Photo by Daniel Gajdamowicz
After a troubling performance that echoed the team’s early season issues, the Philadelphia Union have a host of questions facing them as they take the red eye home and prepare for Kansas City on Wednesday. The PSP put together a list of the ten most pressing questions based on comments made by fans during last night’s PSP Live Commentary.
“At least he didn’t start Torres in goal.”
Comment from Eli
“how do you NOT start either Farfan? or Mwanga?”
Comment from Matt Kirk
“how can they not be confused Nowak changes the formation and the players every damn week there is consistency”
Comment from Guest
“So it only took until the 60th minute to get a starting lineup in?”
Comment from Other_Cann
The Question: Who put this starting lineup together and why do they hate winning?
“our entire team looks like oguchi onyewu on the ball. no composure and just boot it away.”
Comment from Andrew
The Question: How much are the lineup and formation selections affecting the team’s ability to play consistently and with confidence?
“It appears the new striker plays defensive mid.”
Comment from Other_Cann
“Why is kyle playing higher than the new guy?”
Comment from Greg O
“How the heck did this Paunovic even make the reserve team??? he is terrible!!!! get him out of here!!!!”
Comment from Matt Kirk
The Question: Nowak’s post-match quote on Paunovic: “You can see he’s not at match fitness but for 60 minutes that was a good shot for him.” Looking at that quote and Paunovic’s performance, can we assume Mwanga and McInerney broke curfew Friday night?
“I was really hoping I’d never have to see Migs’ name in the starting lineup again.”
Comment from Nat
“migs is the worst player on the team. why does he ever go in?”
Comment from Guest
The Question: Even the most ardent Miglioranzi supporters must admit that he is having a howler of a season. Why does he keep getting minutes?
“NOOOOOOOO Guatemala lost in the Gold Cup today….”
Comment from Paul
“I say the last sub is Ruiz straight from Guatemala. Instant influx of lazy.”
Comment from Other_Cann
The Question: Do we miss Carlos Ruiz?
“Seba’s confidence is just not there.”
Comment from Andrew
The Question: Will a match or two in the press box help Seba Le Toux regain his 2010 form?
“Looked like it took a bit of a deflection on the way in. Should Mondragon have gotten a hand to that?”
Comment from PSP Mike
The Question: For all his leadership skills, Faryd Mondragon has some question marks around his actual goalkeeping. If a 34-year old Serbian can hop straight from 2008 into the starting eleven, when can MacMath get some minutes in net?
“These free kicks sadden me.”
Comment from Fred
“No more set pieces for seba”
Comment from Greg O
The Question: Who should be taking free kicks and corners? What can be done to make the Union more dangerous on set pieces?
“Is anyone else worried about Mwanga’s confidence? He’s been playing great lately, yet remains stuck on the bench.. Makes no sense”
Comment from Nat
“this is freaking ridiculous you do not start a transfer of Mwanga…How does Mwanga have any confidence at all?”
Comment from Matt Kirk
The Question: He is the Union’s leading goalscorer yet he can’t hold down a spot in the first eleven. What is behind the handling of Danny Mwanga?
“Anyone else shocked that this starting squad has zero flow?”
Comment from Paul
“somebody shot the damn ball i dont care who”
Comment from Matt Kirk
The Question: What were the biggest factors in the offense’s return to hibernation?
“wow this ref sucks I am sick of watching the MLS ruin the game with these crappy refs…Geiger Counter down to 1…“
Comment from Paul
The Question: Referee Alex Prus was consistently inconsistent, calling soft fouls and letting tackles from behind go. What will it take for MLS address the issue of poor officiating?
What do you think?
I think Nowak dont know shit about team chemistry and momentum…
Careful Los. The Nowak apologists know where you live.
heres an observation, if the problem last year was defense and wasnt any good till it settled on the current back 4 than dont they realize that maybe the same can be said of the offense. we know what works stick with it. if the ruiz rumors dont happen than he should be a sub. le toux and mawanga should be up front. period
Part of me feels this is just Nowak’s arrogance. There is a point when a soccer coach doesn’t need to think. The team is clicking, and that is your line up. You don’t need to look at the other team (in this case a team we should have been able to score multiple goals against). You don’t think. You say, this is my best eleven.
Unless you have too high an opinion of your own mind. I hope Nowak doesn’t read this site, because if he does, we shouldn’t say anything about line ups, because it excites him to keep people, including his own players, guessing.
But in the long run, Mwanga and his confidence is not going to be served by this, nor will he be happy. The whole team will wonder how they win a place. Going back to Mwanga, I don’t know for how long his contract is, but I do know that you keep your star talent happy. While Le Toux will stay here, I venture to the end of his career, always a hero for his first season here, Danny will be aware that the world has many different soccer opportunities, especially for a player who, Dempsey like, shows such a learning curve, and ability to compete, regardless of the level of competition.
I remember Danny receiving a ball with the softest of touches and turning, firing, only for the block to be made with a fraction of a second, against Man U. And I thought, I may see this again someday, because Danny looked as fine a technical player as Berbatov, and like he knew he was too. Keep him happy, Peter.
lol, perhaps Paunovic started to make Ruiz look better by comparison when he returns? Um…, as for Miglioranzi (the start I hated most), perhaps to make Okugo look !!!holy crappers!!! good when he comes back on Wednesday?