Of the last 5 goals conceded by Philadelphia Union, 4 have come while they have been up a man.

Two of those came against RSL on Wednesday night, after Lovel Palmer was sent off for an early shower following his tackle on Michael Farfan.

Whether at home or on the road in MLS, having a man advantage for more than 20 minutes should result in a victory, especially when the side holding the man advantage also holds the lead at the time of the referee’s decision.

But the Union showed an alarming disinterest in the ball on Wednesday night. Finishing with less than 37 percent possession despite their man advantage, they sat back and allowed RSL to find a way back into the match twice.

Offense may be the best form of defense, but at least settle for possession

When Danny Cruz was forced to depart, John Hackworth was faced with a critical decision. Having already made his seemingly requisite substitution to get Antoine Hoppenot on the pitch after Michael Farfan’s injury, he needed to bolster his midfield. Between injuries to Kleberson and Michael Lahoud and international duty for Keon Daniel, he was short on options and had to pick between Matt Kassel and Roger Torres. Kassel made the team as a utility player who could offer defensive cover despite growing up as a midfielder. Torres is an attacking central midfielder who loves to have the ball and spread it around quickly to his teammates.

Hackworth chose Kassel and the bunker down approach. The Union sat in their own half, desperately defending a one-goal lead rather than go for the decisive, comeback-squashing second goal. Against a team with the quality that RSL possesses, that was a dangerous game, as Javier Morales, Sebastien Velasquez and Olmes Garcia showed in wave after wave of attack.

Had Hackworth gone with Torres, the diminutive Colombian could have offered his manager the possession that he often speaks of but rarely delivers on. With Fernandes, Torres, Carroll and Le Toux in midfield, the Union would  have a far more balanced look about them. In his limited opportunities, Torres has proved to not only want the ball in the attacking half, he has willingly retreated to within 30 yards of his own goal to exchange passes with his defenders and begin the build forward. Where Torres has the potential to be a precision tool, Kassel is a blunt object, inserted to clog passing lanes and bang bodies. While neither of those things is inherently problematic, they both accept the concession of possession to an opponent.

Even the introduction of Don Anding in a straight swap at left midfield would have been a more positive decision. Anding’s blazing speed would have made Velasquez think twice about setting off on the attack with reckless abandon, and the Union rookie’s physical strength easily matches that of Kassel when it comes to winning midfield tussles.

It is time to part ways with Roger Torres

On the heels of this latest snub, and it hurts to write this, it is time for the Union to move Roger Torres. Torres is a young, supremely talented player with the vision and attacking skill set that many teams would love to have on their roster. Given how far out of favor he has apparently fallen, it is time for the Union to give other teams that opportunity. Players lose their manager’s confidence all the time. It is the nature of the game, as certain players are simply not suited for certain systems. RSL’s Joao Plata was deemed surplus to requirements for an abysmal Toronto side, yet has now found a home and thrived with a far superior program.

Considering a manger’s job is evaluated on the results of his personnel decisions, including in-game substitutions, it should go without saying that he should be allowed to surround himself with players in whom he has full confidence. If results go his way, he is a success; if not, at least he made his own bed.

Managing a team of someone else’s players puts a head coach in a compromising state of limbo. For Hackworth, the constant clamoring for Torres’ inclusion from the fan base cannot be anything other than a frustrating distraction. If Hackworth thought Torres was up to the task of competing for the Union, he would have given him a chance long ago. He has not, and it thus must be assumed that he does not see a place for him in this team.

That he has seen only 18 minutes of playing time despite the Union’s many poor midfield performances is further proof. While Gabe Farfan and Baky Soumare vocalized their displeasure and forced moves out of town, Torres has remained positive and humble. For that loyalty and commitment, the Union should do what is best for both the club and the player, rewarding Torres with the opportunity to play for a team that values him as an asset. Besides, his $125,000 in guaranteed compensation and international slot would be better spent on a player in whom Hackworth has enough confidence to not only put in the 18, but to also put on the field.

Player Ratings

Zac MacMath – 4

Goalkeeping gaffes equal more than excellent saves. It’s an unfortunate fact of life in soccer. MacMath made two such gaffes that easily could have led to goals, punching at air in front of Nat Borchers early in the first half, before losing a foot race with Olmes Garcia in the second, leaving his goal completely unprotected. His aimless hoofs downfield did little to help his team maintain possession.

Sheanon Williams – 7

Eliminated Ned Grabavoy from the match and pinched in to make sure Plata avoided his flank. Showed quick thinking and a quality touch when he sent Casey up the touchline for the Union’s opener. Needs to continue to improve his defensing of crosses as when he allowed Findley to win inside position and nearly head home in the the first half.

Amobi Okugo – 6

Frustrated by the lack of ball position, Okugo was unable to catalyze the attack from the back in the manner he normally prefers. Defended well though, with the exception of going to ground too quickly on Plata, giving the pocket-sized attacker a shot on goal.

Jeff Parke – 7

Quiet and consistent has become Parke’s MO and he failed to disappoint against a foe he knows better than most of his teammates, Casey withstanding. The only knock on his play is the occasionally casual manner with which he plays the ball out of the back, turning over too frequently for a road team looking to steal a victory.

Ray Gaddis – 2

First and foremost, the handball, while immensely frustrating, is one of those things that just happens. Jostling for position in the box, bodies crash into each other and the natural reaction is to raise an arm to regain balance. That is what appeared to happen to Gaddis in the play that reulted in Real Slat Lake’s stoppage time penalty kick goal. The fact that the ball arrived just at that moment is just bad luck, plain and simple. The fact that Plata, Lovel Palmer and Khari Stephenson seemed to skip him with reckless abandon throughout the game is another matter entirely. While Cruz offered little defensive help, as the fullback, Gaddis needs to be more vocal, demanding such help, rather than resigning himself to his fate of 1-on-2 defending.

Sebastien Le Toux – 5

A 5 may seem low for a player who scored the opening goal, but considering how little effect Le Toux had after tapping in Casey’s pass, it actually may be generous. With a turnover rate of higher than 50 percent, Le Toux failed to beat a single player on the dribble or launch a single successful cross into the box. When handed perhaps the longest breakaway in recorded history, he came up very small, shooting directly into Josh Saunders when he could have killed off the match for his side.

Michael Farfan – 3

Appeared to lack the energy to attack and seemed content to spread the ball from a deep position. Much of that undoubtedly was down to Fernandes’ poor positioning, but Farfan has been in this league long enough to know that he must begin to take a leadership role, pushing the youngster forward to claim space for himself.

Brian Carroll – 4

Played a fairly typical, Brian Carroll-type match before being burned by the 20-year-old Luis Gil for RSL’s opener. If the Union can’t even count on their captain to play solid defense on set pieces suggests that no one is safe from the kind of brain cramps and passive play that have made the Union so susceptible to conceding from dead ball situations.

Danny Cruz – 3

Unable to beat defenders on the dribble and losing out to Palmer in too many footraces, Cruz’s offensive output was two shots from distance, both of which failed to trouble Saunders. Was alarmingly passive on defense, leaving Gaddis to stop the ball in midfield and then chase after the overlapping Palmer while he looked on from midfield.

Leo Fernandes – 3

Asked to play in a withdrawn striker role, Fernandes simply didn’t listen, playing in center midfield and only getting into the box for corners. Looked extremely nervous at moments, which is understandable given it was his first MLS start, but his lack of positional awareness created problems for his team. On the rare occasion when Le Toux or Casey broke into space in the final third, Fernandes never arrived in the box to offer support. Hopefully in the future, Hackworth will deploy him in midfield to allow for a realistic viewing of his abilities, because this first extended look did not give fans a lot to be excited about.

Conor Casey – 8

While it has seemed a tad unfair to load the burden of the Union’s fate on Jack McInerney’s young shoulders, it somehow seems entirely natural to rest that burden on Casey’ broader back. Against an old rival in RSL, Casey played with the confidence and aggression reminiscent of his play from Colorado’s MLS Cup winning season. Showed off his wheels and technical ability when he raced up the line and suckered Carlos Salcedo into a lunging tackle before teeing up Le Toux. Could have had even more of an impact had referee Elfath cautioned Salcedo for any one of his first three violent tackles. With the midfield continuing to sputter, Casey has added “offensive catalyst” to his CV, just below “finisher”.

Substitutes

Antoine Hoppenot – 5

Did well to pick Borchers pocket and set the table for Casey after a handful of clumsy touches had ended prior attacking moves.

Matt Kassel – 3

Entering for the injured Farfan, Kassel was little more than a seat filler.

Aaron Wheeler – N/A

Brought on to help hold the lead, Wheeler showed that he has no issue defending, barreling through RSL players to win a defensive header.

Geiger Counter

Ismail Elfath – 2

Failed to set the early tone, missing the chance to caution Chris Wingert’s violent tackle on Le Toux. Then failed to set the tone for the rest of the match, making arbitrary call after arbitrary call. It’s hard not to feel for the players when a referee is this maddeningly inconsistent.

Preferred Lineup for Saturday’s Match against Houston

4-2-3-1

MacMath; Williams, Okugo, Parke, Gaddis; Carroll, Farfan; Cruz, Torres, Le Toux; Casey