putting the ball in the back of the net, the role that Noonan used to fill.

The Gambian duo of Mansally and Nyassi, they’re good; no doubt about that. Mansally was on fire in the early part of the pre-season and Nyassi provided a few nice crosses. But I don’t see either as being ready for a big team role. Mansally might end up fighting for the second striker position, but the Revs probably wouldn’t have shelled out an alleged $200K for Argenis Fernandez if they didn’t think he was going to make a difference immediately. Nyassi on the other hand is being relegated even further on the depth chart. New midfielder, Mauricio Castro will allow Steve Ralston to play his natural position of right mid. And Wells Thompson will be picking up minutes whenever possible all over the midfield, so Nyassi is likely going to be sitting.

Official news from the Revs has stated that the preseason’s of Mathew Britner and Kheli Dube have been cut short. The youngsters won’t be joining the club for their tour of Cancun because of visa issues. Both Britner, a Halifax, Nova Scotia native and product of Brown University, and Dube, a Costal Carolina alum and native of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, are still on student visas.

Britner is in the same mold as fellow former Bears defender Jeff Larentowicz, an aggressive, physical defender. And hopefully, Dube is similar to fellow Chanticleers product Joseph Ngwenya, because let’s be honest – even though he played for both LA and Houston – he was pretty good.

I hope you’re as excited as I am for the start of the season!