Soccer Weekend: Revolution entertain LAFC at the start of a brutal month ahead

As the calendar has turned from July to August, we have entered the Dog Days of Summer. The days are usually a touch hotter — seriously, what happened this morning? — and it feels like there is no end of the broiling conditions in sight.

The same can be said, in one particular view, of the New England Revolution — albeit in reverse. For most of July, with one exception, The Boys In Blue played teams below them in the full Major League Soccer table: Houston Dynamo? 17th. Colorado Rapids? 23rd. Vancouver? 22nd. Cincinnati? 24th. And last Saturday’s opponent, Orlando City? 18th. A few months ago, the Revolution were down there, but are now mid-table, sitting 13th overall.

That being said, the easy part of New England’s schedule is kaput. Done and dusted. Now, the season really begins and the Revs can find out who they are when they enter the Dogs Days — the tough days — of their fixtures, starting with Saturday night’s home tilt against Los Angeles Football Club (7:30 p.m.).

Oh yeah, that’s the top-team-in-the-whole-damned-league Los Angeles Football Club. Yup, another Boston vs. Los Angeles tilt, one which should be absolute fire: the best team in the league versus arguably the hottest team in the league, one which carries an 11-game unbeaten streak — 7-0-4 — into it.

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And while we really shouldn’t look too far into the future, we can’t help ourselves: after this week New England will fly cross country to Seattle (3rd in the overall table), then fly back and make the short ride to Harrison to play the Red Bulls (10th) on August 17. And with the exception of a home date against Chicago (21st), the Revs will host Toronto (14th) on August 31, and then the trip to the Bronx and New York City FC (9th) on September 7.

In short, five out of the next six are extremely important football matches, as the Revs will play teams higher or comparable in the table — teams that would, if the playoffs started today, would be in their way of lifting MLS Cup for the first time in team history.

Again, we’re getting ahead of ourselves… let’s first focus on LAFC, the Black and Gold.

Los Angeles is a pressing team, one which will be in the Revs’ faces for a good portion of the night. If they lose the ball, they will work hard to get it back.

LA, like everyone else, will start from the back and work through the wings. Expect the center backs to look for either Carlos Vela or Diego Rossi as the first option, and then they’ll build from there.

Expect strong play from Mark-Anthony Kaye on the ball; he glides as if on ice. He will play deep, but is quick to get up, and don’t be too surprised if he has a go from distance.

Of course, LA is all about Vela, the Mexican international and former part-time Arsenal player who just loves to get the ball on his left. Can someone force Vela to put the ball on his right? Even that may not matter: he did score against LA Galaxy with his right. He leads the league with 22 goals.

The defense is organized — and don’t be surprised when Eduard Atuesta, Kaye, and Latif Blessing sink back from the midfield to supplement the defending — but if there’s one thing I want to bring to readers’ attention is that they do give shooting space. The Revolution will have to take advantage of this. Their team defending on the wings is strong, but they can have a tendency to be slow in defending volleys into the box.

And should Lee Nguyen make his expected return to the plastic pasture of Gillette Stadium, expect Rossi and Vela to switch sides. Nguyen has played more out on the right than we saw him do here, and he has been a crucial part of LA’s successes in July.

But if Colorado can beat them, bunkering in at-will, the Revs can do the same.

Elsewhere in the league this weekend

Lots to play for on Saturday, as Atlanta United FC will host LA Galaxy on FOX Saturday afternoon (5 p.m.), while the Red Bulls host Toronto FC in an Eastern Conference six-pointer. Orlando City hosts Dallas, FC Cincinnati hosts Vancouver, Colorado hosts Montreal (which is going on despite -- and I'm not kidding here -- plague in the prairie dog population in Commerce City), Houston hosts Chicago, Real Salt Lake — without coach Mike Petke, who is suspended for his Leagues Cup outburst — hosting NYCFC, and San Jose hosting Columbus.

On Sunday, Minnesota United hosts Portland (ESPN, 4 p.m.), DC United hosts Philadelphia in a top of the East six-pointer (7:30 p.m., FS1), and Seattle hosts Sporting Kansas City (10 p.m., FS1). Set your DVRs for that one; I certainly will.

One thing to keep in mind: there will be quick turnarounds for several teams, as the US Open Cup and Canadian Championship semifinals are at midweek. It will lead to the question of what types of lineups those teams — Atlanta, Toronto, Orlando, Minnesota, Portland, and Montreal — put out this weekend.

And with Minnesota hosting Portland in both the league AND the Open Cup three days apart … that’s a long time living out of a suitcase for the Timbers. Either Portland is going to love Minneapolis-St. Paul, or they’re going to hate it.

In the USL, Hartford played at Bethlehem Steel and came away with a 3-0 win on Thursday night. HAFC will be at Nashville on Wednesday.

In addition, Birmingham Legion will be at Ottawa — another team to wonder about their lineup, seeing as it plays Montreal in the Canadian Championship on Wednesday — Saturday night. In addition, North Carolina FC hosts the Indy Eleven, and Charlotte Independence hosts Louisville City.

One week — just one — until the Premier League season begins. I can’t wait.