Before Roland Alberg, center, and company do too much celebrating,
a big summer win like Sunday's over New England has rarely been apropos
of anything for the Union. (For Digital First Media/Mike Reeves)

The Union are coming off arguably their best performance of the season, a 3-0 drubbing of New England at home Sunday. It was comfortable, it was steady on both ends, with a rock-solid defense and crucial bouts of finishing in the attacking third.

It’s also a harbinger of things to come, right? Not so fast.

Sunday represented what has become a yearly tradition – a June/July hammering of an opponent at home that raises the Union’s hopes of a mid-summer renaissance. Often, that result hasn’t elevated the Union much higher than the three points gleaned on the day. Let’s go year-by-year:

- In 2016, the Union pounded D.C. United, 3-0, on July 9 thanks to – as it was known until just a few weeks ago – Ilsinho’s only two goals. One of those tallies, along with a Roland Alberg marker, came from the penalty spot on a day where the D.C. was reduced to 10 men thanks to a Kofi Opare red. The result came on the heels of two straight losses and was offered as proof that an early-season surge wasn’t regressing to the mean. What followed was just three wins in three months as part of a 3-8-4 finish and a first-round playoff ouster.

- The 2015 Union were a thoroughly forgettable bunch. But out of the Gold Cup break that year on July 11, they thumped Portland, 3-0, when coach Caleb Porter packed only a pair of reserve outside backs for the trip – the legendary duo of Taylor Peay and Jeanderson, both in MLS debuts to forget. That was the alchemy that produced Andrew Wenger’s first (and only) goal of the season in his 20th (and somehow not final) appearance. Vincent Nogueira also scored twice in Brian Sylvestre’s fifth and final shutout with the club. And the momentum translated to … Three straight losses and a five-match winless streak.

Though @DaveZeitlin isn't here, if there was ever a night for Andrew Wenger to be due, it would be vs fullbacks making their first MLS start

— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) July 11, 2015

- OK, it wasn’t a shutout. But the Union’s 3-1 win over the Red Bulls July 16, 2014 fostered hope that the Jim Curtin new-coach bump might be sustainable. Conor Casey chose wisely in drinking from the right grail to cap a streak of six goals in six games, while Fred (!!!) also checked in with his first and only goal of his 14th of 16 stints with the Union (and counting?). This result actually translated to consistent form for a while – followed by two road draws, the Union went on a five-match unbeaten streak and lost once in an 11-game streak (5-1-5). But the exhaustion of the U.S. Open Cup final run eventually took its toll.
Read more »

Roland Alberg bagged his sixth MLS goal of the season Saturday
against D.C. United. (Courtesy of Philadelphia Union/Sideline Photos)

Lost in the onslaught of goals in the Union’s 3-0 win over D.C. United Saturday night, Roland Alberg earned a double dose of club history.

The Dutchman converted a 20th-minute penalty kick to open the scoring, his sixth goal of the season in MLS and eighth in all competitions, including the U.S. Open Cup. Alberg is tied for the team lead with Chris Pontius for most goals in MLS and total this season.

In the longer view, Alberg’s goal earned two other distinctions: He is tied for the most goals scored in a single season by a Union midfielder and the most goals scored in a single season by a Union foreign signing.

Alberg is level with Gabriel Gomez for both honors. Gomez scored six goals in the ill-fated 2012 season, the Panamanian setting the standard for Union midfielders. Vincent Nogueira scored five goals from midfield last season, as did Freddy Adu in 2012. Both are in Alberg’s rearview mirror.

Gomez owns the slight edge in style points, since only one of his goals came from the penalty spot, as opposed to three of Alberg’s. Alberg also forced the own goal by Chicago a few weeks back, so it’s really 6.5, like an away-goals tiebreaker kind of thing.

As far as foreign signings go, Alberg and Gomez are even again. The Union’s most productive seasons in terms of goals scored have been monopolized by American forwards, draftees and acquisitions from other MLS clubs, as is the case of former Seattle Sounder Sebastien Le Toux, who owns three of the top four and four of the top seven scoring seasons in Union history. Others that Alberg is chasing include Conor Casey (twice), Jack McInerney (twice), CJ Sapong, Danny Mwanga and Andrew Wenger.Read more »

Copa America Centenario, that thing that MLS writers have been filling your Twitter timeline with lately, is coming to Philadelphia starting this week. Three matches will be held at Lincoln Financial Field over the next week. Uruguay takes on Venezuela this Thursday. Trophy holders Chile take on CONCACAF foe Panama June 14. And sandwiched in between is the marquee date, USA vs. Paraguay, Saturday night.

The Stars and Stripes coming to Philly needs little extra billing, even if it’s just to give Jurgen Klinsmann an old-fashioned Philadelphia welcome. You’ll recall that Team USA was here last summer, playing in the wrong game at the conclusion of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, a dismal loss to Panama in the third-place game at PPL Park.

This tournament has been billed, by Philly-area spokesman Kobe Bryant and others, as the biggest tournament the U.S. has hosted since the 1994 World Cup. So why should you care about what’s happening in Philly? Here are five stars to keep an eye out for at the Linc.

Philadelphia-area fans will hope Luis Suarez, right,
leaves the bench Thursday in Uruguay's game at the Linc. (AP)

Uruguay: Luis Suarez. You’ve got so many choices on a team full of stars. There are a half-dozen holdovers from that run to the World Cup semifinals in 2010 and their victory in this tournament in 2011 (their record 15th capturing of the crown and fourth since rebranding as Copa America in 1975). Followers of European soccer will recognize Edinson Cavani from Italy and France, the goalkeeping of Fernando Muslera and Atletico Madrid stalwart Diego Godin at center back. But Suarez, the Barcelona and former Liverpool man, is the headliner, as much for what he does with the ball as his incorrigible antics without it. Suarez was injured in the Copa del Rey final two weeks ago, which kept him out of Uruguay’s opener with Mexico, a 3-1 loss Sunday. With Uruguay facing a must-win against one of South America’s least illustrious clubs, coach Oscar Tabarez could really use Suarez’s attacking edge.

Venezuela: Christian Santos. There aren’t a lot of household names on Venezuela, beyond West Brom center forward Salomon Rondon and the Italian-based duo of Josef Martinez and Tomas Rincon. Oswaldo Vizcarrondo, who plays for French club Nantes, is a teammate of former Union striker and countryman Fernando Aristeguieta (who isn’t on the squad) and former Union target and American midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, if you’re looking for local ties. But the timelier one is Santos, who was revealed to be on the Union’s discovery list a few weeks back. The 28-year-old wing forward, who didn’t play in the opening win over Jamaica, was raised in Germany and scored prolifically for Dutch club NEC, which Union technical director Earnie Stewart will be familiar with. He’s an intriguing case who is reputedly out of contract after his option year with NEC expired, and he fits the rough profile of the kind of player who can flourish in MLS if the price is rightRead more »

Few players in Union history left as confusing an imprint as Keon Daniel, whose three-plus year stint with the club officially came to an end Tuesday with the termination of his contract by mutual consent.

Keon Daniel, seen here against D.C. United last year,
was let go by the Union Tuesday. (AP)

His presence has elicited hopefulness, exasperation, devotion, confusion and dissatisfaction, among a wide continuum of other sentiments. Finding a simple summary for Daniel's 64 MLS appearances is well-nigh impossible for a player that has embodied both a major tactical problem and significant solution at versions points in his career.

The contradictions begin with Daniel's very stature. At a formidable 6-1, he was often the most physical of presences among slighter midfielders like Roger Torres and Brian Carroll. Yet he rarely played like it.

His 14 goals in 59 appearances for Trinidad & Tobago indicate his offensive aptitude. His two goals and four assists in 64 games for the Union suggest otherwise. At various times, he's represented for the Union their most attack-minded option, or their most physical, or their most technical.

His two goals are evidence of the promise that has always been so seductive for two Union coaching staffs. The first, June 11, 2011, against Real Salt Lake, was the kind of heads-up hustle goal a player of his stature would find on a somewhat regular basis based on his physicality alone. Instead, it stood alone for him. Statistically, that 2011 season in which he had a goal and two assists in 18 games (nine starts) is remarkably his most productive. (Go to the 1:35 mark below.)
Read more »

Opening up with a lower-division side may not be the cakewalk it appears on paper. That’s a phenomenon with which the Union are all too familiar when it comes to Orlando.

Saturday marks the third meeting between the clubs, and the Union own an 0-1-1 against their USL Pro foes. The 2011 meeting ended in a 1-0 Orlando City win, thanks in large part to an early red card received by Carlos Valdes. Danny Califf’s goal off a Gabriel Gomez cross (remember them?) was nullified by a late equalizer from Orlando City in a 1-1 draw.

So what to expect this time out? Union manager John Hackworth will have his team ready for a challenge in an MLS-type atmosphere.

“We have the good fortune to have a good relationship with Orlando City, and they are a really good professional organization. I think there’s an obvious reason that the MLS is considering them for a franchise here,” Hackworth said in his weekly conference call Wednesday. “They have great fan support, and the team and the coaching staff do a fantastic job and we’ve obviously been tested both times we’ve played down here. We think that will carry on Saturday, which we’re looking forward to. We want to be challenged, we want to be frustrated.”
Read more »

The Union’s event Friday provided all the warm and fuzzy feelings you’d expect from a reunion of this type around the holidays. But stripped of its pomp and ceremony, the Union’s move to reacquire all-time leading scorer Sebastien Le Toux makes sense on the pitch as well.

Le Toux will be 29 when he takes the field for the Union’s opener next season, certainly qualifying as a veteran. But as Le Toux pointed out in the face of questions referring to him as a “mentor” and a “veteran”, “I’m not old.” Just two years ago, he was an all-star and considered to be an elite striker in MLS.

Indeed, it would appear that there is plenty of football left in Le Toux’s boots, and he presents and intriguing fit for this otherwise young Union squad. So often last season, manager John Hackworth’s formation oscillated somewhere between a 4-3-3 and a 4-5-1. Depending on who you ask, the likes of Freddy Adu, Michael Farfan and Gabriel Gomez were at various times referred to as “forwards”; Le Toux is of a completely different ilk in what he brings to the table. It allows Hackworth to adopt a more tradition 4-4-2, which seems to be more to his liking.

The particulars are unclear for now. Hackworth is certain that Le Toux will be used as a forward, not the midfield role that he often fell into last year in his various stops.

In Jack McInerney, who matured greatly last year en route to eight MLS goals, Le Toux has an ideal strike partner. While Le Toux brings much more to the table that just a traditional center forward’s ability to hold up play and be a target man, he also has that ability, allowing someone like McInerney or the speedy Antione Hoppenot to run off of.

“He’s a very young player. I think all the things he did this year made him stronger and I’m very happy for his success,” Le Toux said of McInerney. “… I’m looking forward to playing with him because I’m sure he’s very hungry to do well, and it’s what the team needs to be successful.”

“We know that Jack and Sebastien have already played together for two years,” Hackworth said. “They’ve already developed that rapport. I think Jack has developed separately, and if there was one lesson in that whole thing is that Jack got to become our main goalscorer last year. But now I think we have the opportunity to really take this team forward. … Knowing Sebastien like I do, I feel confident that we can fit him into a system that complements the guys we already have.”

Whoever it turns out that Le Toux is paired with, his ability to stretch the field vertically with his speed and superior vision will be an instant addition, a commodity the Union tried in vain to find last season (cough, Jorge Perlaza, cough). It’s something Hackworth and CEO Nick Sakiewicz each pointed to as one of the glaring voids left by his departure.

Perhaps more so than the tactical implications, it’s fair to see this move as the franchise stepping even further away from the past regime. The gratitude expressed by Sakiewicz toward Hackworth and assistant coach Rob Vartughian in the “collaborative” move to get Le Toux illustrated how the process by which personnel moves are made “feels much more like a team.” The fact that the subject of the move is Le Toux, someone who vowed never to play for the Union under again as long as Peter Nowak was in charge, only underscores the point. (Incidentally, the ability of Le Toux et al. to reference Nowak without referencing his name in the press conference was fun to watch.)

“I’m just very excited. I just know that it’s a different mentality, it’s a different coaching staff and a different approach to the game I’m sure,” Le Toux said. “I know John a little bit. We worked together, but he did not lots of, I would say maybe, power of what he was trying to do here when he was an assistant. I know that, and I respect John for that because he always looked out for the team.”
(Photo by ERIC HARTLINE)

(Times file)

The Union underwent a little course correction Thursday, when they traded with New York to acquire the guy they never should have traded away in January.

It took stopovers in Vancouver and New York, but Sebastien Le Toux is back in Philly. The Union sent Josue Martinez and allocation money to the Red Bulls in exchange for Le Toux, the club's all-time leading scorer.

Le Toux never wanted to leave the Union. He was on the wrong side of contract negotiations, with ex-Union coach Peter Nowak convincing the shot-callers in the front office to invest in cheaper, yet riskier options at striker before meeting Le Toux's contract demands. So the Union sent Le Toux to Vancouver, and Le Toux told the Daily Times hours after the January trade went official, that he would never again play for Nowak, a man for whom he had such little respect that he refused to shake his hand when the Whitecaps played the Union.

It appears he won't have to, with Union manager John Hackworth and CEO Nick Sakiewicz pulling the strings to bring back Le Toux.

Le Toux told me in July, after his trade from Vancouver to New York, that he hadn't ruled out the notion of playing for the Union in 2013. After all, he would be out of contract by then, and to a degree would have the cards in his hands. (I'm still trying to figure out some of the details of Le Toux's new contract. If I find them, I'll pass them along.)

The Union's vision at the time of the trade of Le Toux was simplistic: Bring in less-expensive options at striker in place of the 28-year-old with 25 goals in two seasons for the Union. It didn't work. They went from a playoff team to a doddering non-contender. Guys like Martinez, Gabriel Gomez and Lio Pajoy are gone. And back is the constant -- Le Toux.

Le Toux and the Union will hold a 10 a.m. press conference Friday. It's a presser that, to Union fans, will probably feel long overdue.

(Times staff/JULIA WILKINSON)

In preparation for Monday's MLS Waiver Draft, the Union emitted a subtle, "My bad," when they cut ties with three players.

On their way out the door are D Porfirio Lopez, MF Gabriel Gomez and FW Krystian Witkowski.

Lopez, a 27-year-old Costa Rican, was brought in by ex-Union boss Peter Nowak as a sure-fire back with as good a left foot as any. It turned out his left foot was non-existent. He started the first four matches of the season, subbed on for 12 minutes May 19 and never saw the pitch again.

Gomez, a 28-year-old Panamanian, did his part with six goals in 24 matches, including 18 starts. But the Union routinely played him out of his natural position. He was brought on board to be an attacking midfielder who, instead, found himself in the central midfield more often than not. Sure, he had a heck of a free-kick delivery from inside 25 yards, but he was otherwise a bust.

Witkowski, a 22-year-old rookie out of Marist, never really got his shot. He picked up a concussion in reserve-league duty and the 26th pick in the supplemental draft never saw action with the first team.

In terms of a re-do, the Union are looking toward 2013. These three releases are the first in a series of what should be a roster roller coaster this offseason.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

In other news, the Union added three names to their traveling cavalcade this offseason.

FW Freddy Adu left Monday for a two-week training stint with Galatasaray, a club in Turkey's Premier League. MF Michael Farfan and D/MF Amobi Okugo will train for an undisclosed stretch with SC Freiberg, of Germany's Bundesliga.

Also on the road this offseason are:

• GK Zac MacMath, who spent time with English Premier League side Everton
• FW Cristhian Hernandez, who was with Real Sociedad, of Spain's La Liga
• MF Jimmy McLaughlin, who is currently training with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, of Bundesliga

(Times / COLIN KERRIGAN)

Freddy Adu has taken them. So has Gabriel Gomez. Even Carlos Valdes has been given an opportunity to put his best foot forward.

The Union have tried more than a few players this season on their set pieces, turning to Adu, Gomez, Valdes and a host of others to send free kicks, corner kicks and indirect kicks into the box to create offense.

And that's the way John Hackworth likes it.

The Union manager said Wednesday during his weekly presser at PPL Park that he'd like to have a few players be available to take kicks off stoppages of play. In the past, Sebastien Le Toux had been that guy for the Union. Without Le Toux, who was traded in the offseason, it's been a carousel of characters electing to take them.

So with 14 days between games, with the Union taking on Toronto FC Saturday in Canada, Hackworth said service delivery became a focus in training.

"Our service has been better. We're working on that," he said.

"That's one thing we're trying to have ... but we still have different set pieces that are good for certain individuals," he continued. "I don't want to tell you service is going to be by any one person."

Hackworth went on to describe why Herculez Gomez was asked to take a free kick Tuesday for the U.S. national team, which resulted in the decisive goal for the USMNT in a World Cup-qualifying match against Jamaica.

"The reason Gomez took that free kick was it was his range and his distance and his teammates respected that," Hackworth said. "We have a similar situation. If we get a deadball situation in front of goal, and it's in Carlos Valdes' range, you'll see him take it. In other spots, we have other guys.

"We're trying to be more consistent. We've been erratic, to say the least."

(Times / JULIA WILKINSON)

One guy in this photo was passed over for John Hackworth's starting XI. The other is serving a one-game suspension.

The Union's lineup tonight vs. Real Salt Lake takes on a unique look. Here it is:

GK ... MacMath
DF ... G Farfan, Valdes, Okugo, Gaddis
MF ... Lahoud, Carroll, M Farfan, Gomez
FW ... McInerney, Cruz
Bench ... Harrison, Albright, Lopez, Adu, Daniel, Martinez, Hoppenot

A few notes about the 18:

• Where's Freddy? Well, Hackworth wasn't kidding. He said earlier in the week that it wasn't in the Union's plans to make Freddy Adu a 90-minute player. Tonight, he most certainly will not be, as he will come off the bench -- if he enters the match, at all. It's the first time since July 21 (at NYRB) that Adu isn't in the starting lineup. But considering he wasn't selected to the gameday roster that day, you have to go back to June 30 (at Houston) to find the last time Adu came off the bench for the Union.
• Midfield mix. This is the first time Hackworth is fielding a midfield with his three best possession men, between Mike Lahoud, Gabriel Gomez and Brian Carroll. Since the midfield has been their weakness, it'll be interesting to see how aggressive the Union can (and likely will) be tonight, with that trio on the field at the same time.
• No Sheanon, no problem. Because Sheanon Williams is serving a one-game, red-card suspension, rookie Ray Gaddis will hold down the right back slot. It's Gaddis' ninth start of the season, but only his third since June 23 (vs. SKC).
• Cruz'ing up top. Danny Cruz gets a second consecutive start in the attack since being acquired by the Union. Hackworth's trying him up there with Jack McInerney. Maybe it'll spark more than the 0.833 goals per game (five goals) they've average in their last six league matches.

(Associated Press)

A popular question occupying space in my inbox last week was, "Can the Union make the playoffs?" It's not out of the question. But it isn't going to be easy.

Here are three modest proposals for how the Union could make the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs:

1. Play Keon Daniel or Michael Farfan in the central midfield -- every game. 

Remember how fans lauded Roger Torres a year ago for his spurts of speed and occasional craftiness in the midfield late in matches? Even if it didn't result in an equalizer or a game-winner, Torres' effort gave those walking out of PPL Park with a sense of pleasure.

With Torres falling on the depth chart, it's time to station Daniel and Farfan there. For good. Here's why: Daniel has the size and skill to muscle opposing midfielders off the ball and win challenges. Farfan, well, he's just a beast. An underrated player at his position, the guy is as good with the ball at his feet as the get. The problem is Farfan is the opposite of outspoken and doesn't ever call for the ball.

Against Chicago, the Union had no connecting passes between the defense and the attack. They settled for long-ball plays over the Fire or shots from long range. Getting the ball to Daniel and Farfan could change that.

2. Win. Simply put, win.

Getting results has never come easily for this franchise. It took the Union one full season, until 2011, to net their first winning streak. It took a ridiculous 3-3-8 stretch to close out that season in order to make the playoffs for the first time in club history.

Still, during that run, the Union lacked victories.

Time's running out. In order to have a decent shot at making the playoffs, they need at least 46 points. With 13 matches to go, they're only halfway there, at 23 points. It's not unheralded, winning games in bunches at the end of the season, they must pull off a 2004 Columbus Crew-type span to do it. That year, the Crew went 18 consecutive matches without a loss to close the season. Can it be done? It's time to find out.

3. Play the best lineup -- even if that means making difficult decisions.

You know what Hackworth did Sunday? After the deflating 3-1 loss to Chicago, he pointed a finger in his direction. He blamed himself for the loss. Wednesday, he was at it again. In his weekly presser, Hackworth said he needs to play the best lineup possible, even if it's not a popular decision.

It's time for Hackworth to do that, and here's what that means:

• Benching Freddy Adu from time to time because, without the ball at his feet, his work rate is lacking.
• Starting Lio Pajoy and Jack McInerney, and bringing Antoine Hoppenot off the bench in a role in which he's most effective.
• Sitting Mike Lahoud and Gabriel Gomez in favor of Brian Carroll and Amobi Okugo.
• And that, of course, means slotting Bakary Soumare and Carlos Valdes at centerback.

(Times/ROBERT J GURECKI)

Next Wednesday, Aug. 15, is one of FIFA’s preordained international friendly days. They’re fun for soccer fans, bad news for contending clubs.

That being said, Union manager John Hackworth said there’s a chance centerback Carlos Valdes (Colombia) and midfielders Keon Daniel (Trinidad and Tobago) and Gabriel Gomez (Panama) might get call-ups for their respective nations’ senior teams.

The biggest absence to fill would be that of Valdes, the club’s captain and one of its All-Stars. This would be Valdes' first national-team call-up since 2010, prior to joining the Union.

“We’ve got to figure that out with Carlos,” Hackworth said. “We’re still trying to finalize his travel plans with the Colombian federation. Hopefully, he’s available for us Sunday. If he’s not, we’ll deal with that.”

Assuming Bakary Soumare is fit --- for real, this time, as opposed to when Hackworth said a week ago that he'd be ready for selection against Montreal -- there shouldn't be an issue. But if the Union have to go with a central defense tandem of Amobi Okugo, a natural midfielder who was played well above average at centerback, and rookie Ray Gaddis, that could create problems. There's also Sheanon Williams to slide into that spot, too. So plenty of options, but having Valdes is the best one.

(PhiladelphiaUnion.com)

Here's John Hackworth's starting XI tonight at PPL Park v. New England:

GK ... MacMath
DF ... G Farfan, Valdes, Okugo, Williams
MF ... Carroll, Gomez, M Farfan
FW ... Adu, McInerney, Hoppenot

Bench: Harrison, Daniel, Gaddis, Lopez, Martinez, Pajoy, Lahoud.

Observations about the lineup:

• Hoppenot gets his chance. Rookie Antoine Hoppenot will start in the attack, his first opportunity to do so. Previously, he had only been used as a sub and playing no more than 31 minutes (June 23) in any of his appearances.
• Adu is back. After a one-game absence, Freddy Adu is back in the lineup. More to come on this hot-button topic (hopefully) afterward.
• Pajoy on the bench. Assuming he gets into the match, Lionard Pajoy will come off the bench for the third time in his last five appearances, after starting the first 11 matches of the season.
• Gomez v. Lahoud. Seemingly, the only week-to-week positional battle has been in the midfield, between Gabriel Gomez and Michael Lahoud, who had started six of eight games since arriving in Philly via trade in May. Tonight, it's Gomez, who started the first 10 matches of the season. Since then, he's been an unused sub three times, been subbed on three times more and started only twice.
• Albright on the bench ... sort of. Defender Chris Albright hasn't played more than nine minutes in a match since March 24. So why is he on the bench tonight? Well, technically, he's the team administrator -- as is stated on the gameday roster. He's not in the 18. Word is he's a good influence on the younger guys, but Hackworth didn't want to surrender a roster spot for a guy who likely would not get into the game.

(Associated Press)

Here's who John Hackworth is going with today against the New York Red Bulls:

GK ... MacMath
DF ... Valdes, Williams, Okugo, G Farfan
MF ... Carroll, Lahoud, M Farfan
FW ... Pajoy, McInerney, Martinez

Bench: Konopka, Daniel, Hoppenot, Torres, Gomez, Albright, Gaddis

A few observations about the lineup:

• No Adu. Hackworth said this week that he expected Michael Farfan and Freddy Adu, who were absent from the midweek friendly against Aston Villa, to be available. Yet only Farfan made the 18. So where's Adu? He wasn't included in Friday's injury report, either. Wonder if Hackworth will lend some logic afterward.
• Lahoud over Gomez. One of the Union's leading scorers, Gabriel Gomez again begins the match on the bench, with Hackworth going in favor of Michael Lahoud. Gomez has taken on a reserve role in recent matches.
• Look who. It's Le Toux. The Red Bulls will start former Union player Sebastien Le Toux in a three-forward formation, along with Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper. If that trio doesn't account for at least a goal, something's either terribly wrong here in Harrison, N.J. ... or the Union have an underestimated backline within the MLS ranks.

(Times staff / JULIA WILKINSON)

Remember this guy?

That's Zach Pfeffer, who will make the start in tonight's friendly with Aston Villa. He hasn't appeared with the first-team at any stage of the season --- not against MLS competition, not in U.S. Open Cup play, not even in friendlies.

Until tonight.

Here's the rest of the Union starting XI:
GK MacMath
DF Gaddis; Okugo; Valdes; G Farfan
MF Gomez; Pfeffer; Torres; McLaughlin
FW Hoppenot; Hernandez

And the Union (expanded) bench:
GK Harrison
DF Williams; Albright; Lopez; Jordan
MF Carroll; Lahoud; Daniel
FW Pajoy; Martinez

Some observations about tonight's lineup:

• Careful with the starters, Hack. Union interim manager John Hackworth values Saturday's league match with rival New York over tonight's friendly. So why start so many of the regulars? Perhaps Hackworth feels a commitment to Aston Villa, which precludes him from starting an all-reserve lineup. In any case, the Union cannot afford an injury setback to any of their starters. So if we see Zac MacMath in goal, All-Star Carlos Valdes, Amobi Okugo or Gabriel Farfan on the backline, or Gabriel Gomez in the midfield for any more than 45 minutes, that could be a problem.
• No place like Home(grown Players). Tonight, Pfeffer and Cristhian Hernandez get their chances to show what they can do. Pfeffer, as previously mentioned, hasn't seen the pitch with the Union first-teamers this season. Hernandez, at least, has played twice in the MLS slate.
• Where's Jorge? Anyone seen Jorge Perlaza lately? The guy for whom the Union traded Danny Mwanga, Perlaza didn't even make the 18 (err, 21). How far has the guy fallen on Hackworth's depth chart? While Mwanga entered tonight's MLS match against Chivas USA as a reserve, and has scored since joining the Portland Timbers, Perlaza has been a ghost. He's gotten 72 of 540 possible minutes in MLS play, compared to Mwanga, who's gotten 336 of a possible 630 minutes with the Timbers.

(Courtesy PhiladelphiaUnion.com)

Here's the lineup the Union will use against Montreal:

GK MacMath
DF G Farfan
DF Valdes
DF Okugo
DF Williams
MF Carroll
MF Lahoud
MF Adu
FW Daniel
FW McInerney
FW Martinez

Bench: Harrison, Gomez, Hoppenot, Gaddis, Albright, Torres, Pajoy.

#       #       #       #       #

Some notes and obserations about the lineup...

Welcome back, Josue. It's been so long since Union fans saw Josue Martinez in action that it's likely they forgot who he was. But Martinez (pictured), a key offseason acquisition, will get the start at forward -- his first since June 16 and only his third of the season. Martinez, who will pair with Jack McInerney and Keon Daniel up top, will make his 10th appearance of the season. Martinez has not played since June 16, a stretch of four matches of inactivity. He has managed only 177 minutes since the end of April.
Bench bodies. Before drawing conclusions about who's in the dog house, here's all you need to know about the Union's bench tonight: They're resting some tired bodies. Gabriel Gomez is still as productive as ever and Lio Pajoy has enjoyed a rejuvenation of late.
No Perlaza, no Lopez. Forward Jorge Perlaza and defender Porfirio Lopez warmed up together, serving as jogging partners in pre-game. But neither player made the 18. The obvious reason why: They're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Perlaza was traded for by former Union boss Peter Nowak. And Lopez was sought after in the offseason by Nowak. They just don't seem to fit into interim manager John Hackworth's plans.

(Times staff / COLIN KERRIGAN)

Here's who the Union will start tonight against Sporting Kansas City in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal:

GK MacMath
DF G Farfan
DF Valdes (C)
DF Okugo
DF Williams
MF M Farfan
MF Carroll
MF Lahoud
FW Pajoy
FW McInerney
FW Adu

Bench: Konopka, Daniel, Gomez, Hoppenot, Albright, Martinez, Gaddis.

A few notes about the starters:

• No go for Gabriel Gomez? The Union's leading scorer, with five goals, Gomez starts the match on the bench. If he was to start, Gomez likely would have supplanted Michael Lahoud, the sparkplug midfielder who never stops running. Perhaps John Hackworth is looking to give Gomez a breather, during this tenuous stretch of games. Or perhaps he likes what Lahoud gives him at the start of the match. Not sure what else to say about this move.
• If it ain't broke... Hackworth has made a point of saying he's unwilling to tamper with things that are working. With that in mind, we find Jack McInerney (pictured) and Lio Pajoy situated atop the attack. Hackworth knows what he's doing: Across all competitions, with those two at the forefront of the team's offense, the Union are averaging 2.5 goals per match (15 goals in 6 matches).

(Times staff / COLIN KERRIGAN)

It's been 27 days since John Hackworth took over, and in the near-month that he's been at the helm, well, the Union have played pretty-darn good.

But that doesn't nearly do the Union justice, does it?

They're scoring with regularity, playing out-of-their-minds defensively and getting under the skins of their opponents ... as evidenced by their 3-0 throttling Sunday of Toronto FC.

Just about the only thing that should come as a surprise to anyone is that the Union are playing this well so quickly after the firing of their head coach and the dismissal of the scouting director, Diego Gutierrez ... and that they're playing nine matches over a 27-day span, including Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup semifinal against Sporting Kansas City.

"Everyone knows what they need to do to get ready for the next game," said Antoine Hoppenot, who tallied the Union's third goal Sunday. "People are ice bathing, getting in the hot tub so they are getting stretching regimens and the guys know what they need to do.  They are professionals so they make sure they are ready for the next game."

The Union -- who also got goals from Freddy Adu, pictured, and Gabriel Gomez -- are making Hackworth look good. They're creating some space between they and last-place Toronto, closing the gap between they and their competition for one of the five playoff spots in the Eastern Conference ... and returning an exciting brand of soccer to PPL Park.

Something that hasn't been there since, say, 2011. Remember those days?

A couple 'how' situations here:

• How does Antoine Hoppenot keep doing what he's doing?
• How did Sheanon Williams make this save, protecting Zac MacMath's clean sheet?
• How cool was it to see Roger Torres make his way onto the pitch? The midfielder, who checked in for Michael Farfan in the 83rd minute, hadn't played in MLS competition since March 24 while recovering from an MCL injury.

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U.S. OPEN CUP: The results of the bidding war to host the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final are in ... and it's only half-good for the Union.

They'd host Chivas USA in a final either Aug. 7 or Aug. 8, assuming both win their respective semifinals. But if the Union draw Seattle Sounders FC, they'll have to travel to the West Coast to face the three-time Open Cup champs Aug. 8.

MLS ALL-STAR XI: The starting XI for the MLS All-Star Game, July 25 at PPL Park, was unveiled this weekend ... and the Union don't have anybody who made the cut.

That's not to say the Union won't have anybody representing the host club when the MLS stars face Chelsea FC, but it's in the hands of MLS commissioner Don Garber, who will pick two players next Sunday, July 15, and a vote of players will yield the rest of the roster, which will be announced on matchday.

(Times staff / JULIA WILKINSON)

If today is anything like the few days that preceded it, Zac MacMath will wear his helmet while manning the space between the pipes.

But that's only because MacMath, the Union’s starting goalkeeper, said wearing the protective headgear following a concussion — and its subsequent recurring symptoms — has become almost essential, whether or not he likes it.

MacMath and the Union host Sporting Kansas City tonight. (For a preview on the game, on Union interim manager John Hackworth's bid to keep things consistent, click here.)

“That’s my personal decision,” MacMath said of wearing the helmet last weekend against D.C. United. “I’ve had people recommend it to me, but it’s definitely my choice. Don’t know how much longer I’ll wear it, or if I’ll wear it this weekend or not. Probably depends on how hot it is.”

MacMath sustained a concussion May 5 in a loss at Seattle. He played the next match, against visiting New York May 13, before sitting out a pair of road matches — May 19 at FC Dallas and May 26 at Toronto FC. He finally returned to the pitch, in league play at least, for last weekend’s match with D.C.

He said the helmet hasn’t disrupted his play, which has produced a 2-7-1 record with a 1.30 goals-against average.

“I don’t think it affects me and the way I play,” MacMath said. “I think it’s a little uncomfortable, but that’s it. I’ve never worn one before. It takes time. I don’t think I’m going to be used to it any time soon. It’s about not thinking about the helmet and just thinking about the play.”

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The Union will be without starters Sheanon Williams (right big toe avulsion fracture) and Gabriel Gomez (left knee contusion, patellar tendonitis), who were among the four players listed as 'OUT' in the MLS injury report, which was published late Friday. 

The others are: Krystian Witkowski (concussion symptoms), and Chandler Hoffman (left big toe fracture), whose injury was initially reported here.

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Be sure to check back to the blog tonight, for the Union's starting lineup and analysis of it, around 6 p.m. There'll also be some postgame stuff up here around 11 p.m., so stay tuned for that, too.

(philadelphiaunion.com)

It's an obvious question that has no simple answer.

The Union, owners of Major League Soccer's most-anemic offense, traded one of their goal-scoring threats this week when they shipped Danny Mwanga to Portland.

They picked up forward Jorge Perlaza in the process, but the move begged the inquiry, 'Where to from here?' Who carries the torch for a team that -- like Toronto FC -- has scored the fewest goals, with only eight?

Union boss Peter Nowak might have said it best Thursday.

"Why (make this trade) now?" Nowak said, rhetorically. "If you look at the standings and you look at the goals we scored, we can't rely on one guy who can score. It's Lio (Pajoy) or Gabriel Gomez (pictured above). We have to be dangerous up top. These youngsters … they're moving along, but they're not there yet. We cannot wait until it's too late. This kind of stuff is important to give (Perlaza) a couple weeks to establish himself to make sure we give him enough time to know the team. … We cannot fool ourselves with our position in the standings.”

Here are three ideas and observations for how the Union can turn around their season, beginning June 16 when they resume MLS competition with their home match with D.C. United:

1. One (striker) is the loneliest number. The Union have tried their luck with a one-striker formation, leaving Pajoy up top to create off what the midfield gives him. So far, he has only three goals. Gomez has four. Eleven matches into the MLS slate, it's time to try something new. The only way for the Union to determine what they have at their disposal is to throw their forwards into the fire. How about a two-forward look with swift youngster Jack McInerney taking the lead, with Pajoy -- who's a step or two slower -- creating more by playing off him? What about putting Josue Martinez, who's proven himself of late, and Perlaza on the wings with Pajoy as the center-striker, using three strikers to stretch the opposition's backline? What the Union have attempted hasn't worked. So why not try something different?

2. Give the keys of the offense to Perlaza. If the Union aren't willing to try the latter, perhaps the next-best option is putting the offensive workload in Perlaza's hands. He'll have the trust of his Colombian countrymen, with whom -- Nowak assures us -- he'll work well. He demonstrated in Portland that his speed, agility and skill have the potential to break down opposing defenses and, as seen in 2011, he thrives as a center-striker. Giving Perlaza these next two friendlies as a chance to get accustomed to the Union, in advance of that June 16 match, and then turning him loose might be exactly what Perlaza -- who hasn't scored since Aug. 20, 2011 -- needs in order to break a 786-minute scoreless stretch.

3. Don't count on much from Roger Torres. The crafty Colombian midfielder, due back tonight from a two-month injury layoff for a friendly against Reading United AC, is skilled. He's that connecting pass between the midfield and the attack that the Union desperately need. But Torres should be eased back into the mix. Consider: Torres has played more than 70 minutes only eight times since joining the Union in 2010. It's more realistic to allow Torres to progress slowly the next three weeks while Kai Herdling plays out the final weeks of his loan, which expires June 30. That's how the Union can ensure they'll get the best out of Torres in the season's crunch time.

Hey, just some ideas.