Photo: Paul Rudderow
Note: PSP is looking for a volunteer to write our Thursday news roundups. If interested, please email dwalsh@phillysoccerpage.com.
Philadelphia Union
Fafa and Sapong seek to continue their road success.
Onyewu’s suspension is an opportunity for somebody else.
Every game should be an opportunity for the young guys.
For those who are interested, the five highest rated Union players in FIFA 18.
Reasons to watch this weekend’s game.
Local
Bethlehem takes on Louisville tonight.
A recap of local college action.
The Academy draws talent from across the country.
MLS
Atlanta United set an all-time MLS attendance record.
The five best MLS teams of all-time. Not sure I agree with this list.
How a team can go from MLS Cup contender to bottom dweller in just a few years.
The seven biggest disappointments in MLS this year.
The 11 best free agents available this offseason. Not sure fans will agree with these rankings.
Is soccer a players’ game or a coach’s game?
The NASL is meeting to try to save itself.
Around the globe
Europa League recap.
The 2018 World Cup will have a different group draw procedure.
The 2019 Women’s World Cup dates are set.
Why has the USMNT struggled in qualifying?
Sofia Huerta has made the one-time switch to the US.
FIFA President Infantino is facing an ethics complaint. Shocker.
Highlight of the day
Just your regular old turn and fire into the net from…like…a long way out.
Kevin Kinkhead tweet this morning that is so salient one can’t help but pass along.
`
The Philadelphia Wings are owned by Comcast and play in the city. The Philadelphia Union are owned by a New Yorker and play in Chester.
`
suck on that lemon.
.
in a post-Comcast/NBC/Universal world, perhaps Comcast would’ve worked to turn the Spectrum into a stadium.
imagine if the truncated Xfinity Live was actually the corner of Comcast Park.
–
one can dream.
Erik Palmer Brown. Oh my MLS. How long until you get this the f*ck! right.
Eh, considering our actual rivalry with KC (based on games, not geography), I’m fine with them losing out. Ha!
MLS is literally leaving money on the table when it comes to player movement.
I am completely on board with Matt’s article about playing the youngsters, but it is never gonna happen. It is a systemic principle in the Union organization to play the “best players in practice,” which is in no way synonymous with “players who give us the best chance to win.” He uses the Phillies as a comparison, so I’ll go one step further – are they not more fun to watch now? Rhys Hoskins is appointment television. They are not necessarily winning more, a sweep of the Marlins aside, but that doesn’t matter as we can see now what the future may hold and it looks bright.
——
If you need more convincing think of it this way – if the team is going to lose to Seattle (let’s just be fair here) do you want to see Roland Alberg’s complaining and general disregard of his teammates and Ilsinho’s fancy dribbling leading to turnovers, or see Jones, Yaro, Najem & Epps & company go out and play hard and show us the promise of the future?
It’s so simple, yet Curtin will not commit to playing the youth. He won’t use this time to experiment with new formations. It’ll be boring and bad soccer.
.
Curtin is the perfect match for the ambition and vision of this organization.
From the “coach’s game” article:
.
“Whether it’s through tactics or style or team chemistry, it’s better to have 11 people moving and thinking as one than it is to have 11 individuals thinking and moving on their own… The only person who can really put everyone on the same page is a coach.”
.
“There isn’t a worse feeling than being on the field and knowing you are so much worse prepared than the guys across from you.”
I get that feeling every game from the stands, I can’t imagine actually being on the field under Curtin…
btw, great article & worth the read
little bird on the inside: Union are planning to invest in the immediate area around the stadium and plan to sign 2–3 DPs. no timetables.
I’ll hold off with season tickets until that becomes reality.
same here. my rep keeps calling. gimme a tangible plan and the DPs and i’ll consider stepping into Talen more than occasionally.
Yup, same here. Need to see what steps they take before I recommit.
No timetables is right. That’s been the plan literally since their inception.
You made me laugh in my cubicle.
One of those DPs would just be a replacement for Mo Edu, salary-wise. Now if they sign a couple more, especially on the offensive side of the ball, I might get excited. But not until then. This franchise has finally driven me into apathy.
I plan to buy an MLS franchise and sign 3 dps. No timetables…
Ugh – how’s this for a gut-punch? I just realized I have far more fun reading PSP and the comments section than I do at the games these days. No re-upping for me. I’ll watch on TV, and pick my spots for attending. And when I do, I’ll be buying on the secondary market…my money won’t be adding to the team’s coffers anymore after 8 years of dumping it down a dark hole.
Quite true if your sources are Vladimir and Estragon.
Little bird on the inside wins Emmy for comedy writing.
So hard to get behind this club. I can’t think of a year where they have had a starting 11 that would be a starting 11 anywhere else in the league… even when Chivas was around! Every season there is a different excuse for why that is, but the reality never ever changes–there is not enough quality or depth to field a complete team week in and week out. The record doesn’t mean sh!t, I’d be saying the same thing if the team were in the top 3. Haven’t had a #10 or two quality fullbacks all season–haven’t had a backup for Sapong all season. Names change each year, but that dilemma doesn’t.