Revolution at Chicago Fire, 3.9.13: Andrew Farrell’s MLS Debut

 

If New England’s 2013 season-opening win is any indication, Revolution fans had better enjoy rooting for rookie defender Andrew Farrell while they can. He was the first overall pick in the 2013 MLS draft, and in his first professional game he showed himself to be big, fast, skilled, and composed. After watching him for a mere ninety minutes, I’d be surprised if he’s not playing club soccer in Europe in a few years’ time.

At halftime of Farrell’s MLS debut, former New England defender and current New England head coach Jay Heaps—normally poker-faced or even sullen in front of a microphone—could not contain his enthusiasm. When a sideline reporter asked him to assess Farrell’s first-half performance, Heaps said, nodding and grinning, “I think Andrew’s looking good. He’s quick, he’s good to the ball. You can see what kind of player he is. He’s very smart.”

Heaps made these remarks even in the face of a number of mistakes committed by his rookie right back over the first 45 minutes. It is a truth universally acknowledged that as you move up through the ranks of soccer—from kindergarten leagues all the way to the pros—the pace of the game increases at each stage and players are allowed less and less time on the ball. After watching Farrell play against Chicago, you got the sense that he probably had all the time he cared to use at the college level, and maybe could have played there effectively with a newspaper in one hand a full coffee cup in the other. Against the Fire, he consistently and unhesitatingly chose to attack opponents rather than simply clear or cross the ball. And in each instance, he did in fact initially beat his man. But in a couple of cases he was dispossessed after dwelling too long on the ball or making a dubious pass.

In the 31^st minute the Revs were nearly punished for one of his mistakes. Chicago played the ball to the Revolution’s right corner flag and Farrell tracked it down. With a striker in close pursuit, Farrell calmly cut the ball back towards his own goal and left his opponent flat-footed in his wake. Then, however, Farrell passed towards the middle of his own crowded back third. Chicago’s Chris Rolfe intercepted the incautious ball and laid it off to Dilly Duka, who slammed a shot from about 25 yards out that was saved dramatically by Matt Reis. About seven minutes later, Chicago played another ball to the flag, creating an almost identical situation. Farrell used a couple of skillful juggling touches to settle the ball, and then he beat his man. Again, though, he turned the ball into the middle of the field. This time, Rolfe picked Farrell’s pocket off the dribble and side-footed a pass to the Fire’s recently acquired midfielder Joel Lindpere, who got off a decent shot.

These kinds of mistakes are of course common for rookies getting used to the pace of a new league. But Farrell’s composure and comfort on the ball suggest it will take him a lot less time than most to adjust. Simply put, his talent is so electrifying and obvious his mistakes are easily overlooked.

And the man can get forward. In the 56^th minute, he was involved in some brilliant combination play that might have led to a goal. Second-year Revs’ midfielder Lee Nguyen played a pass back to Farrell, who used a couple of deft touches to blow by Duka. Once again, Farrell held the ball a shade too long and was dispossessed. However, he recovered, put himself into a good position, and regained possession. In heavy traffic, he took a touch and wisely played a quick pass to veteran Juan Toja, who worked rapid-fire back to back give-and-goes, first with Nguyen, then with left back Kevin Alston. As Toja received the final pass at the six, NBC announcer Arlo White excitedly and rightly proclaimed the sequence to be “great football!” It surely would have ended in a goal were it not for the flawlessly timed slide tackle of Chicago’s Austin Berry. Later in the game, the Revs’ midfield proved this bit of combination play no fluke when they scored the game’s only goal. It was an impressive sequence punctuated by an effortless chip to the back post by Kelyn Rowe and a Jerry Bengtson header.

Bengtson was named man of the match by NBC, and he had plenty of competition from teammates Rowe, Toja, Nguyen, and center back A.J. Soares, all of whom played excellent games. But the subject of this post should make it clear that, for me, Andrew Farrell was the game’s most compelling player. All the others guys I mentioned were known quantities, not him. Revolution management thought enough of him to trade up in the draft—he’s the first number one overall pick in franchise history—and in the first game at least he came through. It seems to me he’s a player to get excited about, someone a knowledgable soccer fan will go out of his or her way to watch, and maybe a player to make Revolution soccer relevant again in MLS.