MONTRÉAL – Everyone knew that the squad had it in them, perhaps no one more confidently than Revolution head coach Caleb Porter. After all, he’d seen it, day after day on the training ground and, for one promising run in June, week after week when it counted most.
But with many of the pieces that made that run possible missing to injury, it was always going to be tough for the Revolution to keep that form alive. Young players and depth pieces fought valiantly as needed, setting New England up on what is now an unbeaten run of five games and counting in all competitions (2-0-3). Now, with recovering players back in action and new arrivals slotting in seamlessly, Saturday’s dominant win over CF Montréal could be just the tip of the iceberg of what the Revs can do in the final weeks of the season.
No single person can make up an entire team, but if anyone has been and will be central to the Revolution’s success, it would have to be midfielder Carles Gil. Returning from a calf injury, the former league MVP started for the first time in two months on Saturday. He has now recorded wins in his last five appearances, notching at least one goal involvement in each as well (1g/7a), including two helpers against Le CFM.
Speaking before the road trip, Gil admitted that he hated being on the sidelines, but said that he was ready to lead the team and had a strong faith in what they could still accomplish.
“I have to be on the pitch,” the captain said, “and I worked very hard for [the injury] to not happen again. I think it’s also very important for me to show that I’m ready to lead the team, with all my teammates. It’s not easy but we can do it, we can make the playoffs. If we can make the playoffs, it’s another story. Sometimes, it’s more important the way that you finish the season. We had an example last year. We had a very good first half of the season, the second half was very difficult. In the end, we didn’t play well in the playoffs. We have that on our minds and obviously, I will try to help the team.”
Actions may speak louder than words, but Gil’s actions at Stade Saputo were exactly in line with his words before the game. The talisman kept level-headed after the full-time whistle blew, but still allowed himself the slightest of “I told you so” moments.
“We did what we wanted,” he said of the game. “Like I said two days ago, it showed that when we are almost all together, we can be one of the best teams in this league. But it's just a game, three points, and we are still out of the playoffs, so we just want to continue like this and win 10 more games.”
As Gil referenced, he wasn’t the only addition to the rejuvenated squad. Forward Giacomo Vrioni and winger Dylan Borrero both made appearances off the bench after dealing with injuries of their own, and new signing Luca Langoni also came in as a substitute. In a promising sign for the Revolution, all three notched goal contributions in their cameos, and Porter said after the game that those performances were only the beginning.
“The way we started the game was excellent,” he said. “Bobby Wood getting another couple goals. Then, I thought we just took the game over in the second half. The guys that came in off the bench, great for Giacomo to get a goal, Luca to get a goal and assist. Ian Harkes, I think, got an assist or maybe two, and Dylan got an assist. It reminds me of back when we won four games in a row and five of six. We are picking up right where we left off, and I don't think it's a coincidence that it is first game since Cincinnati that Carles is back in. It is a whole different feel when he plays for us.”
Later, Porter reiterated the impact that players like Gil and Borrero can have on a team and said that he expected them to continue to make an impact over the remaining 10 games in the season.
“I don't think it is a coincidence when [Borrero] and Carles left, we were not quite as fluid,” Porter said. “We hung in, we hung around, we did it in different ways, we got a few draws and a win in Leagues Cup. But you can see our level. Our level today, that's what we want it to look like and better. We are just scratching the surface. We’ve got to keep pushing and stay really hungry. This is one that we don't have time to celebrate and get ahead of ourselves. We've got to go back to work and work even harder next week. We got a very difficult game against Salt Lake on the road.”
And the best part? This isn’t even the full comeback. Cameos from the bench will soon upgrade to appearances from the start for the likes of Vrioni, Borrero, and Langoni, the latter of whom has yet to even share minutes with Carles Gil. Additionally, minor injuries to outside backs Peyton Miller and Brandon Bye meant that Will Sands and Nick Lima could show themselves as able deputies, and the overall level of quality in the squad means that Porter will have some difficult decisions to make up and down the field when everyone reaches full fitness.
“I said it, Peyton and Will, I have a lot of confidence in them, and I think everybody saw today why we traded for Will,” Porter said. “He is a very good player, very well-rounded, very complete, a good defender, good at keeping the ball, and good going forward. So, Peyton, we will see where he is at. We are hopeful he will be available next week. But as I told my team last week, the audition for parts is going to be every week and guys have got to earn jobs, so it is going to be tough to keep Will out with the performance he had today. Peyton Miller, he is a very talented player, a young player, and his upside is as good as you're going to see. Guys still need to earn their jobs and that's what is raising our level right now, because every single guy has to perform at training and the games. They know that, and when you start to create that best-versus-best or iron-sharpens-iron, then the level goes up in your team. You saw that today.”
