Union match reports

Match Report: Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 Philadelphia Union

The Vancouver Whitecaps easily defeated Philadelphia Union 3-0 at BC Place Saturday evening.

Pedro Morales and Octavio Rivero scored first half goals and Darren Mattocks added a third late in the second half after Richie Marquez was shown a straight red card. Philadelphia dropped their fourth straight match.

First Half

Jim Curtin was forced to make two changes to the team that lost at home to Toronto last week. With nobody else available, Brian Sylvestre came in as the goalkeeper and Richie Marquez started in place of the injured Michael Lahoud. Marquez slotted into the backline, keeping Maurice Edu in the holding midfield role.

The Union started brightly and the first 20 minutes of the match saw few chances for either side. Philadelphia should have taken the lead in the 25th minute when Andrew Wenger latched onto Eric Ayuk’s blocked shot and only had to tap in from 4 yards at the back post. Instead, Wenger shot back across goal, and straight at Vancouver goalkeeper Brian Ousted.

The Whitecaps would take the lead in the 32nd minute through Morales. Ethan White misplayed a Vancouver clearance and headed the ball backwards from just inside the home half. Richie Marquez made a good sliding challenge to stop a free break on goal, but the ball fell to the feet of Cristian Techera. Subbed on earlier for the injured Mauro Rosales, Techera played a perfectly timed pass to Morales streaking down the left wing, and the captain made no mistake curling a cool finish inside the far post of Brian Sylvestre’s goal.

Vancouver would double their lead just before the halftime whistle. Cristian Maidana played a terrible back pass toward Sylvestre that ended up as a perfectly weighted throughball for Rivero. The Whitecaps forward appeared to foul Ethan White as he won the ball, shoving the defender in the back. But Ismail Elfath kept his whistle in his pocket and Rivero finished low into the right corner of the goal.

Second Half

The Whitecaps started the second half just as they finished the first. Cristian Techera curled a shot just wide then forced a good save from Sylvestre in the 47th minute.

The Union would continue to absorb Vancouver pressure without creating many chances of their own on the counterattack. Vincent Nogueira and Sebastien Le Toux were brought on in the 62nd minute to spark the team to life. Unfortunately, the French duo made little impact.

Things went from bad to worse in the 78th minute when Richie Marquez was shown a straight red card for a foul on Cristian Techera. Marquez appeared to be looking upward at the ball when he made contact with Techera with a high foot and his studs exposed. There was little malice in the tackle and the walking orders seemed harsh.

Darren Mattocks added gloss the scoreline with a goal in the 81st minute. He latched onto a Morales throughball just outside the Union’s box, turned Maurice Edu twice and fired past Sylvestre into the top corner of the net to seal the match.

Philadelphia will look to stop the rot when they take on DC United next Sunday (7 pm) at PPL Park.

Philadelphia Union
Brian Sylvestre, Sheanon Williams, Ethan White (Conor Casey 76′), Richie Marquez, Raymon Gaddis,Maurice Edu, Zach Pfeffer, Cristian Maidana, Eric Ayuk, Andrew Wenger (Vincent Nogueira 62′), Fernando Aristeguieta (Sebastien Le Toux 62′)
Unused Subs: Trey Mitchell, Brian Carroll, Fabinho, Fred

Vancouver Whitecaps
David Ousted, Tim Parker, Kendall Watson, Pa Modou Kah, Jordan Harvey, Matias Laba, Russell Teibert, Mauro Rosales (Cristian Techera 12′), Pedro Morales (Robert Earnshaw 87′), Kekuta Manneh, Octavio Rivero (Darren Mattocks 69′)
Unused Subs: Paolo Tornaghi, Sam Adekugbe, Gershon Koffie, Nicolas Mezquida

Scoring Summary
VAN: Pedro Morales — 32
VAN: Octavio Rivero – 44
VAN: Darren Mattocks – 81

Disciplinary Summary
PHI: Richie Marquez (serious foul) — 78
VAN: Cristian Techera (encroachment) — 80

Philadelphia Union Vancouver Whitecaps
9 Shots 18
2 Shots on Target 10
3 Shots off Target 7
1 Blocked Shots 4
 3 Corner Kicks 8
 10 Crosses  13
 0 Offsides 5
 8 Fouls 14
0 Yellow Cards 1
1 Red Cards  0
 412 Total Passes 432
 75% Passing Accuracy 81%
 48.8% Possession  51.2%
 50 Duels Won 40
 55% Duels Won %  45%
20 Tackles Won  16
7 Saves 2
21 Clearances 27

166 Comments

  1. Does anyone know of a good Chili recipe that has Ginger in it?
    .
    Also WSSM.

    • Sauté onions, garlic, add ginger and scallions, and ground pork, black pepper. Cook for a while then add tomato paste, tomatoes, soy sauce, Sri racha, and brown sugar. Add cooked pinto beans and garnish with cilantro and a dusting of toasted cumin.

      • Very nice. Could probably throw the whole lot into a slow cooker for 4-6 hours.
        .
        Yes, WSSM.

    • el pachyderm says:

      Been thinking about something. We do not suck so much. I think the acronym needs to be changed. I didn’t name it so cannot be the one to bring about such important points of parliamentary proceedure- but I do know, we do not suck — at all.
      .
      They suck. They suck so much. Yes. That’s feels better from my POV.
      .
      TSSM.
      .
      Can’t help you with the chili ginger recipe.

  2. Uh……………….uh……………ok………….wow…..uh

    wssm….

  3. Wenger is useless. That Curtin is so intent upon getting him going signals that Curtin is useless too. Why are Fabinho and Fred on the bench instead of McLaughlin? We’re not going to win another game all year so we might as well play the young guys. (Not that I think Pfeffer and Jimmy will ever be even average mls players – this franchise is totally incompetent so there’s no way they’ve picked homegrowns with any real potential.)

    • John Ling says:

      Fabinho is on the bench because you need somebody as a defensive sub, in case of injury on the backline.

    • Why have we all forgotten about hoppenot?? Does anyone know what is going on with him …coaching staff decision he is not at least on the bench ? Wenger is useless I agree and when you put people on this pitch that are out of form, misses on net from 4 yards out with a goalie out of position is exactly what you you get …and yes I watched the replay and gave wenger the benefit of the doubt it was deflected, but the bum had plenty of time to react to it !!! When it rains it pours , refereeing was horrid

      • He took to Twitter last night to berate the fans. So Antoine seems to have some issues that are boiling over as well

  4. el pachyderm says:

    SIGH.
    .
    An audible sigh is the truest indication of resignation. You win. I resign. I am without anger tonight. Without vitriol. Nothing kitschy or catchy- just hard truth.
    .
    I knew. You knew. WE knew this team had no chance tonight. We knew a continental divide exists between these clubs— one on the ascendency- one just a rung above hell.
    .
    I tell my children all the time the brain is for thinking and the heart is the place of knowing. The brain is untrustworthy but the heart is the source of trust. The heart NEVER lies. It is only in the heart that we can truly know something. And I know, in my heart, there is not one thing this team does well. Not one. Not. One.
    .
    Some will point to a miraculous save by Carducci or a mid late red card- but there is no one or two unfortunate happenings for this club each week – that seperates victory from draw from defeat. It is not that simple. It is gestalt theory- the best practice of chaos being the whole organism as diseased – not just one system. A general suffering. A cruel cruel view of what it means to die by a lack of ideas. To die by ignorance. To die by smugness. To die by the collective hands of a 100,000 fans who deserve better. Most certainly deserve better.
    .
    Such a good game plan by Vancouver. They pressed the hell out of us. Simple. Logical. Cohesive pressure of which we had zero answer. An empty set or null hypothesus- who knows I am not the statistician- but I know zero. Zero answer again…
    .
    … just like the number of goals we scored. Again. Zero.
    .
    You are all aware, I hope, that by season end, by merciful right of final game, by euthanization or castration or cremation this team could go down as one of the most futile and least scoring teams in this paltry league’s history. This is not just bad- it has epic failure potential. This team is a sham. A mockery. A rouge.
    .
    MAKE. IT. STOP. PLEASE.
    .
    Just pack up, take the walk of shame back from where you came Mr. Sakiewicz and Mr. Sugarman. You and all your sycophants who think this is somehow special.
    .
    Oh, and by the way. I will never tire of roasting this club. This lethal and sacred and beautiful Gorgon of a club. Skewer. Skewer. Skewer. Skewer- until you get it right or go away.
    .
    I am Jack’s aching football heart. Free this franchise.

  5. figures we’ll lose marquez for next game. not only are we terrible, we also can’t catch any kind of break

  6. Can anyone tell me what the formation was supposed to be between about the 20 minute mark and the two subs? The back four were a shambles, Edu, Pfeffer & Maidana were invisible (except for Chaco’s wonderful back pass before the second goal) and the wings were awful (again).

    Andrew Wenger just needs to go. Somewhere. Anywhere. Just not here.

  7. Also, before the venom gets going, kudos to Sylvestre in his MLS debut. 7 saves behind that midfield & back line…sheesh.

    • Yes – absolutely – Sylvestre deserves great respect- thrown into the deep end of this train wreck of a shit show without a life vest – – he played his heart out.

      • He seems like a good goalie but was basically throw in front of a firing squad with no last rights. It really doesn’t matter who is back there at this point.

    • Agreed. I dont recall seeing any defenders on the screen for the 1st goal, the 2nd should have been called foul, and I was drunk by the 3rd. 🙂
      It was definitely not his fault the match turned out the way it did. All things considered, he looked pretty good.

  8. I think this team is built for a game plan that doesn’t work: Hoof it in from the wings so a big guy can pound it in goal. Union was out paced, out passed and out techniqued from minutes 15 – 90. We have Chaco, Pfeffer and Nogs sliding through balls to no one, because we don’t have a forward that can run. We don’t have a forward that can collect a ball with his back to goal and make his own chance. We have midfielders who shoot like they’re going for extra points in the NFL. Defense was just dreadful. Marquez seemed good before the red. White went back to being downright scary. And if you want to get snookered from a Union drinking game, pound a shot every time a union midfielder turns the ball over. Two shots when he turns it over on a backwards pass. You would have needed an ambulance tonight. Curtis overestimated this team’s talent and his own abilities to strategize. We’re not going to get any relief.

    • You get major props for the Union drinking game line. +1. That said, it’s pretty evident that Jim, as likable a guy as he appears, is pretty overmatched in his role at this point in his coaching career. Look, we’re clearly not the most talented team in the league, but a team with Mo Edu, Chaco Madaina, Nando, Sapong, Nogs, Pfeffer, Williams, and Gaddis should not be the worst team in the league. It’s on the coach to motivate and to get these players to perform to their maximum potentials, both individually and collectively. That is clearly not happening at this point.

      • Yeah. I’ve been defending Curtin since the season started, but I’m starting to come around to feeling like he’s just in over his head. He’s got a situation that’s gotten really bad and he has no experience to guide him through it. He needed to be an assistant to a seasoned coach.

  9. If 9 of the 11 players on the field looked like they didn’t want to be there tonight, how do I convince myself that I want to be there in the stands next Sunday?

  10. Steve H. says:

    Only team in the MLS with a double digit negative goal differential.
    .
    Let’s start taking odds on how bad it gets.
    .
    -20’s?
    -30’s?
    -40’s? (there are enough games left)
    .
    phew… what a morass.

  11. Great One says:

    Where is everyone who argued against the “is it time to panic
    ” article? Most of us knew then, knew a year ago, this club never had a chance. The fate was sealed when no GM was hired and Curtin was selected as manager. All the roster moves after that were foregone conclusions. I am astounded at how little anyone seems to care. Nando, Edu, Gaddis, Marquez, Ayuk gave some effort, but they didn’t play well. Maidana is completely checked out, Nando is fed up, and Pfeffer is a shadow of a real player. Play every young option at this point. We can not go downward. Go with a formation change as well.

    • Great One says:

      4-3-1-2
      Goalie
      Gaddis-edu-Vitoria-Williams
      Pfeffer, Nogs, McLaughlin
      Maidana
      Nando, Catic

    • Yes two strikers are fucking needed and play to feet must be he strategy we are the only team in this league I feel that looks wide first and send blind hopeful balls into the box …every other club picks their heads up and finds teammates in the box …proper fucking football ….curtin bought the whole team Ice cream after the loss fucking pussy coach produces pussy players and pussy play ….they all smell like the Delaware river !!!!!

    • I argued against “time to panic” then. I was clearly wrong.

    • Dan Walsh says:

      Well, maybe it wasn’t time to panic yet back then. But remember, I made it very clear that the time could eventually come.

      So yeah, I think it’s fair to say you may be at that point now.

  12. 700 Chopper says:

    This game was so bad on so many different levels that all I can say is 2 of the goals weren’t the keepers fault

  13. James Lockerbie says:

    Sorry, Everyone I put way too much pressure on Curtin. I compared him to George Washington! I should have compared Nick Sakiewicz to Benedict Arnold. I hope you guys can forgive me.

  14. It’s ALL been said before!!!

    Sugarman and Sakiewicz sell this team to a COMPETENT and financially competitive owner!!

    FREE THIS FRANCHISE!!!

    • Huey0328 says:

      I love the idea of the UNION. I’d love more to see new Owners but Who? Who would pick up this leaking bag of dog shit. Cast it side and turn it into something the Fans and Supporters could be proud of because this isn’t it. So who is out? Is there someone or group that would want this team. Is there a list of wouldbe owners? How about John Henery and the Fenway Group?

      • John Ling says:

        I went through some names with local connections the other day. Doesn’t mean they’d have interest, but: The Roberts family (aka Comcast money), Jeff Lurie, Josh Harris (Sixers owner; just no tanking, please), Ed Snider, Will Smith, Bradley Cooper, and Hugh Jackman. There are certainly more multi-millionaires from the region; those were just off the top of my head.

      • The issue isn’t who would buy it. The issue is the length of the stadium deal in Chester. Look, I love going down to games (and go to probably 12 per year), but I have so, so many friends that won’t go down because the stadium is in Chester. They just won’t. And when they don’t go down to the games, they certainly won’t watch on TV especially if they’re not soccer guys. Too many obstacles. Now, if you could somehow get out of PPL park and re-locate to say, Citizens Bank Park…now you’re talking massive interest from potential owners with real $$ who realize that they can get 50% more attendance, a much better local TV deal, better advertising, revenue, more concessions, more national TV games, more games vs top int’l clubs in their pre-season tours, etc. That’s the real issue.

      • UnitedPenn13 says:

        Yeah, THAT’S the real issue, pleeease (eye roll).

      • Perhaps you should consider finding a different group of friends.

        PPL Park is definitely NOT the cause of the Union’s woes.

      • Never said it was the cause of their woes at all. It’s got nothing to do with it, it’s a great stadium. But, if you’re talking about a sale of the team, that $$ amount will be discounted based on the location of the stadium vs if it was in a better location. That’s all I’m saying.

      • Paul Goings says:

        I’m trying to imagine how watching the Union (even a greatly improved Union, if such a thing can be imagined) at Citizens Bank Park would be a superior experience to watching them at PPL Park? I saw that one match at NYCFC, and it looked ridiculous. Add contention with the Phillies schedule, etc., and this seems like a lose-lose-lose situation.

        The Union may have many problems, but PPL Park isn’t one of them.

  15. This team cannot pass or possess any of the ball. They cannot score, and they cannot defend. This team needs to be brought out to pasture and shot. They need a Sporting Director, and most importantly a Coach

  16. OneManWolfpack says:

    I don’t know what that was, but that was not soccer. Not even close. This team is no longer even remotely competitive. We are tackling dummies for teams to practice against. It is so far past bad, I cannot even begin to recall the proper word to use. I am actually starting to feel bad for the players. I have nothing left to give. I will be heard / seen Sunday night. This is a disgrace.
    .
    FREE THIS FRANCHISE NOW

  17. Ah, Chester, PA… The town where soccer careers come to die. No one cares anymore because it’s clear the brain trust is out of money, out of ideas, and out of metaphorical bullets. So here’s a few for free: FO should see if the Philly Fantatic is free to play GK next week and hold open tryouts for the other starting 10 in the parking lot 20 minutes before kickoff… No sober candidates allowed. Next week? Michael Vick and Tim Tebow can be our new CB pairing–can’t play for shit, but at least there’s a backstory there.

    There are no young ones to play. There was never enough talent for a starting 11 at every position for the start of the season, still don’t know why folks are surprised this team can’t compete. Guardiola would struggle to make this side work, let alone a guy who was coaching a glorified travel club three seasons ago.

    It is THE definition of a total shitshow clusterf*ck. It was an incomplete roster to start and NONE of the gambles or sure things have paid off. Not one.

  18. com·pe·tent
    ˈkämpədənt/
    adjective
    having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully.
    “a highly competent surgeon”
    (of a person) efficient and capable.
    “an infinitely competent mother of three”
    synonyms: capable, able, proficient, adept, adroit, accomplished, complete, skillful, skilled, credentialed, gifted, talented, expert

    The above can not be applied to the current ownership,front office management and coaching staff of the Philadelphia Union!

    However the following can be applied to the current ownership,front office management and coaching staff of the Philadelphia Union:

    in·com·pe·tent
    inˈkämpədənt/
    adjective
    not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully.
    “a forgetful and utterly incompetent assistant”
    synonyms: inept, unskillful, unskilled, inexpert, amateurish, unprofessional, bungling, blundering, clumsy, inadequate, substandard, inferior, ineffective, deficient, inefficient, ineffectual, wanting, lacking, leaving much to be desired

    FREE THIS FRANCHISE!!!

  19. The Black Hand says:

    We don’t have a single player…not one. We have EXCUSES!!!
    .
    Sylvestre deserves a steak dinner and never to answer the U’s call again.
    .
    It will get worse!
    .
    Adios, Curtin!!

    • James Lockerbie says:

      If Nick Sakiewicz had an once of honesty left in him This would be him on Monday team mtg.

      https://youtu.be/63F7uIGDUmo God we can only hope!

      • James Lockerbie says:

        To be clear Nick is on the horse and that is Curtin on the stretcher

      • The Black Hand says:

        Sak would be riding a toy horse (the wooden stick kind), skipping about…while Rene plays clippity-clop on coconut shells.
        .
        Jim Curtin would be telling all to “come back and fight like a man” after his leqs have been chopped off (Philly Tough).
        .
        A Monty Python skit would defeat this team 3-0.
        .
        It will get worse!

      • The Oenophile says:

        Germany vs Greece, a classic!

      • The Black Hand says:

        “Aristotle, very much the man in form”.

    • A little hyperbole, no? Mo Edu, Chaco Maidana, Nogs, Nando, Pfeffer, Williams…these are all starting quality MLS players. Some of this needs to be on Curtin. The FO is no doubt terrible and is an abomination, but Jim has to take some of the heat for this too. These guys aren’t even showing up…irrespective of the sport, when the coach is out of ideas, the team shuts down. Time to change the voice.

  20. DCU, @NYRB, @DCU, Columbus

    Not a point anywhere in sight.

  21. Darth Harvey says:

    I think New Castle supporters said it best last week….
    “we don’t need a team that wins….
    We need a club that tries…”

    *man tear drop*

  22. The Cliff of Union Depair says:

    No vacancy

  23. el pachyderm says:

    “I cannot put my finger on it now, the child is grown……the dream is gone.”

    • John Ling says:

      No, sorry. I’m uncomfortably numb from this team…
      .
      Union – here’s how bad you’ve become. My daughter, who lives and breathes for each game, sat and played her DS last night instead of watching the match. If you’ve lost her, you’re in serious trouble…

      • The Oenophile says:

        Same with my two boys, they did not want to “waste two hours” on a Saturday night knowing that their team would once again get trounced.

  24. Can I Get a Refund? says:

    Sak and Sugarman need to go now!!!! My kids actually ask who the Union are playing before each game and then ask what players on the other team are good or the ones they should watch. There is no hope as long as the two main idiots are in charge.

    • el pachyderm says:

      I’m just waiting patiently for my dearly departed to come back on the last game of the season- the only time I will walk into PPL is to applaud a player on another team.
      .

      • Curse of the Onion had legs last night, the former #14 had a rough one. And I have been right there with you as one of his biggest supporters on this board.

      • el pachyderm says:

        Indeed. Even the greats make a rough play every so often. With each passing game I am happier and happier he left this shit show.
        .
        Good player Amobi Okugo.
        .
        Ho-Hum.

    • “FREE OUR FRANCHISE”

  25. Just the worst thing. I wish we had the Farfans, Califf, JackMac, Zach, Mondragon. Those teams tried.

    Where’s the “Philly tough” now, Jimbo?

    • The Little Fish says:

      I agree. I’ve been thinking the same thing. I miss those days.

    • Nobody was accusing JackMac of trying very hard during the end of 2013, beginning of 2014. Let’s pump the brakes on the revisionist history a little, OK?

  26. John Ling says:

    So, can anybody say Marquez deserved straight red? Any chance the league overturns it?
    .
    Also, anybody else catch Curtin, er… talking to the 4th official on the broadcast? “It’s a penalty, but it’s not a fucking red!” Nice job coach. But maybe if you showed that sort of ire toward your team, maybe you’d motivate somebody. And if not, you’d have more information about who doesn’t want to be here (hint: it’s a lot of players).
    .
    And why, why, why does Andrew Wenger continue to start? He and Le Toux are both slumping terribly. But frankly, if one of them has to start, then give me Le Toux. At least Frenchy plays defense (not well, but does it), and Le Toux has a better record of overcoming slumps. Wenger actually looked decent right up until the moment he made Ousted look awesome. Then he checked out.
    .
    Ugh!

    • el pachyderm says:

      50-50 on the straight red.
      .
      minimal contact but studs up by my POV. If that lands or the player’s foot is planted– fractured tib fib maybe.
      .
      like the poor dude at YSC pickup this week.

      • The Black Hand says:

        Yellow card. His eyes were on the ball and he tipped the guys toe. That said, the RC had no effect on the outcome.

      • John Ling says:

        No, it didn’t. I completely agree with that.

    • The Black Hand says:

      Wenger was far more effective than Maurice Edu.

      • John Ling says:

        Yes – but sort of in the same way that a mound of dirt is more effective than nothing at filling the stomach of a starving person.

      • The Black Hand says:

        Made worse by the “nothing” eating up over $650k…throw in M’Bohli’s $500k+ and you have the reason for much of our ineptitude.

    • Zero chance the suspension gets overturned. Studs went into the guy’s leg.
      .
      The whole team checked out once Wenger missed that sitter. It’s like they wait for one thing to go wrong, and then just pack it in.

  27. i know this has been said a thousand times before but this roster is so paper thin. albright better be on the phone 24 hours a day in this coming week trying to bring in new blood

  28. The Little Fish says:

    So sad. Again we lacked the ability to string together passes. We appear overmatched EVERY game. It’s like how the Flyers used to play ‘dump & chase’ because they didn’t have technical players. This reminds me of that unattractive yet futile brand of attack. Yuck.

    Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse we lose Marquez the only bright spot this season to a red card suspension. Super!

    Where’s Rene? We need some fresh ideas. I’m ready for a new formation too. Fuck it let’s go 3 in the back. Try anything. Reboot. Unplug the coaxial cable from the wall for 5 minutes and then plug it back in and turn on. Voila. 3 points versus DC……..only in my dreams!

  29. The Little Fish says:

    Much respect for Brian Sylvestre. He played his heart out. Won’t mind seeing him next week.

    • The Black Hand says:

      Agree. He has been our best goalie. However, I believe that the club has already said that McCarthy is the guy, once he gets over his concussion…that he gave himself…while throwing the ball…WITH HIS HAT ON. Good call, Jim!!!
      .
      If I were Sylvestre, I would let the Union’s call go to voicemail and answer the call from a real club.

  30. Rene Meulensteen can’t distance himself from this club fast enough. I’m not sure this club could hire a coach or a GM even if they were advertising and interviewing for those positions. And they’re not. Sugarman is MIA and I wish Sak was.

  31. The Black Hand says:

    Uncle…Uncle…UNCLE!!!!!!

  32. Neither Albright nor Curtin will be able to turn this franchise around. Their prominent off-season acquisitions were Aristeguieta – who’s slow and incapable of dealing with the physicality of MLS CB’s – and Vitoria – who’s just slow. Curtin pissed off Okugo – really far-sighted that one. Would have been nice to have Okugo around to stop bleeding goals this year. Oh well.

  33. I thought getting my PSP bottle opener was the highlight of the last home game. I now realize it will be the highlight of the entire season.

  34. The Little Fish says:

    Seriously where the hell is Rene Meulensteen? Can somebody PLEASE ask that question at the press conference? If his consulting gig with us is finished I’d like to know it. If he is still consulting the Union I’d love his thoughts on moving this club forward. Can we get that question asked? Weirdest consulting arrangement I’ve ever seen. Top, top secret stuff. Shhhhhhh.

    • It’s surprising that this team entered some weird arrangement that they held a press conference and promised the world? Sounds like business as usual

  35. first move , zak. Needs to be sacked obv. 2. There needs to be a search for a coach with experience and a successful record, from Overseas or in the U.S. 3. This team needs to be cleaned out. Start getting rid of players, ex. Carroll, Casey , williams, wenger , le toux and so on. 4. We need to look for an attacking mid. Sorry Chaco but in my opinion I’ve seen enough. We need a player who is really going to attack and produce creativity and purpose going forward. If we can’t acquire anyone over the summer I suggest bringing back Hoppenot and putting him as the attacking mid. He has never gotten a chance to show on this team. He would be a good attacking mid in my opinion. That’s only if he’s still on this team….. He would give us pressure up top and he would create movement and it would be demanded. He would also put pressure on defenses. Just a huge fucking thought idk. This process definitely needs to happen over the offseason of not now. The only good outcome from this match was Sylvestre. Looked like a good quality keeper.

    • The Black Hand says:

      Agree. But…I would add to your list of players that need to go. Noguiera, Edu, Artie (he’s gone in a couple of months anyway), Casey…In fact, I would cut the entire club. Clean slate. Take the mulligan and start over.

      • Well Nogs we def. need. If he had a team that could play up to his standards and ability he would be a lot better off. He helps this team more than any player we’ve ever had.

      • The Black Hand says:

        I think that Noguiera is completely disinterested with this club.

      • Can you blame him?
        The rest of us are too.

      • The Black Hand says:

        Sure can’t.
        .
        That is why I would send him on his way. The Union need to start over. There is no foundation to build upon…none. Noguiera isn’t going to wait it out.

    • Step 3 will not improve the situation until steps 1 & 2 are complete. Which means when it happens at some point this year it will recycle the same mess. Because 1 & 2 aren’t happening anytime soon.

    • Hoppenot as attacking mid? Just not seeing hit. He’s a nice asset as a sub with pace up top, but i don’t see how going from Chaco to Hoppenot magically unlocks this offense. The few good chances we generate tend to start from Maidana.

  36. murphthesurf says:

    Edu got smoked.

    Whoa.

    That is what a real striker looks like.

    Don’t worry about a national team call up,
    not if they see that play…

    wow.

    • The Black Hand says:

      Edu was downright lazy. Did you see the size of the hole in our DM? Pitiful. National team…Hahahahahahah

  37. I’m tired of the turd sandwich the Union continue to trot out every week. In the long run it would be helpful if the fans stopped purchasing season tickets so that the ownership will get a clue that this teams performance isn’t acceptable (or digestible) at any level.

    • The Oenophile says:

      I am a founding member / season ticket holder and I now regret having renewed my four seats for this season.

      • Founding member myself, “SAKS/SUGARMAN” are you “LISTENING”? I WILL ‘NOT’ GIVE YOU ANOTHER PENNY OF MY HARD EARNED $ FOR THIS CAROSEL SH#T SHOW YOU CALL A SOCCER CLUB. I will ALWAYS be a supporter, but not another dime to this club until you BOTH sell out and take your $ and run. (Just like the TB Rowdies)!!!!! That said “GO UNION”… “FREE OUR FRANCHISE”

  38. Steve H. says:

    This reminds me of those awful phillies teams from the late 1980’s.
    .
    They were so bad, but General Admission tickets were $4 to The Vet, and parking was $5. We would get drunk in the parking lot and watch stars from other teams.
    .
    The difference is that the phillies parking lot was paved and didn’t cost $20 to park in it. Also, the Onion do not have GA tickets, or anything that would even count as a ‘value’ ticket.
    .
    Otherwise, we are paying much more for the same garbage product that the phillies were trotting out during those dark years of Ricky Jordan at 1B.

  39. Our depth is horrible. Look at the age of our available subs last night:
    .
    27-Noguiera
    30-Fabinho
    31-LeToux
    33-Casey
    33-Carroll
    .
    But as The Sak preaches, the Onion is all about youth development…
    .
    Right….

    • This is where you raise the gun to the lips and blow the smoke away.
      .
      Say it again with me now folks, it is ALL wrong.

    • You left Grandpa Fred off this list.

      And why are Casey, Carroll , and Fred on the roster? Because the Union wanted MLS to pay their salaries instead of hiring them assistant coaches.

  40. Like a chorus at the end of a song, sing it again with me now, ” wrong. wrong. wrong. It is ALL wroooonnnggggg”

  41. Jim Presti says:

    My girlfriend tore her ACL Friday night. We watched the game together on the couch. Her rehabing her knee, me cringing and shaking my head. Just after the first half she remarked, “Watching this team is more painful than when I first f***ed my knee up.”
    .
    FANS WOULD RATHER HAVE SERIOUS JOINT INJURIES THAN WATCH THE UNION RIGHT NOW.
    .
    Think about that. People are wishing severe pain and long months of rehabilitation over watching this fucking train wreck. Who on this squad has any heart, determination or grit right now? Pfeffer and Marquez looked like the only players who cared. Maybe Fernando, But even he’s frustrated. I sincerely hope he doesn’t take this cancer back to Nantes. He sure as hell isn’t sticking around for next season.

  42. Dr. Union says:

    This team is horrid. Williams needs to just go his level of play isn’t even worth of playing in a pickup game. Wenger can’t score from 4 yards out with no goalkeeper with the ball basically placed on his foot. All he had to do was fall on it. Their just flat out awful. I don’t care pick up free agents, have open tryouts anyone has to be better then these bums. Coaching is horrid the whole thing is just terrible. If you insist using the players you have here should be next weeks lineup.
    //////Slyvestre\\\\\\\
    Gaddis Edu Lee
    Nogs
    Ayuk Pfeffer Maidana Mclaughlin
    Nando Catic
    Bench: McCarthy, Hoppenot, Vitoria, Bird, (that is all)

  43. New manager please.

    • a new manager will not solve the problem

      • It won’t, but there is this aspect – the Union are going to have a fair amount of money to spend once they sell Mbohli. If you let Curtin & Albright sign 2 or 3 players with that money, they are going to sign ‘their’ kind of players. Unless the club is committed to them long term, which I doubt, whoever they sign may not match the style of the next manager. And then you have more churn in the next window, more players out of position, or basically a repeat of every season since Nowak left.

        If only because you need to give the next manager a chance to build his own team, it makes sense to move on sooner rather than later.

      • that is all true to a degree but it’s hard for me to get behind firing someone when i am not convinced that this is ‘his’ roster. i don’t think you can discount the amount of money that is tied up in mbohli’s contract (that curtin had nothing to do with) and the glut of over the hill players that i am convinced curtin is keeping around because the cheap ownership won’t pay for more technical staff

      • The Black Hand says:

        Nope…but it needs to happen, so we might as well get it out of the way.

  44. OneManWolfpack says:

    We seriously have to do something about this… as a group. We cannot give up and let this disgrace of a FO get away with this. We cannot lose our team. If you go to the games, be loud. Bring signs. Make your voice heard. Don’t give up.
    .
    FREE OUR FRANCHISE!

    • “Nothing is over until we decide it is. Was it over when the German’s bombed Pearl Harbor?”

      • james lockerbie says:

        I think you mean the Japanese.

      • Unless my tablet is missing your sarcasm font, that reply, sir, has gotten you placed on double secret probation.

      • el pachyderm says:

        +1

      • james lockerbie says:

        Why? his statement was wrong. The Japanese bombed pearl Harbor december 7,1941. “A date that will live in infamy”

      • Eric Stratton says:

        James, I majored in History at Faber College, and el pachyderm’s quote above of Sen. Blutarsky is 100% accurate.

      • To quote Dean Vernon Wormer “Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life son.”
        It may, however, be the way to get through this Union season.

      • Rob127, +1

      • el pachyderm says:

        “You’re talking about Delta sir. Of course I’m talking about Delta, TWERP”

      • James Lockerbie says:

        My bad I should have know better.

      • The Black Hand says:

        Godzilla?

      • The quote is from 1941, a Spielberg movie. Dan Akroyd, John Belusi. Underated, imo.

      • Really? How about Animal House? Did you find that one underrated too?

      • Well, yes, really. 1941 is basically considered one of the worst, if not the worst Spielberg movie. So, yes, I find it underrated. Animal House is good. Would say it gets the acclaim it deserves.

      • “Bluto’s right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.”

      • Huey0328 says:

        Great “Animal House” reference this team and ownership is a bunch of misfits love and hate at the same time. This season for me is truning into more a great tailgate party with people I enjoy hangout with and where a soccer game may breakout. During the party.

    • Sunday’s game is on Fox, EVERYONE bring a brown bag for your head & a sign w/ “FREE OUR FRANCHISE”… If enough fans wear bags it will have to get air time & start to expose this “SHAM” ownership to the rest of the MLS… “GO UNION”

  45. I liked the effort from Sylvestre and Marquez. Sylvestre looks much better than McCarthy and hopefully he’ll get another start on Sunday. I think MLS will overturn that garbage red card on Marquez. As for the rest of the team, blah. I’m guessing we’ll see LeToux instead of Wenger next week. Unfortunately, neither is a good option. Lets hope that Vitoria is back because Ethan White is a disaster. Has Pfeffer even played the last 2 games? Doesn’t look like he ever touches the ball. I’m guess Nogs will take his spot in the lineup next week. Too many times we got the ball in the final third and I only saw Nando in the box. No one else. We need to get players into the box. We can’t stop anyone right now so our only chance and peppering the goalie and hopefully a few shots will go in. I’ve been beyond the point of angry for a few weeks now. We stink and probably won’t get much better this year. We have some pretty good individual players. It just seems like these players don’t mesh well together. Don’t know if it’s the formation we play or tactics employed but something is just off.

    • Dr. Union says:

      The Union have no formation and no tactics that is obvious. You also can’t pepper a goal with shots when you don’t know how to put it on frame. It is either 1 or 2 shots on goal a game its PATHETIC. When you can’t score from four yards out with no goalie in your way you should ride the bench for the rest of the season maybe career. I’M TALKING TO YOU WENGER YOU WORTHLESS PIECES OF……….(I’ll let the rest of you fill in what you would like here).

  46. alicat215 says:

    Whats up my PSP peeps! Yup, situation normal…………….all f#%ked up! I’m done……really not anything else to say. Oh yeah, Chaco and White were a recurrent theme on goals one and two. Chaco hasn’t looked good in a few matches now……..SLOW. What CB gets pushed over by a striker at this level? How does a CB not know how to head a ball……then ball watch? We don’t have the talent……every match…someone is in over their head and gets exposed. Start over….reset this bizatch!

  47. Wow, this is a depressed bunch. I’m most reminded of the “Losing is a disease” speeches from The Natural, where the diseases keep getting worse. I’m more concerned about lack of GM and lack of $, which leads to poor choices(goalies!) and no bench. 2-3 positional changes would imbue this entire club with a different energy, and that may include the coach. I like Curtin but as they say I think he’s lost the room.

  48. The U had open tryouts at the practice facility near KOP a few years ago. I dont know if anything came of it, but I think it’s time to try again

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