FRISCO, Texas -- The New England Revolution enter MLS Cup this Sunday with several motivations.
The first one is pretty obvious -- the pride of winning a league championship.
This also could be the final time together for this team as a couple of key players -- Clint Dempsey and Shalrie Joseph -- are thinking about taking a trip to play across the Atlantic.
The third? The ghosts of MLS Cups past, particularly 2002 and 2005 in a pair of MLS Cup losses to the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The Galaxy failed to reach the postseason, so the Revs don't have to concern themselves with their No. 1 playoff nemesis.
So, perhaps the third time will be the charm against Houston Dynamo at Pizza Hut Park.
If you're looking for a clue from the regular season as to which team might have the upper hand, you'll have to look elsewhere. Both games ended in 1-1 draws. The first encounter was in Foxboro, Mass. on May 27, the second match in Houston on July 22.
After securing a 2-1 win against FC Dallas here on Aug. 13, 2005, the Revs have gone scoreless in 231 minutes at the park in two losses -- the 1-0 defeat to the Galaxy last year and a 4-0 setback to Dallas on May 20.
The big question about the Revs is whether Dempsey will be healthy enough to play or start. Dempsey hasn't performed a minute since suffering a sprained right ankle in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series loss to the Chicago Fire.
The answer might not come until Sunday.
The Revs are far from a one-man team, as evidenced by their wins over the Fire and D.C. United in the conference playoffs. But when you get to a championship game, any team can use all the help it can get.
Dempsey, whose hometown, Nacogdoches, Texas, is some 150 miles away from the final, recently was voted Honda Player of the Year as the U.S. national team's best player. He is an impact player, which American soccer fans were reminded at the World Cup this summer.
Dempsey's availability could determine New England's lineup since he can play at forward alongside Taylor Twellman or as an attacking midfielder.
On a team that has lived and died with its offensive weapons the past several years, the Revs' strength this season has been their defense. They allowed a league-low 35 goals, thanks to the stellar goalkeeping of Matt Reis -- he likes to come off his line and challenge attackers -- and an underrated backline.
While no MLS all-star performers have emerged from the backline, the back three or four (depending whether a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 is deployed) has been solid and has gotten the job done.
Coach Steve Nicol is expected to use Trinidad & Tobago international Avery John and Jay Heaps -- they like to take some risks -- on the left and right flanks, respectively, and 2005 MLS Rookie of the Year Michael Parkhurst, who plays well beyond his 22 years, at central defense. Their top concern? Stopping forward Brian Ching.
An interesting fact from MLS statistics: No Revs defender has scored a goal this season.
If you have followed my three previous pieces about the Eastern Conference playoffs, you have heard yours truly wax poetic about Joseph, the best defensive midfielder in the league. What makes Joseph doubly dangerous is his ability to get into the middle of the attack.
He entered last year's Cup injured and less than 100 percent. He's healthy this time around and is expected to take on Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, an MLS MVP finalist. Their duel could very well go a long way in determining which side gets the upper edge.
After having problems with a 4-4-2 formation in the early going against United, Nicol switched to a 3-5-2. The key man was the versatile James Riley, who started the game at right back, but wound up at central midfield to close off D.C.'s passing lanes.
The underrated and versatile Andy Dorman (six goals, 10 assists) is the offensive force in the midfield. He is expected to start alongside Jeff Larentowicz, captain Joey Franchino, a converted defender, Riley and Joseph.
That could leave a pair of veterans on the bench who have been fighting injuries. The availability of veteran defensive midfielder Daniel Hernandez is uncertain after sustaining a heel injury against United.
If midfielder Steve Ralston is ready to play -- he missed the United match with a calf bruise -- he will give the Revs a superb crosser to set-up Twellman on one of his patented headers.
Twellman, who has failed to score in two previous MLS Cups, has found his rhythm in the past two playoff games. He connected for a goal in regulation and added the game-winning penalty in the penalty shootout win against the Chicago Fire in the conference semifinals. He tallied the lone goal in the 1-0 victory against D.C. United in the conference final.
When he is at the top of his game, Twellman is difficult to contain. His success or failure on solving goalkeeper Pat Onstad could lean on whether his teammates can get him the ball in dangerous places in the penalty area.
Noonan, who has battled injuries this season, most recently a sports hernia, probably will partner with Twellman. He set up Sunday's goal and played the full 90 minutes.
Of course, Nicol always can turn to a deep, talented and reliable bench. Against United, Nicol used only two substitutes. Besides some of the aforementioned players, Nicol's options include Bermudan forward Khano Smith, Mexican forward Jose Manuel Abundis, Uruguayan midfielder Jose Cancela, who suffered 67 fouls in only 1,387 minutes over 21 games (an average one foul per 27 minutes).
So, with all that said, can the Revs finally win? Well, history could be on New England's side. No team has gone three MLS Cups without eventually taking a victory lap with the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy.
If enough players are healthy and team plays up to its potential, the Revs certainly can put the ghosts of MLS Cups past behind them.
Michael Lewis has covered every MLS Cup Final and is editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He can be reached at SoccerWriter516@aol.com. Views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
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