Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz

This is part three of our mini-series compiling “final third entries” from the first three Philadelphia Union games.

The first installment of the series explains everything you need to know about the statistic, and you can read that by clicking here.

The second installment covers the Philadelphia road game against Real Salt Lake.

In part three, we take a look at the home loss against Dallas.

Philadelphia 0-2 FC Dallas

Short pass – 12
Medium pass – 10
Long pass – 5
Dribble – 20
Header – 1
Throw – 0
Total – 48

First half final third entries

2′ – short pass from Edu to Pfeffer inside the area, possession lost, out for a Union throw

5′ – dribble/carry – Wenger takes a short diagonal from Gaddis and pushes up the left flank to the endline

6′ – medium pass from Edu over the top to Le Toux, who flubs first touch and loses ball for goal kick

7′ – CHANCE – long throw from Williams is flicked into the final third by Aristeguieta, Le Toux crosses for Pfeffer, shot saved and cleared for a corner kick

10′ – Edu carries into the area after a couple of square balls between himself and Nogueira

10′ – short pass, Nogueira slides left and plays Gaddis into the area

11′ – Williams dribbles into the area, tries a through ball for an offside Wenger

15′ – medium pass from Nogueira to Williams on the right flank

16′ – Gaddis dribbles down the left, ball cycled wide and back to the defense

17′ – long ball attempt into the right channel by Ethan White

17′ – Edu collects in midfield, dribbles into area, tries a 1-2 with Le Toux that’s cleared for a corner

22′ – (Fabinho on for injured Sheanon Williams)

25′ – Fabinho short pass on the left for Wenger

27′ – Vitoria hits a long ball over the head of Aristeguieta

29′ – CHANCE – Wenger dribbles left, beats two players, ball cleared out for Edu, whose shot is saved, follow up cross into the box is headed over by Aristeguieta

33′ – medium pass, Gaddis dribbles into area then tries a ball for Le Toux, but they aren’t on the same page

34′ – Wenger dribbles in from edge of area, ball moved around, Edu shot blocked

35′ – Gaddis finds space and carries into the right channel

40′ – Le Toux runs into the box off a flick, called back for a foul

40′ – Edu carry, charges centrally/left into the area

42′ – (Zach Pfeffer ejected)

Ray Gaddis’ passing chart against Dallas. After the Williams injury, Ray moved to the right side of the field, where he was more comfortable going forward. Additionally, Sebastien Le Toux basically abandoned the right flank after the red card, leaving the entire side for Gaddis to cover.

44′ – Nogueira long attempt, cleared out

44′ – Le Toux medium pass for Edu, receives return pass and shoots high and wide

47′ – Le Toux medium pass for Fabinho on the left

48′ – Aristeguieta runs right, plays a short pass for Gaddis in on the right, return pass, shot high

Second half final third entries

47′ – Nifty work by Nogueira to get free, plays a 25 yard chip for Le Toux, who is offside

48′ – strong dribble from Wenger into left channel, floats a cross out of play

49′ – Nogueira medium through ball attempt cut out by Moises Hernandez

52′ – Aristeguieta receives ball centrally, turns and dribbles into area, loses ball

56′ – Edu medium through ball attempt intercepted

56′ – Fabinho hard dribble down the left

60′ – Short pass Aristeguieta to Le Toux, sprayed wide for Gaddis cross, which is overhit

62′ – Edu short for Aristeguieta, squared inside for a blocked Le Toux shot

63′ – Aristeguieta picks up a loose ball, dribbles into the area on the right, short pass to Gaddis wins corner

64′ – medium pass Nogueira wide to Fabinho

64′ – Nogueira short pass in to Wenger, pushed wide to Fabinho

65′ – Le Toux medium pass right for Aristeguieta

67′ – Le Toux short through ball misses Wenger left

67′ – Nogueira carry, tries Fabinho on the left but it’s cut out

72′ – Gaddis dribbles right, ball finds Aristeguieta for a saved shot

74′ – (Eric Ayuk on for Andrew Wenger)

74′ – Ayuk dribble down left into the area

75′ – CHANCE – turnover, Edu dribbles into final third, squares for Nogueira, layoff to Ayuk shot high under pressure

76′ – Gaddis overlaps on the right, takes a short pass from Nogueira and carries into the area

77′ – Fabinho dribbles inside, ball won by Dallas

80′ – Fabinho short pass to find Edu on an inside run

81 – (Mike Lahoud on for Ethan White)

82′ – Lahoud medium pass cut out

83′ – Ayuk wins a challenge, plays short on the left for Nogueira

Union crossing was poor in this game. Philadelphia connected on just one open play cross and two corner kicks. The other attempts, 14 total, all failed.

83′ – Fabinho long ball into a crowd of players

84′ – Gaddis short for Le Toux, return pass intercepted

85′ – Fabinho medium to Ayuk on the left side touchline

86′ – Gaddis short for Le Toux, loses the ball in possession

89′ – Le Toux short for Nogueira, pass doesn’t get there

92′ – Gaddis short on the right for Le Toux

Observations

Dallas’ gameplan was generally a comfortable, low-pressure, containment of Union wide play and counterattacks.

That’s why you see the dribble/carry number as high as it is. Dallas was often content to give Philly space on the edge of the final third, where the Union would carry the ball forward or drive down the flanks through their fullbacks or wingers.

Philadelphia was getting into good areas of the field, but didn’t do much once they got there. Crossing numbers were especially poor, with just one successful open play cross on the entire afternoon. That was the ball played from Maurice Edu that Fernando Aristeguieta looped over the crossbar. Sebastien Le Toux did not have a good game, and Andrew Wenger was much less influential than he usually is.

Dallas didn’t allow the Union fullbacks to overlap, so sometimes Philly would hold on the edge of the area and try to play short or medium balls inside. There was a lot of poking and prodding about 15 yards from the box by Edu and Vincent Nogueira, but there just wasn’t much of a threat when they got inside.

The best passage of play was in the seventh minute, when Sheanon Williams’ throw was flicked on by Aristeguieta for Le Toux, who played Pfeffer inside for a good look on goal. Le Toux is at his best when he can run, not when he’s stuck in that wide area.

Long ball numbers were also down for this game, and the distribution out of the back from Ethan White was more controlled and conservative.