Brotherly Game: All Posts by Brandon Johnson

Three thoughts on the Philadelphia Union’s scoreless draw in Columbus

2021-04-19T14:13:52-04:00

Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

Three thoughts on the Union’s season opener in Columbus

Man of the Match

In my opinion there’s really only one Philadelphia Union player worthy of praise. That’s not to say the other 11 players who played yesterday for Philly were all bad, but there’s one that stands tall above the rest.

Andre Blake.

The reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year further solidified his position as (in my humble opinion) the best keeper in the entire league against Columbus. Andre continued to show confidence and poise within his 18 yard box. Six saves and a shutout is excellent for the Union’s #18, even if admittedly not every shot was totally dangerous. You could also make the argument that the Union were lucky not concede a few times, as the goal posts/bar did them a few favors in the match. Who ever gets by in this game without a little luck though?

As I stated in my article about the Union’s first leg match against Deportivo Saprissa: This club lives and dies by performances like this one by Andre Blake. His confidence is integral to any success they may have this season.

(A quick shoutout to the Columbus Crew’s GK Eloy Room as well, who had an equally excellent match on the opposite end of the pitch. While I found most of the match to be a dull affair, watching (arguably) the two best keepers in the league battle it out was fun.)

Going Ghost

There’s no denying that the Union’s #23 Kacper Przybylko is (by all accounts) a friendly guy, and it seems clear to me he’s loved in the locker room. He’s also scored some goals for the Union in the past few years, and he’s got a great physical presence. I think a pretty large sect of Philly’s fans adore him.

I’m sure you can sense a “but” on it’s way here, and that’s justified. Kacper is a hard player for my to try and write/talk about at times. He frustrates me. I don’t have any disdain for the guy, and when he’s in form I think he’s a solid choice for the Union up top.

That being said, my issues are as follows: Przybylko’s decision making is questionable at the best of times, and maddening at the worst. His execution is very lacking at times. Outside of his physical attributes (which I think is the best part of his game by far) he is missing a certain type of edge I think top-tier strikers in the league need.

Kacper tries to do too much on his own sometimes, which could be caused by a number of factors. A lack of confidence in his strike partner(s), maybe overconfidence on his own part, I can’t say for sure and I don’t want to speculate further.

I know Przybylko has 2 goals already in the CCL, and that’s great! I’m happy for him and the club. Let’s keep some sense of perspective here, though. Both were against a very poor Saprissa side, and in between those goals were a lot of poor decisions with the ball at his feet and a lack of composure. I hope Kacper can work on his weaknesses, and continue to take advantage of his strengths.

I just wonder when it’s time to start looking for the type of striker who can be a true game changer for the club.

(Everything I write and contribute to this site is purely from a personal standpoint, obviously. I do not think it is ever my “job” nor is it my objective to cost someone their job/position/whatever. I just want to be clear on that.)

The best offense is whatever the opposite of that was

Rough game. Not everyone will agree with me, and that’s fine. But for me? Rough. Game. I think there were only two times in the entire match that the Philadelphia Union looked truly dangerous. Yes, as stated previously here, Eloy Room was excellent. In my opinion though, an offense is not judged solely on the shots put on goal, as that only tells part of the story. What about the passes leading up to a shot? What about the crosses? Dribbles? 8 shots off target and a 74% pass completion rate isn’t great. Is it absolutely devastatingly terrible? No. Still though, there was a complete lack of finesse and execution in the Union’s midfield.

(Yes, I know, Columbus looked sloppy too.) Philly did look good on set pieces though in the match, which is really encouraging!

I think one of the issues was with the play coming down the right side of the pitch for the boys in blue. Too many poor decisions being made for me. I think Olivier Mbaizo is an interesting player to watch in the first handful of matches this season. He often misses a clear pass down the flank because he is trying to take on a defender on his own via some fancy flick, or a nutmeg, or even just dribbling. Seldom has it worked. In fairness, Olivier was not the only one at fault here, Monteiro also tried way too hard to take a few situations on by himself, rather than bailing himself out of trouble via a short pass to a teammate.

The biggest issue in the match again the Columbus Crew though, was a complete lack of willingness to adapt. The Crew’s players pretty quickly realized what the cycle of attack from Philly was/would continue to be:

1. Play ball to wide player on left/right.
2. Dribble past defender and/or overlap to winger/fullback on flank.
3. Cross ball into box for Kacper.

It stopped working. Yet, barring a select few instances which were very much exceptions and not the rule, Philadelphia kept trying this. To me, this also reflects badly on Jim Curtin. You have to adapt if you want to succeed in this game, and I think especially this league. We have seen what the Union are capable of when they DO adapt! Every stride the club has made has been due to adapting to the changing of tides. On a smaller level, you need to do so within each match as well.

You know what they say about best laid plans.

Five thoughts on the Philadelphia Union’s win over Saprissa

2021-04-09T10:14:10-04:00

Photo by EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP via Getty Images

The Union are finally back and Brandon Johnson has some thoughts on that and what we saw in Costa Rica on Wednesday night

Well, here we are again folks, our favorite time of year. I am of course speaking about the Concacaf Champions League! The only CL that matters. In all seriousness, it’s an exciting time to be a Philadelphia Union fan! They’re coming off a trophy winning season, and we’ve just experienced the club’s first international match (and win!) The future for the boys in blue is honestly really nothing but bright for the first time in years.

Of course, with the start of a new season comes a brand new set of my opinions being thrown at you via cyberspace. Enjoy!

Wherever you go, we’ll follow.

The Philadelphia Union are in the Concacaf Champions League. How about that? Say what you will about the competition and its history, or about the federation itself, it exists and the Union are in it. That’s reason enough for me to care. I don’t mean to get sappy or emotional, and I’ll try to keep this brief, but I’ve got some things to say.

I’ve been a Philadelphia Union fan technically since I heard the team was going to be a thing after seeing commercials on TV. (I admittedly wasn’t there from the *very* beginning, but what do you want from me I was a kid!) In reality though, I became a diehard, lifelong fan when I was invited to attend the very first home match at the Linc. A friend of my father’s (Hi, John!) had gotten season tickets in the supporter’s section. I was one of the lucky ones who wasn’t late getting into the stadium, I saw the kickoff. I saw every goal. I watched every second of the match like a hawk. I stood there when a few of the players rushed and jumped up to our section at the end of the game. I was enthralled. I was captivated.

I was 14 and I was in love.

This beautiful game of ours, this beautiful club of ours. How many times have they broken our hearts? How many curses, how many screams have come from our mouths in the name of passion? Countless. Infinite, to be sure.

But here we are. Reigning and defending Supporters’ Shield champions. One of the best clubs in the league. On April 10, it will have been 11 years on from that match where I fell in love. The club is stronger than ever. The future is shining brightly.

I am 25 and I’m still in love.

Every second counts.

It wasn’t a perfect match by any means, and the boys can be forgiven for that seeing as it IS the first competitive game of the season, but it was a damn good one.

The Philadelphia Union played solidly. Again, not perfect, but that’s irrelevant. Very rarely is football played perfectly. It’s a beautiful game, but a messy one. On a hot and humid day in Costa Rica, the Union got it done.

Philadelphia’s passing for most of the match was fantastic, in my opinion. Not always clinical, but the creativity and effort was there. The boys didn’t sit back and let the game come to them, they held Saprissa’s feet to the fire. They attacked, nearly relentlessly. They exploited runs behind the defense, they played through the middle, on the outside, over the top, everywhere.

The goal was brilliant. Simply put. The buildup was some of the best I’ve ever seen from the club. Mbaizo’s cross was sublime. Incredibly impressive, especially from someone who I had been completely unimpressed with before that point. Kacper Przybyłko’s run was textbook. His header was clinical. A team goal if I’ve ever seen one.

Most importantly, the Union persevered to the very end of the match. There were scary moments, sure. Quite a few toward the final few minutes, to be honest. In the end, none of that matters. Philly stayed strong, and stood tall.

Consider this goal: kept!

Andre Blake is a first ballot Union Hall of Famer. He is the backbone of this team, and has been for years. I’ll tell my kids about him someday. I can’t wait until I can see him lift an MLS Cup in a Union uniform someday (I hope.)

Blake’s confidence is absolutely integral to Philadelphia’s success now and going forward. When he is playing with confidence, he is without a single doubt the best goalkeeper in this league. This match proved that. The stats won’t always show off the amount of work and effort Blake puts in, but watch a Union game and you’ll see it.

Some people will tell you that keeper is the least important position on the pitch. I wholeheartedly disagree with this. Andre Blake has saved the Union from defeat nearly single-handedly more than once. Yes, his distribution is highly questionable, but I’ll take that all day for everything else he gives to the club. Blake’s vision and aggression are paramount to his success as a keeper.

In my opinion, this team lives and dies by players like Andre Blake.

O, fontana!

Coming into this season, it was made abundantly (if not totally officially) clear that Anthony Fontana would be a starter. The young man from Delaware showed flashes of brilliance last season as a sub and starter on more than one occasion. Personally, I was of the opinion that he should’ve started the Union’s lone playoff game last year. Alas, that was last season, and this is now.

Fontana may have started in Philly’s first game of the season against Deportivo Saprissa in the CCL, but you could’ve fooled me. Anthony was basically invisible the entire first half of the match, and I was very surprised to see him start the second half, let alone play the full 90+.

While the team had some messy plays and scary moments throughout the match, the boys still looked (mostly) comprehensive. Unfortunately Fontana was essentially a non factor. Very few touches, even less meaningful ones, a dribble here or there that went nowhere and led to nothing. More than once head coach Jim Curtin could be overheard on the broadcast issuing instruction to Fontana. (Yes, I know this is not a strange occurrence, and Curtin certainly gave out orders to other players too, but it stood out to me more than once.)

Toward the end of the match he was clearly tired, which to be clear I am not holding against him! It was a humid, warm day in Costa Rica and he was playing football. My issue there is more with Curtin’s lack of a substitution. I understand it wasn’t going to be a situation of “like-for-like”, but that’s part of the job.

I still firmly believe Anthony Fontana is a very talented player who is going to be a fixture of this squad going forward. I just hope he moves on from this match quickly.

Red, I’m seeing red.

I don’t have much to say about Ricardo Blanco’s horror tackle on Kai Wagner at the very end of the match. It was disgusting, it was dangerous, it was the worst this game has to offer.

All I want to say is this: I can only hope somebody’s gonna collect a receipt next week.

Three takeaways from the Philadelphia Union’s instant classic in L.A.

2020-03-09T16:35:42-04:00

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Three things that stood out in a game with no shortage of drama

A Vintage Blake

What a match from Andre Blake, huh? The man was kicked, kneed, hit, and just generally bullied by LAFC all night and he came through huge. Despite seeing the ball in the back of his net 3 times, Blake played excellently. Andre had a staggering 8 saves on the night, away from home against arguably (or unarguably) the best team in Major League Soccer. He made one slight mistake during the match when he failed to clear or catch a ball in the air, and then complained that he was obstructed by an LAFC player, which led to LA’s third goal. He can be forgiven for that though as he had taken multiple hits to the head during the course of the match, so maybe he wasn’t playing totally at 100%. Still, the Union are NOT in that match without Andre.

Missing: Jamiro Monteiro

For the second week in a row, Jamiro Monteiro is essentially nowhere to be found. I struggled with whether or not to write about him here as I really don’t have very much to say that I didn’t already say last week. He didn’t have an effect on the offensive end of the pitch, and defensively he left a whole lot to be desired. Again, Jamiro tried to do too much offensively, choosing to try and dribble his way out of situations instead of looking for the (much safer) passing option in front, or behind, him. Yes, it is early in the season. Trust me, I get that. That being said, he is still a Designated Player, and that comes with certain expectations. We need to see much more from Monteiro and soon to justify his record breaking price tag and place on the first team.

The Wizard of Defense

Jose “El Brujo” Martinez made his first start for the Philadelphia Union on Sunday night in Los Angeles, and showed the nation why they call him The Wizard. Multiple successful tackles, a high energy workrate, an 85% passing accuracy, he was all over the pitch for the Union. Besides one rough tackle which led to a yellow card, he showed great composure and anchored the Philly midfield well while getting quite the damage done to his face and having to repeatedly swap his bloody jersey out for a new one. A definite improvement over Warren Creavalle, despite being called a “project” by Sporting Director Ernst Tanner expect to see El Brujo back in the starting lineup over the next few weeks.

Three takeaways from the loss to FC Dallas

2020-03-01T09:28:53-05:00

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia lost after two second half goals in Frisco

Jakob Glesnes impresses

I may be in the minority here, but I was actually impressed by Glesnes’ first competitive game for Philly. He certainly wasn’t perfect (nobody on the field was) but he showed flashes of quality. Jakob’s long passing was a joy to behold, making multiple cross-pitch passes to switch the point of attack. His overall composure on and off the ball under pressure (besides that one reckless tackle) helped stabilize the backline, I believe.

The Invisible Men

Jamiro Monteiro and Brenden Aaronson had such quiet games on Saturday night that I almost forgot they were there. Neither man could get anything going on the pitch offensively. Monteiro’s insistence on dribbling and taking multiple men on himself did not help matters at all. Brenden showed a distinct lack of creativity going forward, and only completed 67% of his passes. Both men failed to get the forwards involved in the match as well. While Aaronson is young and still quite raw, the same cannot be said for Mr. Monteiro. I expect more from a player on an expensive DP contract.

Sergio Santos Stinker

Oh boy, did Sergio Santos have quite the match on Saturday night in Texas. His runs (or lack there of in most situations) were ineffective at best, he was outsmarted by defenders at almost every turn, his shots were either off target or blocked, and his short temper cost him in the form of a yellow card in the 84th minute. Santos looked generally out of the game pretty much the whole match unfortunately. He will need to show some sort of justification for being in the first team soon, or I imagine his spot will be up for grabs.

Three takeaways from the NYCFC loss

2019-07-01T10:17:00-04:00

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Union came up empty in the Bronx and have picked up only one point in six to start the second half of the season

MLS has a referee problem

Let’s get it out of the way right now: both penalties were soft, with the second one in my opinion not being a penalty at all. I will say this: Auston Trusty has to do better there. He’s got to trust his partner in the back in that situation, the fact that he doesn’t speaks volumes. That being said: MLS has a referee issue. Week in, week out, there are issues being brought up in regard to the refs in MLS, just this week two major MLS stars (Alejandro Bedoya and Jozy Altidore) took to Twitter to publicly complain about the quality of refereeing in the league. That’s not a good look for the MLS. Speaking of things not being a good look for the MLS...

Yankee Stadium is a joke

Am I the only one that finds that pitch at Yankee Stadium (and to a greater extent NYCFC’s whole situation) a complete and utter joke? It’s akin to a 7v7 pitch, there’s no room for tactics, there’s hardly any room for football on an 11v11 scale. It’s all fouls and lucky (or unlucky) bounces all over the pitch. Players barely have room to back up and take a corner or throw in! How is this allowed in the modern version of MLS? It feels like something from the past, when the league wasn’t taken, and didn’t take itself, as seriously. (Two notes here: 1. No I am not blaming the loss on the pitch. The Union weren’t good enough, full stop. 2. My comments do not reflect my opinion of Yankee Stadium as a baseball stadium, totally different worlds.)

The Union aren’t playing like a first place team

The Philadelphia Union may be in first place in the Eastern Conference of MLS, but they certainly aren’t playing like it. You can only blame referees and poor pitches so much. The team lacks cohesion at the moment, they lack a killer edge to put them over the competition. Sure, goals are coming steady but the lack of quality at the back is making those goals null and void. Sloppy defense and lackluster goalkeeping are leading to dropped points and missed opportunities. It leads you to ask questions like: Why isn’t Carlos Miguel Coronel being given a shot in goal after he showed some quality earlier in the season? At one point do Trusty or Elliot get benched in favor of the more experienced Aurelien Collin, to spark some fire there? At one point do the Union go out and try to improve their situation at right back when Ray Gaddis just clearly isn’t enough? You can be in first place, but it won’t last if you don’t act like a first place team.

Three things we learned in the scoreless draw with Seattle Sounders

2019-05-20T11:26:01-04:00

Photo by Heather Barry

A look back at Saturday night’s frustrating scoreless draw

Sergio Santos had a poor match

Hey, everybody has bad days. That being said, not a great night for Mr. Santos. The Philadelphia Union striker played only 57 minutes in the match, coming off for Ilsinho in the second half. Within those 57 minutes he managed only 1 shot, which was off-target, and only connected on 67% of his passes. Sergio (along with most everyone else) could not get into a rhythm on Saturday night, never really finding his spots. One has to wonder if maybe the Union’s forward issues aren’t quite as solved as they may have seemed in the past few weeks. Is Sergio perhaps better suited as a sub? I say give him a couple more matches in the starting 11 and see what he can do. Patience is a virtue, and one Philly can afford at that.

Finish. Finish. FINISH!

Some people may be satisfied with the result, but not I! Time to put on my grouchy fan hat now for a minute, but come on, how did the Union not put one into the back of the net? Look, Seattle’s keeper Stefan Frei had a great night in goal, yes. He had some very good saves throughout the night, six in total to be exact. But what about the chances that were put wide? Like the wide open look Aaronson had that he put to the side of the goal? Aaronson had four shots on the night, with half off target. Or the (THREE OUT OF SEVEN!!!) terrible shots Jamiro Monteiro sailed over the net throughout the night? Listen guys, I know y’all put six past the New England Revs a few weeks back, but that doesn’t mean you just start blasting at the net. Patience, again, the theme of the week. Stay calm, keep your eyes on the prize, and put it past the keeper.

Jamiro Monteiro: Impressive, but out of control

So far Jamiro Monteiro has impressed me quite a bit. I rate him highly in terms of the Union’s squad. That being said, he plays like a wildfire, man. Which sometimes can be great! Other times, not so much. The team seems content with letting Monteiro control the midfield when he has possession, dealing out passes to the attacking corps or taking on the defense all by himself. While I don’t think he had a poor match on Saturday night, I was largely unhappy with his contributions. Seven shots is far too many for him to take in a match. Especially considering nearly 50% of them were off target. I also believe he fouls far too much, but this is a byproduct of his hard style of play, which for the most part I can come to terms with. The good far outweighs the bad with Jamiro, I just hope Jim Curtin begins to control his style of play a little more to fit the system.

What were your takeaways from Saturday night? Let us hear them in the comments.

Four things we learned in the win over the Montreal Impact

2019-04-22T11:45:02-04:00

Jamiro Monteiro takes a penalty against the Montreal Impact on April 20, 2025 | Morgan Tencza

Takeaways from the 3-0 win over the Montreal Impact

The Union returned home Saturday to face a team that has troubled them mightily at home in the past but ended up with a convincing 3-0 win. Here are three things we learned from the game.

Monteiro has proven himself

Jamiro Monteiro was excellent during Saturday’s match. Not even talking about the gorgeous penalty he put past Montreal’s Evan Bush, the 25 year old was on fire. With 36 accurate, connected passes, multiple successful tackles, and the aforementioned goal in the 57th minute.

What more can really be said about Jamiro? He fought and earned his spot in the side over the past few weeks, and I can’t think of anyone who can really take him out of the starting 11. It’s been quite a while since Philly has had a truly solid two-way midfielder. I for one am already a fan, and can’t wait to see what more he can bring.

Haris Medunjanin has forced me to eat my words

Welcome to my new one-time mini-column: Eating my words! Haris Medunjanin has SERIOUSLY stepped up his game in the past few weeks, proving me totally wrong. I was calling for him to be taken out of the side for weeks, now I can’t exactly argue for it anymore. Haris had himself a very solid match on Saturday against Montreal. With a phenomenal 80 completed passes, he controlled the ball for the Union throughout the entire match, and helped propel the team’s attacking moves forward all day. One small note, he did receive a yellow card in the 62nd minute but shhhhhh, it’s okay. (Small note: I, as has been stated before, am not a coward and have never been wrong and will never be wrong about any player except this ONE time.) ((That was sarcasm for those who are ready to murder me.))

This is Bedoya’s team now

Alejandro Bedoya, Philly’s captain, the savior of Cory Burke and the rest of the squad. What else is new? Say what you will about Bedoya’s tenure as a Union player, when he’s played correctly his positioning and instinct are top notch. We’re seeing him flourish as the player he really is at his core this year. When Burke missed an absolute sitter on an entirely open net off a Kai Wagner cross in the 57th minute, it was the captain Bedoya who cashed in with a much tougher shot to put the Union up 3-0. While it was wonderful to see, and I love that Ale is so clutch, the attacking forces HAVE to improve their finishing ASAP. I loved Cory’s earlier goal, but there’s no reason to miss there.

Kai Wagner’s tackle was unacceptable

It feels like week in, week out now I’m mentioning a Union’s players totally ridiculous lack of composure and discipline. It is the 90th minute, your team is up 3-0 and about to win, you have proven yourself a surprisingly effective and valued member of the starting 11, so naturally you fly in on an opposing player with both feet and take out his legs. Wait, what? I couldn’t believe my eyes. Clearly a red on even the first glance (not sure how the ref didn’t give a red card immediately but okay), Kai Wagner is now suspended for the Union’s next match. Unacceptable. Silly. Obviously a sign of inexperience, but none the less unacceptable. The situation did not call for a desperation tackle like that, the technique and timing of the tackle was poor, all signs point to a lack of discipline. Two weeks in a row where a key member of Philadelphia’s defense makes an incredibly poor decision, but this is what you get with a young core. More growing pains. I suppose this means we may get a rare Matt Real first team appearance though, so that’s fun!

Three things we learned in LA Galaxy loss

2019-04-16T10:37:00-04:00

Nate Huber

A look back at the 2-0 loss to the Galaxy

The Union saw their three-game win streak and four-game unbeaten streak come to an end Saturday night in California with a 2-0 loss to the LA Galaxy. Here are four takeaways.

Brenden Aaronson is human, after all

So for the first time this season, in his fifth consecutive start, the 18-year old finally showed some real signs of being young and inexperienced. Aaronson, who has hardly, and really only if you’re looking for something to say, put a foot wrong this year so far, wasn’t at his best on Saturday against the Galaxy. His explosive attacking moves were not on show as they usually are, his passing and decision making were just a touch off and could still use some work. He also managed only one shot (a skied effort well over the LA net) during the entire match. This all being said, the kid is entitled to an off game. By and large Brenden has played above and beyond what anyone could have realistically expected from an 18-year old prospect. Hopefully he brings it back around in his next game.

Auston Trusty is experiencing some growing pains

Well, it’s certainly no good when your (essentially) Number 1 center back gets red carded. Even when you’re down 2-0, with no hope to win, discipline is important. Auston had a rough go of it in general in the game, getting beaten easily (with barely even an attempt to jump at it) for Zlatan and LA’s first goal in the 27th minute. Then again he was involved in the PK awarded to the Galaxy, deserved or not this is still a fact. His first yellow card came in the 47th minute with an utterly foolish and unnecessary slam into the back of the Galaxy’s Lletget. Finally, in the 76th minute of this absolute slog of a match, Trusty was sent off with a second yellow for another foul on Lletget, this time right outside of the Union’s 18-yard box. Again, maybe the LA player threw himself into the challenge (I don’t think he did for what it’s worth), but this doesn’t change the lack of discipline shown by Auston. I know he’s young. I’m a fan of his game for the most part, even. This game is unacceptable though. He has over a year’s worth of pro-level play now, do better.

Cory Burke STILL isn’t the answer

The Philadelphia Union are experiencing some pain in regard to their attacking corps this season. With Santos seemingly chronically sidelined with injury, their choices come down to (realistically at striker) David Accam, Fafa Picault and Cory Burke. Despite Burke’s goal last week, I can’t imagine why he started this game over the in-form David Accam. One goalless game shouldn’t lose you a starting spot. Fafa Picault, of whom I’ve been very vocal about my opinion, gets a pass this week because of being a freak early sub. Burke is just simply not good enough. He’s not fast enough, he doesn’t use his weight enough, and his passing ability is in question. Both of his only TWO shots on goal were blocked, and he only had a passing rating of 58%. These are the kind of statistics you want out of your starting striker? No thanks. I’m happy that everyone think Curtin is “experimenting” now, but I wish he’d really experiment with the idea of dropping Burke to a purely bench role, which Cory is best suited for.

What did you learn from the Galaxy loss? Share it in the comments.

Three things we learned in the comeback win over FC Dallas

2019-04-08T09:31:45-04:00

Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Takeaways from a wild night in Chester

There’s a lot to discuss from Saturday night’s comeback win over FC Dallas. But here are three takeaways.

The Union have a style of play now

For years the Philadelphia Union have floated in and out of murky waters in terms of having a true “style” of play, or even a real team “identity” outside of the basic regurgitated “PHILLY TOUGH” stuff that you hear from various outlets. This isn’t to say that they’ve never had a style over the years, but those moments were few and far between, and quite short lived. Something changed this year. Something has been sparked in this squad in the last few matches. The Union have been pressing hard on defense, moving the ball swiftly and cleanly on offense, and have looked like a legitimate cohesive unit.

I’m so happy that I just wrote those words. It feels great! After a very disappointing, very Union start to the season, this squad has looked possessed with a certain conviction. I’ve been very outspokenly loving their recent ability to move the ball in the opponent’s final third. The end product still needs a whole lot of work, with 18 total shots but only 8 on target. That being said, there’s such a noticeable difference between a team with no identity and this team right now.

Monteiro should get a start

Fairly self explanatory but: Jamiro Monteiro should get a start in the coming weeks. I was very impressed with his work rate on Saturday night. Jamiro came on in the 77th minute and was an immediate sparkplug for the home side. With 100 percent pass completion, amount of passes nonwithstanding, and one KEY shot on goal (he would later add another for good measure), Monteiro helped kickstart the Union’s comeback.

He showed me enough that I think it’s time to get him in a starting role. Where? That’s the tricky part. In my opinion, he should slot into the holding midfielder spot that is currently occupied by Haris Medunjanin. Yes, Haris has impressed in the past few matches, but if you’re not consistently trying to improve your side, then you’re degrading. Keep things fresh. Promote healthy competition for spots in the starting 11.

Marco Fabián has a discipline problem

Four matches played. Two yellows and one red. Yes, I know the red was controversial. Yes, I believe it was too harsh. Either way, unacceptable in the grand scheme of things. The yellow he received in Saturday’s match was well deserved. The foul Fabián committed was foolish, and directly led to FC Dallas’ loan goal on the night. If Marco is going to be a central figure, and a leader at the top of the midfield diamond, he needs to pick it up in this regard. The Union can not afford to have one of their key players consistently in foul trouble, or being suspended for multiple games. Marco Fabián is a legitimate offensive threat when he’s on, and all cylinders are firing. He will be key to the Philadelphia Union’s success this season and for the foreseeable future, but he needs to stay disciplined.

What were your takeaways from Saturday night? Let us know in the comments.

Three things we learned in last night’s 1-1 draw in Atlanta

2019-03-18T10:17:00-04:00

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Aaronson had a strong debut, but questions remain about Haris, Fafa and Burke

The Union picked up their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw last night against the defending MLS Cup champions Atlanta United in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Here are three things we learned.

“Play your kids!” Brenden Aaronson is one to watch

Hey, kid, how about a goal on your debut?

The young (only 18!) Philadelphia Union academy product was quite active and involved early in the match, with a clear intensity and drive to get the ball forward and be on it as much as possible. His passing skill, while still clearly raw, was on display, and a few of his runs forward led to chances on goal. He capped off an impressive debut with a confidently taken goal from outside the 18 that left Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan standing still in his goal (whether or not he couldn’t see the ball or if it took a bounce off the turf is up for debate, one that I’m not particularly interested in having. Let the kid have the goal without any superficial caveats.) As stated before, the kid is very clearly raw. His awareness and attacking instinct could use some work, but the pieces are there. With more playing time these things will come together for the young man. The question is: in a side that features Marco Fabián will he be able to find that playing time? With the Union only participating in 2 competitions this year (MLS and the U.S. Open Cup respectively), where will he find the opportunities?

Cory Burke and Fafa Picault aren’t the answer

Only three games into this season, I already feel comfortable saying the following: the forward partnership between Fafa Picault and Cory Burke just isn’t good enough. No disrespect to either player, but it just isn’t working. It’s not for a lack of trying, clearly, as both players run their hearts out often all over the final third and middle of the pitch. This being said there is one GLARING issue here: they just can’t finish. Neither player has put the ball in the back of the net three matches into the MLS season. The U’s only goals have come from an 18-year-old in his first MLS start and a penalty kick from Fabián in the home opener against Toronto. That’s not acceptable, sorry. Call me harsh, or say it’s too early to say such things, but facts are facts. To be an effective striking partnership you gotta score some goals. Simple as that. Some of you may point to last season as “evidence” that it “could” work, but to that I say “But what about this season?” While I know this comes off as very “I know you are but what am I?” it’s just how it is.

Picault’s game is all spectacle and no substance, and it’s always been this way. Fafa has skill, it’s plain to see. He’s quick and occasionally his physicality despite his size comes in handy for him. On the other hand look at his chance on goal around the 40th minute. Not even touching the fact that he may have been offside for the initial (beautiful, might I add) pass from Aaronson, he makes a huge run with his superior pace, beats Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan, and then just softly taps the ball towards net where it is blocked by a defender. Now, yes, I realize he is slightly off balance and there’s semi-heavy defensive pressure on him, but it’s just. Not. Good. Enough. A player HAS to finish that chance. This is not unique either. Fafa routinely makes 20+ yard runs towards goal, cuts in, and then skies a shot or puts it right toward the keeper. He’s all flash and no end product. Jim Curtin has to do something about this, whether it’s hands-on coaching, or giving someone else a shot, I don’t know for sure. The Union don’t have a chance if their forwards aren’t scoring.

Haris Medunjanin is a problem

I used to love watching Medunjanin suit up for the blue and gold. He was a slightly more interesting player during some very dark times for the Union. Now? It makes me miserable. For the third match in a row, Haris has had a direct role in his team conceding a goal. Luckily, it was only one goal this time. His sauntering pace on defense and complete inability to mark a player is absolutely unacceptable at this point. Medunjanin failed to mark or even at the very least challenge Atlanta’s Barco on his headed goal in the box. This cannot keep happening. Haris is practically useless at this point on the defensive end, and offensively he is FAR too easy to predict, with his totally inconsistent passing and absolute inability to do basically anything other than try to shoot it from outside the 18 which always results in one of the two following options: A. Straight into a defenders legs/back and back towards the Union’s half or B. Straight over the net presumably into the atmosphere never to be seen again on this or any physical plane of existence. The Philadelphia Union don’t have a lot of options here, but I for one, and I’m sure I am not alone in this, would much rather see someone like Derrick Jones in the starting XI over Haris. That is obviously assuming Curtin decides to stop playing defensive-minded players on that left wing side.