Photo: Stephen Speer

We are in the between times. The season is over, but yet to begin. For, it is only in the playoffs that the Union can be judged. The regular season has been conquered. The postseason is an undiscovered country.

Looking back on 2021, my thoughts on the team and what it has done are not fully formed—much like the team itself. While the season began with uncertainty, the assumption was that by now, we would know what we have. And, while it may be settled for now, this Union team still feels like a transitional thing. The organization has done an admirable job holding serve after losing foundational pieces in the offseason, but it’s clear the team requires further change to reach its next phase, whatever that might be.

As such, I feel strangely unconcerned about what may come in the playoffs. I want two wins, but if they don’t come, I know it won’t be from lack of effort. The Union are very hard to beat, and they work hard. If they fail to win it will be because another team earned it. I’m okay with that.

What we mean when we talk about strikers

I do have some things on my mind, though, as we look ahead to the postseason and beyond. Foremost among them is the question of the strikers. This has been a point of debate among we fans for much of the season. Many of us feel the team needs a serious upgrade. Some of us, like my esteemed colleague Chris Gibbons, believe that the strikers we have are better than we give them credit for, and that replacing them will be difficult, and may not get us the results we hope for, anyway.

I find myself of two minds. On the one hand, I agree with Chris. Kacper Przybyłko, especially, probably does not deserve to be maligned as he has been. At the same time, I can’t help but think that there’s room for improvement up top, and getting that improvement could be the difference between being one of the many chasers and winning the race.

So it got me thinking: What are we really talking about when we kvetch about the strikers?

We’re talking about goals. The Union are where they are this season because they are stingy defensively. They don’t, however, score enough goals of their own. And, it’s the strikers’ job to score the goals. If the team isn’t scoring, it stands to reason, ipso facto, the strikers need replacing.

But we all know that a lot more goes into scoring goals than having good strikers. Having a system that supports what the strikers do well matters, too, and having midfielders and fullbacks that can get the ball to the strikers’ feet in dangerous positions. It’s a team effort, in other words, so if goals aren’t happening, it’s necessary to take a holistic view of the team’s offensive production.

Sadly, that’s going to be a job for the offseason. The team is pretty set in its ways, at this point, and we’ll have to hope the creative players, who have shown signs of improvement of late, are able to provide enough chances for the strikers and others to take.

Prognostications

No, I will not be making any predictions about the playoffs. But let’s throw our minds a bit further ahead. What’s the offseason likely to bring?

There’s a good deal of uncertainty. Several players are likely to draw some interest, including Olivier Mbaizo and Kai Wagner. Both are under team control, though, so won’t leave unless the offers are good, and replacements are available. Losing Wagner would be a blow, and he signed a new contract recently, so I hope he will stay. Mbaizo splits opinion, but Nathan Harriel isn’t ready to start every game, so I wouldn’t want him to go without a good replacement, either. José Martínez is another name to watch. With Leon Flach on the roster, losing El Brujo might sting somewhat less than it would have a year ago, but he still brings a great deal to this team.

The big question mark is Jamiro Monteiro. He nearly left in the summer but, since bedding back into the team, has been a rock. Yes, he often slows play down, but he also puts the opposition under more pressure than any other player on the roster. Were he to go, the Union would look very different, and surely would need some DP-level replacement, whether in his position or elsewhere. And elsewhere might be the best bet, as the homegrowns and Flach seem more than ready to inherit the midfield.

Waiting is hard

I’m excited for the playoffs to begin. And I’m excited for what comes after. I hate these waiting times, when all we have is our theories and theorems to keep us warm. Like a child anticipating summer break, I hope 11/20 will be here fast, and we can get started.