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A Philadelphia Union blog hosted by Christopher A. Vito and Matthew De George

Friday, July 12, 2013

Union-Chivas: Lineups and pre-game thoughts

Philadelphia Union (7-6-6, 27 points) 
MacMath 
Gaddis-Okugo-Parke-Williams 
Fernandes-Carroll-Farfan-Cruz
Casey-Le Toux
Bench: Konopka, Albright, Fabinho, Anding, Kassel, Hoppenot, Wheeler

Chivas USA (3-10-5, 14 points)
Kennedy
Soto-Vilchez-de Luna-Delgado
Villafana-Farfan-Mejia-Alvarez-Avila
Correa
Bench: McLain, Burling, Borja, Iraheta, Rivera, Bowen, Morales

- Leo Fernandes gets another chance to impress, his third straight start, but we’ll see where that comes on the pitch. Conventional logic would place him centrally next to Brian Carroll, but he could also occupy the wing, with Michael Farfan taking up the central role. Or Sebastien Le Toux could tuck into the midfield, adopting a 4-5-1 with either Farfan or Fernandes tucking in behind Conor Casey. There are options a plenty, and against a team like Chivas with less than a half dozen games under coach Jose Luis Real, Union manager John Hackworth probably likes having options. 
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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

John Hackworth's weekly press conference, July 10

The Philadelphia Union manager had plenty to say after his team's two-game road trip and with a crucial game looming against Chivas USA at home Friday. Here are the details:

On the lack of playing time for Roger Torres:
The same thing we see and expect from every player on our roster. There’s effectiveness, there’s a commitment, there’s a preparation before you ever get on the field that you can play the game at the level that we’re demanding and that you know your role and responsibilities within the structure of our team. Don’t get me wrong, I almost feel like I’m defending our staff because we feel like we like Roger. He’s here for a reason, but he’s not playing for a reason as well, and there’s other guys who have continued to stay ahead of him and there are guys that have risen above him, and Roger understands that. But when he gets an opportunity like he did in Houston, he has to make the most of it. We’ve had several discussions as a staff, with Roger, he’s still a young guy that we believe in, we want him to be successful here, but a lot of that has to do with Roger and what he does on and off the field.

On what role new acquisitions Fabinho and Oka Nikolov will play Friday:
I haven’t made that decision yet. As with anybody that we bring in, at two different positions, they’re battling with other players on the roster. We don’t really want to rush a guy, but at the same time if a guy is ready and if he’s done it in training and had the kind of games for him to prepare, we’ll give them a chance. For both of them, we’re happy where they are and haven’t made the final decision on anyone.
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