Three Questions: New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution

To get the New England Revolution perspective on Friday's match, we traded a few questions with the fine folks at The Bent Musket. You can find our answers to their questions about the New York Red Bulls here.

Once A Metro: The Revolution are winless in six away games so far this season. What do you think accounts for this, and how can New England turn it around?

The Bent Musket: The Revs away form is merely a symptom of their overall lack of form, and that can be attributed to misfires in the attacking third. They've gotten much better at getting ahold of the ball and making smart passes between defense and midfield, but when it comes to generating attacking moves they don't have a clue how to proceed. Turnovers, fouls, bad passes and offside calls are crushing them, and that is made all the more evident by the fact that they haven't scored from open play since April 23rd. If they can't play that final pass or set up those decent chances, they'll never win anywhere, much less on the road.

OAM: There was plenty of fanfare over the Revs signing Benny Feilhaber. How do you think he's performed so far, and has he been a worthwhile acquisition?

TBM: Benny has performed admirably in the shirt so far, setting up a goal in his first appearance and helping the midfield look much more assured in possession. On that level, he's been a worthwhile acquisition and I think he was always going to be. Unfortunately, it looks like severe frustration is beginning to set in as he watches his passes get knocked away by his teammates' poor first touches and he is increasingly forced to try and do things by himself. Hopefully, once he returns from injury the team will be back in sync and he can become the playmaker Revs fans have been looking for.

OAM: After scoring just two goals in their last seven games, New England's attack looks pretty impotent. Will Steve Nicol make any changes in personnel or tactics, and how can the Revs take advantage of New York's defensive fragility?

TBM: I don't see Nicol making too many changes. He seems committed to forcing the 4-3-3 to work even though it's becoming more and more apparent that it cannot with the personnel the Revs have, and until New England can work smoothly and create chances they won't be taking advantage of anybody's defensive fragility. The only way I see them being successful is if they start getting Rajko Lekic the ball in dangerous spots while he is facing goal; he hasn't played well with his back to goal this season and I think it's high time the Revs started using his talents the right way so he can get his confidence back.

Projected XI (4-3-3/4-5-1): Reis; Alston, Soares, Cochrane, Domi; Dabo, McCarthy, Joseph; Boggs (provided he recovers), Lekic, Tierney