2014 Philadelphia Union Player Review: Maurice Edu

2014 Season Summary

Maurice Edu was one of the bright spots for the Philadelphia Union in 2014. The January loan transfer of Edu from Stoke City gave Union fans hope that despite the madness at the goalkeeper position, the club was serious in contending for silverware.

What Did He Do Right?

Just about everything. Edu excelled at central defensive midfielder and center back, and his whoscored.com rating of 7.11 was tops among regular starters and third overall behind only Andre Blake and Fabinho. He also contributed three goals and an assist in addition to being a stable presence in the locker room despite the chaos of a season that saw the team get off to an awful start and have the head coach and an assistant coach fired.

What Did He Do Wrong?

The low point of Edu's season must have been being left off of Jürgen Klinsmann's United States World Cup roster. It was a blessing in disguise though, as Edu (and the rest of the club) had almost a month to rest and recuperate during the meat grinder of an MLS season.

Most Memorable Moment

Before the Union's US Open Cup hopes (and ultimately the hopes of the season) were extinguished there was a glimmer of hope, a vision of what was almost.

Future Expectations

It's widely speculated that Edu will return to the Union in 2015, although he is still on loan from Stoke City. I would expect the Union would do what they need to in order to ensure Edu is back in blue and gold come March 7.