Pre-match: how to smash The Union
Line-up: 4-4-2
Gspurning
Yedlin Traore Hurtado Gonzalez
Rosales Joseph Alonso Evans
Johnson Neagle
I'd bet Martins will be rested and used later on in this road trip. Neagle should keep his spot up top after recent performances. Evans worked well with Joseph against Colorado and should remain in midfield with Zak sounding like he'll miss out with his groin injury. Hopefully I've got all the injuries accounted for.
This game will be all about how quickly we can move the ball forward and start attacking moves. Philly are at home, they’ve got an energetic and skilled midfield and two strikers in Casey and McInerny who have formed an effective partnership. They will give us plenty to defend. But they’ve been weak on defense themselves, especially in transition. The partnership between Parke and Okugo hasn’t worked well, and the communication and positioning of those two have been at fault for a large percentage of the goals they’ve conceded. Here’s a few examples:
Earnshaw takes advantage of Okugo napping after a giveaway in midfield:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/04/ ... beats-trapLuyindula pulls both center backs out of position and Henry finds the space:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/03/ ... ful-volleyThey get pulled out of position very easily and seem to not know what the other is doing. If the forwards can get them moving out of their comfortable spots in the middle we’ll be able to open them up.
The ball-winning and distribution capabilities of Alonso and Joseph should be able to exploit these weaknesses. Instructions for those two should be win the ball and look to find the runs of the front two immediately. Keon Daniel tends to be the one pulling the strings in midfield for them and has done a very good job for them, coming up with a few assists. If Ozzie and Shalrie can get stuck into him it should keep them from getting into a rhythm in midfield, as well as open up plenty of chances to counter.
One defense, we’ll need to be wary of the link up play between Cruz and Casey and McInerny. They have supplied a handful of effective attacks for Philly and have worked well together to exploit the spaces left open when the opposition attacks. Examples of them at work:
Casey finishes after Cruz escapes down the right:
Another chance for Casey set up by Cruz:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/04/ ... nches-goalCasey sends McInerny through after possession is won in midfield:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/04/ ... nces-earlyWe won't be looking to press them high up the pitch away from home, but with the counter in mid, once they get into midfield we'll need to be right on top of them. Evans, Joseph and Alonso are good for that all day long, and Mauro (when he makes it back) is smart in his defensing positioning and will do enough.
Being physical in the back will be a key. Hurtado and Traore can’t let Casey bully them, because McInerny will pounce on any opportunity he sees Casey getting too much attention from the defenders. Gonzalez will have to be aware as well because Cruz can supply plenty of pace down the right and as seen in the highlights above can produce chances for his team mates. McInerny has been hot at the beginning of this season and looks like finishing just about everything he gets a sniff of. Sometimes there’s not much you can do to defend a poacher like him. Traore hopefully, in all his experience, can give his ankles a few taps (in un-precarious positions on the field, of course) along the way to put him off.
One last thing I hope Sigi pays attention to is set pieces, including the long throw. I’ve counted 4 Union goals coming throw ins, corners or delivery from set pieces. Hopefully some time will be set aside in training to organize our team when defending those. There's nothing uglier than conceding from a long throw in my opinion, but they can be very difficult to defend.
Fitness will be an issue with three games coming in 8 days so expect to see plenty of the squad throughout and all three subs used against the Union. I expect to see Johnson subbed at around 70’ since he’s coming off injury, and Rosales around the same time. Joseph maybe another candidate for getting a break before 90’ is up depending on how the game is going.
Union are very beatable and a win on the road in Philly will get us off to a good start on our road trip. We need to attack quickly and be physical. This game will be won for us by Alonso and Joseph. We just need our forwards to put away the chances they’re bound to get.
