Philadelphia Union: The Ole Onionbag (mailbag) week eight
By Chuck Booth
Welcome to our first mailbag after a Philadelphia Union win! I’d like to thank you all for sticking around through the rough patch.
The streak of Philadelphia Union futility has ended at 15. Now we celebrate right? Oh, wait there’s still more soccer to be played? One win doesn’t equal playoffs! Oh drat, back to the drawing board it is then…
Last week’s mailbag can be found here
Let’s get to the questions:
Friends Of Ben: What did you see that was different from every other performance this year?
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Here’s a funny answer. Looking at the last three matches (leaving out the second half dumpster fire vs Montreal because it is that unexplainable) nothing. Since the Philadelphia Union have unveiled their new lineup with Gaddis over Rosenberry and Roland Alberg at the 10, I’ve been pleased with the shifts that the team has put in. They’ve been progressive in attack and the backline has been rock solid recording two straight clean sheets. The Red Bulls win was a carryover from a good performance in LA after hitting rock bottom versus Montreal.
Dooper Scooper: Do you accept the Fresh Prince as your lord and striker or are you still hesitant about his ability to be consistent?
CJ Sapong’s start to the season has been beautiful to watch and also pretty unexpected. But while I want to drink the CJ Sapong Kool-aid, until he keeps scoring when the weather heats up and the games come at a faster pace, I will have my doubts. This stretch of three games in eight days will be a telling one for Sapong.
Larry Henry: What do you think the Union need to do this weekend to keep up last week’s momentum?
Get a result. While a win would be great, it’s hard to win on the road in MLS. Just ask Orlando City. Teams that are able to pick up points in tough environments are rewarded at the end of the season. While the four draws look bad now, they could be meaningful if the Philadelphia Union can grab more points on the road. Win at home, avoid losing on the road and good things happen.
Jason Hannigan: Union won a soccer game (woo). What’s next? Do things continue to get better?
I’ve said it before that all this team needs is a win and I’ll stick to that statement. In this three-game stretch, the Philadelphia Union have a prime opportunity at five points or more. They could feasibly double their season points total and it wouldn’t surprise me. While a lot needs to be done to turn the Philadelphia Union info a playoff team, getting a win and more importantly a clean sheet is an important building block.
Liam McCorry: Does last week’s win affect Curtin’s place on the hot seat at all or do you think he’s still on a tight leash?
The win truly affected his leash. While it doesn’t seem like much, optics matter so that one win does make a difference as the Philadelphia Union won’t be approaching Chivas USA levels of ineptitude.
Next: C.J. Sapong named MLS Player of the Week
Tallahassee Union: Do you consider this a rivalry? (our twitter poll is split)
I consider DC more of a rivalry than I do when it comes to New York Red Bulls. Games when Philadelphia and DC are beginning to become instant classics and it is clear that the two teams don’t like each other. While we’re on the topic of rivalries, one team that I’d also like to discuss is Orlando City. While there isn’t much history between the two teams, each game against the lions has the late drama necessary to form a rivalry. If the two teams can get a few playoff matchups under their belts, there could be something brewing there.