Seattle Sounders FC won’t have to wait long to put a tough weekend loss behind it as the Rave Green heads east yet again. On Wednesday, the Sounders will face off against the Philadelphia Union, a team that has struggled to find its footing in its sixth season in MLS.
To preview this midweek fixture, SoundersFC.com caught up with Dave Zeitlin. Zeitlin covers the Union for MLSsoccer.com as well as CSN Philly, The 700 Level and AP Sports.
Dangerman
Right now, the Union is battling injuries. The only offensive weapon who is currently healthy and playing well is C.J. Sapong. He’s scored in three straight games and four out of the last five.
He had the lone strike in this weekend’s match against LA. He’s been playing well after a few setbacks earlier in the season that had him sidelined, but he’s come out strong.
Best Offseason Pickup
I think Fernando Aristeguieta and Steven Vitoria were big pickups, but both have had up injuries that have put them out of the lineup. When Aristeguieta is healthy, he’s the Union’s biggest offensive weapon.
Unfortunately, the team hasn’t been able to gel around him yet because he has only played sporadically. He has had three goals, he has had good moments and he’s a fan favorite. If he can get back in the match and help out C.J. Sapong offensively, they might be in a better place than they’ve been so far this season.
Midfield Mixes
The midfield has been a bit better in recent matches. Before the LA match, the Union had won three of its last five matches and four of its last six if you count the U.S. Open Cup win. Even in the two matches that the team lost, the midfield played pretty well.
A big reason for that success is Brian Carroll. He’s playing well and is a true holding guy in the midfield. That allows Vincent Nogueria to really play box-to-box and opens up space for Cristian Maidana to be an attacking playmaker. That combination has been working well.
Against the Galaxy, they left too much open space and got burned on counterattacks. It was one of the team’s worst losses in club history. They moved Maurice Edu from his usual centerback position up into the midfield, but I think they are more likely to keep the combination with Carroll, Nogueria and Maidana as long as everyone is fit to play following the weekend match.
Tough Road Match
PPL Park’s first match for the Union was against the Sounders and the team’s first-ever game was in Seattle. The Open Cup match last year was the biggest match this venue has hosted. I’m sure that factors into this game.
After the loss in the Open Cup last season, with the Union being so close to winning its first trophy, things have kind of gone downhill for them. They were bumped out of the playoffs at the end of the regular season and they didn’t get off to a good start this year.
They will have revenge on their minds and a big win for them at this point in the season could certainly spur them on and help get them back on track.
Final Thoughts on PHIvSEA
Without the Sounders star strikers, they may want to move Edu into the midfield to help with the attack. Typically the Union would keep him in his centerback role to help contain Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins. They may pair younger centerbacks on the defensive line to free up Edu.
There are three or four players who are questionable with injuries right now for Philadelphia. Depending on who is available for Wednesday’s match, the Union may be able to shake up their lineup, which could provide an interesting challenge for the Sounders.
