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Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Philadelphia Union
The Union's league form means that they are a team in which one win in US Open Cup play is a
necessary confidence builder and the possibility of a run to the Open Cup final an inspiring goal.
Amobi Okugo said after the win, "We've got a turnaround against D.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Philadelphia Union
The Union's league form means that they are a team in which one win in US Open Cup play is a
necessary confidence builder and the possibility of a run to the Open Cup final an inspiring goal.
Amobi Okugo said after the win, "We've got a turnaround against D.
US
Checkout PSPs match report and look for an analysis piece later today.
As the Sporting News said about last night's USMNT game, "It quickly became apparent...that
Brazil is not Scotland."
On the surface, The New York Daily News headline says it all: "US soccer outclassed and
out-executed in 4-1 friendly against Brazil at FedEx Field.
PSP photographer Nicolae Stoian was on the sidelines at PPL Park for the Philadelphia
Union's 3–0 win over Rochester Rhinos in the third round of the US Open Cup. Here's a look at
what he saw.
The opening ceremony.
The Union's starting XI.
Keon Daniel working the end line.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
With the dust still settling following Toronto FC's first victory of the season over the Union,
one thing is now abundantly clear. The Union, not Toronto, may be the worst team in Major League
Soccer.
In a first half where third-string goalkeeper Chris Konopka had to come up big and did in his
first start for the Union and Ryan "Couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat" Johnson got
everything wrong, Toronto could have easily put two or three goals past the hapless Union.
Name Base Salary Guaranteed Compensation Cap Hit (Not
Official/Predicted) 2012 MLS Salary Cap Freddy Adu $400,000 $519,000 $350,000
(Designated Player) Chris Albright $55,000 $55,000 $55,000 Brian Carroll $168,000 $168,000 $168,000
Keon Daniel $55,000 $59,410 $57,500 Gabriel Farfan $46,200 $46,200 $46,200 Michael Farfan $57,200
$94,700 $75,000 Raymon Gaddis $33,750 $33,750 0 (Supplemental) Gabriel Gomez $275,000 $294,702.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Philadelphia Union
Get up to speed on the Union's past encounters with Toronto FC with our quick reference. Look
for our match preview later today.
Make no mistake, the Union are not taking winless in league play but champions of Canada Toronto
lightly.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
The good news first.
The Union grabbed a road point in Frisco, Texas, their first in three trips to FC Dallas. And
Chase Harrison not only survived his first MLS start, but fought through the barrage of George John
and Andrew Jacobson shaped missiles hurled at him over the 90 minutes, making important saves and
showing strength in the air.
Photo:
It may not have been perfect, but Lionard Pajoy sure answered his critics.
Pajoy scored two goals Sunday against the New York Red Bulls, just days after netting in a
friendly against Schalke 04. He ranked first in the league's MLS Castrol Index for the week. He put
more shots on goal in one game Sunday (4) than he had in his first eight MLS matches combined
(3).
Photo: Nicolae Stoian; Video: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Click here to view the embedded video.
Losing a rivalry game can be devastating. Especially when that rival was thoroughly outplayed
for 90 minutes. Yet that is where the Union find themselves.
Playing down a man for 47 minutes, the Union still turned in their best performance of 2012,
looking confident on the ball and eager to attack the questionable New York defense.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Sure, a friendly is just a friendly.
But with a midweek match to test themselves against elite European opposition, the Union turned
in an excellent performance on Wednesday night, winning 2-1 over Champions League-bound Schalke 04.
There were plenty of strong performances from the home side, but a number stood out with players
eager to impress the coaching staff and earn playing time as the Union seek to find their form in
league play.
How many times can the same themes be explored, over and over, by the same weary commentators
that are just as tired of exploring them as fans are of seeing them played out on the pitch, week
after week? At what point does the loop reach critical mass, as each and every renewal of the
same issues adds another layer of ennui?
After grabbing their first two victories of 2012, the Union have lost two on the trot and are
back to square one. Against a makeshift Sounders lineup on Saturday at Century Link Field, the
Union were completely outplayed. For the second straight match the defense was under siege
throughout and were it not for some dreadful finishing from the hosts, and the intervention of
MacMath's crossbar, the scoreline would have more accurately reflected Seattle's supremacy.
It was a 2 hour drive from the Poconos to PPL Park, the hallowed place a certain unreasonable
facsimile of a pseudo-soccer journalist was hell-bent on getting to before 7 o'clock. Having
just enjoyed the Pennsylvania countryside in somewhat unconventional fashion, my tired, bleeding,
freezing, and only recently electrocuted little self kept the pedal to the medal, kept conscious
only by the knowledge that the Union had finally found a little form.
The Philadelphia Union plays host to the San Jose Earthquakes Redux in this weekend's 7 PM clash at
PPL Park. Coach Petey "Pablo" Nowak will be sitting this one out after receiving a two game
suspension for his actions in last weekend's bloodless "melee" at the Home Depot Center. Ever
loyal, Gabe Farfan and Keon Daniel have chosen to sit this game out in protest of the sanctions
against their favorite coach.
Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union/Getty Images
Heading across the country to take on a Chivas USA who despite their poor home form have looked
much improved in 2012, the Philadelphia Union would have taken a victory any way they could get it.
That's a good thing considering that, although they recorded their second consecutive victory and
first road win of the season, they were largely outplayed by their hosts and suffered two important
ejections which could hurt them badly in the coming weeks.
The Boys in Blue finally, gloriously took three points from their opponents in manly fashion this
week, tearing victory from the jaws of the goats with a brief but decisive moment of offensive
competence that belied everything else about the season so far. Despite the Union's tenuous hold on
the game, the single goal held up even as the Blue and Gold found themselves on their heels more
often than not.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
CALENDAR UPDATE: The kickoff time for the Mother's Day derby with New York Red Bulls at PPL Park
on May 13 has been moved from 1:30pm to 12:30pm. The game will be shown live on ESPN2.
Chris Vito reports that Danny Califf will not be ready to play when the Union travel west to
play Chivas USA while Danny Mwanga is probably ready.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
MSNsportsnet profiles Raymon Gaddis after his first start with the Union. Gaddis says of the
start, "I had to get my feet under me just because I hadn't played in a game with the first team. I
was excited and was trying to get the ball as much as possible those first couple of minutes to get
my touches underneath me and get comfortable with the pace of the game.
PSP photographer Paul Rudderow was on hand for Saturday afternoon's Philadelphia Union 1-0
win over Columbus Crew at PPL Park. Here's a look at what he saw.
Peter Nowak and his staff at the beginning of the match.
Peter Nowak gives a hug of thanks to one of our veterans.
The blind squirrels have found their nut. By upholding the high defensive standards that have
come to be their most reliable asset, the Union was able to sneak away from PPL Park with 3 points
by way of a single penalty kick. While it's fantastic to see the that the Union defense is
decidedly back on track, and the Union's movement and possession were much improved, and it's just
plum wonderful to put a "W".
Photo: Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union
Kerith Gabriel reports at the Daily News that Roger Torres will be out "for 8 to 10 weeks."
Peter Nowak says of the injury, "It doesn't look good. His knee went completely to the side. I
knew from the beginning there was something wrong.
Photo: Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union
The Union issued a press release on Tuesday in which they said team and league officials will be
holding a press conference today at 11:30 to discuss "the competitive aspects of the 2012 AT&T MLS
All-Star Game," which seems like a fancy way of saying the All-Star Game opponent will be
announced.
Photo: Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union
Danny Califf, Brian Carroll and Zac MacMath are participating in the Easter Egg Roll at the
White House this morning.
The Union will play their PDL-affiliate Reading United on Saturday, June 9 at at Albright
College's Shirk Stadium. The game comes during the two week break for World Cup qualifiers.
Photo: Earl Gardner
First the positives for the Union.
They kept their first clean sheet of 2012 and outside of two incisive runs from Sebastien Le
Toux, the Whitecaps had very little offense of which to speak. True they were without target man
Eric Hassli and midfield maestro Camilo Sanvezzo, but the Union's four man backline, finally
reunited, got the job done.
You've got to take your hat off to Peter Nowak. Just when Philadelphia Union fans think they've
seen every possible formation, he rolls out a 3-2-2-1-2.
The narrowest formation, EVER
While we too frequently focus on the nuances of how a team lines up for kickoff, Nowak's
3-2-2-1-2 represents just about the most narrow possible alignment of eleven players on a soccer
pitch.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
In slumping to a second straight defeat to open the 2012 campaign, frustration ruled the day
with more new questions arising about the Union and very few being answered. More questionable
tactics, another new formation, and players tasked to play multiple positions.
Finally, the game we were actually waiting for has arrived. With last week's friendly match against
Portland out of the way, the Union start their season in earnest this Sunday. Colorado travels down
a mile and over about 1500 or so to the unfriendly confines of PPL Park. The tailgate forecast is
nothing short of pretty good!
Photo: Paul Rudderow
When Gabriel Gomez's free-kick glanced off of Andrew-Jean Baptiste's head and beyond Troy
Perkins, there was a moment where every Union fan allowed themselves to believe that stealing a
road win was possible despite the dire performance being turned in by their side.
Following their tumultuous off-season, the Blue and Gold got their third year off on the wrong
rain-soaked foot, falling 3-1 in a game mostly characterized by experimentation and tinkering with
Philadelphia's controversial new iteration of itself. Despite a brave but bewildered struggle to
find their footing, the Union just couldn't find the key to Portland's end of the astro-pitch.
Photo: Earl Gardner
Click here to view the embedded video.
The Philadelphia Union did not get off to the start they were looking for in 2012, slumping to a
3–1 defeat at Portland's Jeld-Wen Stadium on a rainy Monday night.
Goals from debutants Jean-Andrew Baptiste and Kris Boyd brought Portland back after the Union's
Gabriel Gomez, making his own debut for Philadelphia, gave his side the lead with a powerfully
struck free kick.
The results of our recent poll are complete. You, loyal readers, have collectively chosen your
preferred starting lineup for tonight's battle against the forces of hipsterism. As decided by
the masses, we present The People's Starting XI: As you can see, you've gone with a classic 4-4-2
that features Mwanga and Pajoy in a beautiful young buck/wizened vet offensive tandem.
Photo: Earl Gardner
The offseason is a brutal mix of rumor, speculation, and roster rebuilding. If you checked
out after November, we understand. But here is some PSP original content you might have missed: Eli
examined possible Union formations, focusing on the 4-4-2, the 4-3-3, and the
4-2-3-1.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Following the analysis of both the 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 formations, PSP's Eli Pearlman-Storch
takes a look at the 4-2-3-1 in the final installment of a three-part series about potential Union
formations in 2012.
2012 Starting XI
While a 4-2-3-1 may not seem the most likely setup for the Union to employ in 2012 given their
stable of young strikers, it provides an opportunity to dominate the center of the pitch, an area
where they struggled in 2011.
By now you've seen the crudely filmed (and conveniently edited) video of our boys in blue throwing
down with Costa Rican side Belen. Obviously the whole story isn't told, and who knows what we'll
find out when, or ever. Belen claims Union players, unhappy with a penalty in Belen's favor,
became increasingly abusive while technical staff looked on.
There was nothing friendly about the Philadelphia Union's scrimmage against Costa Rican side
A.D. Belen on Thursday.
The match between the two sides had to be called off after a brawl broke out after a Michael
Farfan tackle with Belen leading 2-0. Based on video of the fight, Brian Carroll, Keon Daniel and
Zac MacMath were at the center of it all before coaches, officials and players separated the two
teams.
The start of a new season is always a magical time. It's a rebirth, a rebooting of hopes
that rose and fell the year previous, a joyous gathering of fans, friends, and fanatics who find
each other right where they left each other, and so give new breath to what died when the last
whistle blew.
The Union's scrimmage with Belen on Thursday ended in the first half after a scuffle broke out
with the Union already down 2–0.
A report on the Belen website (crappy translation here; did the first goal come from a PK?))
accuses the Union of engaging in "anti-football." The report continues, "What most annoyed the
Belemitas was the attitude of the coaching staff who, from the beginning, did not stop shouting
insults not only to the players but also the Belen referee and his assistants.
Photo: Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union
Peter Nowak says, "I think we have been working on some really good stuff in Florida. Now it's
just a matter of improving. Now it's working on fitness, formations and getting guys ready for the
season. Because of the Olympic qualifiers, it's kind of hard to determine what our set lineup with
will be.
Philly Roster Talk: Contracts Galore
PUT takes a short look at the glut of contracts the Union signed this week.
The Philly Soccer Page " Williams signs new contract with the Union
PSP's write up on the Williams extension.
Futbol In The Americas (The Series) - The Union Dues
The Union Dues' new series on soccer playing countries in North and South America.
