Posted by Conor O'Grady on September 1, 2010 | Add A Comment
Photo: PhiladelphiaUnion.com
Number 24 in our 24-man roster has arrived, completing our crew for the time being. Sheanon Williams comes straight from the farm, being a Harrisburg City Islander. Before that, Williams was a United States U-17 World Cup player in both Korea and Egypt.
The Union can add two more players to the roster, provided they are both home-grown locals, but otherwise the dance card is full.
It appears that defense is still the top priority moving forward into our still shutout-less season, as our back line continues to falter at inopportune times. The question is how, if at all, Mr. Williams will be utilized- as a full-blown defender, a midfielder, or some combination thereof? Who, if anyone, will yield minutes to the latest addition? *cough* Harvey *cough*
Only time, and Nowak, will tell. Check out the Union’s official announcement here:
http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2010/08/union-acquire-dm-williams
Click Here To Leave A Comment
Posted by PhillyUnionFan on September 1, 2010 | 1 Comment
We’ve been compared to English fans in our ferocity, and Seattle fans in our proud defiance of America’s soccer-phobia. Thanks to the fans, PPL Park (itself a testament to our devotion) has become the new Mecca of American soccer. If you don’t believe us, look elsewhere in MLS- our commitment shames cities whose clubs have longer histories and better records. Below, a southern Union fan describes the view from the other side of the fence, and reminds us all that the grass is way, way greener in Philly.
My first MLS game was Union vs. Toronto FC at PPL Park. I had never been to a profession soccer stadium before. PPL Park is gorgeous. I find it to be open yet still homey. I want to get married there.
The seats my friend, Anna, got us were beyond what I was expecting. I want to sit there every time I go see a game. I even had this cool older man sitting to my left, sharing our comments and agreements. It was a great experience and I can’t wait to get back in October.
Being from Virginia, and a Union fan, when I found out they were playing DC United at RFK Stadium I was excited that I didn’t have to drive five hours to see them. But I was in for disappointment.
Since being spoiled by PPL Park, I have to say that RFK stadium was a hot mess compared to it. Finding a parking lot was confusing. I drove around the whole stadium looking for a lot that was accessible to my walking-impaired mother, who later pointed out that none of the staff at RFK bothered to inform her of the existence of an elevator that she should’ve been using to get around. Way to be considerate to your visitors.
While walking to our seats, I noticed that it was semi-deserted. I thought that was because we were there an hour before game time, but the stadium did not fill up much more.
As for concessions, the fries I had were mediocre. I haven’t actually eaten the ones at PPL Park yet, but from their appearance and smell I can bet they’re better. [Editor’s note: They are.] The vendor also took the cap from my water bottle which was not cool, considering the seats did not have cup holders.
Our seats weren’t too bad, with a great view of the field, and of course we were able to move up once the game started. They were also shielded from the rain, which may have been the only real positive aspect to my visit.
But the one thing that REALLY bothered us was the atmosphere of the whole place.
It is nothing compared to PPL Park. The people there didn’t seem to care about the game. We saw a guy who brought a newspaper. People arrived fifteen minutes into the game. Worst of all, we could barely hear DC United’s supporters section (which I have learned are actually three different splinter groups). What I could hear were the Sons of Ben. They made themselves known both entering and leaving the stadium.
There just seemed to be too much besides soccer going on, with people constantly getting up and walking the aisles. I don’t think I want to go back if the games are going to be like that. It’s just not worth it to drive out if I can’t have a better atmosphere than I’d have at home with just my mom, myself, and five cats.
Leave Another Comment
Posted by Conor O'Grady on August 30, 2010 | 3 Comments
Photo: PhiladelphiaUnion.com
Whoo!
Jack McInerney and Justin Mapp combined their respective sets of fresh legs to snatch victory from the jaws of New England, booting in two oh-no-he-didn’t last minute goals to prove once again that down NEVER equals out when you’re dealing with the U.
The first half was tense, with both teams looking competent but neither looking too dangerous. New England drew first blood by breaking through a panicky Union set-piece defense. A corner kick landed in the middle of a gold nest, but the attempted clearance by Captain Califf was insufficient. His frantic kick put the ball directly into New England’s Shalrie Joseph, from whom it fell into the lap of Ilija Stolica. Stolica turned and fired as he fell, his doggedness paying off in the form of a 1-0 lead.
Shit got real again about 5 minutes later, when a cannon from Sainey Nyassi rattled the post. He followed up almost immediately with a header over the crossbar. It wasn’t a goal, but the ambiance of the game had changed, and the U were decidedly on their heels.
And then something fortuitous occurred. This poster isn’t one to claim true objectivity when it comes to calls, but the Union got lucky. A very sloppy, very fast challenge from Corey Gibbs bowled over our own Eduardo Coudet, for which the former was shown a red card. This was, in all fairness, an excessive reaction by the ref. It was also very good for the boys in gold, for once on the good side of a 10 v. 11 game.
You wouldn’t have known it, however. Despite being a man UP for once, the Union still struggled to create chances. Le Toux managed to break free in the 64th, making a beauty of a run towards goal, but his angle became too acute and his shot was blocked by New England’s young goalie. Jacobson found himself unmolested in the middle of the box with a perfect cross in front of him in the 66th, but the excitement overcame him as he blasted it into the stands. The feeling of another unnecessary loss was closing in, but fate, and McInerney, had other plans.
Li’l Mac himself, brought on to freshen the attack along with the hustle-y Justin Mapp, displayed the perfect combination of his excellent vision and his brash attitude in the 82nd. Finding a space while Mapp was on the ball, Mac looked his way and gave a quick point goalward. Mapp chipped it over perfectly as McInerney bursted forward, just tapping it in before the goalie or anyone else could react.
It was lovely, and it was some of the best finishing anyone on the team outside of Mwanga and Le Toux have displayed this season. It was even worth Mac’s yellow card for exposing New England to his farmer’s tan. But it wasn’t the best to come in this matchup.
In stoppage time, Mwanga broke free, looking like he was going to make yet another post-90 miracle, but quickly popped it over to Le Toux. Le Toux’s attack was positively eaten by Revs defender Chris Tierney, but he failed to clear the ball. With Tierney grounded from the tackle, Le Toux regrouped and reclaimed the ball, rolling it to Justin Mapp, who had just arrived into the box. Mapp wasted no time. The shot was hard and low, and the only sound sweeter than the ball grazing the back of the net was the sound of utter despair collectively exhaled from the entire stadium, excepting of course the stands claimed by the visiting SoB’s. Their elation matched the team’s as they bombarded Nowak for an epic group hug. Makes you feel all tingly inside, don’t it?
Takeaways
1. Mapp is beginning to meet expectations. He’s fast, he has good eyes, and he works hard. I wouldn’t have praised him before this match, and using him sparingly seems to work well, but if he keeps it up we might have to reevaluate how we utilize him.
2. Finishing. Possession and hard work are great and all, but if there’s no cherry, the cake is about as useful as a butterscotch enema. What McInerney did is called finishing. It’s accomplished by thinking less and doing more, and his attitude should be a requisite for approaching the box. Once you’re in the area, let your feet do the strategizing, and this is the kind of thing that happens. How many times have we seen one of our boys just take too long when it’s time to strike?
3. Nakazawa. Is. The. Kicker. Don’t give me a set piece without him. Understand, Le Toux?
Add Your Comment
Posted by Purnell T. Cropper on August 23, 2010 | 1 Comment
Photo Credit: Getty Images
After flipping open my laptop and blinking through the mind-numbing loading screens (the computer’s way of yawning obnoxiously in my face), I noticed that nothing happened when I pushed my mouse around. Grumpy and confused, I stared at the underside of the sleek Logitech design, shaking it occasionally. A minute or so passed before I realized the problem. The thing wasn’t plugged in. I chuckled and moved on, eventually beginning this paragraph, which has finally winded its way to addressing the Philadelphia Union’s waterlogged effort at R.F.K. stadium, a 2-0 loss to D.C. United that didn’t warrant an exciting, or even interesting, lede.
I’ve seen all but a couple games this season, and I don’t remember the Union attack ever looking as disconnected and devoid of ideas as it did on Sunday afternoon. When they weren’t over-hitting long balls, they sort of rolled the ball along the pitch in slow, quizzical manner, not really knowing what to do with it. When they created width, the timing of runs into the box was off. When they tried to jam the ball through the middle, they coughed it up or were turned back. Disorganization going forward was compounded by defensive mistakes, with Danny Califf botching a clearance, leading to Danny Allsopp’s game-opening goal in the 22nd minute.
Generally, the Union have played well coming from behind, but you could tell they didn’t quite have it on this occasion. The energy just wasn’t there and the muddy conditions didn’t help their style of play. Still, a Philadelphia team coached by Piotr Nowak is expected to show some grit, a willingness to get down and dirty. Aside from Danny Mwanga hustling to force D.C.’s back line into a few rushed clearances and turnovers, the Union’s press didn’t seem effective, game-changing.
D.C. would add an insurance goal in the 63rd minute, capitalizing off of a Kyle Nakazawa turnover. Nagazawa made an early-ish appearance, coming on for Eduardo Coudet, in order to add an offensive spark, but was stripped (possibly fouled). Andy Najar led United’s fast break dribbling down the right flank and found Allsopp in the middle. Allsopp knocked in his second goal of the game. Although the Union won a bunch of corners, they never looked in control of the match. Most of the time, they looked a step too slow.
Closing Thoughts
- Pairing Eduardo Coudet and Stefani Miglioranzi in the middle isn’t going to work out. Neither is enough of a threat offensively in terms of scoring or providing that decisive pass that splits the defense.
- The Union really miss Shea Salinas. Whether playing midfield or an attack-minded fullback, Salinas stretched opposing teams and added much-needed width to the Union attack.
- Am I the only one who feels as though it takes the Union’s back line far too much time to close down on attackers? I mean, how can Califf captain the team if he can’t organize his defenders?
- Speaking of, center back Jay DeMerit is looking for a home. At 30-years-old, would he be a good investment for the Union?
Leave Another Comment
Posted by Conor O'Grady on August 15, 2010 | 4 Comments
Photo: PhiladadelphiaUnion.com
The Union thrilled with their resilience and infuriated with their penchant for missing opportunities in their second hard-fought draw this week. The many reasons to be happy about their performance were, yet again, pooped on by the undeniable feeling that they coulda, shoulda, woulda taken all three points.
The danger man was Mwanga, and as his meteoric progress on the pitch continues, many a team will have to realize that containing Le Toux is only half the battle. The opening minutes saw Danny eyeing up the goal on multiple occasions, with the service coming his way fast and often. It was he who evened the score in the 73rd, and even though it was a long time coming, it had a ring of inevitability.
Even if Mwanga wasn’t predestined to score, somebody damn well needed to in a game that saw even more failed finishes than usual. Before 20 minutes had passed, ever goal-starved Moreno found himself ruled offside after putting one in, then almost immediately popping a golden opportunity over the bar and into the River End. He found himself with another perfect opening in the 32nd, only to hit the post. The rebound fell to a wide open Fred, who blasted it somewhere into the Delaware as the back of the net loomed before him. Even Le Toux fired a few frustrating misses, and was a millimeter away from putting his foot onto a low ball that passed right in front of an unguarded corner of the goal.
While Colorado didn’t manage to look nearly as dangerous, they did manage to take advantage of a bad punch by Seitz, his second of the night. In the 59th, the Union GK fisted the ball into what can only be described as a pop fly, which landed at the feet of the Rapids’ Jeff Larentowicz. Over 20 yards out, Larentowicz fired low past Seitz and into net.
It wouldn’t go unanswered. The chance that bore fruit for our side started with Califf. A beautiful long ball from the captain was perfectly placed for Le Toux, who played into two defenders before abruptly turning away from goal and giving it up to Mwanga. The Congolese beat the defenders and snuck it by the not-Rapid-enough Colorado goalie with his usual cool finesse.
The fight for the go-ahead was dogged and fast-paced. Two ridiculous calls were the only thing that kept the U from taking 3 points in stoppage time. In the 92nd, Le Toux was blatantly taken down in the box, but apparently the officials felt that he had met his PK quota for the summer. Just after, Danny Califf got his head onto a super-long ball to put it right in front of Orozco Fiscal. Orozco charged in, stretching a foot out to tap it into goal. As the River End exploded in celebration, the linesman raised his flag to steal the joy from every soul. “Bullshit” doesn’t begin to describe it, and the officials were given an unforgettable goodbye by the fans on their way out.
Epilogue
Per the replay: as it turns out, Orozco was totally offside. As for Le Toux, he should’ve at least gotten a free kick. So the refs only deserved half of the abuse they got on the way out.
Takeaways
1. Feel free to disagree on this one, but since I’m the guy with the laptop and the free time I’ll say it: Le Toux shouldn’t be taking the set pieces. We’ve mentioned this before in reference to Nakazawa, who should ALWAYS take the frees and corners if he’s playing, but even when Nakazawa’s not on, why not put Toux in the box where he might do some real damage? His free and corner kicks aren’t even that great. Je t’aime, Sebastien, but the only time you should be standing over a still ball is from the penalty spot.
2. Keep using those youngsters. The chemistry between Mwanga and Le Toux is fantastic; any arguments about whether or not to keep starting the Congolese are pointless. As for the other end of the game, there’s no one I like to see more in the last 15 minutes, especially when we need a goal, than Jack McInerney. Does he score alot? Not YET. But he is energetic and fearless, and that goal is gonna give eventually. Hell, just for shits and giggles, I’d like to see what happens if you start him in place of Moreno (no offense Alejandro).
3. Seitz…ah….Seitz…you keep at it. We’ll be behind you. But you better be glad Knighton got thrown out of his first game.
4. If you’re thinking about moving up a couple rows, just do me one favor. Count the seats. Now count the people. If the addition of you and/or your 37 friends would fuck that ratio up in any way, stay right there.
Add Your Comment
Posted by Conor O'Grady on August 12, 2010 | 2 Comments
Photo: PhiladelphiaUnion.com
The tie against FC Dallas felt like a win. The one against New England felt like a loss. This one, for all its missed opportunities, actually felt like a straight-up honest draw.
That’s not to say the U couldn’t have won this one. The main reason they didn’t can be chalked up to (you guessed it) a laughable-if-I-wasn’t-crying defensive error. Shocking, I know. But we’ll get to that.
First, the good part. Danny Mwanga- what will it take to keep this kid in Philly?- demonstrated once again that he is the rising star of this team, if not MLS. In the absence of Alejandro Moreno, he and Le Toux took the forward roles together in what turned out to be a beautiful tandem. In the 8th minute, a Union throw-in found its way to Le Toux just outside the box. While everyone from RSL turned their attention to the ever-dangerous Frenchman, they failed to notice Mwanga streaking goalward. Le Toux chested it down into a clever back pass that found Mwanga, just in time for him to dance around the goalie and slide it in. It was pretty, it was audacious, it was Mwanga.
The killer from the Congo wouldn’t take long to break through again. In the 13th, he received a long ball, shaking his defender off and smoking two or three more to reach the outer edge of the goal mouth. This time, however, he elected to play unselfishly, and as yellow jerseys rushed in on him, he passed the ball out to the top of the box for Kyle Nakazawa. Nakazawa, playing an attacking center-mid role, was in a perfect spot, but his shot was straight up the middle and into the goalie’s arms.
A word on Nakazawa- why the HELL would you start him and NOT let him take any free or corner kicks? If I watched Nakazawa walk away from one more free kick while Le Toux stood over the ball, I might have hurt myself or someone around me. This is what he’s good at. If we’re gonna use him while Migs heals up, use him.
And then came the fuckup.
In the 17th, RSL was making their way up the pitch when their own Tony Beltran sent a decent cross towards the path of an oncoming Fabian Espindola. This shouldn’t have been a problem, because our own Juan Diego Gonzalez was right there. Right. There. He had two options: collect it or clear it. Instead, he bungled it and fell over. This allowed Espindola to gather it, juke the shit out of Danny Califf, and have a clear shot. One could argue that Seitz had both the time and a good reason to come out at this point, but he stayed put as Espindola fired one near-post for the equalizer. Perhaps Gonzalez thought it was a tradition for our defense to do something mildly retarded here and there. Consider yourself initiated, Juan.
The rest of the match was hard scrabble and generally even. To Seitz’s credit, he made two incredible saves. One came in the 57th, when RSL’s Jean Alexandre shot an absolute rocket towards the top of the goal, and Seitz was there to bat it away. The other came in the 85th, when a free kick from Javier Morales went over the wall and dipped viciously towards the low corner. Seitz got a hand on it at full stretch to save the draw.
There were notable non-finishes in this game as in others, most notably from Fred in the 69th, when Le Toux stole the ball and put a delicious cross into his path that somehow stayed out of the net. All in all, for the 378 millionth time, we were unable to beat ourselves. Fortunately, RSL couldn’t beat us either. Not with their B squad anyway.
Add Your Comment
Posted by Conor O'Grady on August 11, 2010 | 1 Comment
Last time the Philadelphia Union met Real Salt Lake, it didn’t go too well for our side. Without even trying to remember that game, I’ll just describe any of the Union’s loses and assume it applies: our boys controlled the ball early, maintained possession, but couldn’t finish their chances. (Insert opponent here) broke through due to lapses/errors by the Union defense. Does that cover it?
However, RSL is here in the greater Philadelphia area tonight. And, as always, there are factors that make a victory more than plausible for the U, as well as other factors that might just leave me crying a River (End).
Reasons the Union SHOULD Win
1. We are home. The Temple of PPL itself is enough of an indication of how much heart the city, and therefore the team, has. This should intimidate RSL at least mildly. Then they meet the crowd. Maybe, maybe Seattle-ites are on our level, but other than them, the greatest 12th Man in America resides at the banks of the Delaware River. This. Matters. Also, despite RSL’s excellent overall record (see below), their road record is only 3-4-2.
2. RSL will likely be missing key players. Alvaro Saborio has some international business to attend to in Costa Rica, and Robbie Findley had some international business to attend to yesterday against Brazil. Saborio is definitely out, and it would be just LOVELY if Findley’s World-Cup ass wasn’t able to make it tonight. Without one or both of them, RSL’s attack has lost a few teeth.
3. Mwanga might be better. All men know the pain of having our groins determine the course of our lives, but in Danny Boy’s case, the fate of a team is at stake. Fortunately his status is currently “probable,” and his chances of scoring if he does take the pitch are likewise.
Reasons the Union COULD Lose
1. RSL is a ridiculous team. Ridiculous in a good way. Their record is 10-4-5. That’s almost the exact opposite of ours. They’re second place in their conference, and have lost ONE game in their last 14. Their aforementioned road record is less intimidating, but most of their road losses were way back in the beginning of the season. They’ve been solid since.
2. Precedent is a bitch. Last time we saw each other, RSL handed us a 3-0 smackdown. That would bother me, were I on the pitch. Fortunately, our boys aren’t as emotionally fragile as myself, and may simply be motivated by the fact that RSL has already pulled down their shorts and spanked them with the bristle end of a hair brush at Rio Tinto Stadium.
3. RSL defense is tight. Getting through their back line will take Herculean effort on the part of our attackers. Jamison Olave & Co. like to keep their end of the pitch nice and secure, and goalie Nick Rimando is no slouch either. That’s not to say they’re they’re impenetrable, but historically, when the U penetrates, they tend to forget one crucial step- scoring. RSL isn’t gonna give the chances up easily, which means that when chances come, someone needs to finish. Not our strong suit.
Loyal readers, playoffs or no playoffs, every win counts. This is our year, for better or worse. With our support, it will be one we can all be proud of.
Leave Another Comment
Posted by Purnell T. Cropper on August 9, 2010 | 4 Comments
Photo Credit: Getty Images
More people passed through the low-key house party I attended on Saturday night—in the backwoods of Wayne, Pa.—than entered the gates of Pizza Hut Park on Sunday, where FC Dallas hosted the Philadelphia Union. Judging by the high-pitch death shrieks that rose from the “crowd” when the blue and gold scored an early goal, the home team was running some kind of Boy Choirs Get in Free promotion. The Union couldn’t have hoped to play in a less imposing atmosphere.
The team got off to a dream start, dictating the pace of the game and capitalizing on good play with a goal in the ninth minute. An added bonus: someone other than Danny Mwanga (the Congolese was unavailable due to injury) or Sebastien Le Toux finally scored. Even better: that someone was Alejandro Moreno, the Steven Seagal of strikers. It wasn’t pretty—Moreno awkwardly breakdance-kicked the ball into the net during a goalmouth scramble—but it was still awesome. I shouted at my TV when the smoke cleared and it became apparent that Moreno, responsible for extending so many Union possessions through his signature blend of blue collar toughness and precision touches, had finally clattered onto the score sheet.
Per usual, the Union didn’t sit back. They continued to apply pressure. And for a while it appeared as though Fate had finally turned.
Wrong! That was Union fans collectively turning the other ass cheek.
Twenty-two minutes into the game, David Ferreira played a long ball over the Union defense. (The back line featured new signing Diego Gonzalez.) Brad Knighton, starting in goal in place of Chris Seitz, who was sick, got a jump on the play and easily beat the oncoming Brek Shea to the ball. But when the goalie tried to cradle the bouncing ball, it ricocheted off of his chest right into the opponent’s path. Knighton panicked and took out Shea’s legs before the attacker could get a shot off. Red card. Penalty. Disaster struck again.
Seitz came on as a substitute for Justin Mapp, who played an integral part in the build up of Moreno’s goal. Considering that he didn’t have time to warm up, Seitz made a good effort to stop the penalty kick, but Ferreira’s shot was too powerful and flew into the net.
It took Dallas till the 75th minute to capitalize on their one-man advantage. The Union just couldn’t keep pace in such brutal heat. Veteran Jeff Cunningham out-leapt Philadelphia defenders to nod home a goal. In the 81st minute, Cunningham struck again, receiving the ball behind the Union back line after a well-timed run into space and slotting a low shot past Seitz.
With that, the odds of the expansion team making the playoffs grew substantially slimmer. They are now 11 points behind Toronto FC, currently in third place in the East.
Derp.
Add Your Comment
Posted by Conor O'Grady on August 9, 2010 | 13 Comments
Ok, so…there’s been a lot of controversy over the means by which we, the Union faithful, vocally express our love and devotion to the team. The faux-swearing, the actual swearing, and the…Dooping. But at last Thursday night’s losing battle with the Columbus Crew, PUT’s own beloved Conor O’Grady was subjected to a whole new level of scrutiny- by the security personnel.
Conor (who writes in the 3rd person when he’s traumatized) was hanging out in 135, as per usual, when the incessant haranguing chants of the Columbus supporters began to disturb the tranquil calm which usually carries him through home matches- between screaming, chanting, drinking and dancing of course. The River End was in a rare moment of quietude, and the Crew supporters were rubbing it in. Down a goal, and feeling the anticipatory sorrow of an impending loss, this young blogger turned towards the Crew fans and tossed a dismissive- “Shut the fuck up!”
Now, now. I know. The F-word is no way for a gentleman to harass the opposition. But I’m front row; the odds of even being heard by the faraway Crew fans were slight, and the whole thing was done more for my own benefit than for any sincere effort to demean our esteemed temporary enemies. I assumed that, like the River End-wide use of expletives that accompany all Union (and frankly all Philadelphia) sporting events, this comment would be taken no more seriously than any other. Mind you, this was the game in which the Crew’s goalie stepped over his goal kick just to muddle the “you suck, asshole” chant. Successfully, I might add.
Then I felt a tug on my SoB jersey. I turned to find myself facing a PPL Park security woman, walkie-talkied and earpieced, judgement in her eyes and indignation in her voice. ”Hey!” she cried, “Watch your language.”
I paused. I considered the possibilities. Was this a friendly joke? Sarcasm? Or was this woman, glaring and posturing, sincerely waiting for a response that would determine her course of action? I waited for a smile. A touch. An “I’m only kidding.” But it never came.
The moment passed like hours in the desert. Dumbfounded, I found the only response I could consider appropriate for the situation- “Sorry, love. Didn’t mean to offend you.” This probably sounded as sarcastic as it was insincere, but it was the best I could do, being confused and 7 beers deep. She left. I turned to my compatriots in 135. Did that just happen?
We all know the SoB’s River End Code of Conduct. At least we should. From what I recall, we can’t be racist or thuggish or throw things. Good. Couldn’t agree more. But in a world where the F-bomb is grounds for security intervention, I just don’t know where the line is. The last thing anybody wants is to ruffle the feathers of PPL employees, who for the most part have been excellent, super-friendly and competent.
The SoB Almanack immediately following that game included the following:
“…if anyone had an issue with the new security at the game last night, please reply and tell us your story. We’ll make sure your concerns get passed on… We’re very concerned with how some of our members were treated for benign offenses…”
The question then becomes what offenses, pray, are benign. I hope mine was. What do you think?
Add Your Comment
Older Entries
