After an offseason filled with changes, the Philadelphia Union take the field for their first regular-season game this Sunday in Dallas. Haven't been paying attention to the team over the past few months? If so, here's a handy guide to get you ready for the season. You have been paying attention? Read it anyway because you like soccer. You haven't been paying attention because you hate soccer? Feel free to proceed directly to the comments section so you can say as much.
So will the Union actually be, you know, good this year?
Maybe! At the very least, they should be better after first-year sporting director Earnie Stewart turned over about half of the roster, prioritizing upgrading the midfield and building young depth along the backline. Philly's stated, unequivocal goal is to make the MLS playoffs for the first time since 2011, but the dirty, little secret is that's not the hardest thing in the world to do since six out of 10 teams in each conference get in. Still, it would be a step in the right direction for a franchise that's looking to build a solid foundation after six years of many poor decisions and ugly losses.
The defense has to be be better, right?
This is a tricky one. Yes, the Union were a bad defensive team last year, allowing 55 goals, often at the worst times. And yes, they picked up arguably the two best college defenders -- Georgetown's Josh Yaro and Keegan Rosenberry -- to build a defensive core for the future. But the truth is, the unit will likely look similar to last year's with Ray Gaddis and Fabino remaining at fullback and Richie Marquez at center back. The only big difference will be Maurice Edu leaving the backline for the midfield and a young player (likely Ken Tribbett, a Drexel alum who's drawing rave reviews) sliding into the other center back role next to Marquez. In the coming years, or perhaps even later in this one, the Union's defense should be good with Yaro, Rosenberry, Marquez, Tribbett and other talented youngsters all growing together. But right now, the unit looks really young and inexperienced -- a dangerous proposition when you put them against some of the league's world-class strikers.
When can we expect the yearly goalkeeping controversy?
Good news! That probably won't happen now that head coach Jim Curtin has handed the keys to goalkeeper Andre Blake, a terrific shot-stopper who was the first overall pick in the 2014 draft. And backup John McCarthy, a Philly native, is a great locker-room presence. All you can now is remember the good old days when Rais Mbolhi was making horrible mistakes and Nick Sakiewicz was declaring the team had three of the best goalkeepers in Major League Soccer. Oh, and hope Blake can stay healthy this year after the Jamaican battled from two knee surgeries last year.
Who's going to score the goals?
This could also cause problems for the Union. The Union opted not to go after a high-profile, expensive striker in the offseason, instead locking up C.J. Sapong to a long-term deal and telling him he can run the show up top. If he can stay healthy, Sapong should be able to score in double digits. But after cutting ties with other strikers like Conor Casey and Fernando Aristeguieta, the Union will need to count on their new midfield/winger imports -- Chris Pontius, Ilsinho and Roland Alberg -- along with returners Tranquillo Barnetta, Vincent Nogueira and Sebastien Le Toux to find the back of the net. And if they don't score enough, the Union may very well target a foreign striker in the summer transfer window.
So I guess I should be excited about the Union?
I'll say this: the Union have seemed to be making all the right decisions these days. They continue to focus on their youth academy (even though trading away original homegrown signing Zach Pfeffer probably stung for a lot of people), they're constructing a very nice training facility next to their practice fields, they picked up some new young players to build around and they signed some playmakers that should be fun to watch. And Talen Energy Stadium, despite its recent name change, remains a very cool place to watch a game. Will they contend for the MLS Cup? That's very doubtful. But the team is almost certainly heading in the right direction and will win some games in 2016. And if not, well, head coach Jim Curtin could find himself on the hot seat and the franchise could find itself dealing with some familiar drama. That's fun too, right?
