What: Philadelphia Union at DC United

When: 5pm EST

Where: RFK Stadium, Washington, DC

TV: ESPN2

Referee: Hilario Grajeda

John Hackworth had just been named head coach of the Philadelphia Union. He really wanted to show the fans and the players that he was the right man for the job. And DC United came along… to hand Philly yet another loss.

Yes, 2012 was just another major battle in the best rivalry on the East Coast. While both DC and Philly love to beat New York, it’s more like beating England than a derby win. England has been mediocre for years, yet they keep thinking they are just hard done by freak incidents. You beat them and feel good, but the thrill is muted by the odd indifference of your opponents; New York hires expensive mercenaries to fight their battles.

DC-Philly is the derby. It’s bad blood because the cities are a short drive apart on I-95. It’s bloody because the teams are pulling from the same pool of talent: Fewer big names, more guys who are fighting for spots and know the rivalry is a big stage to show up on. Fewer empty seats, more… wait, no. It’s DC we are talking about. There will be plenty of empty seats.

And nothing amplifies a rivalry like need. The Union are winless in their last three, and have yet to look like a team that can compete for a playoff spot over the course of a full season. DC hasn’t notched a win since March 9, and if they don’t score on Philly, they will have gone a full calendar month without shaking the twine.

Though really, who could have predicted that the team that acquired Lionard Pajoy and Carlos Ruiz would struggle on offense? Sure, Ruiz can score, but he needs minutes and a specific structure around him to produce. Pajoy can get you points as well; at least that’s what noted soccer genius Peter Nowak tells me.

While it is easy to make fun of DC United for collecting former Union strikers and expecting big results, Philadelphia is, unfortunately, in the same boat. The return of Sebastien Le Toux has become awkward, with the good play of Jack McInerney and Conor Casey leaving the former Union talisman relegated to the midfield. While this problem should have been anticipated by the Union coaching staff, last week’s match made it clear that Le Toux has not been practicing as a midfielder. Or if he has, nobody told him.

More changes?

Should the Union retain the shape and personnel that saw them put eleven shots on target against Toronto? No. If anything, Toronto’s lineup should be the exact warning John Hackworth needs to heed ahead of this weekend’s match. Hogan Ephraim has been playing an advanced role for TFC, but against Philly he was put on the wing to provide extra offensive punch in a wide area. Ryan Nelsen cannot be happy with the results.

Luckily for Nelsen, Hackworth responded with two fairly stationary central midfielders and Danny Cruz (whose runs are as unpredictable as Nicolas Cage’s movie choices), all of whom failed to exploit the spaces left by Toronto’s disorganized midfield.

DC United will not be so forgiving. In Chris Pontius and Raphael, the kids from the Capitol have players who will thrive in a spacious defense. Perry Kitchen gives those players the cover they need to push forward, and if they find a rhythm, they become instantly dangerous. Though DC’s finishing has undone the good play of their wingers, don’t expect that trend to last forever. Remember: Dwayne “Fred Astaire” De Rosario played 45 against New York and will be a likely starter against Philadelphia. Even at half speed, the Canadian can shift the flow of a game by retaining possession and pulling Brian Carroll out of the middle.

Back to the Future

The success of the 2013 Philadelphia Union hinges on a few key variables. One, obviously, is the form of Jack McInerney. He has never played big minutes over the course of an entire season and he has been asked to do a lot thus far. But Jack has been one of the best strikers in MLS through the first few games, so no worries yet.

The second major point is tactical: The Union need production from their fullbacks. Sheanon Williams has been his usual solid self defensively but had little success joining the attack. The deep runs of 2011-12 have been replaced by early crosses, and the one-twos of the (dare I say it) Freddy Adu era have disappeared altogether.

Williams and Raymon Gaddis need to find connections with their corresponding outside midfielders. It is painfully clear that a lack of understanding among the wide players is preventing the Union from pinning teams into their own half with short passing and good movement. Hesitancy is the name of the game for the fullbacks, while unpredictability has dominated in the midfield. Is this a personnel issue? A tactical issue? A coaching issue? All three? It’s difficult to point the finger (though many, including myself, have pointed at Danny “SQUIRREL!” Cruz), unless it’s at the coaching staff which has seen the same pattern play out repeatedly without being able to address it.

A focus on DC

Given that the Union’s midfield is likely to operate with the same inefficiency of previous weeks, what can the strikers do to turn the tide in Philadelphia’s favor? Conor Casey can bang with the best of them, but it will be important for him and McInerney to get out of the middle from time to time. DC’s center backs can be dragged around with ease, because they tend to chase what they see. Isolating a center back in a wide area will open up the box for the Union’s late runners… if the Union can generate late runners.

Conclusions

These are winnable road points for the Union. They can take a cue from New York and look to grab the game early on. DC is desperate and will chase until they collapse, so possessing the ball and, thus, keeping United from building a rhythm, are key tactical components in the early stages of the match. In other words, the Union need to show up with a sense of purpose and understanding. Oddly enough, they have done that once this year: In Colorado. That snowy win was the only time the Union looked as though they were all on the same page. That the page was “Kick it, chase it, go-go-go” is not particularly encouraging, but the idea that the players can think as one is a positive sign to take out of an otherwise ugly affair.

Expected Lineups

Union

• GK: MacMath
• DEF: Williams, Okugo, Parke, Gaddis
• MID: Daniel, Carroll, Kleberson, Cruz
• FWD: Mac n Cheese (McInerney & Casey)

United

• GK: Bill Hamid
• DEF: Daniel Woolard, Dejan Jankovic, Brandon McDonald, Chris Korb
• MID: Raphael Agusto, Perry Kitchen, Marcos Sanchez, Chris Pontius
• FWD: Carlos Ruiz, Dwayne De Rosario