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The New England Revolution will run out an interesting and perhaps risky lineup against the Houston Dynamo tonight. With Kelyn Rowe out due to injury, Jay Heaps has reshuffled the deck in midfield, and re-affirmed his decision to bench Jerry Bengtson last weekend by handing Dimitry Imbongo his second straight start up top.
Chris Tierney has inexplicably been benched in favor of Darrius Barnes, a move that should surprise everybody. It's difficult to ascertain what Heaps hopes to gain from the move, as although Barnes is a little faster and a better defender, he's nowhere near as good at putting the ball in the box.
Juan Toja also returns to the lineup after a lengthy absence, presumably as a like-for-like swap for Rowe. In order for this lineup to click, Toja is going to need to remain positionally sound. His tendency to roam has had an adverse effect on the team's on-pitch chemistry in the past.
Lineups
Revolution: Bobby Shuttleworth; Darrius Barnes, Jose Goncalves, Stephen McCarthy, Andrew Farrell; Ryan Guy, Lee Nguyen, Clyde Simms, Juan Toja, Diego Fagundez; Dimitry Imbongo
Bench: Reis, Caldwell, Tierney, Agudelo, Dorman, Bengtson, Sene
Dynamo: Hall; Sarkodie, Boswell, Taylor, Ashe; Driver, Clark, Garcia, Davis; Bruin, Barnes
Bench: Marscheider, Brunner, Moffat, Camargo, Creavalle, Johnson, Ching