Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
The Union posts photos of indoor practice after the whole Delaware Valley is shrouded in snow.
Alejandro Bedoya has been called up to the U.S. national team for upcoming World Cup qualifiers. More below.
The Brotherly Game’s Matt Ralph does some detective work on Eric Ayuk and whether he’s going to Sweden on loan.
FourFourTwo ranks Talen Energy Stadium as the 12th best soccer stadium in the U.S.
ICYMI: Chris Sherman’s prediction engine, SEBA, drops the Union’s playoff chances in response to the Union earning only a point for the second straight match. The article looks at Harrisburg and Steel’s shot at playoff appearances and glory as well.
ICYMI: Paul Rudderow’s photos from the Union’s home opener. Included are a number of close looks at the opening goal scoring sequence.
Major League Soccer
FC Dallas played at home to Mexican side Pachuca in CONCAFA champions league play. While the Texas team went down early when Franco Jara scored, they were able to win the game 2-1. Kellyn Acosta continues his fine form (which has earned him a call up) by scoring, and Maxi Urruti added another.
US Soccer
Bruce Arena released his list of the 24 called up for the upcoming qualifiers. Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard return. MLS notes that 14 are from the homeland’s league. From his armchair, Matthew Doyle questions the decision to leave off Benny Feilhaber, Sacha Kljestan, or Lee Nguyen, but sees the logic in the end. He anticipates Clint Dempsey as a difference maker, but Bruce implies Dempsey will be coming off the bench (likely starting behind the rampant pair of Bobby Wood and Olympic highdiver Jozy Altidore).
Around the globe
March 13, 2017- Playing in the national cup of Germany against lower tier Lotte, Christian Pulisic ran fast, then sped up, and earned a just reward. Perhaps greater credit goes to his teammate Ousman Dembele for a fantastic nab and run, but he is French, not American. According to this synthesizer heavy YouTube clip compilation, the two carry the banner of the Yellow Army forward into a glorious future. If you are more discerning than me, you may find it to be flashy hype.
In Champions League action, Manchester City only needed to not lose to Monaco by two. They lost by two.
Did you see any other links worth sharing? Post in the Comments section below.
In other “Around the World” news, there’s another Alkmaar alumnus looking for a new team…
.
http://www.espnfc.us/story/3083422/werder-bremens-aron-johannsson-i-need-to-play-to-be-happy
.
Quick reminder: We have a DP slot open. Also, people aren’t exactly content with our striker options. I imagine AJ would cost about the same or less than Bedoya.
Food for thought…
Was just about to add that to my comment below but you beat me to it. Would require some moves to open up roster spot and likely to fit in the salary cap but I would be all about it.
Definitely worth kicking the tires, but I don’t think you even put a lot of effort into it unless your sizable striker corps goes real dry into the summer.
He’s USMNT though, so that will require us to move up in that ridiculous allocation order again. No idea where we sit now, but since we used it to get Bedoya, we’re probably fairly low on the totem pole. That’s an extra expenditure right there, although that could also be used to jettison a player for a roster slot
The allocation order for USMNT players resets at the end of every season and is the reverse of the Supporters Shield standings from the previous season, so our move for Bedoya last season is irrelevant for this year.
That BG article is good and clears a lot of the roster moves up – Adam Jones is “on loan” – likely to BSFC for the year since he is behind Rosenberry and Gaddis on the depth chart. Also notes that Yaro is on the disabled list and so that means only 8 internationals are on the current active roster.
Can there be anything cooler than mulling around YSC waiting for your kid to take the field when holy hell…that’s Earnie… checking out the young kids playing and watching the local high school lads ball…
.
And Chris Albright chewing the fat for an hour with someone. Wait there’s Big Red shooting the shit with someone too and smiles and shakes my hand for a quick chat remembering me from a year ago at Open Training at YSC…
…and coach Munro (recently inducted into Scottish HOF Ian Munro mind you) then Gooch, and Richie strolling out and is that Chris Pontius talking to my kid- right on, hey thanks Keegan “good luck to ya” and “hey Josh Yaro” first bump to you “how’s the shoulder, oh good to hear. feel better sir,” and oh hell might as hell say “Hello” to Superman Andre and then Haris, “welcome to America, Haris” and Derrick Fucking ‘tall ass’ Jones, yes a bit premature maybe but that’s Derrick Fucking Jones…. rolling solo smiling for the folks hanging about and “Hey there Ale,” Illsinho and Fabinho and and and and.
.
Stellar.
.
Maybe this cold winter doldrum snow storm that forced the players inside to train has a silver lining after all.
.
Thank you all for being approachable. Peace to you. Namaste.
very, very cool that they are so approachable, even more cool considering your look is not exactly “offbeat but friendly writer/health care worker” and much more “authorities believe the shooter was acting alone”
😉
Magic. Well played.
I find it hard to believe Curtin remembered you, he must have a memory like an elephant. (`~`)
[insert drum rim shot here]
Yeah indeed, I tend to be a bit forgettable, my four kids with me in both instances likely provided the memory stimulus though. Fair?
.
Do you screw with me on purpose or am I missing the point. Shrug.
.
USMNT striking options just grew…
.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/03/16/sporting-kansas-citys-dom-dwyer-gets-us-citizenship