Union

With the transfer window closed, what was the big announcement out of the Union? Peter Nowak is now on Twitter.

Nowak tweeted, “Even old dogs can learn new tricks. Looking forward to interacting with the best fans in @MLS. Be gentle on me! #DOOP.”

The official Union Twitter account assured followers that it actually was Nowak doing the tweeting, including, “Believe it or not it is actually him,” and, “We promise you, it’s his fingers doing the typing.”

Sebastien Le Toux said of his PK goals against Dallas, “I was staying really focused. I won’t be disturbed by anything…I like to take them and it’s something I’m pretty confident about.”

Peter Nowak said of Le Toux finally getting on the score sheet again, “We’ve been talking, we’ve been debating, trying to figure out this and that, goals from the run of play or not — who cares? Two goals are two goals. This is good for every player’s mentality.”

More from Peter Nowak on the Dallas game. “I think we made it easy for Dallas to score the goals and it’s a pity because we worked so hard getting the goals,” Nowak said. “From the results we pushed it until the end and we didn’t win the game because (Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman) made some good saves.”

For even more from Nowak, listen to the latest edition of ExtraTime Radio. Nowak talks about “what’s on his mind with Freddy Adu, the Union and a ping-pong challenge from Robert Warzycha.”

Here’s an informative take from an FC Dallas blog 3rd Degree on why the visitors found success at PPL Park last Saturday. The following comes from a section titled “Philly gives Dallas space in the midfield:”

“[Maicon Santos’] forays toward his own half were a result of the tactics employed by Peter Novak in Freddy Adu’s MLS return. In order to accommodate Adu, Novak unveiled a flexible 4-3-3. Adu joined Sebastian Le Toux and Jack McInerny up top. The three forwards interchanged constantly, and their movement gave the Dallas backline some problems, particularly when midfielder Justin Mapp joined them (one of Mapp’s ventures forward led to the first penalty).

“But Novak’s use of the attacking trio did not come without cost. Dallas likes to break down the wing, so Philadelphia’s forwards had to take turns retreating to reinforce the stretched midfield. However, there were a few sequences where one of the forwards failed to provide defensive support. The Union central midfielders were then unable to cover enough ground to prevent Dallas from stringing passes together. And when Santos dropped into the midfield, Dallas easily bypassed Phladelphia’s center mids.

“Though Dallas’ first goal was courtesy a mistake from center back Carlos Valdes, who failed to clear a pass right in front of Santos, the second was due to the stretched Philly midfield. Shea won a challenge in his own half, and because all three Union forwards near Dallas’ backline, Shea, Santos, and Chavez were able to quickly break into the Union penalty area.”

Yep.

Freddy Adu’s former coach in Turkey, Umit Kayihan, tells the Brotherly Game that Adu “is very good skilled-full player and he has a good personalty…He is now mature and a good professional. [Though] he has to work on his defensive soccer. He is weak at that.”

MLSsoccer.com gives the Union a B for its summer transfer window moves. “Philadelphia have had trouble scoring goals and have also faced opposition that is increasingly content to form blockades that have further frustrated the Union. What better way to unlock these opponents than with the skill and creativity of Freddy Adu, who will also prove to be a marketable figure for a team that should continue on their successful run.

German news outlet Zeitonline.com reports that negotiations by the Union to acquire 35-year-old striker Michael Thurk from newly promoted Bundesliga side FC Augsberg have ended with no deal. You can read a crappy translation here.

The New York Red Bulls Reserves defeated the Philadelphia Reserves 2–1 at Montclaire University on Monday. The Union opened the scoring when Roger Torres chipped the Red Bulls keeper. But guest player Jhonny Arteaga, who previously played fro USL Pro side FC New York, scored two second half goals for the win.

Independence

WPS attendance grew by 89 percent in the 18 games following the Women’s World Cup to finish the season with a final average of 3,518. Before that the average over the first 36 games was 2,714.

MLS

The Robbie Keane deal with LA Galaxy is reportedly worth some $5.7 million. “I have always wanted to come and play in MLS” Keane said, “so it’s the perfect combination for me and a dream come true,” which sounds very much like what he said when he signed for Tottenham. And than Liverpool. And also Celtic.

SBI tweeted that Juan Pablo Angel is headed to Chivas USA. Although the club has made no official announcement as of this writing, Angel has discussed the move, saying the final decision came down to staying close to family concerns. I wonder if he gets to keep the same parking spot at the Home Depot Center?

The league is expected to announce changes to the Designated Player rules later today aimed at encouraging teams to sign younger players as DPs. Jeremiah Oshan writes at SB Nation, “The poster child for this rule change is FC Dallas’ Fabian Castillo, the 19-year-old Colombian. Despite a salary of just $42,000, Castillo counts just as much against the salary cap as David Beckham (who makes $6.5 million) simply because of the transfer fee FC Dallas paid. The new rule is meant to provide an incentive to teams to spend money acquiring younger players. The rule would not go into effect until next year and would likely apply to all DPs who fit the age criteria at that time, whether or not they were signed before the rule was adopted.”

Elsewhere

Chuck Blazer, the American who blew the whistle on attempts by Mohamed Bin Hammam to bribe members of the Caribbean Football Union ahead of the recent election for the presidency of FIFA, which led to the resignation of CONCACAF president and well known crook Jack Warner, a lifetime ban from football for Bin Hammam, and an ongoing investigation of sixteen Caribbean football federation members, is himself under investigation by the FBI for payments made to offshore accounts he controls. Who made the payments? The well-known crook Jack Warner and the Caribbean Football Union.

Here’s an overview of FIFA, corruption, and why nothing changes.

Hoffenheim have issued an apology to Dortmund fans after a high frequency speaker was used to drown out their singing during a Bundesliga game on Saturday.