Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
With the signing of Lionard Pajoy, the Union may just be nearing the end of their offseason
transactions (at least for outfield players). In a set of three installments, PSP's Eli
Pearlman-Storch outlines the most likely formations for the Union in 2012 and how the roster, as
currently composed, is suited to play in each.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Philadelphia Union
What a difference a week makes. The headline for last Tuesday's news roundup? "Saddest day for
me:" Sebastien Le Toux confirmed he had been traded to Vancouver a day after Faryd Mondragon's
return to Colombia was confirmed and WPS announced that it had cancelled the 2012 season.
A few of the issues that gnaw at us, on the eve of season 3. How 'bout you?
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
The silly season got sillier for the Philadelphia Union over the weekend. Following word from
England that Sebastien Le Toux reportedly did not sufficiently impress while on trial with Bolton,
and the news that Danny Mwanga is training for two weeks with Aston Villa, the Union transfer rumor
well still wasn't dry.
File this one under "huh?".
Another MLS player in the UK? Yep, @wmgllc client & @PhilaUnion player Danny Mwanga is training
with Aston Villa for the next 10 days.about 2 hours ago via
web
ReplyRetweetFavorite@RichardMotzkinRichard
Motzkin
Training with an English club during the offseason is one thing.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Pauno is gone. That much we know. Le Toux's status? Training with Bolton with the potential of a
deal. Basically, completely up in the air. That makes this as good as any to look at the four
strikers who will be battling to win playing time throughout 2012.
As we enter the 2012 season, there are many questions surrounding the Union, but one of the
biggest is what to make of our young striker, Danny Mwanga.
After a fantastic rookie year, Mwanga seemed to regress in 2011. He started fewer games and
scored fewer goals than he did his rookie year, and his appearances were inconsistent: during some
games he looked like an absolute world-beater, while more often he was anonymous.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
With the SuperDraft behind us, thoughts now turn to the nitty-gritty of the 2012 Union season.
Naturally, questions arise. Over a two-part series we pose ten questions to our Union beat
reporter, Eli Pearlman-Storch, which began with a look formation, roster depth and leadership roles
within the starting XI in Part 1.
Philadelphia Union
Are the Union shopping Danny Mwanga, as was reported by Ives Galarcep on Wednesday? "For the
record we are not shopping Danny Mwanga," Diego Gutierrez tells Kerith Gabriel. "A lot of teams are
finding themselves in a tough spot in the market and are looking within the league to
supplement.
Featured image: Nicolae Stoian
We'll have updates of today's SuperDraft throughout the day as well as reaction to the Union's
selection. On to the news...
Philadelphia Union
Ives Galarcep's mock draft at Fox Soccer has this to say: "The Union are believed to be shopping
forward Danny Mwanga, and even with the recent addition of young Costa Rican forward Josue
Martinez, Philadelphia can use some depth up top.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
With their first three picks in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, the Union selected two strikers and a
holding midfielder. All teenagers and, thus, long term projects, fans were still a bit surprised to
see a veteran striker and holding middie arrive during the offseason.
Philadelphia Union
Kerith Gabriel reports that the Philadelphia Union will announce a "blockbuster deal" with
Panamanian international Gabriel Gomez. Gabriel says that Gomez is the "the same box-to-box
defender/midfielder that was a beast in Panama's 2-0 win over the United States in the group stage
of this summer's Gold Cup.
File Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Philadelphia Union
In Thursday's press conference, Peter Nowak reiterated a theme that he has stressed since the
end of the season: he is looking to create competition among positions within the squad. "The more
guys we have in [camp] being involved with the team and the team-mentality is better and will help
us to have better results.
Philadelphia Union
Here's the skinny on new signing Josue Martinez from Kenneth Hernandez, soccer writer for Costa
Rican daily Al Dia:
- "Martínez is a player for the future. He's still young and he has a lot to give. But he's just
21 and he needs to establish himself as a forward who responds with goals.
Philadelphia Union
John Hackworth explains what the Union is looking for going into the 2012 season. "When you're
retooling, you have to make sure you're managing the roster and the salary cap. We're not
necessarily trying to get younger; we're trying to get better. And we're going to look at every
avenue do that.
Cover photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
I know a guy who, when we were growing up, wouldn't greet you with a "What's up?" or "How's it
going?" or whatever.
His first question would be, "You working on your game?" The line had started with our
basketball coach, who basically told us that your off-season was the most important time for the
development of your game, because everything that happened next season would be determined by how
much you improved before it started.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Union
Y0u can watch a live stream of today's Expansion Draft the French Canadian way from 3pm on the
Montreal Impact website. (It's supposed to be on the MLS site too but, as of this writing, they
haven't put the link up yet.)
Montreal Impact head coach Jesse Marsch is among those who noticed Freddy Adu was left
unprotected by the Philadelphia Union ahead of today's Expansion Draft.
Another MLS Cup, another expansion draft.
For most clubs around the league, that's what the year's final match really means. The day after
Sunday's championship game, MLS teams must submit to the league office the list of eleven players
they plan to protect in the Nov. 23 expansion draft.
The draft's rules are largely the same as last year, tweaked a bit to account for the Montreal
Impact drafting alone, whereas last year's draft had two expansion teams.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Union
Wednesday's press conference contained much talk about the future of the club. Here are some
talking points, beginning with Peter Nowak on:
Consistent lineups: "It's not that we are saying everything is fine. All we are saying is that
having a starting lineup consistent, 11 guys, maybe two substitutions or three guys, you cannot win
the championship with 13 guys.
By the end of the first half of the first game of the playoff series against Houston it was
clear that the Philadelphia Union's defense was not adequately familiar with the new formation
deployed by Peter Nowak against the Houston Dynamo at PPL Park. In the second half, the Union
reverted to the tried and tested four man backline that had been so instrumental in seeing the
Union advance to the playoffs in the first place.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Injury report
PHILADELPHIA UNION OUT: GK Thorne Holder (concussion); FW Levi Houapeu (L ankle
strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Michael Farfan (R foot contusion); FW Veljko Paunovic (R hamstring
strain); PROBABLE: MF Justin Mapp (L quad strain)
HOUSTON DYNAMO OUT: FW Cam Weaver (R hip)
The Union are hopeful Paunovic will be ready to go on Thursday.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Click here to view the embedded video.
We know, guys. Trust me. We know.
We know you played your hearts out Sunday.
We know you left everything on the field in those ridiculously exciting, maddening, painful
closing minutes.
We know you had to overcome your manager's bad decisions.
(Photo: Nicolae Stoian)
It is ironic that the Union face a team from the Lone Star state in their first ever playoff
match, because when the they take the field this Sunday at PPL Park, it is the Union that must come
out as the gunslingers.
Having reached their target of a playoff appearance in their second year in existence,
technically, the rest is gravy.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Philadelphia Union manager Peter Nowak can prove Sunday just how good a manager he really
is.
It will happen when the starting lineup is announced.
Outsiders may think Nowak's a potential coach of the year, but those who follow the Union
closely know he's been a better executive than a chooser of starting lineups.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Union
Danny Mwanga is back and healthy for the playoffs. Nice timing, Danny!
The Shin Guardian gives the Union 7 to 1 odds at winning the MLS Cup. That puts the Union as
the 4th most likely team to win, behind Seattle, LA and Real Salt Lake.
Photograph: Nicolae Stoian
Mama said there'd be days like this.
It was an embarrassing loss. One embarrassing loss. Of course the timing was terrible and
everyone, players, coaches and fans, would have preferred a different result and performance, but
in the end it was one game.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Early Winter
With nothing left to play for in the 2011 MLS season, Toronto represented a fairly
unpredictable opponent. Aron Winter could have used Saturday's match at PPL Park to continue the
development of his new system and go for broke, attempting to play spoiler and steal a road
victory.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Click here to view the embedded video.
Sebastien Le Toux's first half strike was not enough to see the Philadelphia Union through to
victory in their final home game of the regular season as Toronto FC's Ryan Johnson ruined the
party for the hosts with a 57th minute equalizer.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Union
With losses for Chicago and DC on Wednesday night, MLSsoccer.com has released updated playoff
standings. In those standings, the Union have yet to clinch a playoff spot. But the Inquirer's Marc
Narducci argues that the Union have clinched:
"Major League Soccer has come out with the latest playoff possibilities and doesn't have the
Union as clinching just yet.
Photos: Paul Rudderow
Bear with me on this.
If you think of soccer as music, teams are the band that plays the song. Maybe the defense is
the drummer, keeping things down in the back, while the midfield is the bass player and rhythm
guitarist, locking the groove down with the defense while also supporting the melody played by the
offense.
Much of the focus following Saturday's win over Columbus Crew was on a starting lineup that
included seven starters and three substitutes who were 23-years-old or younger. And why shouldn't
it be, it's an exciting story that bodes well for the long-term future of the team. In the short
term, however, the bigger story was the continuing return to form of the defense and Sebastien Le
Toux continuing return to the score sheet.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
His name on a Union lineup card results in instant vitriol on this and other websites.
His face in the Philadelphia locker room produces a very different result. Following a
spectacular three-goal turnaround that earned a 4-4 tie against the Revolution, Sebastien Le Toux
said with a laugh, "My teammates joke around with me, especially Stefani Miglioranzi, that in the
last ten games I'm going to score every game and help the team the best I can like I didn't do at
the beginning of the season.
PSP photographer Paul Rudderow was on hand for Philadelphia Union Saturday night's 1–0 win
over the Eastern Conference leading Columbus Crew. Nowak looked to change their winless ways by
played many of the younger players. Here's a look at what he saw. (Click on the photo for a
full-size photo.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Winless since their 3-0 road victory over New England on July 17, the Union did just enough to
take three points off of a depleted Columbus Crew side before a packed house at PPL Park on
Saturday night. Zac MacMath earned his second clean sheet in three attempts and Sebastien Le Toux
continued his resurgent goal-scoring form with the game's only goal in the 32nd minute.
Union
What's that feeling I have? It's a familiar feeling but one I haven't felt for a long time...a
general sense of well-being and good will mixed in with a sense of purpose and forward-looking
confidence...I've got it—it's the feeling of victory. Welcome back, old friend.
Peter Nowak said of the Philadelphia Union's win over Columbus, "We came back to the mentality
we had in the beginning of the season.
On a chilly night in Chester against a listless first place Columbus Crew team, a goal from the
resurgent Sebastien Le Toux was all the Philadelphia Union needed to earn their first victory since
July 17. In an effort to breathe life into his team, coach Peter Nowak rang in the changes, most
notably bringing 16-year-old Zach Pfeffer into the starting lineup for his first MLS start.
Photo: Earl Gardner
The Union have three remaining matches to close out the month of September. First up is
Columbus, followed by Kansas City, and then D.C. United. The current standings have Columbus with a
five point lead on the Union, Kansas City up by four, and D.C. trailing by two.
Photo: Earl Gardner
Whenever the Major League Soccer Players Union releases players' salary numbers, it's usually
the rare opportunity to step back and see who's worth their salary and who's not. So that's exactly
what we're going to do here, with a look at each Union player's salary and evaluation of whether
they're worth it or not.
Featured image: Paul Rudderow
When Freddy Adu joined the Union, Roger Torres must have wondered if he would get relegated to
starring in reserve matches for the rest of the season. Fortunately, the Union's most improved
young player has found the minutes plentiful in recent weeks and has played some of the best soccer
of his Union career.
Freddy Adu and Danny Mwanga were two of six Philadelphia Union players voted by fans as among
the top 24 MLS players under the age of 24.
Adu came in third in the fan vote behind Brek Shea at no. 1 and Juan Agudelo at no. 2.
Mwanga, voted no. 5 in last year's vote, came in at n0. 7.
Roger Torres, ranked by the fans at no.
