Photo by Marjorie Elzey
The Union looked rusty in their first outing of the new season, drawing Minnesota United at home, 1–1. In a game where neither team looked likely to score for long stretches, the Loons struck first, pouncing on an error by Olivier Mbaizo that Jakob Glesnes failed to clean up. Glesnes, at least, made amends, sending in a peach of a cross that Cory Burke duly buried for the equalizing goal.
Failing to take the full points at home is always disappointing. And while there are a number of mitigating circumstances, the game illustrated many of the storylines that Union followers were anticipating in 2022.
Getting into gear
This looked very much like the first game of the season, but Minnesota seemed more ready for the speed and intensity of regular season play than the Union did. Many passes went astray and wires were crossed. Philly’s passing percentage was a respectable 74% by full time, but that is a reflection of how the team grew into the game rather than how it started.
Now for the caveats. Philly has been dealing with a variety of striker absences throughout preseason, so getting everyone on the same page when it comes to pressing and passing is clearly going to be a work in progress. Any hopes that the Union would hit the ground running offensively were quickly dashed.
Breaking teams down
Last season, the primary knock against the Union was their inability to break teams down and create goalscoring chances against a set defense. While there are new, hopefully more effective, faces in the front line, the problem isn’t simply about finishers. Against Minnesota, the issue was clear: if your strikers don’t get on the ball, they can’t take shots.
The game was choppy, with many fouls and called inconsistently, so neither team had a great deal of rhythm. But the quality of Minnesota’s offensive fulcrums, Kervin Arriaga, Franco Fragapane, and, in particular, Emanuel Reynoso, was obvious. For the Union, no one player seemed threatening on his own. Julián Carranza is much more mobile than Kacper Przybyłko, but if, like Przybyłko, he is forced to drop deeper and deeper to get on the ball, it won’t matter if he’s good at shooting the soccer ball into the net.
The network passing maps of the two teams make clear that Philly owned better territory in the game, but it’s on the Union’s midfield to turn that territorial advantage into scoring chances. If the opposition doesn’t want to come out to play, how is Philly going to force the issue?
Competition for places and balancing offense/defense
Jack McGlynn replaced Leon Flach in the 65th minute, and Paxten Aaronson came on for Dániel Gazdag in the 75th. Flach didn’t play poorly, and will surely produce a lot this season, but he is offensively limited. Gazdag will be looking to break out a bit this season but didn’t produce anything noteworthy in this game. It was telling how dynamic both Aaronson and McGlynn looked after coming on.
Aaronson in particular was very lively, taking men on and probing the Minnesota defense. In McGlynn’s case, the question is can he provide enough defensive energy to balance the improved passing and vision that he brings to the field? In Aaronson’s case, it’s looking more and more like a matter of time before he claims the starting No. 10 spot for himself. If Gazdag is to keep him out, he will need to start making a bigger impact.
Defensive bright spots and dim bulbs
First, the good news: Andre Blake, Jack Elliott, Jakob Glesnes, Kai Wagner, and José Martínez are still some of the best at their jobs in MLS. They could all be Best XI at the end of the season. Blake had the save of the game late on when Adrien Hunou nearly stole the points for the Loons, and Martínez was lights out at times. Glesnes can do everything, apparently, getting the assist, and Elliott’s positioning and distribution were on point, as usual.
But we need to talk about Olivier Mbaizo.
Mbaizo is neither as bad as some people say he is nor as good as . . . well, there aren’t too many folks talking about how great he is right now. Mbaizo clearly has talent. He also has been directly involved in all three of the Union’s most recent goals allowed, including the two that sent the Union home from the playoffs in 2021. The problems are a combination of decision-making and execution. Sometimes, Mbaizo gets caught ball-watching. Sometimes he plays passes that either shouldn’t be played or executes them poorly, giving the ball away unnecessarily.
For the goal against Minnesota, Mbaizo exhibited a lack of both situational awareness and technique, allowing a ball dropping out of the air to get by him and put an attacker in on goal—in some ways it was eerily similar to NYC FC’s playoffs gamewinner. Mbaizo needed to win the ball or maintain defensive positioning. He did neither.
If Mbaizo’s offensive contributions outweigh his defensive foibles, then you accept the occasional mistake, even if they happen in times like the playoffs, because these things tend to even out over the course of a season or a career. But right now, Mbaizo’s play is writing new chapters in a narrative that is going unpleasant places. How many moments like Saturday’s or 2021’s playoffs before it’s time to see what Nathan Harriel brings to the table?
Take a breath
In the end, don’t draw too many conclusions from one game. The Union are, historically, poor to start the season, so a draw is fine. It’s not beyond the Union to get win number one away to Montréal next week. The long-awaited arrival of Mikael Uhre means all four Union strikers are healthy, present, and accounted for, so actual practice with the presumed starting eleven can happen now.
But be on the lookout. The Union are the team they were last season, for better or worse: difficult to beat, under any circumstances, but still looking for consistent match-winners.
It is worth noting that Curtin usually always protects his players. But last year, I think sometime during the Summer, he specifically called out Mbaizo as needing to do better. I also don’t fully remember, but he may have even benched MBaizo for a game or two.
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This tells me Curtin is aware of the situation and is willing to lay a firmer hand on Mbaizo, probably because that is the best way to get him to respond.
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Either way, we have Harriel right behind him and from what we have seen from him so far I would not mind giving him a look here and there.
I know it is early in the season and things can change but Gadzag just ain’t it. I just don’t think he is a playmaker and in the past the Union have kind of admitted as much. We are too good a team to have all are chances coming from crosses at the wing.
He seems like such an almost player. His dribbles almost come off. His passes almost comes off. His shots almost come off. But more often than not he still seems to be missing the last 10% of technical skill and speed to be able to pull these things off in MLS.
Agree, Gazdag seems so average, a workman but with no special skills. The sooner Aaronson can be ready to carry the torch, the better for us I think.
Gazdag is better than you give him credit. The number of crosses is largely due to Minnesota playing a low block. The team as a whole tends to step on the ball and recycle, then settle for the cross. They need to play faster in transition so they can beat the defense to the position, or they need to play more in and out passes like Man City. Play the pass into the box, but then back out. Side to side has limits against a well-drilled block.
Serious question: any comments on the elbow to flach early…in 25th(?)min or so? He was clearly elbowed in the mouth. I was there, so couldn’t see how serious it was, but on my DVR, looking at it in slow mo, that was a vicious blow (and drew blood).
Correct me if I’m completely off (and you’ve watched the play a few times)…but that could’ve been direct red and then the whole game changes. (into probably a 0-0 tie after the loons bunker in…lol).
The ref only thought fouls occurred if it involved the players legs. Clutching, grabbing, elbows ETC. Were barely acknowledged.
While we’re at it, can we talk about Carranza getting taken out from behind when he’s 1-on-1 with the keeper? Best I could tell, never got a second look from var.
The Sporting Director almost always has run a lean roster with the Union, last season being a mild exception. But he has usually had 26 on the active roster, not the current 24. Three of the 27 listed are loaned out.
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And, assuming that MLS’s official website can be relied on, they currently have 5 international-slot players listed among the 24 active. They possess nine international slots, their annual complement of eight and the one received from San Jose in the Monteiro trade. That makes four extra ones.
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The roster is in compliance, but it does not seem completed.
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Union II have announced nothing at all about their roster for 2022, so they provide no helpful information from below. The only detail know is that Anton Sorenson is loaned out, almost certainly to Union II for the rest of the season.
The elbow to Flach was ignored by the ref. I hope this isn’t the way the rest of the season goes! Every team will be missing players if that isn’t cleaned up. M’baizo looks rusty,and the rest of the team was just a bit off. Glad to see Uhre in the house. Kind of the usual start for the U. The point is great and starts them off on a positive note. Much better than a loss.