FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – When head coach Brad Friedel referred to “a lot of changes” in his New England Revolution side following last weekend’s match against Columbus Crew SC, he was, in part, referring to new faces on the 2019 roster like Carles Gil, Juan Fernando Caicedo, and Edgar Castillo.
But Friedel was also referencing subtle changes in the Revolution’s system and approach, which have been readily apparent through the first two games of the new campaign.
In his first year at the helm Friedel installed a high-pressing system in New England, and while the degree to which the Revs pressed did vary from game to game, they often relied upon their ability to force turnovers in dangerous areas to create the bulk of their attacking opportunities.