Photo: Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union
The U.S. Open Cup semifinal draw took place Monday and Philadelphia will host Chicago Fire on August 8th. If the Union win, however, they will not be hosting their third Cup final.
The Union’s midweek opponent Houston Dynamo are looking to keep their momentum alive at home.
Breaking down the Philly’s loss to the Galaxy with Adam Cann.
MLS
USMNTer Kellyn Acosta officially joins Colorado Rapids in exchange for attacker Dominic Badji and funny money.
Canadian sensation Alphonso Davies looks set to break the MLS transfer fee to join Bayern Munich.
Montreal is set to sign French striker Jimmy Briand.
Soccer America’s power rankings.
Cincinnati Public Schools is taking the lead on the FCC’s MLS stadium build.
Building off of the ICC momentum, Charlotte eyes MLS.
USL
11 things from the weekend that was in USL.
World
Mesut Özil stepped away from the German national team with a very well-penned letter on the racism he has long faced, especially after a naive photo op with Turkish autocrat Tayyip Erdogan. It’s a big story with a lot of moving parts worth reading.
Dallas and Colorado making moves….Ernie, not so much.
Kind of makes you wonder why the Union wanted Stewart to stay on until August 1st and not just let him leave for US Soccer weeks ago.
Logic says one last final roster analysis, and decisions based thereupon. .
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I try to get down to Steel practice once a week, so I have little idea of who is an is not present for the first team.
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That said, based on things said at the end of last season, the players who are approaching the ends of their second seasons with the Steel are facing crunch time, in my opinion.
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I suspect on much less evidence that the same is true for Union guys.
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And if you think about the handover process between Earnie and his successor — whomever and whenever — an outsider would have to take time to make his own evaluation whereas Earnie can jump right in.
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Leaving the new guy without an extra responsibility as he is beginning, so he can focus on learning about his new organization, its culture, judging what he likes and what he thinks he can improve, that all makes sense to me. Of course none of us have any idea how Mr. Sugarman thinks.
The Sixers and Union are in a similar situation with a couple major differences.
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Both are teams with a GM/roster builder leaving unexpectedly an important time to make roster changes. Both teams decided not to hire someone. The sixers have made some puzzling moves and failed to land the needed star.
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The difference with the Union is that they don’t teally have any stars yet and are not ever making overtures towards stars. No one is fooled, we may add a mid to low level talent but not a starter or game changer. There is not that same hope.
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Even just look at the currently constructed and who’s running the team.
Blake, Rosenberry and the CBs won’t be replaced.
LB will never be looked st for the Union.
Curtin is married to the midfield so they won’t be replaced.
Picault has played well and big money was spent of Accam, plus 2 backups curtin likes.
Curtin is in love with CJ.
Basically the only hope is a very cheap winger who is a diamond in the rough. Hence where the Frenchman comes in.
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It’s really devoid of any hope at the moment.
Excited for Alphonso Davies. Utteraly unsatisfied but unsurprising with our probable 3rd tier French middy signing.
the Özil piece is really sad and ugly. been reading about the reaction and divisiveness since it broke over the weekend.
Adam Cann states “The main issue as has been the case throughout much of the season, a combination of finishing and a lack of coordinated movements in the attacking third undid a Philly team that looked capable of controlling the match in the first half.”
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This shows the ineptitude of Curtin. Instead of trying to solve this issue he start CJ again… I am sure that if Burke had started then we could have killed off the game in the first half.
Certain Jacksonville Armada coach on the lamb.