Kevin Kinkead grades the Union and finds that Ken Tribbett was even outperformed by Mark Geiger. Still, the ref fully earned this great line from Kevin: “The yellow card to Yaro for his first foul was goofy.” Check out the full piece for some frame-by-frame breakdown of the Union’s, well, breakdowns.
Thrown in at the end of Marc Narducci’s report about Maurice Edu and Brian Carroll’s unknown return dates is a note that Ilsinho has a sore foot and may be a question mark for Wednesday’s match against Columbus.
Section 215 asks: Where should Maurice Edu play when he returns to the lineup?
Is Ray Gaddis about to be the proud, new owner of an Audi R8?
Want to see what it’s like to be transferred from France to Philadelphia, but only have 53 seconds? Right this way.
ICYMI: Marissa Pilla spoke with Alejandro Bedoya before Saturday’s match.
At The Brotherly Game, Eugene Rupinski calls the Toronto defense “perhaps the most fearsome beast” in MLS.
Union Academy head coach Gary Lewis talks about the experience of playing against Southampton’s academy.
Help relieve a little of the pain by voting for Ken Tribbett’s diving header for goal of the week.
The Union’s August 22 Fact Check notes that Chris Pontius is tied for sixth in MLS with five road goals. That… is a long walk to a small garden.
Andy Jasner reports that Chris Pontius is having a very good year.
Philly is at No. 13 in Soccer America’s power rankings, just ahead of a resurgent Orlando City SC. Wednesday’s opponent, Columbus Crew, comes in at No. 17.
Local
Temple soccer has a new stadium and a Brotherly Game season preview.
The Drexel women’s soccer team knocked off Villanova 3-0 on Sunday. Drexel is 2-0 on the season while ‘Nova fell to 1-1. The Dragons’ home debut is Thursday against La Salle.
MLS
Columbus Crew received good news ahead of Wednesday’s clash with the Union. Waylon Francis may recover from a shoulder injury in time to participate. Though Francis is one of many guys finally playing up to potential after a middling start to the year, Hector Jimenez played well switching to the left last weekend. Gregg Berhalter may go with Jimenez, who could be more comfortable covering Ilsinho’s inside runs.
Ah, late summer. That time of the year when everyone wonders if Jozy Altidore is turning the corner to greatness. And he woulda gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for those meddlin’ hamstrings!
Andrew MacDougal looks at how important it was for the Crew to finally get a victory last weekend after a long series of near-wins.
Ethan Finlay talks in depth about how he dealt with his recent benching. This is a fascinating interview where a player gives the usual cliches, then goes into a bit of detail about how he turned those cliches into action.
Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson says that MLS should be an attractive option for Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney. Rooney will make a great option for all those teams that look at Steven Gerrard and wonder, “But what if an English player offered even less defensive help?”
Is Sacha Kljestan part of the MLS MVP race? Sure, in the same way that your brother’s toys are your toys if he isn’t there. But as long as your brother, David Villa, and Sebastian Giovinco are around, nobody else is getting toys.
Jon Marthaler writes about how incredible it is that Minnesota will have a MLS team next season considering the bleak state of pro soccer in the state in 2010.
More news
A revenge tackle has landed Nicholas Williams a 12 month jail sentence.
Williams was playing for Cefn Albion against AFC Brynford and allegedly became aggrieved with opponent Andrew Barlow, complaining to the referee following a 50-50 challenge, according to reports. A half hour into the match, Williams took matters into his own hands, launching into a brutal tackle that left his victim’s leg so badly broken, his toes “were touching his knee.” The match was abandoned after the incident.
The push to stretch the NCAA soccer season across two semesters — with a winter break in the middle — continues.
The coaches are aiming to submit a formal proposal to the NCAA by a Nov. 1 deadline. Such action requires sponsorship by a conference or a standing (non-soccer) NCAA committee. If the plan does not enter the legislative cycle this fall, it would have to wait a year.
The current smushed-up schedule puts a huge physical toll on players, and Steven Goff reports that a recent survey found 90% of coaches and 70% of players were in favor of a less strenuous schedule. Even if the changes went through, they wouldn’t take effect until the 2018-19 season at the earliest. Under the new proposal, the fall season would run from mid-September until mid-November, break until January when practice would resume, then pick up games again in March.
What is next for the US women following their defeat to Sweden in Rio? The answer may lie with Jill Ellis.
US Soccer needs to determine which Jill Ellis is the real one: the one that led the Americans through a sluggish opening group round to a statement-making victory over Japan to win the 2015 World Cup; or the one that orchestrated the United States to a boring and uninspired run in Brazil that ended up with the stunning penalty-kick loss to Sweden.
Will John Terry return to the England national team setup? Yeah, that’s what England were missing. More, um, leadership?
A little depressing that all of Toronto’s goals are up for GOTW.
With ilsinho potentially out for Wednesday and Letoux banished to Colorado, we’re suddenly a bit thin on the wings. I assume someone like Herbers picks up those minutes, but what about our friend Ayuk? Does he make the 18?
I mean, he should. I like Herbers, but he is a bit of a loose canon. I don’t like him as much as some other people. I want Ayuk there, I want someone who will provide width first and not be afraid to run at defenders and try to get to the endline.
Herbers is like Le Toux. YEah, he’ll run. He may even find some space. But will it be the right run, at the right time, finding the space we need?
I like Ayuk’s future, but there is a chemistry issue to consider, as well. He hasn’t played with these guys all season, I don’t think it’s fair to assume he will fit in seamlessly.
.
Maybe have him on the bench, but he’s not ready to start.
Been telling Jozy for two years his hamstring problem is likely actually a quadriceps problem.
.
There is either a strength or flexibility imbalance. But hey, who am I.
.
Yoga Jozy……. Bikram yoga.
.
Wish someone would turn him on to it case I doubt he practices and I’m sure the trainers are western medicining him.
No timetable for Edu?
.
What.the.fuck
Who is this guy Edu?
As I’ve said before Edu isn’t playing this year lets try to cut our losses and get rid of him for next season this team does not gain anything by having him. And we could us the DP slot and the $700,000 salary plus roster spot.
Been saying the same thing. Just be honest that it’s a lost season, rethink if he’s a good fit going forward, and, if not, trade him. We keep trying to insert him week after week when it isn’t going to happen.
I liken his future to what Pontius found here: new team, new beginning, healthy, in one defined position.
My biggest problem with Edu is since he got back from Europe and I think about a year before that haven’t really seen what people see in him. He doesn’t warrant DP money. He isn’t disciplined enough to be a CB or a 6 and he doesn’t have the passing ability and foot skills to be an 8. When he was on Rangers was the last time he was worth anything back in 2012. He’s 4 years older and less disciplined and less skilled cut your loses and move on he was past Union lets move to future Union. Feel free to insert him into the team if it can help get more value with him, but I’m over it. Lets find a way to get a Tchani, Trapp, Higuita, Poku, Alashe, Laba.
If Ilsinho can’t go then maybe Herbers or Davies can start on the right side. The Edu issue is getting ridiculous. It’s coming off as the old Union M.O. of sneaky ways of doing things. If Edu can go full practice the why can’t he get minutes in a game with BSFC?