Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
Back to the film room to review the 4 goals in the loss against Portland. I think they could have spent more time breaking down Portland’s first goal – I’m not sure anybody in the back 6 actually did their job properly/successfully.
Bethlehem Steel provides unique opportunities for Union players.
It also provides unique opportunities for the Union to game the roster rules.
German keeper Benjamin Bellot will be trialing with the Union next week. Could his arrival mean that Blake could be on the way out?
Kinkead’s analysis and player grades. Worth noting that the Union got 0 shots on goal from their front 4 and that Bedoya really super isn’t a #10.
Chuck Booth’s Mailbag this week tackles important questions like “what is going on with the Chief Tattoo Officer search!?”
Local
The Philadelphia Union Academy continued their successful run at the Generation adidas Cup, going undefeated to win their group in the group stage.
BSFC’s Seku Conneh was named USL Player of the Week after becoming the first BSFC player to have a multi-goal game.
MLS
MLSSoccer’s Power Rankings. The Union are in last.
ESPN’s Power Rankings. The Union are in last. “The Union are winless in 13 games going back to 2016 and are facing the wrath of some pretty upset fans in Chester, Pennsylvania.” The writer clearly didn’t watch our game against Portland, I think the Union are facing the sloth of some pretty apathetic fans. Which is probably even worse.
SI’s Power Rankings. The Union are 21st.
GK Dan Kennedy has retired and joined the LA Galaxy front office in numerous roles.
Atlanta United unveiled their training and youth ground, and it is gorgeous.
A good roundup of where many expansion bids are at right now.
Around the globe
Scary news yesterday, as Dortmund’s team bus was rocked by explosions, resulting in the postponement of their game against Monaco. Luckily there was only one injury, with Marc Bartra set to have wrist surgery after getting sliced by broken glass. In a fantastic show of sportsmanship, Dortmund fans offered beds for traveling Monaco fans.
Juventus beat Barcelona in the other scheduled game 3-0.
The joint US-Mexico-Canada World Cup 2026 bid is official, and they’re trying to accelerate the decision to freeze out other countries from bidding. Because nothing says “this totally isn’t and won’t be corrupt” like changing a bidding process to make sure there’s only one bid.
To make things worse, it’s actually a US bid with Canada and Mexico getting only token games. Insulting.
Highlight of the day
Flip throw to bicycle kick to the back of the net.
To add to Matt Ralph’s article on Roster shenanigans, jake McGuire was listed nowhere on the Union roster now available at the MLS website, well, as of Sunday morning.
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The keeper trial makes me worry about John McCarthy’ concussion severity more than it suggest a Blake move.
This is what I was thinking as well.
That Atlanta training ground does look gorgeous. What player wouldn’t want to play there?
Someone who “loves seasons too much!”
I want to smack those people. Seasons are overrated. Gimme San Diego weather…74 degrees and Bob Ross-created clouds 350 days per year. (There are about 15 days that might dip below 70 or above 80.)
my fam lives right up the road. this is something i’d like to visit next time i’m down there.
Scary stuff in Dortmund indeed.
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I heard it was three explosive devices filled with nails hidden in the bushes near the route. Also heard a note was found near the devices and a police officer was injured as well.
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Hope the person(s) responsible are caught asap and wish everyone injured a speedy recovery.
The USL flip goal was really cool. Wish the Union could do something that cool 🙁
you could’ve stopped after “something”
No stream of Curtin’s weekly pressure this week huh? Interesting.
Yeah…. That’s not good.
They posted the video now after the fact. I guess to be fair they had some problems with the live stream last week. Unfortunate timing for issues though.
The explosion happened in Dortmund (not Monaco)! The best thing that resulted was that Dortmund fans invited traveling Monaco fans to stay at their homes. Some brilliant pictures surfaced on Twitter. Was a good thing that the bus had bullet proof windows otherwise a lot more players would have gotten hurt. One nail ended up in a head rest, luckily without hitting anyone.
Fixed, thanks.
thought I’d state for the record today when it comes to what the SD has and has not accomplished in his tenure here. I think context is important and responded to another comment with this thought.
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I imagine upon early assessments and after settling in Philly, Earnie Stewart thought to himself… Man, I got a good deep lying distributor of the ball in Vincent Noguiera. I got a lovely box to box midfielder/CAM in The Calm… we aren’t too far away here. If we tweak here and here and I get this or this I think this team is going to be pretty good pretty fast…
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Next thing he knows, BANG. His two best players are gone in the span of 5 months and he’s holding a box of rocks. And his plan had to be reworked almost exclusively to fill tow of the most important pieces of the cohesion puzzle.
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Now…he needs to build a totem with the rocks he has and he needs to find a few more rocks to fit the team profile. He’s not excused. I do however feel, as with ALL things Philadelphia Union… its just SO UNION sometimes and nothing is ever ever ever ever easy, or logical or quick.
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This is the sign of The Snake.
Also important to remember his network was in Eastern Europe. It will take a little time to build up one in the States. Likely relying a lot on Albright right now as far as connections go.
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As you said, not excused, but also not fully embedded.