Revolution 3-1 NYCFC: Player Ratings & Man of the Match

After stumbling through a pair of October performances, the Revolution showed up in a big way against NYCFC. Goals from Lee Nguyen, Charlie Davies and Kelyn Rowe led the way for the visitors, who used the victory to claim the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference—and a knockout-round playoff match against D.C. United. Who deserves Man of the match honors following the win? Tell us below.

Rating Scale: 1.0 Goat → 10.0 Golden Boy

Starters

Bobby Shuttleworth - 8 (October Average: 6.5)

Bobby will return to the playoffs on the heels of a strong performance. He looked sharp throughout, making a handful of strong saves—including a key denial of Chris Wingert on a far-post header. What more can you ask of your keeper in a must-win game?

London Woodberry - 6.5 (October Average: 6.5)

While replacing Jeremy Hall for the second consecutive match, Woodberry turned in a strong defensive shift. He led all defenders in tackles (5) and interceptions (3) despite playing just 45 minutes of soccer. The Revs desperately need his depth heading into the playoffs; let's hope his ankle injury heals quickly.

Andrew Farrell - 6.5 (October Average: 5)

No complaints for Farrell, who played a clean, quiet match against NYCFC. Stood strong when he needed to stand strong and sent a handful of key clearances down field. Deserves a shout for TBM player of the year.

Jose Goncalves - 7 (October Average: 6.25)

Much like Farrell, JoGo looked strong and steady against David Villa and the NYCFC attack. Of course, he earns a bonus point for an outrageous assist—a bounding clearance out of the back that set up Charlie Davies' first-half finish. Solid match for the Portuguese defender.

Chris Tierney - 8.5 (October Average: 7)

Oh, the service. Tierney's gorgeous corner kick set up Kelyn Rowe's goal—a ranging header—and his movement up the flank wrought havoc for the NYCFC attack. In the end, Tierney finished with 4 key passes, 4 tackles and 4 clearances. An exceptional two-way match for the reliable left back.

Scott Caldwell - 7.5 (October Average: 6.25)

Caldwell led all Revs starters in passing percentage (85.4) and consistently stalled the NYCFC attack with heady play out of the middle of the park, collecting a game-high 6 tackles. Sound familiar? Caldwell has turned in a sensational campaign for the Revolution—and undoubtedly deserves 2015 Team MVP honors.

Jermaine Jones - 6 (October Average: 5.5)

Was his performance exciting? Nope. Was he effective? Absolutely. In the words of our own Jake Catanese, "Boring Jermaine Jones might be the best JJ for the Revs right now." On Sunday, his defensive effort carried the way, as he partnered with Caldwell to effectively clog up the middle of the field (3 interceptions). Now, if he can just tighten up his passing...

Kelyn Rowe - 7.5 (October Average: 6.75)

Officially listed at 5-foot-8, Rowe plays much larger than his frame—as evidenced by his rising, second-half header. But his physical play has helped his defense more than anything. On Sunday, Rowe tracked back to collect 3 tackles and 3 interceptions, completing a strong two-way outing. Looks like he's locked up a starting spot the rest of the way.

Lee Nguyen - 7.5 (October Average: 7)

Nguyen finally got back onto the scoring sheet with a clever touch and brilliant finish past Josh Saunders. He proceeded to quarterback the attack for the remainder of his 74-minute shift, looking strong over the ball while turning in a tidy passing performance. Another memorable outing.

Teal Bunbury - 6 (October Average: 4.75)

Though not a difference maker, Bunbury turned in a respectable, 90-minute performance against NYCFC. He created a pair of goal-scoring opportunities and, on the defensive side of the ball, made a menace of himself, collecting 3 tackles and 3 clearances. His performance forces Jay Heaps into a tough lineup decision ahead of Wednesday's match.

Charlie Davies - 8.5 (October Average: 8.5)

For a moment, it looked like Juan Agudelo had wrapped up the number 9 spot. But on Sunday, Charlie quieted all doubt. His brilliant hold-up play set up Nguyen's second-minute tally, and his ability to body-up his defender—and finish a shot from an odd angle—gave the Revs a two-goal lead at the break. Look for Charlie's name in the Starting XI on Wednesday.

Subs

Kevin Alston - 6 (October Average: 5)

If the Revs want to go deep, they will need consistent play from the right back spot. Alston, relieving Woodberry after he suffered an ankle injury, answered the call. He picked good spots, looked confident moving forward and continually frustrated Tommy McNamara down the stretch. Like Bunbury, he just may have played his way into Wednesday's 11.

Daigo Kobayashi - 4.5 (October Average: 4)

Daigo has started to prove his worth as a late-game sub: he defends well, makes smart passes moving forward and minimizes foolish mistakes. On Sunday, he nearly closed out another solid substitute appearance—if not for an unfortunate handball in the box. The call didn't make it a difference in the end, though it did spoil a hard-fought clean sheet for the Revolution defense.

Diego Fagundez - 4 (October Average: 5)

Diego didn't offer much in an abbreviated substitute appearance. He ran around with purpose, but ultimately took just 7 touches in a match the Revs were sure to win. The good news? He will be rested ahead of Wednesday's playoff match, whether he starts or sits.

Follow @TheBentMusket