Photo: Earl Gardner
Editor’s note: PSP is looking for a volunteer to write our Thursday news roundups, now that the high school soccer season has pulled Josh Trott back to his duties as coach of Central High School’s varsity team. If you’re interested, please email dwalsh@phillysoccerpage.com.
Philadelphia Union
Kenny Hanson, former President of the Sons of Ben, suffered a traumatic head injury in a beach accident. A GoFundMe has been created on his behalf. Please consider donating. Thank you.
Sapong is having a historic season. So what if he’s scoring on tap-ins and penalties?
The Union’s current home stretch by the numbers.
Get to know Montreal Impact.
MLS
MLS is considering making significant changes to its economic rules that could have major effects and further split the haves and have-nots.
Columbus signed Portuguese winger Pedro Santos as a designated player.
Atlanta acquired veteran center back Bobby Boswell from D.C. United for a 2019 3rd round pick.
Houston added ex-Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos.
Le Toux is reportedly being traded, but his destination is currently unknown.
Carlos Vela will be joining LAFC next season.
Nashville’s MLS bid has gotten a boost in the form of investment by Minnesota’s Wilf family. It’s worth noting that the Wilfs were angling for the Minnesota MLS franchise before Minnesota United was chosen.
NASL and USL both announced expansion sides.
Around the globe
Real Madrid beat Manchester United in the UEFA Super Cup.
Highlight of the day
Kiernan Tierney scores from looooooong range.
The knock on CJ about tap-ins and PKs has to stop. I was watching the LA game this weekend and watched as JacMac just stood in front of the goal adding almost nothing to the game. That is not CJ.
.
CJ isn’t a poacher. He’s a power forward that knows how to get into position to finish a play (when things are going well). It’s an unfair and ridiculous argument, considering everything else he contributes to the team.
Completely agree.
Also agree. He does a lot of work to get in those spots for tap ins. And with his size, that’s exactly the way he’s supposed to score goals.
Agree. CJ is a Lukaku-like player.
Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in soccer.
–
Just because someone makes it look easy, that doesn’t mean that it is.
The knock on CJ isn’t the types of goals he scores. It’s simply that he isn’t that great.
I love how we had to wait 3 months for CJ’s next great game, and now all of a sudden we get articles praising him and celebrating him and WOOHOO HE IS GREAT.
I can’t wait to watch him provide nothing for the next two months before he has his next great game, though.
7/26 vs Columbus – 1 goal and 2 assists
–
8/5 vs. Dallas – 2 goals
–
Wow, those three months felt like ten days to me.
That’s not the point. The issue is that when you focus solely on his scoring, you ignore his other contributions to the game. And even when he’s not scoring, most analysts are highlighting his hold-up play and his work-rate.
.
Yes, we would all like for him to be consistently prolific in front of the net. And no one here is arguing he needs to lead USMNT into Russia or anything. But we shouldn’t minimize what he brings to the table every game.
I’m tired of his worthless contributions. We suck. Under Curtin we suck. I’m glad after one good game against a good team we’ve all drank the kool aid and for some reason we are a great team now, but we aren’t. Our record under Curtin is bad. We play bad soccer. If we get into the playoffs, it will be as an afterthought. We aren’t going anywhere. Nothing this team does is great. We are more likely to crap the bed our next couple of games than continue to win.
I understand CJ runs hard and plays defense. But maybe we need more from a striker in 2017. Maybe we need a striker who is dangerous and other teams actually need to worry about, besides one who wants to play like it’s 2006.
And if this is how Curtin is asking him to play, than that is on Curtin.
james, I son’t think anyone here thinks CJ is “great.” We’re not delusional. But just because you’re not great, it doesn’t mean you must be the inverse (sucky). I think conventional wisdom on CJ is that he’s a remarkable athlete who because of his athleticism shows promise to accomplish more than he has up to this point. Having his goal total climb to 15 this season would be a “great” accomplishment for a better than average to good player (who also happens to be immensely likable).
Sure. I just hope you’re right. Maybe we are one good #10 away from being a top 4 contender, and CJ scoring 15 goals a year, and the Union not sucking, and us dancing in the streets and being featured on WIP and sunshine and rainbows.
I just can’t believe it yet. This team is still far away from any of that.
Just for the record, he’s tied for 4th in league in goals scored.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/stats/season?year=2017&group=g
.
Again, no one is saying that he’s an American Ronaldo. We’re simply giving a slow clap to his productive season. It’s all very measured.
.
We all get that you are frustrated by this team, but it’s not on CJ as much as you seem to be claiming.
Spot on, Pete.
If we get 10 play similar to what Ilsinho did last game and if our RW could actually bag like 5-8 goals instead of 0 this year we would actually be a pretty good team this year. As is we are average.
I felt the whole article about CJ was like a sub-text to me.
.
I’m not a fan. I’m not enlightened. I’m not in thrall of “hold up play” that generates little. I see a striker who can go whole games without firing a shot, but somehow is doing “little things” that help the team win. He seems like a genuinely nice guy. I don’t care about his couple of PKs, those are his most distant shots btw.
James you are not alone on the Cliff Of Dispair. But take a look around..if your the guy closest to the edge,it may be time to take a step back. As stated above we are all pretty frustrated.
From an American perspective, CJ is a great striker and I will die on this hill.
That article about MLS changing it’s economic rules does not bode well for the Union. If teams have the “option” to choose whether or not they want more TAM to spend, I find it hard to believe the Union’s owner would choose to spend it. It’s another way for the Union to get further behind.
On the other hand, the other part of the rule change should (theoretically) benefit the Union. If they can keep more of the money from the Academy players they sell overseas (and if their Academy is all it’s cracked up to be), then there’s more money to spend on the team without the ownership having to dip into its own pocket.
Fools Gold!
First they should get top rated Dutch, French, German or Spanish coaches who have a proven track record of developing youth. Right now it is just an experiment with most kids ending up in College.
They have some well-though-of Scots in the Academy coaching ranks.
https://twitter.com/TimbersFC/status/894588989637668864/video/1
Check out the Portland Timbers sick burn against the LA Galaxy.
That was hilarious.
Agreed. Portland as an organization really gets it. Must be nice.
Come on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air thing was pretty funny
That’s awesome
don’t stare too long into the burn, Chester Union
That highlight clip was cool, but I was confused when the announcers mentioned nothing about an onion bag.
I fear the Union will be saddled with that bag for years to come. Somehow it will become ‘lore’ and they won’t be able to lose it.
Too late, I already saw SOB putting onions in a bag behind the goal on Saturday. Take a look at the game highlights.
Oh that’s been happening for a while now. At least the last three home games or more.
The NASL expansion is old news, though it looks like Wynalda might be their coach. USL also added Austin today in addition to Birmingham yesterday.
If it gets Wynalda out of the booth, I’m all for it. He’s horrible calling matches.
Austin is 2019. So is Birmingham.
.
2018 is Nashville, Fresno, unofficially but virtually certain Las Vegas, and, by rumor, a D. C. United 2 player-development side of some type. 34 total, and equally balanced numbers east and west.
.
2019 might see three conferences. If they follow the usual principle of geographic proximity, Northeast, South Central and Far West would be my best guess.
Has the Chicago NASL idea hit a snag?
Most recent update I could find:
.
“While his work to establish the NISA doesn’t necessarily preclude his continued efforts with the Chicago NASL project, given the lack of recent updates it’s unclear whether the latter is still on the table or whether Wilt has moved on to focus on this nascent league.”
.
So…maybe??