PSP’s Mike Servedio and Philly Voice Kevin Kinkead break down Philadelphia Union’s 2-0 loss to NYCFC.
Interviews with Jack Elliott, C.J. Sapong, Adam Najem and Alejandro Bedoya.
Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin talks about the match.
The Philly Soccer Page
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Postgame video: Union 0-2 NYCFC
Posted by Daniel Gajdamowicz on April 14, 2017 at 11:46 pm
Author: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Daniel is a freelance photographer and videographer. He played college and minor league soccer in Europe. His photos have been published by Reuters, and he runs Daniel Studio photography. In addition to shooting photos for PSP, he produces PSP's videos. Follow him on Twitter @danielstudio3
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Does Jim Curtin have sensitive photos of Jay Sugaman that are causing this debacle? When has ANY coach survived a 14 game losing streak when there are ONLY 34+ official games per season? Has this franchise caught the same dis-ease that afflicts the other Philadelphia franchises, purposeful, but profitable, losing? This is outrageous… can no one inside this organization see the mess this franchise is? It’s all focused on cheap ownership, PERIOD… and purposeful, but profitable, LOSING.
Can no one step forward and make the radical changes that need to be made… organizational switch to 4-4-2, hiring an EXPERIENCED field coach… and trade every veteran on this team! If Earnie is watching… and I KNOW he sure is… he has parts within this organization that other franchises would LOVE. IF we are falling into the same malaise as the other Philly area teams, than f-ing DO IT… just do it.
– Sell Blake for $10M to EPL…
– Trade Pontius, Fabinho, Bedoya, Haris, Gooch, Alberg, Ilsinho… all have amazing trade value and every team in this league or other leagues would negotiate with you, Earnie. Focus on the “YOUTS” and get these lazy, high prices fools off our pitch.
AND FIRE JIM CURTIN FOR GOD’S SAKE……………… he has no answers with his hands in his pockets.
AUGUST 27, 2016… OUR LAST WIN.
I get how mad you are. Totally.
But I still think this is about having good enough players in a poorly suited system for their skill sets and a coach that prepares an initial good game plan but cannot see the game unfold on the pitch in a way where he can adjust and keep getting the best performance out of his group. Whether that’s his youth or just his ceiling I don’t know, but there it is. You can’t expect Bedoya and Haris (both world class players) to be something they are not, anymore than you can expect Andre Blake to be your top goal scorer.
Fans deserve a statement from ownership that says either one of two three things:
1. We are in the process of a multi year rebuilding of this team, which includes instilling a new system of play from the academy on up to the first team. It will realistically take several seasons before we have a full roster that can thrive in that system, but once there we believe it will make the union a perennial contender. But we need your support now to be able to make that happen.
OR
2. We thank Jim Curtain for his service to the organization and hired Coach X, who has been given a mandate to assess our current roster pool and identify a system will use those players to their best advantage to win now. We have also have reached an agreement to buy out the contract of Maurice Edu and thank him for his service and wish him well for the future.
And while I’m dreaming
3. The Union are please to announce GROUP B has reached a partnership agreement with Jay Sugarman to become part owner of the union. With this agreement they have put 8 million on the table and given Earnie Stewart a mandate to bring in a true #10 and target striker and young prospective attacking player to address current roster deficits.
My God a sane person. Thank you. I thought I was the only one!
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I appreciate the response. Well argued.
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I do not however think Haris and Alejandro are world class players… not even close actually.
Let me clarify. I do not think either of them would start for a Champions League finalist. I do think Bedoya however is a “glue player” that elevates those around him when he’s used correctly. His regular inclusion on the USMNT these past few years is perfectly appropriate, and as such he should be thriving in MLS. I honestly don’t know enough about Haris’ career before here to go further on him. But his touch and distribution could thrive in MLS if he were put in a more effective position. His lack of legs is a liability though which may ultimately prove he’s better off elsewhere.
Regardless, I think the problem with their lack of output so far is that that are “second assist” players. They take care of the mundane shit that allows others to make the magic happen. I would also say that Pontious is that kind of role player, as is Jones. Trouble is we don’t have those “other” players emerging. Herbers? Illson? Alberg? Picault?
Its the coach and the system. 4-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-…. does not work in MLS. No flow, only defense from, go figure, a defensive MLS player! Can’t anyone see this (except you!), no matter how World Class the players are?
My God… 8 years, and both Portland and Seattle have won MLS Cup. Montreal came close and so did Toronto. And we should be in USL or NASL the way this franchise is run.
and its really obvious, the SOBs could care less. No boycott, no protests… WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE?
Seriously? And Philly gets f-ed by cheap ownership and a complete lack of ownership knowledge of owning a team… AGAIN!
Take your profit Jay… and go back to NYC. PLEASE.
Who are we protesting? We asked for a real sporting director, and they brought in Earnie. We asked for big name, money players and they brought in Bedoya. The ownership spends right in line with many other ownerships. The problem right now is that Earnie has been goddamn awful at his job, and all the shit is flowing downhill from there.
“Goddamn awful” is such an overstatement. I am all for giving Earnie some of the blame, but I hear so many over the top criticisms of him.
You know who was goddamn awful? Sak. Gilberto. Porfolio Lopez. Kai Herdling and the annual 2 month rent-a-player who gave us nothing. THATs an awful GM.
You can complain about Earnie, that’s fine, but I feel like people are completely blinded by rage here.
The Union would not be this bad if the team wasn’t always trying to go the cheapest route in acquiring a bonafide striker, a true #10 and a left back just for starters. Three of the biggest positions that needed to be shored up were filled with question marks or projects… Again! The Union are a team that make the stat sheet look as if they’re competing but where it counts they are a big fat nothing! At the top of the list of issues is the ownership and until a miracle occurs it’s always going to be the biggest problem in acquiring the player to change the trajectory on this team.
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The results on the pitch fairly or unfairly is on Jim Curtin. He can not or will not get out of his own way. Sticking to a formation when it doesn’t produce offense as in goals is ridiculous even with the so so finishers they trot out. Under Curtin the 4-2-3-1 has not produced enough. I doubt Ultrecht(the Unions model) relies on it as a main formation. Curtin finally put Bedoya in a position to move the ball but the team in the final 3rd is run of the mill. Ilsinho for one over does it with the moves. He can easily make a move to beat the 1st opponent but then it’s the unnecessary 2nd, 3rd, 4th moves and not finding that open teammate. Sapong is streaky. Pontius is still a no show! Still no FaFa Picault! Najem is a true 10 who shows potential. Alberg is a waste. If the ball doesn’t come to him he won’t break a sweat to go get it. Haris is a good pick up and I like Bedoya at the 8 but it’s not enough if you want to be a serious playoff team.
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The Union need star power. I can’t speak for other supporters but I’m sick of seeing other teams address issues and sign proven DP’s (or at least top MLS quality) while the Union mostly go after the marked down no warranty or guaranteed knock offs!. I am sick to death of these hit or miss players. They are OK as subs and fillers but as your franchise difference makers? I don’t think so!
Last team without a win
In other news, Pedro Rebeiro is back… in Harrisburg.
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http://cityislanders.com/club-news/islanders-welcome-back-pedro-ribeiro/
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It be watching from the stands tonight to see if Bethlehem Steel can “play well” for 90.
If the club won’t/can’t try something bold & new, why not the fans?
Stop going to games. Now.
Really who pays good money to see the snorefest that PHL v MTL will doubtless produce?
Ern backs Jim. Jim backs his group. Bully for them!
Jay backs Franklins.
No reason to give him yours unless you’re willing to wait, waiting on a sunny day.
Like the airline mag ad forever: “You don’t get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate.”
Our leverage is our butts. Not in “TalenEnergyless” seats.
Clean House at Management. Level Tommorow . Note to Sugarman
The best thing the Union can do now is fire Curtin and let Ernie Be the interim coach. Pease do not make any Union junior coach interim coach. Lay the responsibility on Ernie to produce with what he signed using any formation tactics or players he has currently. If he does not turn things around fire him before the second transfer deadline. Sugarman needs to put Ernie on notice. Ernie needs to be kept on a short string. He needs to get a Quality 10 and on the field by the beginning of the second transfer window . If not he should be fired as well. He needs to get to work now as soon as he fires Curtin.
Sugarman should be hiring a consultant this minute to find a real coach to talke over by August so he can make the player evaluations and hit the ground running as soon as this season comes to a merciful end.
If he can’t do this sell the team. Philly deserves a first rate competitive team from top to bottom.
“We’re not going to fight relegation…”
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This quote from Ale crushes me. What is the motivation for any front office in MLS without pro-rel? Trick question, there is none. Like the Cleveland Browns, this team will be eternal bottom feeders until ownership changes.
The motivation is to win champions and not suck? Like any other team in any other american sports league?
James…you and I both know this is not the motivation for easily 1/3 of all professional sports franchises. It is a legitimate argument.
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The valuation of the franchise goes up and up and up – win or lose- half assed of not. It is the great Yuck Fu of the american sports model.
This look on Alejandro Bedoya’s face is how I still feel three days later. SMH.