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Philadelphia Union
Boathouse Row went blue and gold before this weekend’s season opener.
And then the opener happened. Local, Toronto, and national coverage.
That result doesn’t bode well for head coach Jim Curtin, who is finally feeling some pressure.
Bethlehem signed nineteen year-old defender Jamoi Topey on loan from Cavalier SC in Kingston, Jamaica. Whenever they figure out the stadium situation in the Lehigh Valley, they better include some good jerk drum chicken in the concessions.
Meanwhile, former Union man C.J. Sapong scored in his debut for the Chicago Fire.
MLS
The game wound up a 2-2 draw, but the real interesting stuff when Orlando hosted New York City is the linesman who needed to get subbed out in the first half. That Florida heat and humidity will sneak up on you.
Real Salt Lake and USMNT stalwart Nick Rimando announced he will be retiring at the end of this season.
The Galaxy busted out their checkbook to buy Giovani dos Santos out of his contract and eliminate the extra designated player from their roster.
The Timbers played in Colorado for the coldest MLS game ever, 18°F.
The Sounders beat FC Cincinnati in their MLS debut, and then absolutely destroyed them on Twitter.
DC United kept Atlanta goalless, beating the champs 2-0.
LAFC snatched victory from the jaws of … a draw, scoring in stoppage time to beat SKC 2-1.
Matias Almeyda is off to a rough start in San Jose after the ‘quakes lost to Montreal in their opener.
It only took one week for Minnesota to match it’s road-win record for last season.
US Soccer
The USWNT drew against England in SheBelieves Cup play. That means the only way for the US to win the tournament is to beat Brazil by two or more goals and for Japan and England to draw.
John Brooks scored a header for Wolfsburg, giving them the lead they needed to eventually tie Werder Bremen.
Speaking of Bremen, Josh Sargent got some nice coverage over on ESPN, and Aron Johannsson is back in training, again.
World
Liverpool’s defense is very good.
Joe Cole thinks there will be some dissatisfaction in the Tottenham locker room after Mauricio Pochettino commented that the team is a few years away from competing for the Premier League title.
For the first time in nearly a century, Barcelona moved ahead of Real Madrid in their all-time record.
If I’m going to retain some perspective after the Union went out and slipped on a pile of their own banana peels, it’s that this league is like that sometimes. I take some solace in Atlanta going down toothlessly to DC. MLS is a league where you do get odd results.
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That’s not to diminish the fact that the Toronto match should send Curtin and the rest of the coaching staff back to the drawing board a bit to consider some of their options. Saturday’s performance was pretty spectacularly poor. If you’re going to press high you need a lot more from your defenders. And from the midfielders in front of them. With Kansas City and Atlanta away, it looks like this squad will likely return home with no points in three matches. This was a gimme that they squandered.
I just can’t care anymore. All off season everyone here was literally going “Yeah I don’t see how Haris can be a 6 in this system, I hope Curtin does something about that.”
AND NOT ONLY DOES HE DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, HE DOUBLE DOWN ON THE PROBLEM BY PUTTING ILSINHO AT THE OTHER 8
The only solace I have this season is that I fully except Ernst to cut ties sooner rather than later as soon as it becomes clear we can’t win with Curtin
I’m so mad at Curtin.
You seem quite certain that the Head coach decides who starts.
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1. Consider the possibility that he may not in fact be the decision-maker.
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2. I was a bit surprised that Derrick Jones was not in the 18. Sufficiently so that I am wondering whether he got hurt this week in practice. We have no way of knowing, of course.
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3. To my eyes Ilsinho looked faster and he definitely lasted longer than I expected.
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Those being said, once TFC had 2 and bunkered we were back to futile possession.
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The tactical question coming out of that game is how does the new shape and style break down a bunker, and for lack of better ideas I agree with those above that the pressure would have to get there faster and more forcefully to have any chance of breaking through the barricades.
If Curtin doesn’t get to choose who starts, then really, why is he on the sideline? It certainly isn’t for his tactical ability. So he’s just a cheerleader then? Why give him a one year contract in the first place? I’m sorry Tim but that argument makes no sense to me.
If Curtin doesn’t decide who starts then he won’t be here for sure come fall. However the same strange lineups and subs are a hallmark of his career here, so I tend to think it’s him.
If Curtin isn’t calling who is on the 18, Tim, then I’m out. Just pack up this team and call it a decade.
FYI the link for the new Steel defender goes to the Tannenwald article on Curtin.
went to the Topey acquisition announcement for me at 11 AM, roughly.
Well it wasn’t when I wrote it so…
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I must have pissed someone off at PSP, because the past few times I’ve pointed out something wrong I don’t get a “fixed”, yet others still do. Whatever.
Of course Haris and Ilsinho got the start. They’re the “guys with pedigree” even if they don’t do a whole lot of the “dirty running” to use Curtin’s words twice. Ernst cannot be high on those two decisions. If they’re made again I believe the Curtin may close sooner rather than later.
Ernst picked up Medujanin’s option so he can’t be too mad about that one. Although he’s much worse at his spot than Ilsinho is at his I think.
Picking up an option does not mean automatically starting at a spot that doesnt fit him.
Haris still has value as a sub, or 1 part of a double DM formation. I wouldn’t even hate seeing him opposite Bedoya at times with Jones at the 6.
But his worst role right now is exactly the one Jim put him in this game.
For whatever it’s worth, Stewart picked up Medunjanin’s option, not Tanner. That move was made in early July last year, before Stewart left for his USMNT gig and more than a month before Tanner was announced in the Union role.
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The move stuck out as odd at the time, as there’s really no reason whatsoever to pick up an option on a guy in the middle of the season. I remember thinking that it felt like a, “don’t worry, I got you” move from Stewart on his way out the door.
Tanner wants to run a high up the field press. Medunjanin does not fit there except as the #6 playmaker. Honestly hes a player who is so specialized in his skills that you have to build a formation around him. Unfortunately he’s not good enough for that so I see no point in keeping him.
Two Words.
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Efrain Alvarez.
I can’t imagine Fontana or Jones making a start in Kansas City.
What’s that have to do with Efrain Alvarez?
What does Efrain Alvarez have to do with the Union?
Efrain plays for LAG. He’s 16. He was electric this weekend. I was pointing this out — with…
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….Two Words…. for someone who may not have seen him.
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Now if you were to check in to another thread today I commented on…. you would see what Efrain Alvarez may or may not have to do with Union.
Thanks, I thought you were pointing out that an organization that has very little success playing their youth and developing them has finally committed to giving him a chance….unlike Jones, Fontana and Aaronson.
On another note, glad to see you’re watching other MLS games.