OaM Player Ratings: New England 3.0

CARLOS CORONEL - 7.2

Juan Mesa: Ironically one of his best games. No mistakes on the goals, and was main reason why New England was stuck behind in the score for most of the game.

JOHN TOLKIN - 5.1

Mike Battista: First half he really was part of a wall in the back and it felt like New England players were just running into him and Edwards. But either he didn’t adjust or the Revs picked him out because later on he couldn’t stop anything.

Ross Haley: He’s a highly intelligent player in the middle and final thirds, always knowing where to be and making the right pass. Tactical and physical development are still required for his growth as a defender, which is understandable considering his past as a holding midfielder.

AMRO TAREK - 5.7

Ben Cork: Was honestly fantastic in the first half, possibly the best soccer I’ve seen him play for this club. Hard to hold him too responsible for any of the second half mishaps either.

TOM EDWARDS - 5.0

Brit Byrd: Guess I have to start actually rating him as a central defender, as weird as that may seem. Hopefully we sign a healthy player with traditional center back skills soon.

Mike Battista: Nearly made it the whole game but not getting enough height to stop Bye’s goal is a harsh reminder. He shouldn’t be in that center back position and the fact he’s doing as well as he is with being a square in a round hole goes to show his talent. That mess up and a lacking final 45 undid what was a great first half.

Ross Haley: I’m not a fan of his set piece mambo with Tolkin. You’re not fooling anybody.

KYLE DUNCAN - 5.1

Brit Byrd: A typically difficult performance to rate. Has generally improved in possession, but once again we concede a goal off a low cross from his side of the field.

Ross Haley: Beaten on the first goal and struggled to wield his influence in the final third.

Mike Battista: 4/10 (play-wise), 3/10 (hair-wise)

SEAN DAVIS - 5.0

Juan Mesa: He hustles and makes big plays, but in this game he tried to do too many things. He must address how Gil and Bou had so much space on New England’s first and third goals.

Brit Byrd: Was once again solid in the deep midfield role for most of the match, but especially as captain, he shares much of the responsibility for the team’s implosion and the deciding goal in particular.

CRISTIAN CASSERES - 5.0

Ross Haley: Appeared to be playing slightly deeper than normal at times, taking on the dip-back distribution role in possession.

Ben Cork: Remains the case that when he isn’t threatening goal there isn’t a whole lot there when he gets on the ball. Still can’t really carry it, which was a problem against a standoffish New England defense.

CADEN CLARK - 6.3

Ross Haley: He started hot but began to fade, which is understandable considering recent medical issues. His shoot-first mentality likely pleases management, and, while some may find fault with sometimes selfish actions, it’s often the best choice.

Mike Battista: An assist and many shots over the crossbar. Not a bad offensive outing for someone coming back into the fold. His passing, especially in the first half, was playing circles around New England.

WIKI CARMONA - 7.3

Brit Byrd: Well taken goal and encouraging growth from the youngster, but still seems he’s a supporting player in a part of the field where the team probably needs a talisman.

FABIO - 7.3

Juan Mesa: A goal and the usual bite. Worked hard on supporting the defense, particularly on the set pieces.

PATRYK KLIMALA - 5.0

Ben Cork: Was always going to take a while for his on-the-shoulder striking style to find a rhythm with the rest of the team - but meanwhile it’s increasingly troubling how little he can contribute in build-up play.

Ross Haley: In another mostly anonymous performance, his frustration is becoming visible. Teammates aren’t finding him with the ball, and it could be argued that the Red Bulls briefly became better after his substitution.

SUBSTITUTES

TOM BARLOW - 6.3

Juan Mesa: He is a punching bag for fans, but he actually had good minutes on both sides of the ball.

Ross Haley: Choosing to criticize Barlow for this performance is sticking to the narrative and not putting in the effort to make deeper observations, an understandable behavior after a result that is best forgotten. However, the striker was actually fairly decent when entering the match, popping up in a variety of areas to cycle possession and cause problems for the opponent. The fair critique would be that he shied away from the box at times, not serving as a necessary target for his teammates. On the other hand, his 65th minute collection of a perfect Sean Davis steal-and-long-ball and well-placed cross are a textbook example of his role - if only Fábio had been more clinical.

Brit Byrd: A really well-drilled performance both when operating as a forward and when dropping back to the tip of the midfield. It came across like Barlow had been working on a specific role and situation and was well-studied for this appearance - if only we could see such a transformation further down the field.

DRU YEARWOOD - 5.7

Ben Cork: Had good moments as always including the hockey assist for Fabio, but still not enough of a presence against the ball - which Gerhard Struber loudly noticed from the touchline.

Brit Byrd: Every week I am less sure how to read Yearwood. Much of his talent is apparent on the field such as the strong vertical play that once again led to a goal, yet Gerhard Struber seems to want something different from him and this seems to be bleeding into his game as moments of indecision.

FLORIAN VALOT - 4.7

Juan Mesa: Not the best comeback, but who knows what were the instructions given to him.

MANAGER - GERHARD STRUBER - 4.8

Juan Mesa: Set up the team for a strong start but let things fade quickly. It’s clear he is working with only 16 players and feels the limitations. It’s been a while since he tried to change formation or tactics during the game, which was a feature early in the season.

Brit Byrd: While I empathize to a degree with Gerhard Struber’s desire to build a comprehensive system with specific needs, he would do well to look to his counterpart Bruce Arena as a model of a manager who is successfully combining a handful of skilled, quality players with a stable of replacement-level MLS players into a coherent and confident system.

Mike Battista: A better performance but somehow even more painful. Struber used subs well and the formation was enough for 45-60 minutes. However, he’s missing valuable pieces that would have earned the team points in this contest. It’s not totally his fault, but if the squad you have isn’t enough why are you still only using three subs? This isn’t 2019, we have five, get more fresh legs out there especially late in the game.

What were your ratings for the New York Red Bulls over the weekend? Sound off in the comments below…