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: 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.
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.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Philadelphia Union
Several Union players talk about preseason training at YSC SPorts last week. The team landed in
Orlando on Sunday.
Danny Califf, acknowledging that only he and Brian Carroll are the only players remaining on the
Union who are older than 27, tells MLSsoccer.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Philadelphia Union
Several Union players talk about preseason training at YSC SPorts last week. The team landed in
Orlando on Sunday.
Danny Califf, acknowledging that only he and Brian Carroll are the only players remaining on the
Union who are older than 27, tells MLSsoccer.
Sebastien Le Toux's departure from the Philadelphia Union certainly made headlines. There was much
made of the incident after the player came out and spoke his side of the story. It was emotional
and troublesome that, according to Le Toux, a professional club in MLS would dismiss a player in
such fashion.
Sebastien Le Toux and Kyle Nakazawa were seen as the two major free kick takers on the
Philadelphia Union through the team's first two seasons of existence.
For Le Toux it was because of his massive number of free kicks, coupled with a perceived high
failure rate on them. Nakazawa's status as a free kick taker came from a mystique that he developed
among the Union's fan base from great technique.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian from 2011
The offseason can be crazy in the business that is soccer and sometimes it can be all too
easy to forget that in the end, it's really about the game. If you are looking for some inspiration
to help you get your soccer head back on straight, go to the Ritz East tonight to see the
Philadelphia premier of Laduma.
The Philadelphia Union have officially completed a trade of Kyle Nakazawa to the LA Galaxy.
Nakazawa will be sent to California with a second round selection in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft for
one of the Galaxy's international roster spots.
Nakazawa was reported to be on his way to the Galaxy early this morning, when the Brotherly Game
published a storywith information from a source knowledgeable on the situation.
Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
By AVI CREDITOR
The Philadelphia Union have a plan, and they're sticking to it.
The club purchased the full rights to 20-year-old Colombian midfielder Roger Torres from America
de Cali, which had been loaning him to the Union for the last two seasons.
Following a tweet from player agent Richard Motzkin that announced Danny Mwanga would be
training with Aston Villa for ten days, the Philadelphia Union confirmed that the striker will miss
the team's first preseason session.
According to the Union, Mwanga "will join his teammates in Orlando on February 6, in time for
the start of the Union's second leg of preseason.
Aston Villa will be the host team of yet another Philadelphia Union player on trial, according
to soccer agent Richard Motzkin.
Former first overall SuperDraft pick Danny Mwanga will train with Aston Villa, of the English
Premier League, for ten days. Mwanga joins Freddy Adu (Rayo Vallecano), Michael Farfan
(Sunderland), Zac MacMath (Everton), Amobi Okugo (SC Freiburg), Sebastien Le Toux (Bolton
Wanderers) and Zach Pfeffer (Hoffenheim) as members of the Union that have spent time training with
overseas clubs prior to the 2012 MLS season.
The U.S. Under-23 men's national team finished off its January training camp with a victory,
topping Alajuelense 1-0 in a friendly in Costa Rica.
Tony Taylor scored the lone goal, taking a pass from the Columbus Crew's Dilly Duka at the top
of the box and finishing in the 41st minute.
Will Jones sport the armband again? Will he have a better first touch?
When we last met out protagonist the USMNT it was doing battle north of the border, putting out
a tiny skirmish, so to speak, that was attempting to be kindled by Venezuela.
The States controlled "the battle" and at the death put the South American foe to the proverbial
sword, 1-0 after a dominating display especially in midfield against an overmatched opponent.
The United States Under-23 National Team scrimmaged Saprissa's reserves today in Costa Rica.
Playing at the Monster's Cave, aka Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma, the two teams finished scoreless.
USA: 1-Zac MacMath; 4-Kofi Sarkodie (17-Sheanon Williams, 77), 3-Zarek Valentin (capt.)
(19-Royal-Dominique Fennell, 77), 2-Sebastien Ibeagha (Andrew Wenger, 46), 5-Jorge Villafana;
6-Amobi Okugo (15-Mix Diskerud, 46), 8-Jared Jeffrey (13-Michael Stephens, 61), 10-Dilly Duka
(12-Isaac Acuna, 67); 7-Freddy Adu, 9-Tony Taylor (11-Jack McInerney, 70), 11-Jack McInerney
(14-Joe Corona,.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Neven Subotic is one of the top young centerbacks playing in Europe, but his future is under
threat after Geman authorities opened a sexual assault investigation against him.
Subotic and three others are under investigation after a 21-year-old woman claimed she was the
victim of a sexual assault.
Philadelphia Union
Le Toux spotted with Tim Ream at Bolton's win over Liverpool on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Kyle
Scott and crossingbroad.com
A report from The Bolton News on Friday quotes Wanderers' manager Owen Coyle on Sebastien Le
Toux, "I've had some decent reports on him. He's very industrious, hard working and looks a very
good team player, which is what I'm all about.
Philadelphia Union
Le Toux spotted with Tim Ream at Bolton's win over Liverpool on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Kyle
Scott and crossingbroad.com
A report from The Bolton News on Friday quotes Wanderers' manager Owen Coyle on Sebastien Le
Toux, "I've had some decent reports on him. He's very industrious, hard working and looks a very
good team player, which is what I'm all about.
The U.S. MNT is training in Costa Rica
The U-23 Men's National Team is in Costa Rica for the conclusion of their January training camp,
and Saturday they played the first of two scrimmages when they took on the reserves of perennial
Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa.
The teams dueled to a 0-0 draw at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, which U.
By Saf Hossain, writing hours after returning from Craven Cottage
Attending a live match is, obviously, an entirely different experience to watching on TV. When
you are free of the director's control, you might choose to follow an individual on the field for
long periods of the game.
Philadelphia Union
Sky Sports reports that Bolton manager Owen Coyle "claims no decision has been taken as yet
regarding a permanent deal" for Sebastien Le Toux.
Jonathan Tannenwald tweets, "A Union source says the team 'would not use Tim Ream as a
benchmark' in any negotiations over Le Toux regarding transfer fee.
Philadelphia Union
Sky Sports reports that Bolton manager Owen Coyle "claims no decision has been taken as yet
regarding a permanent deal" for Sebastien Le Toux.
Jonathan Tannenwald tweets, "A Union source says the team 'would not use Tim Ream as a
benchmark' in any negotiations over Le Toux regarding transfer fee.
I attended 4 of the sessions and both games versus Klinsmann's senior team.
Caleb Porter
First and foremost, if our praise for Caleb Porter hasn't been evident, let me repeat, Caleb
Porter is legit.
Previously, we've been judging him solely from watching his Akron team (on TV and in
person).
Sebastien Le Toux will have a week to impress the Bolton Wanderer's coaching staff, according to
manager Owen Coyle. The Scot confirmed reports out of the United States that Le Toux was on his way
to Bolton on a trial ahead of a possible transfer.
"We have received good reports about Sebastian, so we thought we would give him an opportunity
to come into the group," said Coyle.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Philadelphia Union
Jack McInerney scored in the US U-23 team's 1–1 draw with the USMNT. McInerney, Amobi Okugo,
and Freddy Adu started the first half. Zac MacMath and Sheanon Williams started the second
half.
John Hackworth says of Tom Brandt, the Union's first pick in the Supplemental Draft, "We wanted
to get a quality player in the back and we feel like we did that with Tom Brandt.
BY ADAM SERRANO
CARSON, Calif. – In a match that was much closer than the last time these teams met, the U.S.
Under-23 national team battled to a hard fought 1-1 draw against the U.S. national team on Tuesday
evening at the Home Depot Center Complex.
Graham Zusi was flying down the flanks throughout the first half
Graham Zusi
and Jack McInerney traded sweet strikes as the National Team and the U-23's finished with a 1-1
draw in the second of two scrimmages played here between the teams at The Home Depot Center.
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, beginning in part 1 with a focus on formation, roster depth and
leadership roles within the starting XI.
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, beginning in part 1 with a focus on formation, roster depth and
leadership roles within the starting XI.
Jared Jeffrey (blue) and Benny Feilhaber (Grey)On Friday, the full team lined up against the U-23 MNT for the first of two scrimmages while the
teams share space at The Home Depot Center. For both groups, it was the first opportunity to play
11 v. 11 since camp began and continue to evaluate players for the upcoming friendlies.
Featured image: Nicolae Stoian
The next edition of the Philly Soccer Show podcast, scheduled to be recorded
tonight, will feature USMNT U-23 coach Caleb Porter and the Philadelphia Union's top pick in
Thursday's SuperDraft, Chandler Hoffman.
Philadelphia Union
Sunderland blog the Roker Report tells fellow SB Nation affiliate the Brotherly Game that team
manager Martin O'Neill responded to a reporter's question about rumors of a possible Michael Farfan
loan by saying people should not read too much "into these things.
Featured image: Nicolae Stoian
The next edition of the Philly Soccer Show podcast, scheduled to be recorded
tonight, will feature USMNT U-23 coach Caleb Porter and the Philadelphia Union's top pick in
Thursday's SuperDraft, Chandler Hoffman.
Philadelphia Union
Sunderland blog the Roker Report tells fellow SB Nation affiliate the Brotherly Game that team
manager Martin O'Neill responded to a reporter's question about rumors of a possible Michael Farfan
loan by saying people should not read too much "into these things.
Despite a non-sourced story from the Daily Mail stating otherwise, Michael Farfan is not a
transfer target of Sunderland per the team's manager.
According to Roker Report, SB Nation's Sunderland site, Martin O'Neill, hired by Sunderland on
December 3 in an attempt to save the team's season, addressed a reporter's question about Farfan's
and trialist Alieu Darbo's statuses with the team.
Adu had some moments.The U.S. Men's National Team opened up 2012 with some very interesting talking
points. Certain call ups, certain omissions, scrimmages and of course the obvious questions that
accompany such things. First up would be the scrimmage between the full team and the Under
23's.
The senior squad paid a lesson to the U23 Olympic team with a 4-0 dismantling of their younger
brothers.
Adu had some moments.The U.S. Men's National Team opened up 2012 with some very interesting talking
points. Certain call ups, certain omissions, scrimmages and of course the obvious questions that
accompany such things. First up would be the scrimmage between the full team and the Under
23's.
The senior squad paid a lesson to the U23 Olympic team with a 4-0 dismantling of their younger
brothers.
The full team lined up against the U-23 MNT for the first of two scrimmages while the teams share
space at The Home Depot Center. For both groups, it was the first opportunity to play 11 v. 11
since camp began and continue to evaluate players for the upcoming friendlies.
"These scrimmages are good for us and the Under-23s, that's why we do it purposely, because it's a
big year for U.
The Philadelphia Independence drafted six players in Friday's WPS draft, with University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee forward Sarah Hagen being the top pick. The big question is whether they'll get
her to move over from Bayern Munich, where she's under contract.
The Independence then took UC-Irvine defender CoCo Goodson and Florida State defender Toni
Pressley in the second round, Santa Clara goalkeeper Bianca Henninger and Portland forward
Danielle Foxhoven in the third, and Maryland forward Jasmyne Spencer in the fourth round.
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.
Interestingish article here on the Portland Timbers website. (yes, this is Rich, but I like
American things, too).
So while recent history suggests the Number 8 [pick in the MLS draft] has produced some
promising young players, perhaps the most famous MLS Number 8's of all time was the New England
Revolution's Number 8 selection in 2004: Clint Dempsey.
