Steve Nicol called New England’s performance last Saturday their most complete since the season-opener against Houston. I couldn’t agree more. The team played like the Revs of (relatively) old, relying more on good passing and possession than makeshift lineups, a little goal poaching, and some more luck. Players of note include Mauricio Castro, who irrefutably played his best game of the season, Steve Ralston, who continues to impress with his guile and grit, and Michael Parkhurst with his game-saving block at the goal line.

This week, the Revs travel to LA for an Independence Day match-up against the Galaxy. David Beckham and crew (my apologies Galaxy fans) are coming off a less heartening game, having lost 4-1 to D.C. United on Sunday.

Friday marks not only the teams’ first meeting of the season, but also the first time New England encounters Beckham on the pitch. The Revolution has not yet experienced the Beckham-Landon Donovan linkup that has proved to be so dangerous this season. And Edson Buddle has landed his share in the back of the net up to now. But the Revs have a monster midfield and backline in place, and will work hard to limit the Galaxy’s attacking options. New England also cannot afford to give Beckham space. We all know that guy can put a ball anywhere at any time and too many teams have let him do just that.

The Revolution is just 3-10-3 all time at LA, but I don’t think that record matters much. The Galaxy scores goals, but they also allow goals. If New England can hold down the fort in the defensive third, they have four effective strikers (plus leading scorer Ralston) who can get the job done in whatever order they appear. I’m reluctant to make a numerical prediction for this game. It has the potential to be a high scoring one, but there are a lot of variables that could put either team on top. … Happy Fourth of July. 2-2.

After posting a convincing shut-out against Houston for the second time this season, the Revolution move on to face yet another significant rival- the New York Red Bulls. New York fell to D.C. 4-1 during their last match and look to make their way up the conference table during a two-game Week 13.

The “I-95 rivals” last met mid-April, resulting in a 1-1 draw. New York’s Jozy Altidore found the back of the net first in the 30th minute. Amaechi Igwe’s defense proved ineffective as Altidore made his run up the right side of the field, and Jeff Larentowicz was no match for the pace of the star striker. The second half began dramatically as New England’s playmaker Mauricio Castro was ejected in the opening minute. After being fouled by Kevin Goldthwaite, Castro kicked out at the player, leaving the Revs with 10 men on the field.

Despite the number disadvantage, New England leveled the score in the 54th minute on a set piece. Adam Cristman went down at the top of the box, warranting a somewhat controversial free kick. Eight men stood between the goal and Larentowicz, who is typically known for his power shots. However, Jay Heaps did well to jump out of the wall, a New York player following suit, while Shalrie Joseph wrecked general havoc among the other seven, allowing for a well placed shot to tie it up. The words Juan Carlos Osorio must have had for his team…

A few notes:
- Both Steve Ralston (captain/playmaker) and his goal-scoring counterpart Taylor Twellman missed this match due to injuries. (I feel like this makes my game notes frequently.) While our beloved Rallie has recovered and reclaimed his place in the midfield, the notorious Red Bull Killer isn’t slated to make his return until the end of this month or the beginning of the next.
- The switch from a 3-5-2 to a 4-man backline to maintain the tie was an intelligent strategic move. BUT, this gives New England little excuse for allowing the kind of pressure New York brought in the final minutes of the match.
- The Red Bulls really took Kenny Mansally out of the play last time around. In fact, it was easy to forget he was even on the field. The Revs’ forwards are really going to have work to get free Wednesday night to score in the run of play.

From a New England standpoint, conditions are certainly in their favor. The home record against New York is 17-4-4. Jozy Altidore is out of the picture, and Juan Pablo Angel and Claudio Reyna are both injured. And while Kenny Mansally and Khano Smith are still gone for national team duty, Shalrie Joseph has made a surprise last-minute return. Given the circumstances, it has been speculated that John Wolyniec will be a lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation for the Red Bulls. Matched up against the Revs’ 3-5-2, that makes for a crowded midfield.

I’m predicting another New England victory. Blind faith in the team aside, Joseph is back and Matt Reis is a monster between the pipes. And New York is going to have trouble getting out of their own way with their recent record and player losses. 2-0 Revolution