Tranquillo Barnetta's exploits in the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League
with Schalke rank him as one of the most impressive players
the Union have ever landed. (AP)

From the time Tranquillo Barnetta’s name surfaced as a serious transfer target of the Philadelphia Union, there was a debate that cropped up among the select group of Union media. If the Union could land the Swiss winger, as they officially did Wednesday, where exactly would he rank in the annals of Union history?

It’s a superficial way to appraise a player with all of three training sessions at PPL Park under his belt. But in a league where the Union constantly fight (often in vain) to carve out a niche of attention, the public relations splash of any move is a consideration, one that shouldn’t but often does outweigh the tactical implications.

With that in mind, let’s count down where Barnetta ranks among fellow Union acquisitions, in terms of his profile upon arriving at PPL Park and the accomplishments he’s compiled in his pre-Union career.

(Honorable mention goes to Maurice Edu, who’d finish sixth on this list. Old Firm Derby goals have a way of making you legendary in certain corners of the world, though one successful foreign stint does not a career make.)

5. Kleberson

Kleberson’s name was well known in the world of soccer, more for his international than club exploits. He was a fixture in Brazil’s run to the 2002 World Cup title, setting up the second of Ronaldo’s pair of goals in the final, then he made a surprising return to the squad in time for the 2010 run. He remains one of 10 World Cup winners to play in MLS. Less auspiciously, Kleberson is known as perhaps one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s biggest transfer blunders for his poor stint with Manchester United starting in 2003. Though he stabilized his career in Turkey with Besiktas, the midfielder proved his success for club was largely dependent on being in Brazil, and even then, his production trailed off long before he was the makeweight for shipping Freddy Adu out of town in May 2013.

4. Carlos Ruiz
Read more »

There’s been little shortage of discussion on the protracted (I can’t call it “transfer”, since technically it wasn’t) saga involving the Philadelphia Union and Union original Fred. All the machinations came to a resolution weeks in the making last Thursday when the Union were officially allowed to ink the 34-year-old player to a deal via an allocation draft.

That poses the question: Where does Fred fit into the 2014 team?

The value of Fred, seen here sliding in on D.C. United's Chris Pontius
in an April 10, 2010 game, is very likely to exceed the number of minutes
he gets on the pitch this season. (AP)

Part of the reason why the Union sought him out and allowed him to train with them for the entire preseason before finally securing his services is that Fred gives manager John Hackworth so many ways to answer that question.

“Fred gives us another option in the midfield, more depth, but also good leadership,” Hackworth said in his weekly press conference Tuesday at PPL Park. “I think he can play as the No. 10. I think in certain positions, you could play him in wide positions. Even as a No. 8, it’s not like he doesn’t have the engine to go up and down the field. But Fred’s creativity and ability to open up a game are certainly more valuable as an attacking midfielder.”

Through the admittedly small sample size of the Union’s three-game start to the season, there’s no indication that the current occupiers of those starting positions are in danger of giving way. Despite some stumbles here and there, it’s been by and large a purposeful introduction to MLS for the likes of Cristian Maidana, Vincent Nogueira and Maurice Edu.
Read more »

Cristian Maidana, from his Spartak Moscow days,
could have a big impact on the Union this season,
even if fanfare over his arrivals is subdued. (AP)

In the past, there have been spectacles. There have been press conference, meet-and-greets, jersey presentations, artsy pictures with the players portrayed as towering over the backdrop of PPL Park.

Those gimmicks are what have awaited the designated players of the Philadelphia Union’s past.

Cristian Maidana’s arrival to the club Tuesday was heralded by a press release. All of three paragraphs.

Some of is certainly timing, with the signing of the Argentine midfielder being finalized a mere 18 hours before the club was slated to host the coming together of American soccer’s biggest power players at the 2014 SuperDraft.

But it’s also a testament to the Union’s new direction, one that manager John Hackworth and CEO Nick Sakiewicz touted Thursday at the draft.

Maidana’s deal makes him just the third designated player in the Union’s four-plus years of existence ... the equivalent of what teams in Seattle, New York and Los Angeles call a transfer window. He follows in the underwhelming footsteps of fellow supposedly play-making midfielders Freddy Adu and Kleberson, one move precipitating the other in 2013 and yielding not much more success.

But where Adu’s arrival was the occasion for a stadium press event and Kleberson’s an excuse to bring together the Philadelphia Brazilian community, Maidana’s wasn’t gotten much fanfare. The draft and the Union’s major moves there have overshadowed it, as has the prospect of the Maurice Edu acquisition, a transaction that supersedes Maidana’s in terms of both media attention and potential on-field value. And perhaps there’s also the hope that the divergence in the arrivals of Maidana compared to his DP predecessors also translates into a difference in quality in a Union kit.

There may still be time for all the bells and whistles once Maidana’s visas are finalized and he meets up with the club. But such has been the profile of the Union’s other postseason dealings that Maidana’s capture was relegated to almost an afterthought in discussions Thursday. Read more »

The Philadelphia Union Monday waived four players ahead of the MLS's waiver draft, in which the Union pick sixth. The players waived were Kleberson, Don Anding, Greg Jordan and Oka Nikolov. 

None of the moves come as big surprises. Kleberson's loan deal with Bahia ends prior to the start of next season, and it's likely that no one would take a flyer on him given his high salary. The 34-year-old veteran of two World Cup finals spent most of last season rooted to the bench after a quad injury, making 11 appearances and scoring once.

Jordan has struggled though knee injuries this season. The 32nd pick in the 2012 SuperDraft, the 23-year-old never made a league appearance, shuttling between reserve league and Harrisburg City. Nikolov, the 39-year-old veteran of 20 seasons in Germany's Bundesliga, was signed in August as a back-up goalkeeper. He didn't make a league appearance for the Union.

The only move that is even moderately a surprise is Anding, 22, the 26th overall pick in last year's MLS SuperDraft. He made one league appearance this season and was touted by the Union staff for his athleticism and ability to provide width, but apparently he is not in the long-term plans of the club, which has a bevy of draft picks in this year's SuperDraft. Emblematic of the Union's recent draft-day failures, Anding's dismissal means the only remaining link to the 2013 SuperDraft of just over 10 months ago is supplemental pick Leo Fernandes.

The Union will pick sixth in today's Waiver Wire draft, which will be begin at 3:30.

D.C. United (3-4-3 or 4-5-1)

Hamid

Iapichino-Woolard-Korb

Kitchen-Neal-Jeffrey-DeLeon

Silva-Pontius-Doyle

Bench: Willis, Martin, Seaton, Nyassi, Pajoy, Porter, Shanosky

Philadelphia Union (4-2-3-1)

MacMath

Gaddis-Parke-Okugo-Le Toux

Carroll-Daniel

Farfan-Kleberson-Cruz

Casey

Bench: Nikolov, Kassel, Gilberto, Fernandes, McInerney, Wheeler, Hoppenot

- Questions abound here that won’t be answered until kickoff. On what side does Sebastien Le Toux, the organization’s all-time leading scorer, play as a fullback? (I’d guess right.) Who occupies the central role in the midfield attacking triumvirate? (I’d go with Kleberson.) And which sides do Danny Cruz and the other midfielder occupy? (Who knows?)

- Here’s one thing you knew for sure: That the Union was likely going to utilize two holding midfielders – as it did against Sporting Kansas City – to aid the rebuilt backline that is missing Fabinho and Sheanon Williams due to suspension. Michael Lahoud would be the logical choice to pair Brian Carroll had he not been missing due to injury, but instead it’s Keon Daniel, who could provide a little more going forward.

- It’s an interesting Union bench. Gilberto makes his first appearance after it was all but said that he wouldn’t have a role this season, while Matt Kassel is the nearest approximation to a defensive sub. The biggest role of the group today could be played by Aaron Wheeler, especially if this game becomes the type of ugly, set-piece game it has the potential to be.

- And there’s a bit of confusion at the D.C. XI. It’s possible the Perry Kitchen slots into the center of defense, making it a 4-5-1. But as written, it appears to be a 3-4-3, which would be, uh, unusual. Either way, look for Nick DeLeon and Chris Pontius to be manning the flanks and attacking the fullbacks. Luis Silva should slot into the space behind Conor Doyle.

John Hackworth isn’t exactly a betting man. He’s not the type of manager who tries to play the role of master puppeteer with a group of players, not a coach who changes formations and lineups just because the club crest on his blazer tells him he can.

But Hackworth is making a gamble over the last month of the MLS season. He’s wagering that the team that has brought the second-year coach to the brink of playoff qualification but has lately looked less than playoff-worthy can finish the job. And lately, it’s looked like the chips have been stacked against him in the pursuit.

Maybe it’s that Hackworth has an idea of what cards are left in the deck – what the real value of potentially idealized bench options like Michael Farfan or Kleberson or Roger Torres are when the cards are laid out on the green stuff the next five weeks. Maybe it’s that Hackworth is a devotee of disseminating a steady message, has unwillingness to burden his players with their proximity to the panic button or simply respects them enough to know that they must know stakes at this point.

Hackworth didn’t sound Wednesday like a manager whose team has scored just once in five matches and picked up five points in the standings since the end of July.

Part of it, from the cynical perspective, reeks of complacency. “If you guys would’ve asked me that in February, that we would be in the thick of it” goes the popular Hackworth refrain, “I would take it, for sure, especially with five games to play.” Implicit in that statement is an acknowledgement that the Union team that spent the majority of the summer within striking distance of the Eastern Conference summit punched well above its weight and is returning to earth, quickly and with a thud. Read more »

The answers John Hackworth gave Wednesday as to his team’s potential late-season turnaround were a lot of the same: Emphasizing process, reassuring that the same players who have been there all year will be around to help them chase a playoff spot they not long ago had a solid grasp on.

Part of that affirmation of the status quo was eschewing the possibility that changes were on offer, in particular in a midfield where the talents of Roger Torres and Kleberson would seem to be in demand. They haven’t been, though, and they’re not expected to be anytime soon.

Here’s what Hackworth had to say on both.

On Torres:

“Sure, there’s a shot. But how many minutes did you say he played? In reality, I don’t think we’re in a desperate situation. And I think if you start to reach for straws and play guys who haven't really represented your team at this point in the year, then you’re getting to desperate times. Roger has done well in training the last couple of weeks – that’s why he was in the 18 against Houston. But I think it’s unrealistic to say that you’re going to go to a guy that has played under 40 minutes for you all year.”

On Kleberson:

“I think every guy on our roster has a very important role to play, but similar to the way I talked about Roger earlier, I wouldn’t expect us to go to desperate lengths and play guys that haven’t been a part of what we do all year. I would make the point to all of you that this is the first time the entire season that we’ve lost two games in a row. And saying that, probably shouldn’t have lost two games in a row. We’re a team that has bounced back and we’ve been a team that has, for the most part, when we’ve had a bad performance, we’ve come back and had a good one. And that’s consistency. I don’t know how you measure that. But the way I’m looking at it, we’ve been pretty good in those situations. Now it’s a tough challenge. It’s been two games that we haven’t gotten results, and we need to bounce back from it.

“I’m not trying to send any message to the fan base. I’m trying to put 11 players on the field that game-in and game-out, give us the best chance to win. And Kleberson has been a big part of that. But I would go back to the real reasons that he is here and what he has done for the club. And those are different for our coaching staff and for the players in the locker room.”

It’s becoming apparent that the problems of the Philadelphia Union are myriad. It’s been 220 minutes since they last scored a goal. They have just three wins in their last 12, two coming against conference bottom dwellers Chivas and D.C. United. Since Aug. 1, their total of five points is second-lowest in MLS. For the first time since late May, they are saddled with a negative goal-differential.

Through it all, though, one area of the Union’s recent futility has stood apart: The midfield. And the possible solution, one that is looking manager John Hackworth squarely in the face, is one that will likely go unexplored.

Is Amobi Okugo the answer
to the Union's midfield struggles? (Times Files)

The problem
Just how difficult has it been for the Union midfield? Well, it depends on perception. Defensively, the Union have managed to recover from a rough start to the season to present pretty stout resistance to opponents. But the realization is setting in that such defensive solidity comes at a steep offensive price, and the Union have been woeful in that regard this season.

It’s easy to see tactically. The Union’s deficiency of midfield depth has caused them to play Sebastien Le Toux out of position all season. Danny Cruz’s performances have been inconsistent. Keon Daniel has struggled to grasp the notion of an “attacking midfielder.” Michael Farfan has constantly underwhelmed. And creative players like Kleberson and Roger Torres haven’t been able to get on the field for whatever reason.
Read more »

About all you needed to know about the Union’s latest uninspired performance, a 1-0 loss at San Jose late Sunday night, won’t make the highlight reels, even for the Earthquakes. As the game went into stoppage time, San Jose sub Steven Lenhart ragged the ball to the corner flag to waste time. He proceeded to earn a corner kick, a second corner, a foul by Brian Carroll, another foul on Carroll, then a throw-in. About two minutes of the Union’s comeback effort was wasted 115 yards from its goal.

That image perfectly encapsulates the Union’s night. Even when they went up a man thanks to Rafael Baca’s red card in the 57th minute (the 11th shown to a Union opponent this season), they showed little fight and even less purpose until later. The problems, in list form:

- The Union have one goal in the last 374 minutes. They haven’t scored in 220 minutes. John Hackworth can play his cards close to the vest all he wants on his attack, but there are problems. Big ones.

- The Union are creating chances, though. The issue is the lack of quality finishing. They forced four saves from John Busch, only Carroll’s late drive forcing him to a tough action. Sebastien Le Toux scuffed a shot and made an open chance into an easy roller on goal. Jack McInerney, his confidence no longer in the same time zone as he, missed a couple of chances. And Sheanon Williams and Keon Daniel hit posts. In the effort department, it was too little, too late. Read more »

Philadelphia Union (4-4-2)

MacMath

Fabinho-Parke-Okugo-Williams

Le Toux-Carroll-Daniel-Cruz

McInerney-Casey

Bench: Nikolov, Farfan, Hoppenot, Fernandes, Lahoud, Kleberson, Wheeler

New York Red Bulls (4-4-2)

Robles

Sekagya-Olave-Holgersson-Miller

Alexander-McCarty-Cahill-Steel

Espindola-Henry

Bench: Meara, Sam, Lade, Barklage, Luyindula, Maizga, Obekop

- The thinking once was that the Red Bulls went as did Thierry Henry this season. There's an addendum to that: The Red Bulls are a different team when Henry and Fabian Espindola start. They've started together 16 times this season, and the Red Bulls are 8-4-4 in those games. If you exclude early-season stumbles, they are 8-2-2 in the the last 12 games in which both have started, including a recent 4-1-1 stretch interrupted last week in Columbus when Henry didn't travel. Their working relationship and able to create chances and goal from nothing will severely test Amobi Okugo and Jeff Parke in a way Peguy Luyindula simply couldn't in two starts against the Union this season.

- It's unfair to think of Roy Miller as the liability he has been in the past (though that could service at any time). But it'll be interesting to see how the Union attack the Costa Rican left back. Do they put Danny Cruz up the attacking right? Or do they break up the burgeoning chemistry between Sebastien Le Toux and Fabinho, making his second straight start at left back? I'd expect Cruz to take on the job.

- Still no Kleberson. That samba beat sounds more ghostly by the day. We'll see if Keon Daniel learns from the errors John Hackworth admitted he made last week.

- Interesting that Oka Nikolov makes his first MLS gameday roster in favor of Chris Konopka.

The Union did what they had to Saturday, pure and simple. It wasn’t always pretty, and it certainly wasn’t as effective as it could have been, but the Union need what was needed in dispatching a youthful D.C. United side, 2-0, at PPL Park. A few stray observations.

- I guess when the Union win, I should start with a positive. So how about this: Fabinho is a very good left wing option. Much of the Union’s struggles in the first half were because they went almost exclusively down the left with Sebastien Le Toux and Fabinho, deputizing at left back for Ray Gaddis. That lack of balance effectively shut Danny Cruz out of the game, and he didn’t have much influence before being withdrawn for Michael Farfan as a defensive sub. Cruz has played a lot and is a high energy guy, so Fabinho could be a good option if Cruz needs a break at some point.

- The Union peppered D.C.’s cage with 22 shots Saturday. Only three were off the boot of Jack McInerney. His first effort was his best, a top poke in the fifth minute that forced a reflex save from Bill Hamid to push it over the bar. But McInerney has to shoot more. He’s mired in a seven-game scoreless slump (yeah, we’ll use that word), and he played like it at times with his over deferential, pass-first mentality at times. When you consider the midfield options around him consist of Brian Carroll (two goals in MLS play, one scored with his back), Michael Farfan (one MLS goal, not from the run of play), Cruz (two MLS goals in one furious two-minute span against Seattle set against the backdrop of a generally misfiring eye for goal) and Keon Daniel (five shots on goal all year), there’s not much reason to lay the ball off. Good scorers shoot their ways out of slumps; that’s what McInerney must do.

- Among the myriad problems in the first half with the Union’s attack was this: With Casey and McInerney drawing D.C.’s back four backwards, who was the most advanced central player to fill in the space created in the 18-yard box and above? That would be Carroll and his aforementioned goal prowess. The central midfield spot remains a problem for the Union. Daniel, for some reason, constantly wanted to drop back and let Carroll go forward. Farfan wasn’t great in that role last week. And Kleberson, again for some reason, didn’t feature. If Daniel is going to push that far back, they’d might as well put Michael Lahoud out there to be a more effective and more consistent holder and set Carroll go forward.

With the close of the MLS transfer window comes the inevitable move from the MLS Players Union to release salary figures for all players and teams in the league. The figures for the Union are listed below, the three summer transfer window signings’ totals in bold.

A few takeaways from the numbers (and if you want a more league-wide perspective, check this entry at The Goalkeeper blog):

- The Union haven’t done a whole lot in the summer transfer window. But what they have done, it appears, are solid pieces of business. Fabinho is only counting $78,000 against the salary cap for someone who has played in all four – likely five by Saturday – games for which he’s been available. He’s more expensive than the starter, Ray Gaddis, but then not many teams have regulars playing at that high of a level for league minimum. It’s possible that Oka Nikolov may not play this year in a meaningful match. If he doesn’t, the fact that he’s making the league minimum makes it almost inconsequential. And then there’s the future project that it appears Gilberto is destined to be. His base salary is less than that of Cristhian Hernandez, so let’s control the expectations.
Read more »

Philadelphia Union (4-4-2)

MacMath

Gaddis-Parke-Okugo-Williams

Cruz-Farfan-Carroll-Le Toux

McInerney-Casey

Bench: Konopka, Fabinho, Lahoud, Kleberson, Fernandes, Hoppenot, Wheeler

Chicago Fire (4-4-2)

Johnson

Anibaba-Berry-Soumare-Segares

Nyarko-Larentowicz-Lindpere-Alex

Rolfe-Magee

Bench: Tornaghi, Jumper, Paladini, Pause, Duka, Amarikwa, Santos

- Similar situation for the Union with Danny Cruz on the left of midfield and Sebastien Le Toux on the right. Michael Farfan slots in centrally for the suspended Keon Daniel. We’ll see if the Union opt for a flat midfield four or more of a 4-1-3-2 with Brian Carroll as the lone holder. That may be an option to provide high, attacking pressure.

- Finally, it seems like the Union have a balanced bench. They’ve got a defensive option in Fabinho, they’ve got attacking midfield options in Leo Fernandes and Kleberson, the thunder and lightning forward tandem of Aaron Wheeler and Antoine Hoppenot and the long-missing defensive midfield option in Michael Lahoud. That’s what a professional bench should look like.

- The Fire’s recent goal-scoring success has been based largely on Mike Magee, but it’s also the spaces he opens for the likes of Patrick Nyarko and Chris Rolfe. The Fire benefit when the game gets stretched and they can counter attack, and they’ve already said they’re going to target Jeff Parke when they’re moving the ball in space. That puts a big onus on both Amobi Okugo to stay with Magee and the midfield to stop the runs of Magee and Nyarko before they become problems in the attacking third.

- I think the Union get a bit of a break with Dilly Duka starting on the bench. He’s been better of late and would stretch the field vertically and horizontally on the opposite wing as Nyarko, opening space for Rolfe and Magee.

- Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson is back in net after five games missed with the U.S. National Team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Paolo Tornaghi deputized admirably for him.

- The Fire have given up just two goals on crosses and three on corners. With big defenders like Bakary Soumare and Austin Berry, the Union better have a second plan to get the ball in the net.

Another day, another Brazilian. That seems to be the m.o. for John Hackworth's era of the Philadelphia Union. The latest acquisition dancing to the Samba beat is Gilberto dos Santos Souza Junior.

Let's sum up what we know. He's Brazilian. At soon-to-be-25, he's not exactly young, not quite old. He's an interesting physical specimen at 6-2, 180. He's a holding midfielder. He last played for Clube Atletica Sorocaba in the Campeonato Paulista. That's the top flight not in Brazil, but in the state of Sao Paolo, though it does includes games against giant clubs like Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos and Sao Paolo. 

We also know that he's not this Gilberto (Silva, formerly of Arsenal). Or this one, though they may have played together at America Mineiro. Or this one. Or this one, though someone earlier today erroneously updated the current club to the Union. (And why were so many babies born in 1976 named Gilberto?)

We know he played 16 games and scored one goal this year for Sorocaba, per the Union release. Per this source, it's the only goal he's scored in 63 league matches in his career spread across a variety of competitions, from six matches in Serie A with Mineiro in 2011 to a stint in Serie D the previous season. So let's use a couple of videos (at bottom of post).

Here's what else is known. Gilberto was deemed important enough to occupy an international roster spot. By my reckoning -- and reinforced by the team sheet the Union distributed against Stoke City Tuesday with a column listing "status" -- Gilberto is the sixth international player on the team. The others: Fellow Brazilians Fabinho and Kleberson, Keon Daniel, Roger Torres and Oka Nikolov. Of the group, four have been acquired by Hackworth in 14 months. Four are midfielders.

You can debate what the ramifications of the Gilberto signing are. Whether or not he plays a role this season remains to be seen. It should be noted that both of his countrymen had international experience before coming to the Union this season, surely helping them integrate into the side faster. The midfield is crowded as it is, so a move to clear space could be coming (and I think of the above list, the target to be moved on is pretty obvious and logical).

Could he be viewed as a possible long-term replacement for Brian Carroll? Maybe. But for the time being, adding another midfielder for a team already scrambling to shoehorn three forwards onto the field on a regular basis doesn't seem to be one the club envisions as having an immediate impact.

Also this video from Vimeo that can't be embedded here

The math isn’t favorable for the Philadelphia Union.

No, this calculation has nothing to do with altitude or travel times or anything like that. It’s all about who’ll be on the field Wednesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Could Antoine Hoppenot make his first MLS start
of 2013 Wednesday night against Real Salt Lake?
(Times Staff/ERIC HARTLINE)

In 17 matches this season, the Union have had 16 players start, tied for the lowest in MLS. Exclude goalkeeper Zac MacMath, and you’ve got 15 outfield players. Two of those players, Bakary Soumare and Gabriel Farfan, have been traded. Two (Keon Daniel and Jack McInerney) are on international duty, and two (Michael Lahoud and Kleberson) are likely out due to injury.

Do the subtraction and there’s one inequality that stands out for the Union: Nine players who’ve made starts in 2013 in line for 10 outfield starting spots Wednesday. It means someone who has yet to start this season will have to make their bow. So just who is that?

First, it’s worth looking at the stats for the Union in terms of games played. The Union have had 11 players start at least 10 matches; only Houston (11), FC Dallas (12) and New York (13) can say that. And the Union are tied with the Dynamo for least players to start a match at 16.
Read more »

As July dawns, the Philadelphia Union undertake one of the toughest swings of the season, hitting the road for two games in four days against Real Salt Lake and Houston. Here are manager John Hackworth's thoughts from Tuesday's conference call:

On expectations for this road trip to Salt Lake and Houston:
I think a great outcome would be that we win one of these and tie one of them, so if we got four points. Obviously six is the best, but realistically, and I don’t even know if four is realistic with these two opponents, but I think for our team right now, we’re going in with the mindset that if we can get a draw out of one of these and a win in one, it would put us in really good position

On replacing Jack McInerney the next few games:
It’ll be more based on the matchup. We’re playing two tactically very different teams on the road, and so I think our system and our tactics will change and be dictated by our opponent as we go. We certainly have some good options with Jack being gone, but we’re going to try to make sure we utilize our strengths and see if we can’t take advantage of some of our opponents.

On the tactical flexibility provided by Sebastien Le Toux:
I think it’s extremely important. It gives us some very good options, especially when you’re going on the road and need to have a little bit of an element of surprise sometimes, you want to have that. Sebastien has clearly done very well for us wide, and that’s certainly an option to stay there or we can play him up high, which is a position that he has done very well at for this club in the past.
Read more »

Philadelphia Union (5-5-4, 19 points) 

MacMath

Gaddis-Parke-Okugo-Williams

Cruz-Carroll-Daniel-Le Toux

Casey-McInerney 

Bench: Konopka, Albright, Torres, Fernandes, Wheeler, Hoppenot , Farfan 

Columbus Crew (4-4-5, 16 points) 

Gruenebaum 

Barson-Gehrig-Glauber-Wahl 

Meram-Tchani-Sanchez-Speas 

Higuain-Oduro 

Bench: Lampson, George, Warzycha, O’Rourke, Añor, Finlay, Schoenfeld

- It’s no surprise that Kleberson is unavailable due to a hamstring strain. He’s replaced in the middle by Keon Daniel, who’ll pair with Brian Carroll.
- Without Kleberson in the lineup, Union manager John Hackworth is back to his flirtation with a 4-3-3-type formation, although it’s likely he’ll use Sebastien Le Toux in the midfield, likely wide right. The position, which the Frenchman has said over and over again that is not his preference, will mean the formation is mostly a 4-4-2. There will be a fair amount of interchange between the two wingers, but the matchup that is likely preferred is Danny Cruz running down the left to attack Chad Barson rather than the stalwart Tyson Wahl. I’d even expect to see some of Jack McInerney tracking into the midfield into that space behind the two forwards, with Le Toux generally more adept at running the forward line than creating from the midfield.

- Columbus’ attack will be all about how they cope with departures. Eddie Gaven is out for the year with a knee injury while Jairo Arrieta is on international duty. Justin Meram has deputized well on the wing, and Ben Speas has also played well in that role. They’ll be vital to opening space between dual forwards Dominic Oduro and Federico Higuain, who should interchange a lot into midfield.

John Hackworth wasn’t a big fan of being asked about Roger Torres’ exclusion from the 18-man roster last Tuesday in the U.S. Open Cup.

The question of where the Colombian belongs within this 2013 Philadelphia Union team is a little more complex than a post-game press conference can answer.

There’s the obvious answer that Hackworth offered Thursday at his weekly press conference: That Torres hasn’t done enough in training to earn the opportunity to play more than the 10 MLS minutes he’s gotten this season, last seeing the field in a meaningful match almost three months ago.

When training camp opened, back in late January, there was talk of Torres being in better shape than ever, finally banishing some of his fitness demons. That appears not to be the case anymore.

“I look at it that we have depth at a position that Roger Torres is competing for playing time right now,” Hackworth said. “And the fact is that guys that are in front of him and guys that have stepped in front of him have taken their opportunities and done better with them. At some point, I need to give Roger that same kind of chance, but he has to earn that chance.
Read more »

Union boss John Hackworth had plenty to say today at his weekly press conference. Here are some odds and ends...

On evaluating talent in Ocean City:
There were a couple of guys. I think anytime you look at a PDL team like that, you’re looking at amateur players that are looking to be pros, and there’s certainly a lot of talent out there. There were, I would say, three guys that we liked and that we’re going to continue to track and maybe even bring in on trial. I think that’s one of the great things about the Open Cup is that you get these amateur clubs to play professional teams and whether it’s meant to or not, it becomes almost a scouting opportunity for the professional teams and a chance for these young players to really impress and get a chance.

On playing a PDL team:
It’s different, and we obviously with our staff know the PDL very well and we value that whole process. We think it’s invaluable for scouting and preparation for the draft and things like that. But in this case, there is really an opportunity to get a hands-on look at a guy.

On what he's looking for from Toronto Saturday:
My hope is that the game is a little different, but my expectation is that it’s not going to be really any different. I think they have some new players. They added some very quality players on the field, so it’s a different team a little bit for Toronto. I think that makes this a little interesting. I still think you’re going to have two clubs who are really fighting for points, and they’re going to try to go out and get a result and hopefully it’s a better soccer game than it was here, but that’s all we can ask for.

On the midfield chemistry between Michael Farfan and Kleberson:
With Kleberson and Michael, we’re happy with both of them. We think they’re continuing to develop a relationship, and I think that being able to play Michael on either side of Kleberson has been advantageous for us to try to figure out a better matchup for us. So we’ll look at that for sure. We were able to rest both in the U.S. Open Cup for the most part – Michael came on at the very end – but to those guys that have fresh legs and will be available, we always hope that you can continue to get better and those guys that are really important can continue to step up.

On the defense's recent play:
I would be lying to you if I told you that I was really happy with the last couple performances of … I wouldn’t call it our backline though. I’ve said this to our guys in the locker room: We have to be a team in every sense of the word. We have to make sure we do things on both sides of the ball that complement each other, so for me it’s not just the backline that shares that burden. In Montreal, it’s a little bit of a hard one to take when you give up five goals because we certainly were going for it from about 60 minutes on, so that leaves us very vulnerable, very stretched, and we put ourselves in a great position to get back in that game at 3-2 and then gave up a restart. That’s not necessarily our backline’s fault, that’s on our team on a restart like that. And obviously the fifth one – to me, if you lost 3-2 or 5-3, it doesn’t matter at that point. It matters on the stat sheet so people can pick you apart for that, but the bottom line for us is that we’ve got to be a better team defensively in all areas. Our backline certainly takes a lot of pride in that and we have to improve, but it’s our midfield too, our forward, we have to do it collectively.

On preparing for a different Toronto team:
Of course we’re looking at the game film. They’re different as I said earlier because they’ve added a lot of different pieces, and they can literally field a lineup that is 50 percent of guys that weren’t even here when we played earlier at PPL. I think we have to be ready for both, and certainly we’re going to try to play a little different style against them this time. And we’re studying how they played then and also how they’ve played recently. It’ll be an interesting game because it’s a little bit difficult to predict how they’ll play.

On the lack of Union players going away for international duty:
It’s good. Toronto lost a lot of guys midweek to Canada, and a lot of those guys played. I think (Darren) O’Dea went for the Ireland team. They have guys that are coming back, and it’ll be interesting. We played the Open Cup game. For us it’s just the matter of having the full selection from our roster, and that’s good. ... Not for me. I like those choices, because I think that it makes our job tougher, but it means that we have better quality.

On A.S. Roma being named the opponent for the 2013 MLS All-Star Game:
I think it’s really cool. I’m glad that Roma’s going to be the opponent particularly because I have a long relationship with Michael Bradley and to see him come play with Roma here in the states, I think it’ll be fantastic for him and a great opportunity for our All-stars.

For 90 minutes, there wasn't much to write home about in the Union's 2-1 win over Ocean City. Then all hell broke lose in stoppage time in a chaotic finish only the U.S. Open Cup could provide. Some spare thoughts from the men at the center of it all.


Union manager John Hackworth
On Ocean City's performance:
They played a good game tonight. They were a more-than-worthy opponent and made it really hard on us. … Not exactly how we draw it up, but this game is tough. The Open Cup is always this way. You’re going to have battles. It’s the March Madness of the U.S. soccer world, if you will.

On the performance turned in by Leo Fernandes:
I think he looked good. I think out of all the performances we gave tonight, I think Leo’s was one of the very bright spots because he got this opportunity because he earned it. It wasn’t me trying to throw a bone to anybody and saying hey, 'this is the Open Cup so we’ll start a rookie.' Leo was literally what we thought to be the best option, especially coming off Montreal, having some tired legs with Kleberson and Michael Farfan and what not. And his performance was excellent.

On the decision not to include Roger Torres in the matchday 18:
It is what it is. Roger’s got to play better, in both training and if he does that, I’ll give him the opportunity. But we have a lot of competition for that.

On the decision to start the same back four:
The thought process is that this is an event. This is a tournament that is very important to this club and we’re going to put out our best lineup to ensure that we’re successful in it.

On how far the conversation to make changes in defense went:
Not that far. As a staff we talked about it, but there really wasn’t from any of the coaches that we shouldn’t put out anything but our best lineup.

On the fitness of his side after the Montreal game:
You could tell some guys were heavy. We did a regeneration session after Montreal yesterday. We did everything possible scientifically to get us back. And I would say pretty good. You look at a guy like Brian Carroll, who did a tremendous amount of work as always, who scores the goal.

On bringing Jeff Parke back from injury:
We were very cautions with Jeff, so we brought him back very slowly. He was 100 percent going into Montreal. He felt ready, no problems in training, no problem recovering, so that wasn’t a thought for us.

On the challenge of the U.S. Open Cup:
You go into these games knowing that you're going to get maximum effort from your opponents. And it’s frustrating and it’s not easy. They dropped their line off tremendously and put a lot of guys behind the ball. It meant that one of our guys had to make a play, and we had to do it at a speed and a tempo with the ball that was going to meet their energy, their commitment, and we didn’t do that in the first half for sure.

On the reaction to the goal allowed in stoppage time:
I couldn’t believe we gave it up. It was very disappointing. I think it was a silly foul and we talked about yesterday, today, that the only way we though we were going to give it up was if we made some mistakes, gave up restarts or a long ball on a counterattack. For the most part, we did those things well.

Union midfielder Brian Carroll
On his propensity for scoring in the Open Cup:
I don’t know what it is. I just hope it keeps happening. I think we stayed calm after their goal, kept the build-up play. We were able to get a really dangerous chance. It led to a corner kick, Seba puts it in the right spot, I just found my head on it at the right spot at the right time, and it goes off the post and in.

On what goes into a game-winning goal like that:
It’s a little bit of both. But part of it is just being in the right spot, being where your assigned position is and just following through, and the ball just finds you. It’s just kind of a magnet to my head. I was just in the right spot at the right time. Credit to Seba to putting it in that position; it was a dangerous ball.