And as I said, it's been entirely too long. See if I can't remember the last time that someone has been on the show, it has been entirely too long. And so that's how we're phrasing things. It's been entirely too long since Brad Feldman has visited the show. And so now we bring Brad in. Welcome back to the morning show, my friend.
Hey, good to be on. How you doing doing great?
It's been entirely too long since we've had you. And what I wanted to do for our listeners and our viewers here in the Southeast is kind of go back and bring everyone forward from the beginning of the season to now so they can get their education on the REVS getting ready for it. Landy United expectations coming into the season, What was the level of optimism? What were the thoughts coming into the twenty twenty five year?
The resided a near total rebuild in the off season. Last year didn't go according to plan, only seven wins, finished out of the money in the playoff picture, and Caleb Port his first year was a frustrating one for the team and the fan base, and so sporting director Kurtinolfo and his staff helped Porter do a real churn, a real turnover with fourteen new players coming.
In, and.
So I believe an honest framing of the expectations would have been optimistic, but cautiously so because you didn't know so many of these players, or if you did, you weren't sure how they were gonna gel with one another and in Porter's system. And you know, if you look just at the standings right now, you know it would look like it hasn't worked. But I think that the
noise so far hasn't. You know, fans are right right to be in entitle to be impatient, but I would say that come in, the expectations were what they still are, which is to make the playoffs. And it's early enough in the season still that that's not out of the question. But they need to get busy soon because they only
have one win from six. So you know, I think, you know, there's noise out there on the transom that's not very positive, but the mood within the camp is still very professional and forward looking.
I was going to say, where are the pitchforks and the tiki torches right now wandering around Foxborough? As opposed to the pacer We're.
Not quite there. We're not quite there yet, but it's you know, people want.
Some wins, and you know completely and totally understandab why that's concerned with Caleb Porter in this offense. And that's the other thing that I wanted to bring up is that only a handful of goals this year, and Carlos Heel with his two goal performance against Red Bulls is accounting for most of that. How much of a concern is the lack of offense in the results so far?
That's the main concern, quite honestly, is the lack of finishing now, full disclosure, They've only had their new striker, former Inter Miami striker Leo Campana, for a couple of games, and so the plan has not really been executed, you know, according to script. Without Campana, they have looked toothless up front. But the last week in the loss of Cincinnati, hit
the post twice could have been a different story. Even against Red bull where both goals came from set pieces of free kick world class requ free kick from Carlos Hill in a penalty.
Late they could have scored twice.
Got good service from the right wing and Ignatius gonna go drove the ball right on the goalkeeper when he had the whole goal to look at. And you know, those are pretty big chances. They north of two, you know, two expected goals for the ninety minutes. So it's not as if they're not generating attacking chances. They just aren't converting. And that's the thing, and we know very well our low scoring sport, you got to take your chances when
when you create them or they're presented. Otherwise you know, you can end up on the wrong end of score lines that look unfair. Quite honestly, they're bossing the match in the first half at Cincinnati, and then you know the there is an incorrect throwing call which happens all the time.
Rez relax for a second.
They give up the goal, and then Cincinnati played pretty conservatively to protect a one miill lead at home. The Reds are organized. Their patterns of play are really good. The game model is Caleb Porter likes to call it
seems to be generating attacking play. But Maxi or Rudy, who is one of the great old heads in the league, was brought into to be a guy off the bench to spell Campana or gonna go in the late stage of the games having you know, he's an old thirty three right, Like it feels like he's been in the league forever. I think his first year is twenty twelve or something. But he he doesn't look like a guy who wants to press for ninety minutes. He just doesn't have it in his legs. He's great for ten to
fifteen minutes at a time. And you know, I think also the Revs the first couple of weeks were you know, working in their sort of full back compliment. First Will Sands and more importantly Peyton Miller were not one hundred percent fit with Miller back. Now they get more tacking play down the left. And Langoni, Luca Langoni on the right, who's a you know, really a winger, wasn't playing his game.
They've gotten through.
To him what his game is and now that he's able to run in behind it, you know, again, like the the Revs are generating offense. They just they have him and they they don't have an animal up front who's the lights out goalscorer or when Campana comes back, they're hoping they do.
I was gonna ask you reading my notes, where is Campana when it comes to being back and being a part of this offense.
I was on a conference call with Caleb Porter yesterday where you know, I think he was quite genuinely unsure. I think that Campana is either gonna be fit to make the match day squad tomorrow or a week from tomorrow, and it's not certain yet, like he's training, but they they want to be judicious in sort of unleashing him because they don't want this to be a recurring thing. He did a hamstring and so I think more importantly in the immediate future, Tomas Shakalai, DP winger usually plays
on the left side, another Argentinian for the Revs. He blew out his ACL last year and it's been you know, the normal progression back. But I think he's a you know, a step closer to returning. But I how's that both could be in the squad, neither likely to be in the starting eleven based on the way they sort of
dole out minutes. The guy's coming back from these injuries, but obviously Chankalai returning from a longer term injury, and the performance people and the athletic trainers, they have a schedule they want to keep and you know, even if Chankalai has been training full I think for almost two full weeks now, but they're not gonna give ninety minutes or even sixty minutes most likely, But he's gonna be He's a guy who you know, can fire from anywhere, and even if he's not the one scoring, opens up
space for other people because he's a constant goal threat in the attacking third. So you know, I think you're going to see one or both available against Atlanta, and it's just a question of how many minutes and if both are in the squad.
All things being equal, how are you anticipating the starting eleven rolling out from what you've been able to glean from calib.
Portia Ooh, you know, it's hard to say. I think it's can be very similar to what we saw against Cincinnati. You know, Matt Polster has been so good. You know, he wasn't even really projected to start. They acquired Jackson Yule after eight years in San Jose, and he's been fine. He actually made a bit of a difference coming on late. Makes some runs out of midfield, but he's more of a technical possession type player in terms of battling in
the midfield. Polster still has all of his energy and range and legs, and so I think that's the one real question. I'm assuming both center back Sabios and Fofana and two new players in the league who have who have been good. You know, the Revs have been very solid defensively, They've been in every game. They haven't given up more than two goals, and you know that's usually you know, that was when they were you know, that was Philly and they were pushing and stretched a little bit.
So you know, Carlos Heel is a dead uncertainty to start. Another new player. Eli Fineghal, a twenty year old Israeli who can play on either you know, at either full back position, likely would be the right back again. Peyton Miller, assuming he's still fit. Like, watch out for that kid. He is a horse. He is a horse. He looks like a grown man. He's seventeen years old. He's got a national team and European potential. Like he you know, he's still you know, getting his his his sort of
game IQ to where it needs to be. But he's got all the tools and can really impose himself on the game.
And you know, the wingers have been I left out.
Al Hassan Yusuf has been very good Nigeria international ball winner, but not like a crunching tackler. He'll he'll slide tackle more of the most players nowadays, but he's not dirty player. He just gets around the pitch, covers every you know, blade of turf and and really Rangy it's been gonna go and Langoni on the wings. That could change. I don't think Shakalai comes in. Luis Diaz has been a
guy off the BA who's done well replacing Langoni. Helped create one of the goals against New York Red Bulls. But I still think Langoni. He was very good against Red Bulls two weeks ago and pretty good against Cincinnati.
You know they won him like hugging the touch line and chalk on his boots and then running him behind you using his pace and then you know heel behind a ROUTI is the most likely scenario, but you could see gotta go up top with with Carlos underneath and they push somebody else wide or Carlos heel starts at one of the wide positions and has a free role. We've seen that in the past with Porter and the
previous coaches. So you know, but I think you know you're picking eleven from the thirteen guys I mentioned so and then ali Asievicic has been the goalkeeper, you know, every game going back to last year. I don't see that changing. Alex Bono is the backup. But barring injury that you know, that's and I don't think you know, Ronnie dla is gonna you know, he's to know that that's probably the group. And let's they throw a curveball and all of a sudden, components closer than we realize
that he starts up top. I haven't heard any noise to that effect, but you know, they keep it pretty close to the best in these situations. So yeah, like that, that's that's what I would expect.
Brad Feldman, Voice of the REVS for the REVS Education Here on a Friday, in the hour of chaos, as we call it, or at least I'm calling it the hour of chaos just because, uh, when you I'm gonna have you play defensive coordinator here for a second. You've seen Carlos Hill. You know what he can do. You
know the magic that he can create. If you were, say in an American football parlance, defensive coordinator, and you were forced to try to make Carlos Hill be uncomfortable and do things that he doesn't like to do, and the revs still have to try to create How would you defend Carlos Heel? How have team's been successful in defending Carlos Hill in the past.
You're sure you're not sharing this with the coaching.
Staff now, right, Like, hey, Ronnie.
Yeah, now listen that that's not a secret. He's one of the most fouled players since he's coming in the league in twenty nineteen.
Carlos Heel.
People have tried to stop him a little different, a lot of different ways, but the two main tactics that we've seen is one, you know, get somebody who's super mobile and hey, you know, shadow him in a way that you know they force he's going to receive the ball. The further from goal he receives it, and the less he's able to receive it in transition or when you know, the attacking team has numbers forward so he has fewer defensive players between him and.
And the goal, the less effective he can be.
He can still you know, surgically dissect an opposing team that has two banks of four between him and the goal. With a little through ball combination, a little dribble sucks in the you know defender, a little dink chip over the top, or he you know, opens things up with an inch perfect you know switch.
But you know, what you don't want is for.
Carlos to get the ball turned, pick up his head and run at you, because he'll he you know, even at thirty three, can slide by on the dribble quicker than you think. You never know when he's going to release the ball. He's inch perfect with his with his key passes and all that. So you know, then the other thing is to you know, I hate to say, kick lumps out of him, and teams will do that. But what has to then happen is that the referees set a tone early with a yellow card or you know,
call the fouls. Carlo sometimes gets frustrated. He doesn't get off his game when you frustrate him. He just gets more motivated, so that like the psychological component, like getting in his head doesn't work. But you know, he's not the most physically imposing player. And you know, we've seen other teams go right up against the edge of playing dirty, which I don't like on you they should respect. You know, he's an immaculate player and a great profession on the
credit to the league, but he's very competitive. It's pro ball, and I think that, you know, that's one of the reasons also why posters out there is to police that a little bit, and so you know, I hope it doesn't disintegrate into something like that where they're trying to
kick him into the third row. I know there's a good respect between Ronnie dla And and Caleb Porter, and we've seen the past Dallas teams have played it the right way against Carlos, trying, you know, everything within the laws of the game to limit him, and I think that's what's going to happen. But Carlos is you know, he's worth the trip to the stadium. He's he's great.
Yep.
He has caused issues for Atland United fans and Mercedes Bens in the past, so.
Yeah, and he knows Brad Guzan too, they played together at Villa.
Yeah, so that that is that is there with that as well. So then I ask you the defensive coordinator question to kind of go into this follow up. So if Carlos heel is not a out to create Who are some of those next level guys that may not necessarily get the Brad Feldman spot shadow and the show open that folks need to gravitate toward to be wary of. If you're an Atlanta United fan going up against New England, if Carlos Hill isn't, then whom.
Well that I've already alluded to it, you know, it's the wing play, certainly Luca Langoni, and I think Luca is gonna love it on the Mercedes Benz Stadium field because it's there's a lot of room out there, you know, Like I was saying on another show, people, you know NYCFC get very defensive. If you say that the Yankee Stadium field is more than two inches two feet narrower than standard, it looks like it's ten feet skinnier than
a normal MLS field. I've never pasteed off, I can't say, but it just psychologically feels that way, like it's cramped on the wings, and I think I think that when you go to the Lantet it feels like the reverse is true, that there's even more space out there on the flanks, and what the official field dimensions, which suggest that favors a Luca Langoni who is just you know,
lightning quick times. His runs really well, and like I said against against Red Bull two weeks ago, is really put in great crossing passes and so down that right flank he could be a danger on the other wing. The way the Revs plays, they really like to get that left full back forward and Peyton Miller and you know, sometimes his crossing is really good and sometimes at least something to be desired, but he gets it right enough of the time.
And then you know, gonna go.
Who's you know, he's an international player, like he's he just hasn't found the scoring touch. He'll on settle a defense and then I don't you know, going through you know the list, and then Eli Feineld he's both powerful
and technical and tuck inside but can overlap. He'll also drop a shoulder and go through you like he's another young player, and they just need to get somebody on the end of those you know, that service from all three or four of those players, and one of the guys who needs to get on the end of it and finish is gonna go.
Like I said, he's been hitting the goal.
You know, he's been getting to the right spots, he's been taking on defenders, getting taken down in the box for a penalty, and you know, it's like everything but to finish and it has to come good sooner or later. But those are the guys i'd really watch.
I had to when you mentioned Yankee Stadium, I had to go to the Peter Vermes quote, and so Peter Vermes measured it off when he was managing it Sporting and he said it's one of six by sixty eight.
Sixty eight.
Yeah, that's what Peter Vermes said at the time. So when you were mentioning the the U twelve pitches, we joke.
Yeah, yeah, sixty eight is about what I think. Like they say it's seventy, it's really sixty eight. It looks sixty five.
Yes, So at sixty eight we're rounding up because it's more than sixty seven and a half, we're rounding up to seventy.
Yeah, I'm with you. I think that's about right.
I know you've got other stuff to do, and I can't thank you enough for doing this. Go ahead and hit the promo for me for folks and how they can listen to you twenty four to seven, three sixty five, not just tomorrow afternoon.
Yeah, we're on ninety eighty five the Sports Up tomorrow at two thirty, the flagship station, number one Sports station, New England. And when we're not we're on HD two for all home games. You can tune into the home radio option with a couple clicks of the button on Apple TV Plus.
As always, my friend, great to see you. It's been entirely too long. You now have the keys to the castle. You want to come in and vent in the hour of chaos in this ten o'clock hour on Fridays, talk about your match. You can get out, you can, You got the keys. You're welcome anytime.
Good to see it, Thanks John, Good to see you all right.
That's Brad Feldman, play by play voice of the ReBs. He's got like nineteen different things he's doing today, and we like squeezed him in, squos, Squeeze squeezed squos. We jammed him in and he was incredibly generous and gracious with his time to give us the background and the breakdown of everything going on with the revs. So there's your REVS one oh one