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The Philadelphia Union season is finally here and after an intriguing offseason that included the team landing their highest paid and highest profile signing ever it’s time to see if the blue and gold can improve on their 50-point season from a year ago that ended on a down note with a first round playoff loss.
It’s still a little tricky to predict how quickly the team will adapt to its new formation and style of play implemented by Sporting Director Ernst Tanner, but the staff here and some friends we reached out to gave it a try with some bold and not so bold predictions about the season at hand.
The Bold
“After a stellar Gold Cup the Union finally pull the trigger on an Andre Blake transfer to Europe, let’s say somewhere in the English Championship, maybe Stoke City since they’ll probably be selling Jack Butland off soon. Adding to this, the Union will exercise the option to permanently buy Carlos Miguel Coronel.” -Alex Klein
“The Union will host a playoff game. The Eastern conference is for the taking this season. Atlanta and NYRB will be tough, but a third or fourth place finish is definitely achievable given the rest of the East is not very strong (NYCFC didn’t replace Villa, Toronto losing Giovinco).” -Jonathan Bach
“The Union get their home playoff game and Santos pots 10.” -Vivian Chace
“We finish third jn the east. Make it to the conference finals and beat ATL in PKs. Then lose the MLS Final to SKC.” -AJ McClung, Doopy Brothers podcast
“My bold predictions are that Santos scores 20 goals, Aaronson gets 8 combined goals/assists, and we win the Open Cup.” -Luke McClung, Doopy Brothers podcast
“Union win first ever playoff game.” -Heather Reppert, season ticket holder
“My bold prediction is that Tanner isn’t done making moves with this team. I think there could be more moves such as another signing or trade away like Blake.” -Josh Dowlin
“Mark McKenzie becomes the Union’s largest sale in the summer on the heels of his U20 World Cup performance (which he’s released to play in).” -Jared Young, American Soccer Analysis
“The Union will finish third in the East while accumulating their highest point total and goal differential ever, and win their first playoff game.” -Phil Moore
“The Union make the playoffs and get a home game.” -Pete Schlenker
“Sergio Santos breaks the franchise single-season scoring record.” -John Rossi
“The Union win the U.S. Open Cup, a game at Yankee Stadium and a playoff game.” -Matt Ralph
The not so bold
“The Union will host an MLS home playoff game by finishing third in the Eastern Conference behind Atlanta and NYRB.” -Alex Klein
“Cory Burke will lead the team in goals. I firmly believe he will be the most consistent striker on the team, even if it seems Fafa and Sergio Santos are the number 1 and 2 strikers on the depth chart.” -Jonathan Bach
“Ilsinho gets injured and Fabián has the highest combined goals/assists.” -Vivian Chace
“Union finish sixth in the east and lose 4-0 to ATL in the first round.” -AJ McClung, Doopy Brothers podcast
“Our fullbacks prove to be the weakness we suspect they will be and we struggle for the seventh playoff spot.” -Luke McClung, Doopy Brothers podcast
“Fafa leads team in goals.” -Heather Reppert, season ticket holder
“Marco Fabián will help lead this team to its first playoff win.” -Josh Dowlin
“Union finish sixth in the East.” -Jared Young, American Soccer Analysis (Be sure to check out Jared’s Union preview for ASA here)
“The Union will score more goals this season than ever before, making the playoffs for the second consecutive season.” -Phil Moore
“Marco Fabián takes MLS by storm and is an MVP candidate.” -Pete Schlenker
“The Union finish 5th and lose in the first round of the playoffs.” -John Rossi
“The Union start the season off with a few disappointing draws and a couple road losses, go on a run in the summer time but still finish somewhere between fifth and eighth place in the Eastern Conference.” -Matt Ralph