Photo: Paul Rudderow

Let’s have everybody take a deep breath. Ready?

Breathe in—1, 2, 3—and out.

There, that’s better. I imagine that’s how the Union are feeling now, having completed a break-neck schedule that began on April 7, with the opening match away to Saprissa, and crammed in an additional nine games in the following 37 days. For the math-challenged, that’s 10 games in 38 days, for a game every 3.8 days.

It’s a miracle they’ve come through it at all, let alone as well as they have. Since we have this little breather before the next game, on Sunday versus DC, this seemed an opportune moment to take a look back and assess what we know about this team.

The record

Jim Curtin is fond of saying that the league table doesn’t lie. Teams are only as good as their records. That’s a way of saying that there are no moral victories, and he’s right, but only to a point. The Union’s league record is a middling 2–2–2 right now. In a parity league, that’s good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, at 1.33 points per game. That’s not nothing, but it’s  not where the Union want to be. It also doesn’t tell the whole story.

In addition to league games, the Union have played four Concacaf Champions League matches, winning three and drawing one. That puts the overall record at 5–2–3, which would translate to 1.8 points per game. It’s possible that pace would not be enough to win the Supporters’ Shield, but it would put the Union in the hunt. Of course, non-league matches do not count for MLS points, but when looking back at this month-plus of games, it presents a much more positive picture, and bodes well as league play continues.

Replacing Gaddis, McKenzie, and Aaronson

At the start of the season, the biggest question was how the Union would replace the players that had moved on: Ray Gaddis, Mark McKenzie, and Brenden Aaronson. In Olivier Mbaizo, the Union had a player-in-waiting to replace Ray the Eternal, but opinions were mixed. While Mbaizo’s offensive game was an upgrade, would his decision-making and execution in the passing game make him a net downgrade?

After ten games, the jury is not yet back, but the signs are good. Mbaizo’s contributions to the attack have outweighed his issues with possession passing, and he has become more secure in that department as time has gone on. If he isn’t yet the team’s locked-in right back of the future, he’s certainly earned more time, and has been a key contributor.

At center back, the Union brought in Stuart Findlay from Kilmarnock in Scotland to be the third member of the rotation, but his time has been limited due to injury. Jack Elliott and Jakob Glesnes have formed a solid partnership (only six goals allowed through 10 games), but fatigue may be an issue for Glesnes, who has produced a handful of errors lately. Findlay will get his chance to stake a claim to a starting spot.

It is the No. 10 role vacated by Aaronson that is still causing the biggest problems for the Union. Anthony Fontana was to be given the keys to start the season there, but because of injuries at striker he played on the front line instead. The surprising play of newcomer Leon Flach kept Fontana there, and then put him on the bench. Fontana has had just a few appearances in that top-of-the-diamond position, and he’s mostly underwhelmed. No matter his role, Fontana has struggled to find the game, nullifying his potent shooting. His best outing this season, though, was his most recent, versus the Red Bulls of New York. He started at the 10, made a telling contribution in the build-up to the Union’s goal, and just generally looked lively and useful going both ways. That’s good, because the alternative—Jamiro Monteiro at the 10—is flawed, as well. Luckily, help is on the way.

Newcomers

But we’ll get to that in a minute. First, let’s talk about Flach some more. Brought in from St. Pauli in the German second division, Flach was supposed to be midfield depth, but he’s been much more than that. First on the left side of the midfield diamond, then as the No. 6, filling in for José Martínez, Flach has looked like the ideal player for the system the Union play. He’s feisty, a good passer, strong in the tackle, with an engine that runs forever; he may be the long-term successor to Alejandro Bedoya.

Flach’s play has kept the Union midfield turning over, but there’s been no hiding that they’re missing something going forward. Enter Ernst Tanner, with the incoming transfer of Dániel Gazdag, newly crowned Player of the Season in the Hungarian top division. He’s 25, scores goals in all sorts of ways, and makes assists. No one knows if players coming into MLS will work out, but he is precisely the kind of player the Union need. If he clicks, the Union become a truly scary proposition.

The state of play

So, where are the Union now? They’ve dealt with their losses admirably so far, getting into the CCL semifinals and staying afloat in the league. They don’t give up many goals and are dangerous on the counter. But the lack of an offensive fulcrum and usable depth are issues that could derail them. Of the homegrowns waiting in the wings, only Jack McGlynn has seen real time. He’s looked like a viable player, but it’s still early days. For now, the Union will hope that a more sane pace of games will allow them to get through the summer while playing at a high level. If Gazdag beds in quickly, there will suddenly be midfield depth, with both Flach and Fontana as bench options to rotate through.

If there’s one more thing on the wishlist, though, it’s at striker, where the various pieces don’t quite fit together. The Union can win with the striking core they have, but finding a combination that truly sings, whether in-house or with another addition from outside, would push the team to a new level.

Overall, though, the Union have to be very pleased with where they are.