Philadelphia Union (9-7-7, 34 points)

MacMath

Williams-Okugo-Parke-Fabinho

Carroll

Le Toux-Daniel-Cruz

McInerney-Casey

Bench: Konopka, Farfan, Kleberson, Lahoud, Kassel, Wheeler, Hoppenot. 

D.C. United (3-15-4, 13 points)

Hamid

Korb-White-Shanosky-Riley

Porter-Kitchen-Jeffrey-Kemp

Martin-Doyle

Bench: Willis, Woolard, Jakovic, Seaton, Thorrington, De Rosario. 

- Let’s not beat around the bush: This isn’t a D.C. first-team side. Dwayne De Rosario is hobbled and on the bench. Luis Silva is apparently still suffering from concussion symptoms thanks to former Union defender Bakary Soumare in the U.S. Open cup semifinal midweek. Also absent is Nick DeLeon and Chris Pontius. Conor Doyle and Jared Jeffrey have played two MLS games, as has Conor Shanosky. Collin Martin has played one. James Riley (age 30) is the only player over the age of 25 in this side, making it D.C.’s youngest in history. Heck, they couldn’t even fill out a full substitutes’ bench of seven. This is a team that the Union must beat today.

- Now for the how. No slight on Doyle, but if the Union can’t keep a clean sheet against this team, that’s a problem. D.C.'s first teamers have scored 13 times in 22 matches, and these are the guys who don't usually make the cut. If the Union somehow fail to beat this team, you might as well call off the hunt for the playoffs.

- Might be something to watch: This will be Bill Hamid’s first start in the league since June 29. He missed five games as part of the U.S. team at the CONCACAF Golf Cup, then has been benched as Joe Willis has been hot of late.

- No surprises for the Union, really. Ray Gaddis misses his first game of the season with an ankle injury. In his place will be Fabinho, as was expected. The other change from last week sees Michael Farfan head to the bench for Keon Daniel, back from his one-game suspension. Still no Kleberson, though.

- Sebastien Le Toux has five goals and two assists in his career against D.C. United. Those numbers look good to improve tonight.

I’ll have a follow tomorrow and some columns next week where I’d like to explore a couple of things in more detail, but here’s three quick points that I see to be abundantly clear after the Union’s 3-1 loss to D.C. United.

1. Don Anding is an MLS player. Anding’s introduction in the second half breathed life into an otherwise dead Union team. He’s got the pace to play at this level and is a surprisingly physical specimen. He got the assist on Jack McInerney’s goal and had another dangerous cross that Sebastien Le Toux probably should’ve put in the back of the net, which could’ve tied the game and led to a very different result. John Hackworth’s system is meant to accommodate wingers, and Anding looks to fit the bill. That brings me to my next point …

2. A Danny Cruz-less half is not a good half for the Union. Formationally, the biggest change between the domination of Columbus and the limping against D.C. was Cruz, who missed with a shin contusion. With Michael Farfan in his place on the left trying to tuck in centrally and do whatever it is he’s been doing lately, the Union missed the attacking cattle prod that is Cruz’s game, not to mention the space among the defenders it opens for the likes of Conor Casey and McInerney (the former of whom did little). Anding appears to be cut from that same mold, which should make the likes of Keon Daniel and Farfan think twice about their job security, especially with the attacking contributions of Ray Gaddis and Sheanon Williams minimized this season. But more on that later.

3. A defense at sixes and sevens. What a horror show from the Union defense. Hackworth was accurate when he said they gifted Dwayne De Rosario two of his goals. Jeff Parke appeared to pick up a bit of a knock around the 70th minute, and was slow to cover DeRo on the second goal before the giveaway that led to the third. Amobi Okugo, who admitted not even realizing the third goal had developed until it was in the back of the net, was culpable on goal two. Against Columbus, you saw Dr. Jekyll; tonight was Mr. Hyde.

D.C. United (4-4-1-1)
Hamid
Korb-McDonald-Jakovic-Woolard
Saragosa-Porter-Kitchen-Pontius
DeRosario
Pajoy
Bench: Willis, Russell, Riley, Augusto, Ruiz, Rafael, Townsend

Union (4-1-3-2)
MacMath
Gaddis-Parke-Okugo-Williams
Carroll
Daniel-MFarfan-Cruz
McInerney-Casey
Bench: Konopka, Lahoud, Torres, Kleberson, Hoppenot, Le Toux, G. Farfan

What to look for:

- I really thought this would be a chance for Kleberson to get on the pitch next to Brian Carroll. But the only change from last week is seeing Sebastien Le Toux relegated to the bench with the 4-3-3 formation in favor of Michael Farfan and four midfielders. The onus is on that midfield to be much stronger.

- We’ll see who plays centrally and who plays the wing in that diamond midfield formation for the Union. I tend to think Farfan slots in behind the striking pair and Keon Daniel plays more outside (especially given his stronger long-ball distributions of late), but there should be plenty of interchanging either way. The central operator will have to contend with Perry Kitchen, a challenge in itself.

- Little different look from D.C. They shuffle the midfield and opt to have Dwayne De Rosario tuck in as a second striker off the shoulder of Lio Pajoy. That leaves out-and-out strikers Carlos Ruiz and Rafael relegated to the bench.

- Same back four for the Union. No defensive subs. Consider that to be the case in each of these pregame blogs until I say otherwise.

- We’ll see how the right side of the Union’s formation copes with Chris Pontius – assuming that’s where he does most of his work. That’s a big onus on Sheanon Williams and Danny Cruz.