July was a forgettable month for the New England Revolution as the team went 1-5-0 in league play while also being ousted from the US Open Cup. A contributing factor in the club’s poor run of form was conceding early in the game. The trend was reversed in the final match of the month as Lee Nguyen’s 10th minute goal helped propel the Revs to a 3-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids. The win would snap the Revolution’s eight-game losing streak.
The mastermind behind the victory over the Rapids was Lee Nguyen as he contributed two goals and one assist. The game serves as a microcosm for the season as the Revs have heavily relied on the play of Nguyen. The highly technical midfielder helps run the Revolution attacking while also providing smart, crucial tackles. It’s safe to say that as Nguyen goes, the Revs go.
July was a bad month for the Revolution, but Nguyen, as he always does, provided fans with some memorable moments.
Jake: There isn't another choice. The one constant all season has been Nguyen, the steady force in the Revs' midfield. He's a tireless worker and creator who finally, when his team needed to end an eight game losing streak, carried the burden on his shoulders and practically won that Colorado game single-handed. MLS decided not to send Nguyen to Portland to face Bayern Munich and they did so at their own peril. Nguyen is one of the league's best and the Revs would be completely lost in a season of ineffective attacking play and defensive breakdowns without him.
Casale: Despite being snubbed of an All Star spot, Nguyen has consistently shown just how talented and influential he is on the pitch - week in, week out. While the team may be set up in a 4-1-4-1 formation with the lone striker carrying much of the workload, it is Nguyen that may very well be the most valuable asset. His skill, passing ability, and endless motor is the leading force behind the Revolutions success, as sparse as it was in July.
Lee’s Line: 5 appearances, 3 goals, 1 assist, 450 minutes played, 9 points in the TBM PotM Voting
Honorable Mentions
Scott Caldwell, 6 points: Since replacing the injured Andy Dorman at holding midfield, Scotty has pretty much regained his 2013 rookie season form. He practically made Federico Higuain invisible in the attack when the Revs played the Columbus Crew and his passing accuracy rarely gets below 80%. He might not be a physically imposing #6 but he has the technical ability to succeed in that role. He's also been getting forward quite a bit and taking a few long range shots as well.
Charlie Davies, 2 points: Davies ended July well with an assist in the win against Colorado. Davies has shown he still has some speed to burn and some skill to go with it. He has been looking fitter by the match and is finding a good run of form. Remember, this all started in July.
Kelyn Rowe, 1 point: This season hasn't been kind to Rowe as the Washington native spent several months dealing with injury issues and his return to full health coincided with the end of the Revolution's winning streak. Rowe had some promising moments during the end of the July, including his first win as a starter. Furthermore, he finished the month with an assist and a goal.
The Player of the Month is compiled by members of The Bent Musket's staff. Each writer selects his top three Revolution players for the month, who are assigned point values - three points for the #1, two for the #2, and one for the #3. Then, points are totaled and the player who received the most points in the voting is named Player of the Month. Honorable mentions go to the next two players in the voting.