So .... we’re looking at it again. Call it the other elephant in the room. The thing that comes around pretty much every year for Robert Kraft’s soccer club – you can set your calendar by it – and is the thing that all Revolution supporters hope would just stay far away, hoping that this is the year that it doesn’t creep into the narrative and ruin everything.
That thing I’m talking about is – yup – the Revs’ annual summer swoon.
And I hate to say it, folks – but it’s here. It's back.
With two losses and a draw in the last fortnight, New England has unfortunately entered the doldrums period of its season. The last four matches have produced a whopping four points, and with road match after road match on tap (nine of the last 14 are on the trot), fans fear that the team will continue to drop points all because the calendar turned to July.
But our studies show that even changing the calendar to August doesn’t necessarily help, either.
We went as far back as 1999 – 19 years out of 23 is a good barometer, don't you think? – to see how the Revs have fared in the summer months, generally from late June through the end of August. Any year posted in BOLD type is a year where New England managed to turn things around. WARNING: This ain't pretty, and to shield sensitive eyes, this is where we're going to end the "free" portion of the story.
I mean it. Turn away now ... or as the old Flyer Comet at Whalom Park used to say, "Last Warning: Do NOT Stand Up."
Generally, the Revs play between nine and 12 matches during the summer (in 2008, we had them at eight matches). Some of the skids started in late June; others have occurred as June goes into July. When the fireworks shine over Boston Harbor is usually the time when New England's soccer club turns into a sparkler and fizzles out.
And away we go.
- 2018: Currently three matches without a win. D-L-L. Swoon began July 7.
- '17: Three wins in 10 matches. L-L-L-L-W-W-L-W-L-L. Swoon began June 17.
- '16: Five wins in 15 matches in both competitions. This was the US Open Cup run. The Revs were 2-8-2 in the league.
- '15: Five-straight losses in the league, June 21-July 11; was seven losses out of eight in both competitions including the US Open Cup loss to Charlotte, dating back to June 6. Would then win eight of nine.
- '14: Lost 10 out of 12 in both competitions. Acquired Jermaine Jones in the Secondary Transfer Window and turned things around. Won Eastern Conference, lost to LA Galaxy in MLS Cup.
- '13: Lost four of six. Finished third overall in the East.
- '12: 1-7-3
- '11: The worst year in the history of the club (five wins for the whole season). The Revs won one game during this summer.
- '10: Bookended three-match skids around a four-match unbeaten streak.
- '09: Only two losses, both to LA Galaxy, during the summer months. Finished third in the East. No swoon.
- '08: 3-2-3. Third in the East. No swoon.
- '07: No swoon this year as the Revs went 6-2-2 en route to an MLS Cup Finals appearance.
- '06: 3-3-4. All four draws were consecutive. Went to MLS Cup.
- '05: 3-4-2. First in the East. Went to MLS Cup.
- '04: 3-2-6. Fourth in East, conference finalist.
- '03: 2-5-4. Finished second in the East regular season, conference finalist.
- '02: 3-6-0. Won the East. First trip to the MLS Cup Final.
- '01: 3-3-3. Third in the East
- '00: 5-7-2, including six-match winless streak. Finished second in the East.
- '99: 2-10-0
- July 7: Revs 0, Seattle 0. Revs do not break a bunkered Sounders defense down.
- July 14: Galaxy 3, Revs 2. Still gutted by that one. Revs go down a man (Cristian Penilla straight red), out-play the Galaxy, see Luis Caicedo and Antonio Delamea cautioned (and will miss next match). Revs lose on two stoppage-time goals due to defensive breakdowns.
- July 18: Minnesota United 2, Revs 1. Revs cannot score from open play. Two defensive lapses lead to the Loons' two goals.