For John McCarthy and the Union, the last year hasn't been great. (AP)

On this weekend a year ago, the Philadelphia Union was flying high. They had just handled Sporting Kansas City, 2-0 at home. With a record of 11-9-7, their 40 points were situated third in the Eastern Conference, three points from leaders Toronto and soaring over the red line for playoff qualification.

The question had ceased to be if the Union would end a playoff drought or even if they would break the franchise record for points in a season; needing just eight points from seven games, the Union would certainly blast through the 48 points they tallied in 2011 with even mediocre form.

Then the roof caved in. Seven winless to end 2016. Ninety minutes being comprehensively outclassed in Toronto on a Wednesday night in a gone-before-you-knew-it playoff berth. Then eight winless to start 2017 at so great a disadvantage that now, officially, has been deemed insurmountable.

For all the oddities of the MLS calendar, the schedule makers offer the Union symmetry. Saturday’s visit from Atlanta United marks the 34th regular-season game since that night 364 days ago against SKC.

Through all the ups and downs, what has this 33-game snapshot of Union existence shown? In short, it’s not good.

In that 33-game stretch of regular season, starting with the Sept. 3 loss at Chicago, the Union are 8-17-8. That includes the 0-5-2 stretch to end 2016 and the 8-12-6 mark they’ve stumbled to this year.

That’s 32 points in 33 games. There’s no result the Union can achieve Saturday against Atlanta to avoid falling short of the franchise’s lowest tally for a season, set in 2012 at 36.

A win Saturday is required to avoid falling short of the season-low set in the expansion year, when the club played four fewer matches. A loss Saturday would equal the franchise record of 18 set in 2012, which remains in play for the Union this year. (N.B.: I’m comparing this stretch to full calendar seasons, from the Union and other clubs, via MLS' Fact and Record Book. Even I’m not that much of a masochist to parse each team’s worst 34-game stretch across seasons, even if the info was complete enough.)

The Union in the last 33 games have a points per game average of 0.97. The sub-1 realm is where the truly terrible MLS campaigns reside. How bad? Well, bad enough that no Union team has ever been there before – the 2012 team came closest at 1.06 over a calendar season – and the Union have had some atrocious seasons.
Read more »

UNION (4-2-3-1) 

McCarthy 

Gaddis-Elliott-Yaro-Wijnaldum 

Bedoya-Medunjanin 

Picault-Ilsinho-Pontius 

Sapong 

Bench: McGuire, Fabinho, Marquez, Creavalle, Alberg, Epps, Simpson 

Montreal (4-3-3) 

Bush 

Duvall-Cabrera-Ciman-Lovitz 

Dzemaili-Piette-Bernier 

Oduro-Mancosu-Piatti 

Bench: Crepeau, Fisher, Francis, Beland-Goyette, Coinere, Salazar, Jackson-Hamel 

Preview 

- A 3-1 win over FC Dallas last week alleviates the impulse to change for Jim Curtin, who makes just one change in the side enforced by injury. Oguchi Onyewu’s groin injury flared up, so Josh Yaro steps in. Richie Marquez makes his return to the bench. As expected, John McCarthy starts his seventh straight game in net with Andre Blake out again.

- Besides that, it’s the same team that worked so well in attack. Ilsinho is back in the No. 10 spot, with Roland Alberg ready as the super sub role. No Keegan Rosenberry or Derrick Jones, who might be in line for time with Bethlehem in Sunday’s game.

- Montreal is set to hand a debut to Canadian international Samuel Piette in central midfield after signing him from Spanish minor league team Izarra this summer. He moves Hernan Bernardello and Marco Donadel out of the 18 altogether. It’ll be interesting to see how they change shape around them, with Ignacio Piatti’s tendency to drift in off the win and Blerim Dzemaili nominally farther back in the midfield three than his normal No. 10 role. It could come to look more like a 4-2-1-3, with Piette and Patrice Bernier anchoring a triangle with Dzemaili at the point.

UNION (4-2-3-1) 

McCarthy 

Fabinho-Elliott-Yaro-Rosenberry 

Jones-Medunjanin 

Sapong-Alberg-Picault 

Simpson 

Bench: McGuire, Gaddis, Onyewu, Tribbett, Najem, Pontius, Epps 

New York Red Bulls (4-2-3-1) 

Meara 

Lawrence-Collin-Perrinelle-Long 

Adams-Felipe 

Davis-Kljestan-Zizzo 

Wright-Phillips 

Bench: Robles, Allen, Metzger, Etienne, Lade, Royer, Veron 

Preview 

- Once again, the U.S. Open Cup allows Jim Curtin to use two forwards without abandoning the one-striker formation (shrug emoji). Jay Simpson starts up top, with CJ Sapong on the wing. The ability to spell either of them, with Chris Pontius and Marcus Epps, presents itself on the bench.

- Ilsinho isn’t in the side, which means that Roland Alberg has the No. 10 role all to himself. He’ll have chances to create offense with forwards all around.

- The backline roulette lands on Keegan Rosenberry and Fabinho on the outside. Josh Yaro is in for Oguchi Onyewu. On the whole, no surprises, though a rib injury apparently rules out Andre Blake (or the Union want to get John McCarthy some time since he’ll be the goalie of choice against Sporting Kansas City when Blake is away for the Gold Cup).

- Red Bulls’ lineup is a mishmash, featuring three natural center backs and four natural center mids. I’d opine that Sean Davis becomes a winger opposite the defensive-minded Sal Zizzo and Aaron Long pulls out to the left back role. But we’ll see it in practice.

- These teams have played so often that there are few tactical unknowns. So let’s focus on the psychological ones. How miffed are the Red Bulls at the pointed commentary Haris Medunjanin had for Felipe after last week’s waving away of a red card? How does Derrick Jones rebound for that red 10 days ago? Where is the mind of Sapong after his Gold Cup snub? How are the Red Bulls feeling after the rivalry trouncing by New York City FC last week, motivated or defeated? That’s plenty of subtext.

John McCarthy is back in training after three-plus agonizing weeks
out with a concussion. (Times File)

CHESTER >> No one’s quite cornered the market on frustration around the Philadelphia Union these desperate days. But few have felt the sting of the early setbacks as acutely as John McCarthy.

He’s had the double dose of disappointment in recent weeks, confined to the sidelines with a concussion for three-plus weeks while his club plunged to the foot of the MLS standings.

But as McCarthy’s condition turns around, the backup goalkeeper is hopeful that so too can the fortunes of the club at-large.

“I’m just really happy I can play soccer again,” McCarthy said at training Wednesday. “It just sucks with all the symptoms you have.”

McCarthy sustained a concussion during training March 24, catching a shot from CJ Sapong in the side of his face during a session in the Union’s international bye week. He started experiencing symptoms the next two days and was held out of practice the following week. That part of the process was difficult but anticipated.

The twist came when he returned to training shortly after the D.C. United game, then suffered a recurrence of symptoms that required him to shut things down again.
Read more »

After the loss in D.C. last week, manager Jim Curtin said the belief
from Fabian Herbers and company remains high. (DFM/Mikey Reeves)

Jim Curtin covered a lot of ground in an uncharacteristically voluminous press conference Wednesday. Most of my story in Thursday’s Delco Times will fixate on a conversation with Alejandro Bedoya and the cognitive dissonance surrounding his midfield positioning. That crowds out news and notes, so here’s what else filled Curtin’s 28-minute press address.

- The mood this week, as the Union’s winless streak grows to four games in 2017, 12 overall and 11 in the MLS regular season, seems to bear some hallmarks of past disappointments. But the character of this squad, Curtin and others take pains to point out, is different than last year. Curtin:

“2017 is different than 2016. It’s always tough with carryover. Obviously we know how last year ended. We’re four games in this year; we’ve lost two games in a row. That doesn’t taste good to anybody. We’re not happy with that. But it’s a different group. There’s different players involved. A lot of them don’t even know the feeling from last year. So it’s tough to really pinpoint and say, does it feel exactly the same? It doesn’t, but there is a sense of urgency, though. We are in a bad spot. …

“It’s still, when you talk with all the players individually … there’s a real belief in the group that yes we’ve come on the wrong end of some results, but it’s not as if we’ve been outclassed in games, where we say, ‘man that team is a lot better than us.’ So again, there’s still a feeling of belief that if we continue to execute on the field, some of these breaks will go our way.”

- Jack Elliott got first-team reps with Oguchi Onyewu Wednesday. That pairing finished the D.C. United game and could start Saturday against Portland. Elliott has clearly supplanted Ken Tribbett, and all that remains is whether Richie Marquez graduates concussion protocols in time. Curtin expects Marquez to be cleared, but the coach doesn’t have a long track record of playing guys who don’t train by mid-week. It’s unlikely he’ll rush Marquez back off one or two days of training.

- John McCarthy (concussion) suffered a setback from an injury sustained two weeks ago. The goalie worked out Sunday but suffered symptoms and has been delayed. He didn’t train Wednesday, meaning Jake McGuire is going to be the backup Saturday.

- As speculated last week, Fafa Picault was healthy but found himself the odd man out for the Union’s trip to D.C. Curtin went with three reserve defensive options and three attacking players, Picault landing fourth on the latter list behind Roland Alberg, Fabian Herbers and Jay Simpson. That bench composition would seem to posit that it’s a question of Picault or Warren Creavalle most weeks. Read more »

The Union's Andre Blake, center, has played in major international tournaments
and an MLS All-Star Game. And he's just reaching a full season's worth
of games in MLS. (AP)

It’s been almost three years since Andre Blake strode across the stage at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the first name called in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft by the host team, the Philadelphia Union.

In the intervening years, Blake has established himself as the No. 1 for Jamaica and garnered speculation of whether Europe lies in his future.

But while it feels like he’s been with the Union forever (at least long enough to see five Union teammates play goal in MLS), he’s nearing a significant milestone: Blake is one game shy of a season-long, 34-game sample on which to judge his talents.

Here are Blake’s career stats in MLS play:

33 games
114 saves/50 goals allowed
1.51 goals-against average
69.5 save percentage
8 clean sheets
12-13-8 record

The stats have to be taken with a sizeable grain of salt. Blake has played 26 of the Union’s 27 games this season, which means around a quarter of his career was logged with behind losing soccer, dragging the stats down. Yet Union manager Jim Curtin is upbeat about Blake’s individual contributions, particularly as he’s sustained them over a long stretch to validate the talent that so many saw in the Jamaican.

“He’s been excellent,” Curtin said Wednesday. “He’s a guy that you never know until you get your first full season, right? Still seven games left, but his body of work this year has been strong.”

Among MLS goalies with 12 or more games played this season, Blake ranks 15th in goals-against average (1.50) and 17th in save percentage (66.9). That’s not exactly jump-off-the-page stuff, even if his GAA is better than either Brian Sylvestre (1.58) or John McCarthy (1.64) last season. And in the perception-vs.-reality debate, recall that Blake was comfortably elected to the All-Star Game via the fan vote, meaning that the Union staff isn't the only one that sees something special in his approach to the game.
Read more »

Matt Jones was selected by Jim Curtin as Andre Blake's replacement
for Wednesday's game against Columbus.
(Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)

The Philadelphia Union goalkeeper beat has been dormant of late. So Tuesday’s decision of a new starter while Andre Blake is away on international duty was dispatched painlessly.

Jim Curtin announced that Matt Jones will make his MLS debut Wednesday against Columbus, with John McCarthy as his backup.

Jones and McCarthy have alternated as Blake’s backup in games, but that is a largely ceremonial role. McCarthy has played eight games this season with USL club Bethlehem Steel, while Jones has played just once.

Nonetheless, the 30-year-old gets the nod. A veteran of nearly 150 games in the top two Portuguese divisions, Jones will be the first Englishman to suit up in Union history.

“I’ll be more than ready,” Jones said after training Tuesday. “I’ve been ready since preseason. Very excited about the potential to play. It’s all positive. If it’s my name on the team sheet tomorrow, then I’ll be ready to play.”

Curtin said he leaned heavily on goalkeeping coach Oka Nikolov’s discretion in making the pick. Jones was with the team last week but had to return to the Philly area for the birth of his first child, son Jackson, May 26.

“It is a roller coaster of emotions,” Curtin said. “To have your first born is a big deal. I tend to see the positives in that. It makes you a little less selfish. You’re playing for a little guy too, now. It’s a little more special. You have to keep things in check.”

As Brendan Burke addressed the media two days before Bethlehem Steel FC plays its first USL game, the coach made abundantly clear one fact: In just four months on the job, Burke has managed to establish a more cogent ideology around his team than its seven-year-old parent club has yet uncovered.

Burke’s expectations and methodologies seem clear-cut when Steel FC debuts Friday evening at FC Montreal (7 p.m., live stream below).



Burke’s roster is sparse, comprising just 13 players after the addition of Fred as player/coach Thursday. (That’s even less populous than I surmised last fall.) There may be one or two bodies forthcoming to swell the ranks on a permanent basis. But Burke is assured in Steel’s place within the Union’s hierarchy. Instead of stuffing the roster with players just to meet quotas and artificial expectations, the guiding philosophy has been only adding players with legitimate chances of breaking into the Union’s MLS squad.

“I think we’re in great shape,” Burke said. “We’re a small but focused group. … We’ve had a number of trialists through, but I think what we found is that we’re happy keeping a smaller number of players who we really trust and who we really think have an opportunity to move through to the first team at some stage in their developments.”

Most of Steel’s roster fits that bill. Captain Ryan Richter has MLS and NASL experience. Irish midfielder James Chambers adds a wealthy of European games. Young players like Nigerian-born Bolu Akinyode, Canadian midfielder Josh Heard, Jamaican forwards Amoy Brown and Cory Burke and Liberians Gabe Gisse and Seku Conneh have been identified by Union brass for large upsides. Academy product Derrick Jones is the first Homegrown to land in Bethlehem, and he’ll surely be joined by more in the near future.

The roster includes USL stalwarts like goalie Samir Badr, defender Michael Daly and Ardmore native Nick Bibbs, who’ll mentor younger players and contribute to what Burke hopes is a winning side, though that’s not the primary goal.

More important is that the Union’s affiliate reflects a similar playing style as what has finally emerged from the MLS side, all the better to facilitate promotion of high achievers from USL to MLS.

“I think part of our goal is to tactically mirror what the first team does and to reinforce some of the things that the younger first-team players are being taught and what our players would need to know to step into that environment,” Burke said. “So I think if we get it right, we should look very similar to the first team on the field.”

On the personnel side, this week is unique, the FIFA international window giving the Union a bye. More players than usual will be shuttled to Bethlehem, with the Union sending Eric Ayuk, Leo Fernandes, Fabian Herbers, John McCarthy, Walter Restrepo, Taylor Washington and Josh Yaro. Steel will also use Academy players as opportunities arise, though many of those prospects are away with various U.S. age-group squads this week.

Burke didn’t make any promises on a lineup, but it’s a safe bet that playing loaned Union players is a priority. Guys that have made the Union’s gameday 18 in the first three weeks like Herbers, Fernandes and McCarthy aren’t going to Canada to sit the bench. The same goes for Yaro, who’ll likely pair with Daly in a backline that’ll feature Richter and possibly Washington. Burke heralded Jones’s work this preseason, so he’ll likely start as the holding midfielder.

UNION (4-2-3-1)

McCarthy

Fabinho-Edu-Marquez-Gaddis

Lahoud-Nogueira

Le Toux-Maidana-Barnetta

Sapong

Bench: Blake, Vitoria, Carroll, Wenger, Ayuk, Casey, Creavalle

Sporting KC (4-3-3) 

Melia 

Sinovic-Besler-Ellis-Myers 

Feilhaber-Mustivar-Nagamur

Nemeth-Dwyer-Zusi 

Bench: Kempin, Palmer-Brown, Abdul-Salaam, Quintilla, Peterson, Lopez

Preview 

- The question on all the Union fans’ minds was, as always, goalkeeping. And the answer is Andre Blake. The Jamaican’s 10-save performance vs. New England on the weekend was enough to sway Jim Curtin away from John McCarthy, who was in goal for the four games that led to the final. It’s just Blake’s fourth match with the Union this season and seventh consecutive match overall.

- The only other shock in the 18 is the exclusion of Fernando Aristeguieta. Curtin opts for extra defensive options, with Steven Vitoria preferred to Aristeguieta as the fifth international. There’s enough offensive cover with Andrew Wenger back to complement Eric Ayuk and Conor Casey.
- The rest of the Union XI is pretty standard for Curtin’s preferences. The attacking triumvirate of Tranquillo Barnetta, Vincent Nogueira and Cristian Maidana is intact. Michael Lahoud is preferred to Brian Carroll in the center of midfield.

- No surprises from Sporting KC either. Krisztian Nemeth returns to the lineup as a wing forward after three games out. Roger Espinoza’s injury strips some dynamism from the KC midfield, so it’s Paulo Nagamura out there next to Benny Feilhaber. Depriving Feilhaber space and time on the ball to distribute up top to Dom Dwyer, Nemeth and Graham Zusi will be key, and it largely falls to Lahoud to corral that. The bench, however, is fairly thin for SKC, with Jacob Peterson the biggest threat.

I did learn a lot from the Seattle game last year. I thought we were a fresh team going into it, but we did play a lineup that kind of was repeated and played again in the final. So, I won’t have any regrets this year. I’ll play a fresh team, completely fresh team, in the final.

- Jim Curtin, Sept. 16

We’ll find the right balance of lineup to give guys the proper rest and proper confidence going into a final. I’ll tell you there will be no regrets in terms of whether we are fresh or not in terms of the final. We will be fresh for sure.

- Jim Curtin, Sept. 20

Often without much provocation the last two weeks, Philadelphia Union manager Jim Curtin has been forthcoming with his vision for how the final days of September should play out. With the playoffs falling out of view, all of the squad’s efforts have been geared to one solitary date: The Sept. 30 U.S. Open Cup final against Sporting Kansas City.

Curtin is a manager that you can often take at his word. Judging by the above quotes, he’ll dial up massive changes for Saturday’s trip to New England, a game in which the Union’s hope of a result would be remote, regardless.

Here’s what the Union did last season, playing New York Red Bulls at PPL Park Saturday before entertaining Seattle at home Tuesday in the cup final.

Union lineups vs. New York Red Bulls Sept. 13, 2014 in MLS play (left)
and vs. Seattle in the Open Cup final Sept. 16, 2014 (right). (Via MLSsoccer.com)

That’s 6.5/7 changes, depending on how you look at it, with Ray Gaddis and Maurice Edu each changing positions but playing in both games. That’s a fairly fresh team, you’d think. But the result against Seattle, with the Sounders looking far stronger in extra time, may indicate that more rest is required. The term “fresh” is inherently ambiguous, and for some players, getting a half or 90 minutes is preferable to a weekend off in terms of their sharpness, though the three subs limit how many can follow that tack.
Read more »

Tranquillo Barnetta's salary was revealed Tuesday,
making him the second highest-paid Union player. (AP)

Tuesday brought the biannual release of salary figures by the MLS Players Union (pdf), which provides us with an update on the Philadelphia Union’s wage bill. Here are the numbers for the Union:

(In alphabetical order, base salary listed, guaranteed compensation in parenthesis if different)

1. Fernando Aristeguieta $350,004 (young designated player; cap hit $200,000)
2. Maurice Edu $700,000 ($768,750 – designated player; cap hit $436,250)
3. Tranquillo Barnetta $624,000 ($661,500 – NOT a DP, but max cap hit is $436,250)
4. Fred $60,000
5. Brian Carroll $150,000
6. Conor Casey $180,000
7. Warren Creavalle $108,500 ($119,000)
8. Fabinho $114,000 ($118,500)
9. Ray Gaddis $130,000 ($132,500)
10. Antoine Hoppenot $60,000

11. Michael Lahoud $108,900 ($112,233)
12. Sebastien Le Toux $275,000 ($285,228)
13. Cristian Maidana $203,500 ($217,250)
14. Richie Marquez $60,000
15. Vincent Nogueira $330,000
16. CJ Sapong $125,000 ($142,000)
17. Steven Vitoria $400,000
18. Andrew Wenger $180,000 ($282,000)
19. Ethan White $125,000
20. – vacant –

21. Andre Blake $85,000 ($123,000 – Generation Adidas)
22. Jimmy McLaughlin $60,000 (Homegrown Player)
23. Zach Pfeffer $60,000 (Homegrown Player)
24. Eric Bird $60,000
25. Dzenan Catic $60,000 ($75,000)
26. Eric Ayuk $50,000
27. John McCarthy $60,000 ($66,250)
28. Brian Sylvestre $60,000

Inactive
Austin Berry $93,519 ($108,519)
Danny Cruz $125,000 ($131,667)
Leo Fernandez $60,000

Off book
Zac MacMath $130,000 (paid by Colorado via intra-league loan)

Totals Union salary cap (Totals for players 1-20): $3,682,400
Union base salaries (Totals for players 1-28): $4,365,150
Union total compensation (including inactive roster): $5,408,401 Read more »

Could John McCarthy be headed to the bench for Andre Blake?
Jim Curtin didn't rule it out Thursday. (Times Staff/TOM KELLY IV)

It should shock no one to state that the Philadelphia Union have an ignominious goalkeeping history. So it’s not surprising that the Union are on the verge of another inglorious distinction between the posts, potentially this weekend.

Jim Curtin strongly hinted Thursday at his weekly press conference that Andre Blake could be in line for his season debut Saturday against Montreal. The timing would seem to be right: Blake is recovered from surgeries on both knees in January, then May. He’ll leave for international duty with Jamaica for a two-leg tie with Nicaragua in the third round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying Sept. 4 and 8.

Here’s what Curtin had to say:

“We’re thinking about it. We’ll make a decision. Andre’s been called in to Jamaica three weeks from now, so there’s a possibility that it makes sense to give him a game or two.”

If Curtin plays the same loyalty card he did last year with Zac MacMath, it may be that he’s deemed John McCarthy as having earned the start in the Sept. 30 Open Cup final. That would position McCarthy to play a couple of games in late September to stay sharp.

In the meantime, Brian Sylvestre is on the shelf until his oft-reaggravated hand injury is fully healed. When the subject was broached two weeks ago, Curtin declared McCarthy the starter in Orlando. There was no such openness this week. Curtin also failed to conceal his disappointment with McCarthy in Sunday’s 3-3 draw with Chicago.

“Well, the game, not happy with how we executed at that 2-1, we had a lot of chances to get the third goal,” was how Curtin started his postgame press address. “Sean Johnson obviously had a very good night. He had a lot of key saves, a lot of big saves to keep them in it. I think we gave up four shots on goal and three goals. So, again, you know, you work so hard, you finally break through and get a goal.”
Read more »

UNION (4-2-3-1)

McCarthy

Fabinho-Edu-White-Gaddis

Carroll-Pfeffer

Le Toux-Maidana-Ayuk

Sapong

Bench: Blake, Marquez, Vitoria, Barnetta, Fred, Casey, Aristeguieta

New York Red Bulls (4-2-3-1) 

Robles 

Wallace-Miazaga-Perrinelle-Lade 

McCarty-Felipe 

Grella-Kljestan-Sam 

B.Wright-Phillips 

Bench: Reynish, McLaws, Ouimette, Davis, Abang, Zizzo, S.Wright-Phillips

Preview

- All eyes are on one name on the bench: Tranquillo Barnetta. The Swiss player – maybe the Union’s biggest ever acquisition who was unveiled Friday – makes the bench as anticipated. He required a week of intercontinental transit to seal his move to Philadelphia, so he’s not 90-minutes fit, but he could play some role in this contest.

- Brian Sylvestre’s hand laceration wasn’t the subject of much discussion this week, and it didn’t preclude him from training. But he’s out of the 18 today, with John McCarthy getting the nod in goal. McCarthy was stellar last week against the Red Bulls.

- Among the starting XI, emphasis will be placed on the Union’s central midfield pivot that will be without Vincent Nogueira for the majority of August. It’s Zach Pfeffer’s time to shine: He was hit-or-miss last week against D.C. United, with some good moments and some bad, and with as outstanding as Nogueira has been, especially going forward, the onus is on Pfeffer to step up big time. 

- Ray Gaddis makes his 100th start today, a remarkable accolade for the hard-working fullback. Here’s what he had to say on the matter earlier in the week. He’s just the second member of the 2012 SuperDraft class to hit 100 MLS starts. 

- For the Red Bulls, no shocks in the starting lineup. Kemar Lawrence has the week off to recover from the Gold Cup. Shaun Wright-Phillips makes the matchday 18 after being signed midweek. One oddity is that Dax McCarty, like Pfeffer, had a midweek flight to Colorado for All-Star festivities (Pfeffer in the Homegrown Game).

 

UNION (4-2-3-1)

McCarthy

Fabinho-White-Edu-Gaddis

Carroll-Nogueira

Le Toux-Maidana-Ayuk

Casey

Bench: Mitchell, Williams, Fred, Pfeffer, McLaughlin, Hoppenot, Aristegieta 

Red Bulls (4-2-3-1)

Robles

Lade-Miazga-Perrinelle-Wallace

McCarty-Felipe

Sam-Kljestan-Abang 

Wright-Phillips 

Bench: Reynish, Miller, Ouimette, Davis, Sanchez, Grella, Zizzo  

Preview

- I’ve written on several occasions about the buffoonery surrounding this tie at 4 on a weekday afternoon. Judging by how dead the environment is, it’s about as bad as I would’ve thought. Solid work, U.S. Soccer.

- Only the Union could keep MLS so engrossed by something so mundane as a backup goalkeeper. After an evening of hints on Twitter, MLS pool goalkeeper Trey Mitchell is on the Union’s bench to backup John McCarthy. He sat on their bench behind Brian Sylvestre in Vancouver two months ago.

- The limit of five internationals in the 18 severely hampers the Union, particularly with three Americans out (CJ Sapong due to suspension, Andrew Wenger and Richie Marquez due to injury). All five start, with Eric Ayuk in for Wenger and Maurice Edu returning from suspension to fill Marquez’s void next to Ethan White. Conor Casey (surprisingly, not Fernando Aristeguieta will fill in in Sapong’s stead.


- Jim Curtin had no qualms about his opposite number Jesse Marsch’s approach to this game, and those are verified by the lineup the Red Bulls coach assembled. The lineup is mostly the same one they used on the weekend, with Bradley Wright-Phillips the danger man up top and all the usual faces (Lloyd Sam, Sacha Kljestan, Dax McCarty) included. The backline is still without Kemar Lawrence and Roy Miller, which leaves some areas to attack.

UNION (4-2-3-1)

McCarthy 

Williams-Marquez-Edu-Gaddis

Carroll-Nogueira

Wenger-Maidana-Ayuk

Sapong

Bench: Blake, Fabinho, White, Fred, Pfeffer, McLaughlin, Hoppenot

D.C. United (4-4-2)

Dykstra

Mishu-Opare-Birnbaum-Robinson

Aguilar-Jeffrey-Halsti-Doyle

Arrieta-Coria

Bench: Worra, Rolfe, Kitchen, Korb, Kemp, Silva

Preview 

Live Stream 

- All eyes are on the Union’s goal (what else is new?) with John McCarthy getting the start over Andre Blake. McCarthy was the hero of the fourth-round win over Rochester with his performance in the penalty-kick shootout and is rewarded for that outing. His start denies Blake his first appearance for the Union since Aug. 15 of last year in his last chance for a game before leaving Friday to meet up with Jamaica for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

- The Union continue the theme of small improvements to the squad, largely of necessity. It’s just little tinkering here and there: A fullback swap with Sheanon Williams in for Fabinho, a shift on the wing with the reintroduction of Andrew Wenger for Zach Pfeffer.
- The injury relief hasn’t yet arrived for the Union, leaving the bench extremely thin, coupled with the Cup-tied Eric Bird and Dzenan Catic. If they need goals late, they can draw on, well, no one really.

- D.C. doesn’t go full-bore for this one, but it’s still a solid roster. Many of the veterans like Sean Franklin, Bobby Boswell and Fabian Espindola expectedly miss out, as does goalie Bill Hamid. But there’s quality in the side, including former Union trialist Facundo Coria. There’s also some pop on the bench Chris Rolfe and Luis Silva, plus don’t forget that Conor Doyle did this last week.

I took the drive up to scenic Exeter High School Tuesday evening primarily to work on something from the Reading United side, a feature on former Union U-18 product and Haverford School grad Brett Campbell, a junior at Georgetown who has had a torrid start to the summer.

There was more to see than just the handful of Reading standouts, though, in the Union’s 1-0 friendly win at Don Thomas Stadium. A few observations from the game:

- We have an Andrew Wenger goal sighting. It took Reading’s third goalie of the night crashing into a defender as he tried to collect a header by Steven Vitoria off a free kick, but hey, Wenger kicked a ball into the back of the net and then the ref blew the whistle and the scoreboard changed. That should be a win for Wenger considering how his season has gone, plus there’s the added bonus of doing it against his former team. It goes without saying how badly the Union need him to get going.

- The Union started the same lineup as Saturday (with the exception of John McCarthy in for Bryan Sylvestre), which was essentially the same lineup as last Wednesday (minus CJ Sapong for Fernando Aristeguieta), which was the same lineup as the previous Saturday. For nine outfield players, that’s four starts in 11 days. Granted, most only played for 30 minutes or a half in a glorified practice session, plus it’s a bit of a reward for the 1,200 Reading fans that showed up, one of the biggest crowds for a friendly in the teams’ partnership that created a really great atmosphere.

- Only two players went 90 minutes Tuesday: Richie Marquez and McCarthy. Remember that McCarthy must be the Union’s goalie in next Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup match with Rochester since Sylvestre is Cup-tied.

- Tuesday was the first match in a Union kit for rookie Eric Bird, who started the season injured. More on that in Thursday’s paper. Read more »

UNION (4-2-3-1)

McCarthy

Williams-Edu-White-Gaddis

Pfeffer-Lahoud

Ayuk-Maidana-Wenger

Aristeguieta

Bench: Blake, Marquez, Fabinho, Fred, McLaughlin, Casey, Le Toux

Toronto FC (4-4-2)

Konopka

Morgan-Hagglund-Perquis-Morros

Jackson-Cheyrou-Bradley-Findley

Giovinco-Altidore

Bench: Roberts, Creavalle, Zavaleta, Lovitz, Warner, Moore, Osorio

Preview  

- Whatever Jim Curtin’s plan was this week was likely scrapped Friday with news that CJ Sapong would be suspended indefinitely after a DUI arrest that requires entering MLS’ Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health (SABH) program. Curtin had tipped him to be an option on the win, but instead, the struggling Andrew Wenger will have to struggle through their issues on the field instead of on the bench.

- One absence was expected, the other a later fitness test. But the Union will be without two components of the team’s spine in Vincent Nogueira (ankle) and Steven Vitoria (groin). That leaves Ethan White to return to central defense while Zach Pfeffer pairs Michael Lahoud in midfield. Against Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco, that’s a tall, tall task for the Union.

- As anticipated, Chris Konopka gets the nod in the goal for TFC, his first appearance since 2012 … with the Union … against TFC. More on that here. The Union, meanwhile, go with John McCarthy for a fifth straight game. He’s given up eight goals in his first four starts.

- On the bright side, the Union are 6-2-4 all-time vs. Toronto, their last loss coming in May 2012, that game Konopka started. On the downside, they are beat up and in desperate need of a result, and desperation rarely breeds success in PPL Park.

- In addition to Toronto’s Big 3, Greg Vanney goes attacking with Robbie Findley as a winger in the 4-4-2. Union got torn up on the wings last week in Columbus, and even with Sheanon Williams back in the side, Vanney sees an exploitable battle.

There is goalkeeping news surrounding the Philadelphia Union’s meeting with Toronto FC, and for once, it’s not involving the Union.

While there’s a little intrigue in Philly – Jim Curtin said Wednesday that he’s leaning toward John McCarthy as the starter for a fifth straight game as Andre Blake continues his recovery from knee surgery – it’s the visitors to PPL Park that will have a goalie change, which involves a familiar face.

Toronto manager Greg Vanney said this week that if starter Joe Bendik, who is suffering from a plantar fascia strain in his foot, can’t go, Chris Konopka would be the starter.

Vanney: "Joe Bendik is questionable due to a foot injury. Chris Konopka would start if Joe can't go." #TFCLive

— Toronto FC (@torontofc) April 30, 2015

Well, Bendik is listed as out on MLS’ injury report, and while a post on TFC’s site has him officially questionable, the team’s probable lineup features Konopka in goal.

If Konopka gets the nod, it’ll be his second MLS appearance in his sixth MLS season. The 2007 SuperDraft pick and native of Toms River, N.J., spent three seasons playing for Irish clubs Bohemians, Sporting Fingal and Waterford United.

Konopka’s last MLS appearance came with the Union May 26, 2012, the final MLS match in Peter Nowak’s reign, against … you guessed it, Toronto. That game, a 1-0 loss at BMO Field, was the first win for Toronto after nine straight losses to start a season that featured just five wins, one of the worst in MLS history. The goal was provided by ill-fated designated player Danny Koevermans, who called time on his career after a litany of injuries. It’s worth taking a look at the lineups, which included the unforgettable left-flank pairing of midfielder Kai Herdling and back Gabe Farfan. Who would’ve imagined Nowak was losing the plot?
Read more »

UNION (4-4-2)

M’Bolhi

Gaddis-White-Vitoria-Williams

Wenger-Edu-Nogueira-Le Toux

Sapong-Aristeguieta

Bench: McCarthy, Fabinho, Marquez, Lahoud, Pfeffer, Maidana, Casey

Colorado Rapids (4-2-3-1) 

Irwin

Riley-Sjoberg-Burling-Harrington

Sarvas- Pittinari

Sanchez-Serna- Torres

Badji

Bench: Berner, Burch, O’Neill, Alvarez, Cronin, Brown

Season Preview  

Rest assured, PPL Park has shed its frosted look since Thursday.
(Times Staff/TOM KELLY IV)

- The lingering tactical debate for Jim Curtin this season is whether he’d opt for a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-1-3-2. For the debut, it’s nominally a 4-4-2, with the potential to morph into a 4-2-4. Cristian Maidana starts on the bench with CJ Sapong operating as a second striker behind Fernando Aristeguieta.

- Out with injury is Danny Cruz (hamstring), meaning we won’t get a repeat of this ugly tackle from Shane O’Neill this season.
Read more »