Keegan Rosenberry scored his first MLS goal as Philadelphia Union came from 2-1 down to salvage a 2-2 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night in Chester.
Vincent Nogueira opened the scoring in the fourth minute before Robbie Rogers equalized in the 15th after a brilliant build up from the Galaxy. Mike Magee gave LA the lead just after halftime with a fine finish of his own, but Rosenberry made sure the Union would get a share of the points when he powered home a rebound during a 69th minute goalmouth scramble.
First half
Jim Curtin made two changes to the side that drew with San Jose 10 days ago. Fabinho was restored (after serving his one-game suspension) at the expense of Ray Gaddis, and Brian Carroll replaced Warren Creavalle in midfield. Ken Tribbett was healthy enough to make the bench for the first time in over three weeks.
Philadelphia started quickly and went ahead in just the 4th minute. Fabinho played in a low, early cross from the left side toward C.J. Sapong at the near post. Los Angeles could only half-clear, with the ball falling to Nogueira at the penalty spot. The midfielder’s first shot was blocked, but he was able to get to the rebound first and toe poke home from seven yards out.
The Union had a great chance to double their lead in the 10th minute. Tranquillo Barnetta flung a corner kick toward the near post on the left side. Sapong was first to it, flicking it on, but Chris Pontius could only manage to redirect the ball wide of the far post as it traveled through the six-yard box.
Los Angeles would equalize on a terrific team goal in the 15th minute. A move that started inside the Galaxy’s own six-yard box was eventually worked into the right hand channel for Giovani Dos Santos. The Mexican international was able to get past Fabinho’s challenge and cut a pass back for the onrushing Robbie Rogers. Rogers took his shot first time, chipping into the far corner of Andre Blake’s goal from a tough angle eight yards out.
Philadelphia had a glorious chance to equalize just before halftime. Rosenberry’s long throw was flicked on by Sapong and left Pontius with the goal gaping at the back post, but his off-balance header drifted over the bar.
Second half
The Galaxy would take the lead two minutes into the second half on another well-worked goal. First Dos Santos rounded Brian Carroll and found Steven Gerrard 25 yards out. The former Liverpool captain weighted the ball perfectly for Mike Magee to arrive for a shot at back post. The ex-Fire man made no mistake, cracking a first time shot into the top corner of Blake’s goal from 16 yards out.
The Union’s first chance of the second half came in the 53rd minute. Jelle Van Damme fouled Barnetta just outside the Galaxy area, giving Philadelphia a great free kick opportunity. Barnetta dusted himself off and fired just wide of Kennedy’s far post.
Philadelphia would draw level in the 63rd minute. Barnetta’s corner kick was met by Pontius at the back post, but his shot was well saved by Kennedy on the goal line. The ball trickled free of the LA stopper, and Sebastien Le Toux was on hand to create chaos that Rosenberry cleaned up with a powerful strike from a yard out. It was Rosenberry’s first MLS goal and a well-deserved marker of his strong play.
Pontius would have another fantastic chance to score in the 69th minute. Cutting in off the left side, the wide man skinned Robbie Rogers and rolled a low shot just wide of Kennedy’s goal.
The Union’s next chance would come through substitute Ilsinho in the 73rd minute. The Brazilian streaked down the middle of the field, coasting past Van Damme, before firing a curling shot just wide of the far post.
The game began to fizzle in the late stages as both teams looked to assure themselves of a point, and it finished as a 2-2 draw, meaning the Union remain undefeated at home this season.
Attendance was announced at 17,985, and the match featured what was certainly the best atmosphere of the season, particularly in the second half.
Philadelphia is in action again on Saturday when they travel to Montreal to face the Impact at 5 pm. The match will be a showdown of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia Union
Andre Blake, Keegan Rosenberry, Josh Yaro, Richie Marquez, Fabinho, Brian Carroll, Vincent Nogueira, Tranquillo Barnetta (Roland Alberg 88′), Chris Pontius (Fabian Herbers 86′), Sebastien Le Toux (Ilsinho 70′), C.J. Sapong
Unused Subs: John McCarthy, Ken Tribbett, Warren Creavalle, Ray Gaddis
Los Angeles Galaxy
Dan Kennedy, Ashley Cole, Robbie Rogers, Leonardo, Jelle Van Damme (Daniel Steres 76′), Baggio Husidic, Steven Gerrard (Jeff Larentowicz 73′) , Giovani Dos Santos, Mike Magee (Sebastian Lletget 89′), Robbie Keane, Gyasi Zardes
Unused Subs: Brian Rowe, AJ DeLaGarza, Emmanuel Boateng, David Romney,
Scoring Summary
PHL: Vincent Nogueira – 4′
LA: Robbie Rogers (Giovani Dos Santos, Robbie Keane) – 15′
LA: Mike Magee (Steven Gerrard, Giovani Dos Santos) – 47′
PHL: Keegan Rosenberry – 63′
Disciplinary Summary
LA: Robbie Rogers (foul) – 70′
LA: Dan Kennedy (time wasting) – 82′
| Philadelphia Union | Los Angeles Galaxy | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Shots | 4 |
| 6 | Shots on Target | 2 |
| 8 | Shots off Target | 1 |
| 8 | Blocked Shots | 1 |
| 6 | Corner Kicks | 3 |
| 24 | Crosses | 9 |
| 2 | Offsides | 0 |
| 8 | Fouls | 11 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 438 | Total Passes | 438 |
| Passing Accuracy | ||
| 50.7% | Possession | 49.3% |
| 51 | Duels Won | 45 |
| 53.1% | Duels Won % | 46.9% |
| 11 | Tackles Won | 9 |
| 0 | Saves | 4 |
| 19 | Clearances | 23 |
They fought hard. If it were even “average Chris Pontius” Philly wins going away, and who would’ve thought that going in?
Rosenberry & Fabinho gave as good as they got in the end.
Best game of the season to date.
Its fun to watch this “new look” union. We appeared to be a formidable opponent to a Galaxy squad that looks like a team of All Stars. We certainly played good enough to win and as we improve we will capitalize on those chances. We’re not quite there yet as far as that final touch is concerned but it’s coming along for sure!!!!
Zero saves from Andre Blake but the Union still don’t lose to the star-studded Los Angeles Galaxy. Meanwhile, BSFC ever present John McCarthy sits the Philadelphia bench for the first time in six MLS games. Interesting developments in between the sticks tonight …
I think McCarthy is the number 2 but when Bethlehem has a game the next day, he’s been playing there and Jones has been getting the backup spot. My guess is that we’ll know for sure in the next couple of weeks when Blake joins Jamaica ahead of Copa America.
Old Soccer Coach has been convinced for quite some time now that McCarthy is the real Union # 2 and I must say that episodes like this don’t do anything to discredit his theory at all … we’re definitely all going to find out one way or the other soon enough when Blake goes away on international duty
All the evidence says he’s the 2. Jones wasn’t in the 18 until BSFC started playing.
I still say it’s gutsy to ever go without your best backup on the bench even though it is NOT every day that the first choice gets injured or sent off. I do like the concept of keeping the “real” backup game-sharp, no doubt. Tonight has probably convinced me once and for all that McCarthy goes in when Blake goes out, too.
Nice to hear from you Football Watcher! Playing your number 2 “down” works only if your number three is perfectly competent and experienced. And it is a risk worth taking when the goal is player development rather than winning now.
Like OSC says, I think the “gap” between McCarthy and Jones is negligible so it makes sense to look to develop the younger player who is under contract with the team instead of an older player on loan.
Holding LA to 4 shots with only 2 on goal shows a great job by the defense. It’s unfortunate that both shots were finished because with so many chances, the Union could have easily gotten all 3 points.
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I was really impressed by the play Yaro made on defense just after Rosenberry’s goal. LA looked to be building something and he not only stole the ball, he tracked it down to the endline and saved a corner kick.
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Was Rosenberry’s goal really a full yard out? I thought it was more like an inch or two.
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Biggest disappointment is that Ilsinho stills seems pretty out of shape, especially given his talent level.
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I’m guessing Creavalle starts Saturday. Not sure if they’ll make any other changes.
Hamstring injuries take a while to heal completely. I doubt he’s 100%
In re Ilsinho and speed, if he had ever had elite speed, with his feet, eyes and soccer brain, would his career ceiling have been the Russian top league, and would he have had only one or two caps with Brazil?
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When that sub was made I feared what Andy Cole might do to us, but fortunately I was too pessimistic.
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The Galaxy have an impressive pair of outside backs.
Spot on, creavalle will almost definitely play Saturday. And I want him to. Loved BC as always this game, just don’t want to get in the habit of asking too much of him.
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It will be very interesting to see what other changes curtin makes, this being our first midweek game of the season. I’ll guess the back line stays the same (maybe tribbett gets a go if anything) and thats about as adventurous as I’ll get.
Disagree about Tribbett, much as I like his story line, because Montreal has elite speed in Oduro.
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Yaro’s touches in the first half were not clean, that is to say his clearances were imprecise; their precision improved as the game went on. (I interpreted the phenomenon as nerves, but others may have better insight.) I would guess Yaro stays on to provide speed at both CB slots. How good might LA have been had their CBs been Yaro and Marquez? Talk about differences in the philosophy behind team building!
As a Galaxy fan I can tell you the difference between LA’s CB’s and yours isn’t as great as you might think. Van Damme is turning out to be pretty much everything we had hoped in replacing Omar. However, as you saw last night he is prone to disciplinary action on every play. He was lucky not to pick up yet another card. Steres has been better than I thought but when it comes to Leonardo he is a train wreck. Both Marquez and Yaro are much more reliable than Leonardo. So considering the pairings I think it is almost a push between your guys and ours.
Thanks for the scouting report and good luck the rest of the season.
One thing to consider, though, is that LA’s CB’s are a combined 15 years older than Philly’s. Yaro just made his 4th professional start while Marquez is only in his 3rd pro year. So LA has two guys that have probably reached their peak with at least Van Damme likely starting the downside of his career. Meanwhile both of Philly’s CB’s have a lot of potential to grow from here.
I completely agree. One of the big criticisms of LA by LA fans is we are old. We keep bringing in players who have a name but may have 3-4 years in them…if that. That is just part of being in LA. Flash and glitz are what it is all about, so our fan base is mixed between those who want stars and those who just want to win. The Union’s defense seems set for the next 7-8 years if they can find a good LB to replace Fabinho who is now 31. He is playing well right now but imagine if you had a 23 or 24 year old similar to Rosenberry on the left side who could grow with Yaro, Marquez, and Keegan? Then add in that Tribbett is there to ass minutes as the season progresses and your defense may be one of the best in years to come. But if you guys would like to trade your young guys for our old proven guys I’ll see if I can talk to Bruce for you. I’d be happy to make that a trade.
If the league had granted our Homegrown request on Rosenberry, we’d have that young left back. We would have ended up with Yaro, Rosenberry, and Vincent.
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Oh, what could have been…
Yaro’s 22, and it’s only May. He doesn’t need a break yet. If there is a tactical reason, then there may be a switch. But he’s not tired yet.
Rosenberry’s defense was even more impressive than his passing and attacking. Curtin had this team ready to play the way we’ve hoped. Barnetta ran the offense flawlessly. Lots of confidence going into a match for first place. Wow!
A point tonight says “We’re here and we’re not your Sakiewicz’s Union” congrats to Earnie Stewart building a team capable of playing a full LA team and playing them well. Dare I say, outplaying them at stretches. Adam S and Jerome …. come out come out wherever you are.
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That said, the difference between a team like LA and Philly (coaching acumen not withstanding) is execution… two drop dead beautiful gols from the run of play that we are just unable to match though the Union had multiple opportunities, and to be true have generated many more opportunities this season and for quite a few seasons- that just do not end with the final pass and finish. This has been and continues to be a problem. Gerrard, Keane, Dos Santos, Rogers, who else– its really an embarrassment of riches or just an embarrassment- I’m unsure, but they showed us how to build a gol- orchestrate & imagine.
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-The Union work the channels and pressure the flank tend to be overly reliant on the cross, but tonight— they managed some really nice ball and team movement, the final result of this is just not there right now with a gol. Hard to be despondent over this, as they played against world class, or one time world class talent. But I sigh anyway… at the artistic nature of the game as evidenced by LA tonight.
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You can’t be anything short of really impressed with Keegan Rosenberry– played a nice game, scored and managed to shut down Dos Santos then Keane on successive plays highlighting his emerging defensive presence with an already above average offensive mindset. Yaro pretty well stoic and secure.
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Same subs as usual…at about the same time too which tells me nothing, especially considering the enormous difference in play between Ilsinho (who played excellent artistic and creatively) and Le Toux who does yeoman work but lacks in significant areas… I’d like to see Alberg get some more time… an 87th minute sub there seemed more a smack in his face than anything…but IDK.
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oh and one last thing…JP Dellacamera…please please tell me, not you too—– No Colorado is not the next Leicester City. Good grief.
One thing I will disagree with you on here is this was not the full LA team. Husidic is not our top choice in the center and believe it or not many of us here in SoCal feel Gerrard hasn’t given us much. Our lineup from Sunday was much more true to what many of us think is our top team. Lletget would have made a huge difference in this game and Boateng on the other side would have added some amazing speed. Still, Philly is looking good and getting better all the time. Hopefully we will see you guys in another game this year, say December?
Awesome… you would certainly have a stronger viewpoint on this than I, and regarding some of the mentioned players I imagine you are correct… as a Union backer though, tragically flawed as this club has been for 5 years – most West Coast teams bring very few of their top players to play us, so this seemed a full LA side… merely cause Gerrard and Keane and Dos Santos were all there.
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Appreciate the kind words about the team… it has been a breech birth here in Philadelphia with all its due complications… luckily they seem to be on right track with a vision and plan.
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BTW- what are your thoughts on Brian Kleiben working the academy… hope he keeps growing ‘his brand’ on game… silly of LAFC, IMO, to not bring him on board to LAG terrific benefit.
Don’t get down on your team. I’ve been watching the Union for three years now and I can see the progress. I understand the frustrations but right now I see you have the pieces to be successful.
As far as your question about the academies here in SoCal, you are opening a can of worms. The Academy system as a whole is less than ideal. We miss a lot of kids here in Socal due to money and transportation. The Galaxy has had a good academy system for a while but Chivas had a good system as well so it is hard to tell how Kleiben will affect things.
LAFC is kind of like NYCFC in New York. The hipster nation! LAFC seems to have a current fan base of a bunch of posers who want us to be Europe in every way. If Kleiben is as good of an academy coach as we all think I can’t wait to see the future against LAFC.
BTW, I think we were lucky to get out of there with a point last night. Good thing we have guys who can finish. Your defense was solid. Our two goals came from some solid team work with no mistakes on your part. You should have scored 4 or 5 goals.
Fantastic game. Very entertaining. Best game I’ve been at in a while. Refs were a joke throughout. AR completely blew the Pontius offside goal (unless there’s another angle – I’ve only seen the one replay they showed at the game). The head ref was dictated to by LA players all night. He was bad. The Union really showed me something tonight. They played well. A few mistakes, yes, but both LA goals were good shots.
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Some thoughts – I thought Fabi could’ve done better on the first goal but it is what it is. CJ was great. Won a ton of balls out of the air and ran Van Damme ragged all night. Good subs by Curtin too. He managed well. Not sure what Kennedy was saying on the tying goal. He never had it at any point. Ilshinho is so much damn fun to watch. I thought Barnetta looked gassed rather quickly, but still played well. Nogs and Carroll were solid and Yaro grew up a bit. Great night!
Pontius was offsides. TV replay conclusive.
Fair enough. In game replay looked like the AR completely blew it. Live I thought it looked closer than you are making it sound like it was
It was definetly close and easily could have been uncalled but he was a 1/2 boot off. Tough – kinda a micro-example of my point about finishing nice build up.
Agreed. Makes you crazy that he went offside when he was ALL ALONE!!
To your point on the refs. The offside call was a hairline correct call. It sucks but Quillo over ran the last man as the pass was initiated to him.
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That being said…
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That ref was a death by a thousand paper cuts. He didn’t do anything egregious but just little stupid shit that drives you nuts.
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Prime barometer of whenew you are in for an annoying night of MLS reffing is when your first throw in of the game the ref blows dead because it was a yard ahead of where he wanted the throw to occur.
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He had stars in his eyes tonight. “What’s that Mr. Gerrard? You wanto to take a five minute stroll to get your shinguard? Take all the time you need sir. Here’s $20 while you’re at it…” meanwhile.. “this smelly Frenchman has a brush burn! The horror! You must now sprint off my field and receive immediate triage care of your boo boo! Begone Frenchy!”
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As the kids say… smh
Agreed. Telltale sign of a weak ref is when they make a player retake a throw-in or free kick even though the player took it in a worse position for his team and make them redo it from the exact spot. It’s trying to show that you’re the man in charge, but because it’s being done on things that don’t affect play or show a lack of game awareness, it makes the ref seem weaker and pedantic. Players see right through that.
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I’ve seen thousands of matches and that’s the first time that I’ve ever seen a match delayed so a player can stroll over to the sidelines from the other side of the field to get a new shinguard. What is this, the U-9’s??? Unbelievable.
There were quite a few times the AR on the bench side of the field never even signaled which direction for a throw-in. Every time, LA picked up the ball and put it in play quickly.
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And, if the fans under the Trumark Suite don’t “assist” the ref by counting every time Kennedy had the ball, I’m not sure he gets a yellow.
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Just all around poor officiating, I thought. I agree with D. Harvey about death by a thousand paper cuts. No single call was egregious, but taken as a whole… P U…
Bruce Arena, shoeshine boy!
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“… the match featured what was certainly the best atmosphere of the season, particularly in the second half.”
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And particularly, particularly in the build-up to the final goal. The end-opposite-the-River End practically willed the ball across the goal line, with the ubiquitous and effervescent Rosenberry doing the honors from (as Andy Muenz correctly observed) mere inches away.
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Overall, the school night crowd rattled the Galaxy’s weakest links: witness Kennedy’s kicking miscues and yellow card.
I bet passing on Brandon Vincent looks pretty good after Keegan’s game tonight.
Vincent still looks like a good player, but keegan just fits this team. The mindset and the chemistry he already has thanks to being a product of our academy is evident. One more great reason to get excited every week for this team
Stewart-Curtin seems to have worked out initially somewhat more successfully than Rodriguez (??did I get it right??)-Paunovich, also.
Just got home. Best crowd so far this season. Points I’d like to make.
1. Was Ilsinho ever fast?
2. Great defensive effort and Rosenberry will get better.
3. Pontius will need a rest soon I think.
4. Sapong > Zardes….maybe. It’s close.
5. Give Jim Curtin/staff credit. He said forever he wanted home games to be at a fortress and he has the team ready for that.
6. More shots ON GOAL and they will be a league powerhouse.
Full props to BRIAN Carroll. Honestly thought he was toast two years ago but he has been working really hard and playing really smart and being the consummate professional.
That said, JC has said that he has not yet got his best 11 on the field at the same time. I agree. It seems to me that the only way to do that is to try Alberg at #6. Some will say that his creativeness is wasted there, but it is no better utilized on the bench. Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Pirlo and many others have shown how powerful a quick creative ball out of the back can be.
Would love to see, when the time is right,
Blake
Rosenbury, yaro, Marquez, fabinho
Alberg, Nogs
Ilsigno, Barnetta, Pontius
Sapong
Le toux first sub at 60 w tired legs.
“Honestly thought he was toast two years ago..”
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“Guys, hold the toast! It’s just like any other relationship.”
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Why did I just go there? Argh!
Well I’m glad you did so I don’t have to ha ha ha.
When he says it’s not his best XI, he’s picturing Edu at the 6, not Alberg.
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It’s looking more and more like Alberg will be nothing more than solid depth. I’m not sure how to process that, since we’ve never had depth…ANYWHERE…before.
Once the Open Cup games start, I expect more fluidity in the lineup. I think Curtain has learned some lessons from last year and the lack of depth.
Completely agree. It will be very much like watching a Premier League team manage lineups among league matches, FA Cup, etc. And for once, we have the horses to allow the manager to successfully balance the lineup.
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This is such a weird feeling…
I like the looks of that lineup.
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And the depth the team now has allows them to rotate some players during stretches such as this. Le Toux starting a game or two for Ilsinho; Carrol or Creavalle in at the 6, and give either Noguiera or Barnetta a break (while moving Alberg up); Alberg into the 10 and Barnetta to the left to give Pontius a breather; Le Toux, Pontius, or Herbers in for Sapong. There are so many depth options now to keep legs (and minds!) fresh.
Great game tonite, flat out 110% effort all around, what a real live out of seat jumping DOOP filled nite… UNION_UNION_UNION !!!
This was the first game all season where we went behind and still managed to get a result. We had looked good at times in those prior games for sure, but today we converted opportunities. I barely recognize this team (and I love it).
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Moreover, I loved keegan’s post game comments. “We left 2 points out there”… from our rookie right back, in a game against one of the premier teams in this league… all this when he was asked about scoring his first professional goal. Color me impressed by his mentality.
Chris Pontius may well need a rest sometime in the next 21 days.
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So will CJ Sapong.
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I was thoroughly impressed with Sapong’s play in all aspects outside of his finishing accuracy. He has begun to reduce the degree to which fouls are called against him, becoming in that regard superior to Conor Casey.
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Does anybody remember whom SKC drafted with the Sapong draft pick? That deal looks pretty good right now, and is a credit to Curtin and Albright, with a nod to the cop who initiated a life altering sequence of events for our striker.
Connor Hallisey
http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/connor-hallisey
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So far we’re doing just fine in that trade…
Last thought on a strange but beautiful morning dominated by an unfamiliar, unwatchable, blazing object in the sky, it is comfortable that El Pachyderm has returned. Mickey was fine; the rationale for change was clearly articulated. None the less, … .
“The smiles returning to the faces,
little darling
it seems like years since its been here.”
Wake of the flood, laughing water, forty nine
Get out the pans, don’t just stand there dreaming, get out the way
Get out the way
Amazing what a difference a week off can make. From firing Curtain to giving him his due praise. Ah Philly.
That’s what we do, we’re hard core Philly Fans, we call it as we see it, and you can try to bullshit us, but beware if you do… I myself un-loaded on Coach last week, and he deserved it. With that said, I’m completely impressed with the 180 degree turn around this club has accomplished in one off season and so early in the season too. What a pleasure to witness our club play to the level like they did last nite, and as they have since day one of 2016. It is something I was HOPING to see by this time next year! ES! ES! ES! Watch out MLS, here we ‘ARE’!! I can here Gerrard at half time in the locker room, “I thought you all said we had a walk here tonite? This team is for real!! Well done boys, keep it up… Great job Coach… UNION UNION UNION !!!
He was too slow with the subs. Think we could have won the game had he made the subs 10 minutes earlier.
It was the 56th minute mark when I started thinking Jim needs to ready the subs. I can see why he was reluctant. The starters were still pushing LA and getting their chances, even though Barnetta looked gassed by the 60th minute.
This was the first of six. I flipped from his unimaginative XI to sayinv last nigbt’s startsrs played the way we want to see. Saturday will be his biggest test this season. More to follow.
With each passing game this team is starting to realize they are capable of beating anyone in MLS. Time for a breakout game 3 points and 1st place on Saturday The Union are making the drive down from NYC well worth it!
I would like to see much more speed up front; not just to dribble with the ball or spring free, but also to attack the crosses better. There were some great crosses that were not converted due to lack of speed.
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Thought Blake should have done better on the 2nd goal. It was a hard shot but Blake is too good to let that one fly through his arms.
It’s funny, you can always tell when a big name DP is in town because you see lots of people wearing non-MLS jerseys around Talen. I wonder how many of them last night were from the area and whether they would come to another match to see the Union rather than just an opposing player.
Tell you what, this is an interesting topic…. I could go on and on about this very thing…but instead will keep it a bit simpler with this… RE: A Moon Shaped Pool.
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By the time you’ve circum-navigated the tension of strings as lactic acidosis in your legs, Colin Greenwood’s bass in Decks Dark, to Identikit and Johnny’s mesmerizing guitar close out, with each song’s mandala or vortex – you remember, as though you could ever possibly forget, Radiohead is so far ahead of all others creatively, that the remainder of the album is just one long, lovely latin tinged resolution to the ephemeral hope of True Love Waits.
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Just don’t leave
…..don’t leave
Just don’t leave
………..don’t leave.
Some joker came into the River’s End with a Liverpool jersey. He was lucky to make it out alive, only because he quickly put a coat over the jersey after we yelled at him. Was one of the highlights of the night.
That’s great. There were a few in my section as well.
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While Stevie G had some clever touches (he started the sequence for Rogers goal with a great flick), he moves glacially right now. Just watch his “movement” on Nogueira’s goal. If I were a Gerard fan, I would have been sad watching him in this weakened state.
In two straight games Tranquillo Barnetta has been the best player on the field … for 60 minutes. He then clearly hits a wall and disappears and the game shifts. For the team to get to the playoffs and beyond, we need him to get stronger. Alternatively, we need to get Alberg in earlier.
Most enjoyable game in a long time. Great crowd.
Alberg also plays Pontius’ spot. He was primarily a left mid/wide in the Dutch league. So, there are so many combinations that can be rolled out.
One highlight of the game no one seems to have noticed: Fabhino went 90 minutes with no yellow card!
+1
Just a couple thoughts. From earlier this week there was talk of why LA on a weeknight. I think the packed stadium speaks volumes on that. Next.. Wow that was a great game. Always good to see the first gol of our young guys. Congratulations to Rosenburry ! Not very pretty. But it was the equalizer… So great gol. A slight back track to the attendance… Great croud! At both ends… How different this team plays and the fact that the bench is deep enough to give JC and staff some options for game tactical decisions. And good sub options. Thank you Mr.Stewart. You have brought this fan base the soccer they have been hoping for.May it continue to grow and build the fan base!/Come on The U!!
Does MLS give an Executive of the Year award? If so, you would think Earnie is in a really good early pole position, no?
That is wolenrfud!!!! Ms. Stritch has given me inspiration to wear a TIE w/ blazer!!!! Glad you had the pleasure of meeting up with her and a chance to take a snap-shot!