Photo by Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union
Technical difficulties meant that MLS Live users could not see the first thirty minutes of the game. Eventually the Union provided an audio stream to bridge the gap until the issue was fixed. Unfortunately many Philly Soccer Page writers rely on MLS Live for game coverage, and as such coverage of this week’s game, including this week’s player ratings, may be delayed or canceled outright.
The Union got a draw against Columbus in the second game of the season. PSP Post-Game coverage here.
Jonathan Tannenwald reflects on the unusually boring game.
However Matt DeGeorge thinks it’s a step forward.,
Meanwhile the Ohio papers see the draw as a positive.
ESPN however goes with the idea that the Crew are a force to be reckoned with and the Union holding them scoreless is a not insignificant achievement.
Three takeaways from Saturday.
Local
Bethlehem Steel started the season off right with a 4-1 win over Richmond, including goals by Eric Ayuk and Derrick Jones.
Before the game, The Morning Call had a nice chat with Steel captain James Chambers.
MLS
Columbus may be looking to jump on the train of signing promising young South American talent to a Designated Player contract. #SaveTheCrew
A sign of ever-expanding broadcast deals, Saturday’s Atlanta vs. Vancouver Whitecaps game was broadcast in over fifty countries and six continents. And probably Antarctica too, as McMurdo Station gets American internet and TV access.
LAFC is really seeking to represent all of Los Angeles.
DC United is playing at the Maryland Soccer Complex until Audi Field gets completed. DaMarcus Beasley is not impressed by the facilities.
RSL beat Red Bulls just days after Red Bulls bumped Club Tijuana out of CONCACAF Champions League. Parity.
Chris Wondolowski is now second only to Landon Donovan in all-time MLS goals.
US Soccer
Interim Men’s Head Coach Dave Sarachan has announced the preliminary roster for next week’s match against Paraguay. Unsurprisingly, it’s youth-focused.
You may notice that’s a twenty two, instead of twenty three man roster. Aron Johannsson, who’d acquitted himself well in Bremen’s relegation dodge, was called up but will not be joining the team due to injury.
World
Presumably FIFA is issuing these demands because the World Cup just isn’t profitable enough without all the bribes.
Any good theories out there as to why the stands were more than half empty on Saturday? Wasn’t that cold. Did people prefer an afternoon at the bar for St. Patrick’s Day? March Madness on the tube? That looked like an early-round Open Cup crowd.
it was actually colder than i was hoping. probably a combo of all that.
2pm sat with Bořek Dočkal debuting against a decent Crew and no ridiculous storm damage cleanup… so disappointed. i was embarrassed actually. i brought someone to the match who’d never been and was hoping they’d have a memorable experience.
SoBs did their part. otherwise, lame.
Yeah I actually brought a friend who had never been before. Not the best debut. Hope he’s not tainted for life
I went skiing. Glad I participated in a mogul competition instead of watching a boring game.
I think a lot of people preferred celebrating St. Patty’s instead trucking it on out to Chester. On my way to the game, the train was pretty packed with most getting off in Center City.
I was thinking about going. Stubhub had tickets cheap. But as someone who has to take SEPTA to the game. I best case scenario it’s 2 hours to and from the game. A 2 o’clock start time bade that’s impossible.
here are two other train travelers, dear Union. we exist and we are under-appreciated. i’ll go to say, personally, discouraged as well. i could’ve gone to the opener too and pulled a Sieve.
if i get extras i’ll start posting here.
i had a parking pass with tix. my fam was like “this was painless.” that happens when only 6,000 people show up
You can always take the Brauhaus Schmitz bus!
Actually the bus was sold out for the opener a good deal before. I had looked into it. They have a cutoff.
In south jersey, girls league plays Saturday afternoon, so maybe missing a few families from across the Barry
as for the play: Keegan, welcome back. my mom was critical of Herbers. if you had any idea what that means you’d appreciate how bad he was out there. Dočkal seems like he needs to gel with this team. some emphatic outbursts that could grow tiresome without positive results. Trusty, well done. Burke, love that guy. Ok with Gaddis on for Fabinho. Bedoya offensively had a poor match.
maybe in a couple months i’ll look back on this one and say we played them well. really should’ve gone to Bethlehem. the crowd size was comparable.
Fabian Herbers doesn’t belong in MLS just like Richie Marquez doesn’t belong in MLS. These truths ruffle feathers but make them no less true.
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As for the attendance….Debilitating. When there is a #SavetheUnion along with #SavetheCrew—-
They both belong in MLS. Just as backups, and not key ones either.
Always thought Herbers was Le Toux 2.0.
In MLS 3.0.
Which is not good at all.
I think that’s a bit harsh on Herbers…. i agree that right now he doesn’t have the quality it takes. But he exhibited some signs of it here and there. Had some of the Union’s better taken goals in the last couple years (I know, not a high bar). Can’t be easy coming back from nearly a year injured. I think he’s more of a #9 guy than a winger, too, but obviously there, he doesn’t have the quality he’d need to make a starting XI.
Understood- On a given Thursday I can fit in pretty well with A league players at YSC…. however, with a proper sample size, it’s clear I’m outclassed.
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Almost always undermined, same as Fabian, by poor touch which screws me or the next guys.
Fair enough.
Fabian is struggling right now, to be sure. I hope he is able to right the ship. I still think he has potential to be a second forward. He probably (still) makes the best off ball attacking movement on the team, IMHO. But the failure to dish off that ball to dockal on Saturday makes you wonder what he’s thinking out there.
FYI – The link to ESPN is really going to the Philly.com article.
Was there. I am the minority of one who enjoyed the game, I guess.
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Dominance of possession for the first 60-65 minutes. We saw Curtin’s team play the way Curtin wants to play, high restraining line and what Adam Cann described in 2016 as selective counter-pressure. Not much offense, but the key point there is not by Columbus either because they saw precious little of the ball.
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Then conditioning set in. Games are the only thing that condition you for games.
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Borek Dockal was not brought in to be Messi or Ronaldinho. To me he was clearly better than Fontana in his offensive support to Sapong. He saw Sapong was going to get the ball, he was 7-8 yards directly behind him when CJ received it, for a layoff, a one-two, whatever else. I liked that. And the central midfield combinations of Dockal, Bedoya and Medunjanin were quite good.
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The Union seem set up this year assuminjg 1 v 1 threats against the defense on the flanks. With neither Picault (speed) or Ilsinho (ball control) as 1 v 1 threat on the right, the Crew could pay extra attention in the center and against Accam.
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No one is asking why Marcus Epps is with the Steel. He has some of that individual creativity, and was showing it appropriately in the earlier portions of preseason. But within the last two weeks he has been seen practicing with the Steel, which is unusual for a player signed to a first-team contract.
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To the complaint that Bedoya and Dockal were both too far right too much of the time, I answer with the concept of “overload.” There’s the Nathan Bedford Forrest quote from our civil war, something like, “Git thar fust-est with the most-est.” Forrest was probably the best general of light cavalry that war produced.
Epps is with Steel right now because we have 6 right wingers. He may as well get some playing time now that Burke has taken over 2nd spot on the depth chart in Curtin’s mind.
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Who knows what’s going to happen when Fafa comes off of suspension and Ilsinho is healthy. Someone’s going to sit.
Anyone know why Christian Pulisic wasn’t selected for the USMNT?
My guess is that at this point he’s not auditioning for a spot.
Dortmund preferred that he stay with them then travel for the friendly.
By product of a wasted NT campaign. Such a colossal failure.
He’s had a pretty heavy schedule recently, added to the stress of the team not performing at 100%. They don’t want to overwork him for a less than meaningless game.
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Gives us a chance to see our depth.