Philadelphia Union
PSP continues its season preview with an examination of what Derrick Jones could offer the team from Tim Jones.
Adam Cann considers whether the Union have lost their high pressing identity with their new players and whether the Union do indeed have the personnel to run a 3-5-2.
Kevin Kinkead mentioned on Twitter about a week ago that he’d been working on a story for a year and he was going to put it out this week. Instead, he tweeted it out last night. The carefully researched series of tweets is about CJ Sapong’s alleged DUI. Sapong did not refuse the DUI test: When he asked for time to read the paperwork, the trooper told him he was refusing it.
MLS has a short interview with Alexandra Bedoya. According to Bedoya, trash talk of the brotherly fashion is the norm in the Union locker room.
In the eyes of fan John Fleming, there are reasons for optimism in the eighth season of the Union.
MLS
Former Union striker Jack McInerney has been waived by Portland, which had been trying to trade him for several weeks due a packed forward corps.
FC Dallas was in a good position when they traveled down to play Arabe Unido in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal, holding a 4-0 lead. Things only improved when Michael Barrios sent in a cross that bounced off Leslie Heraldez for an own goal. Roberto Chen of the Panamanian side headed one in at the ninety-minute mark and Heraldez found some redemption minutes later when he glanced one in. Arabe Unido won late 2-1, but the MLS side moves on.
New York Red Bull and the Vancouver White Caps play the second leg of the other CCL quarter involving an MLS side tonight.
US soccer
The USWNT played in Chester and Lynn Williams turned a second rebound in to earn a 1-0 victory. The US used a less standard formation, playing a 3-4-1-2. Caitlyn Murray has six takeaways from the match. Ryan Bright of CSN recaps the “fantastic test.”
The format for the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup has been announced. The tournament will see a record 99 teams in the knockout stage. Round one is May 10.
Local
The West Chester NPSL team has tryouts on March 4 and 25 and April 15.
Bethlehem Steel continued preseason with a 3-2 win against Villanova. The game was not about results but opportunity.
Good article from KK on Haris Medunjanin on Phillyvoice today.
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“I’m not a Claude Makalele or N’Golo Kante.”
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I remember reading once how Pep realized Andres Iniesta was a defensive liability but obviously prodigiously talented and instead of focusing on what he couldn’t do…taught him how to filter players to his destroyer. Always remember that. Tactics. Teaching.
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Here’s what I hope please tell me there are finishers on the field, which leads me squarely back to one Roland Alberg.
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Guy is a lethal finisher, finds himself in the right spots at the right times and doesn’t miss. Arguably the best pure goal scorer on the team – has he seen the field for a minute this preseason?
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I see it now, Roland buried, buried, buried gets his chance and again scores 3 goals in 2 games 4 in 6 and is buried, buried, buried… which will remind me of Javier Hernandez’s experience at ManUnited. Guy couldn’t get on the field, then every time he did he’d score.. and go right back to the bench. With pure grace every time.
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Trouble is if HM is a defensive liability can you get away with having another potential defensive liability with RA.
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Conundrum there.
Yeah Alberg is a backup unless if Medunjanin is starting, we would be too weak up the middle otherwise. Although I do believe that Alberg is going to look different this year so maybe it won’t be as bad as we could fear.
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I think and interesting quote from the same article is this: “The national team with Bosnia we played 4-2-3-1, and always when I was in Spain we played 4-2-3-1,” he explained. “I know the system. It’s perfect for me and it’s good to be able to learn from this coach. He’s very professional and speaks well. He knows what he’s talking about and I think we need to listen to him.”
That is a fascinating quote.
Agreed.
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Also another interesting quote pointing to the facilities:
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“I was positive about everything when I came here,” he said. “The things we have here at this club, I don’t think a lot of teams in Europe have that. I think we can prepare ourselves at the max for the first game, and for the season.”
Yes, although I think our mindset when it comes to comparing us to Europe needs to change. Just going to Europe isn’t good enough anymore. There’s a ton of leagues in Europe and MLS is as a whole better and richer than a lot if not most of them. Obviously the top tier in Europe is way better still, but after that it becomes much more cloudy.
Agreed, that’s a great quote.
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People get hung up sometimes on wanting a player at the 6 who is primarily a ball winner/tackler. However, isn’t someone who can keep possession just as a effective as one who can only win the ball? The whole purpose is to make sure that the opponent doesn’t have the ball in your attacking third so to me, both methods work.
I’m right with you here re: Alberg. So much potential for scoring goals and no apparent spot for him in the starting XI. In some ways I still feel he may secretly be the best option at for #9. When he got minutes last season, he had a habit of getting to the right spot at the right time, could create his own space and was certain to put a shot on target from anywhere within 30 yards of goal. If this team struggles to score in the early going, it’s going to feel awfully wasteful to have the man buried on the bench. Clearly, Curtin thinks Alberg is lacking in some respect. I’m guessing it’s in his defensive game….
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My other theory with Alberg is that his projected spot was the left wing and that the guy blocking his place on the starting lineup is Pontius. LW is where he played at Den Haag. I don’t think he’s ever lined up there for the Union, but if Pontius finds himself injured, Alberg might be the man out there on the left side.
I think that ALberg just doesn’t impact the game as much when he’s our 10. Yes he pops up for goals and that’s great, but the 10 is supposed of be controlling everything and he just disappears too much and for too long. There were games where you wouldn’t even know he was playing. So combine that with his defensive shortcomings and you have an issue. I’m hopeful he will be much better in his second year in the league.
I think Alberg is the second striker in a 4-4-2. We don’t play a 4-4-2… therefore, I have no clue how he gets on the field consistently. This is where Curtin must earn his paycheck. This is where I think Curtin struggles. Add all this up, and I don’t think Alberg sees the field very much, barring injury, and that – to me – isn’t a good thing.
The K.K. series of tweets about C.J.’s DUI is very interesting. You may need a magnifying glass to read it though. Another fine example of the boys in blue.
I think you mean the other boys in blue.
It’s amazing what kind an impact things can have. A nice summer’s eve. Walking your dog in your yard at night…suddenly a light shines. A gun is pulled. Yelling starts. Screams from your mother yelling don’t shoot that’s my son…Excuse given…there was a report of a black man in the (white suburban) neighborhood.
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If you have curly hair and tend to tan towards the darker side, enough so that your mother comments “who is that black kid in the yard”, be wary of your surroundings at all times, even in your own yard.
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I can only be glad that this wasn’t today or there might be more holes in me than god intended.
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Be respectful of the authorities? Sure. They have the gun. Trust? Never.
Doyle’s loose ranking of team’s as the season starts.
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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/28/armchair-analyst-frontrunners-pack-all-22-mls-teams-tier
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He puts the Union in the lowest tier citing major questions over Edu and Yaro’s health, Onyewu’s age and time off, Pontius staying healthy two seasons in a row, Rosenberry and Herbers having a sophomore slump, and Medunjanin being able to adequately replace Nogueira.
Oh and NYCFC just bought out Diskerud.
Very interesting move… doubtful the Union even look at him, but I wouldn’t hate the move, for the right price of course.
I like the tier system, especially at this point. Maybe I’m just a homer but it seems kinda harsh to the Union because the flaws are all that’s stated, while teams like NE are pumped up a little. Interesting read though.
Not surprised. He crapped all over the Union on the MLS Extra Time podcast.
And so we are on the eve of season number eight. Listening to extra time radio last week, they had a great interview with Caleb Porter. He spoke of how hard it was to build a roster after winning a championship. The biggest problem was depth to run the system you have in place and after winning and keeping players with a Cap in place. This year with the increase in TAM, Toronto and Seattle were able to keep the core together while still adding significant additions.
The good news is that making the 18 on game day is gone to leave some good players off the roster. Sadly we are already into the depth with center back to start the season. The good news is maybe Ernie has figured out MLS quicker than we thought…we can only hope. Anyway, let the fun begin.