Brotherly Game Daily Links: Union end preseaon with a loss

Philadelphia Union News

Philadelphia Union drop final preseason game
The Union fell behind inside 20 minutes and conceded twice in the second half to fall 3-1 to DC United in their final preseason match in Clearwater on Saturday.

No. 6 the key change driving a shift in playing style this season
Ernst Tanner went into the offseason determined to find more athleticism and coverage at the No. 6 position. As a result, Haris Medunjanin was allowed to leave for Cincinnati and the Union brought in both Matej Oravec and Jose “El Brujo” Martinez

MLS News

Analyzing the top 5 MLS players at every position ahead of 2020
The competition is so razor thin nowadays that if MLSSoccer.com performed this exercise on a different day, many of the positional groups would likely have a different order.

The top 10 young players for the 2020 MLS season
While plenty of superstars merit excitement before the new MLS slate, fans are also bound to be drawn to youngsters on the rise.

LAFC’s blueprint for success enters critical phase in franchise’s third MLS season
Last season, nearly 42% of LAFC’s league minutes went to players under 24, the highest percentage of any MLS team by far. This season, Thorrington is doubling down on that youth movement; since August he has signed five players who weren’t old enough to buy a beer in California and four of them are expected to play big roles this year.

DC United’s Paul Arriola to undergo ACL surgery, miss 2020 MLS season
D.C. United midfielder Paul Arriola is expected to miss the 2020 Major League Soccer season and 2022 World Cup qualifiers due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He will undergo ACL reconstructive surgery Monday and is projected to miss nine months while recovering, the team announced Saturday.