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The Philadelphia Union collapsed down the stretch, but there's reason for hope in 2017
The Philadelphia Union are out of the playoffs, but it never really felt like they were there. They lost 3-1 to Toronto FC on Wednesday, ending their first playoff appearance since 2011 after one game.
Their undoing in the end was largely what it has been for the past eight games: They could not stop conceding goals, right to the bitter end, and it made the match feel out of reach far too early on. Toronto FC were given a slew of opportunities close to goal as the Union bungled their share of clearances, which allowed arguably all three goals, but was directly responsible for two.
For Philly, it was a match to forget in an already-forgettable end to the season. The Union came into the knockout round winless in seven, the last three of them losses and the last two shutout losses. More than anything, Wednesday's 3-1 finish was a continuation of the team's precipitous slide in form. But the good news for Philly is that the issues they need to address are both obvious and fixable.
.@JozyAltidore's goal that sealed @torontofc's victory. #TORvPHI https://t.co/NmvvGZQrla
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 27, 2016
The defense is clearly the top issue on their fixer-upper to-do list and Wednesday only reinforced it, even if some of the problems have been beyond their control this year. Defensive midfielder Maurice Edu, a Designated Player, was out the entire season with a stress fracture. There was no replacing him for Philly, try as Warren Creavalle might, and just as Edu prepared to return in time for playoffs, he broke a fibula, ruling him out for the year.
Then, one month ago, centerback Josh Yaro suffered a horrible concussion that left him unresponsive as he was stretched off the pitch and he hasn't been back. While the rookie did have some growing to do, he had mostly been solid. The same cannot be said for his replacement, Ken Tribbett, whose poor defending twice allowed Toronto to score on Wednesday. Trying to stop Jozy Altidore, especially in his current form, is not an easy task, but it looked downright impossible for Tribbett to keep up. Richie Marquez has mostly been fine, but not as part of a centerback pairing that simply hasn't worked.
The Union have had right back Kegan Rosenberry as a solid defensive presence, and he'd probably be a good contender for the league's Rookie of the Year award if goal-scorers like Jordan Morris weren't favored. His 1v1 defending is excellent and he has consistently done well to shut down some of the league's best attacking threats. But Rosenberry can't make up for the overall weakness of the Union midfield and back line in defending.
In addition to shoring up the defensive end, the Union may need to go get a marquee playmaker, if not outright goal-scorers. They have good attacking depth with the likes of Roland Alberg, Ilsinho and Charlie Davies, who were all brought in earlier this year, but they didn't get enough out of starters like striker C.J. Sapong, who finished the year with just seven goals in 31 games and none in the season's final two months.
The solution may lie in finding a No. 10 who can be a step up from Tranquillo Barnetta. The 31-year-old Barnetta is a powerful midfield force whose pace and off-the-ball movement make him a threat, but his ball control and finishing aren't nearly clinical enough to keep the Union firing. A better-clicking midfield could help Alejandro Bedoya, who started well for Philly but has often looked lost down this final stretch of the season. If there's any doubt about what a quality No. 10 can do, look no further than the arrival of Nicolas Lodeiro helping push the Seattle Sounders from last to fourth place.
If not, then the Union do probably need better finishers, as Chris Pontius has really been the only one carrying the load of finishing chances. He was the Union's top-scorer with 12 goals and six assists. It's a decent enough total, but the Union should be looking to get more goals out of their strike force.
Of course, it's no surprise that the Union have problems to address. Even from the outset, this looked more like a rebuilding year than one to chase after the MLS Cup. Indeed, the Union had the most inexperienced roster of any team to make the playoffs. This year, their first playoffs since 2011, is something positive to build upon, even if it ended with a whimper.
It's clear the Union's front office is willing to do what it takes. They went out and spent their most money ever on a player this summer, bringing in Bedoya for $2 million. Some of that was almost certainly about his status with the U.S. national team, but Bedoya has a good work rate and plays the kind of smart, organized soccer that is beneficial to the Union midfield. That move signals a willingness to spend on better results — and it's on top of a new $14 million training complex the Union built for 2016.
It's still only Year One in the Earnie Stewart era of the Philadelphia Union, and he was not brought on to transform the team overnight. As part of a long-term vision for the club, Stewart is helping establish a team identity and finding the pieces that complement that style of play. It has meant losing some players, like Sebastien Le Toux, but bringing in the likes of Bedoya and others. Stewart, who has experience as a technical director in the Eredivisie, has been clear it will be a long-term rebuild, not one about short-term solutions.
Although the loss stings, the Union are on the right path with their first playoff appearance in five years and an ambitious front office team. What they need to do is clear, and there's no reason to doubt Stewart can get it done. In the end, the 2016 playoff run may be one to forget, but if the Union continue to address their problems, 2017 should look much better.
Taking the Union's dismal finish this season on its own, it could be cause for concern. But put in proper context as part of a bigger picture, this is probably just a first step with many more to come.
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