The Philadelphia Union has had many moments this season where the team just falls flat of expectations. Resulting in many easy points dropped. This raises the question, is it time to play the kids more?
The Union have not had a bad season, but they have not exceeded the expectations set last year. The Union currently sits in 3rd place of the Eastern Conference, which is pretty good. However, Nashville and NYCFC can jump them if they win the game in hand they have. Which would bump the Union to 5th.
The Union Has 8 wins, 5 losses, and 8 draws. a good amount of those draws have come from games where the U easily should have won. Here are some areas the U dropped points they shouldn't have:
6/26 @ Chicago FC: A 3-3 draw against a lesser opponent they have already beaten, blowing a 2nd half league.
7/25 @ Miami: A 1-1 draw with Miami coming in in awful form being last in the entire MLS.
8/1 Home V Chicago FC: 1-1 Draw where the Union was up a man for 60 minutes.
8/21 Hine V Montreal: 1-1 Draw despite the Union dominating the entire game.
Now the past is the past and you can't dwell on it, but these are just 4 Union draws that easily could have, and some should have, been 3 points. Add those 8 missed points to the record and the U are comfortably in 2nd place.
How Do We Know the Kids Are Ready?
The main answer is the young homegrowns have shown nothing that says they are not ready.
Quinn Sullivan has made the most of his time, scoring 2 MLS Goal of the Week goals, with the last one saving a point for the Union at home against Montreal. Jack McGlynn has made good use of his short time, and Paxten Aaronson scored a banger in his first career start!
Now, the New England Revolution is just running away with the east with 49 points, the next best Orlando City has 34. Nonetheless, the Union homegrown team walked into their stadium and almost walked out with a point (if not for a mistake by Flach giving NE a penalty).
Let's Be Real
Everyone needs to be honest with each other. Having Alejandro Bedoya play 90+ minutes a night is helping no one. He is getting winded by the 60th minute in some games. This is no knock on the captain, anyone logging the minutes he is would be going through the same thing.
Quinn Sullivan getting a start now and then with Bedoya getting a rest could really help. When Bedoya starts and starts to get tired, make the sub for Sullivan in the 60th or 70th minute instead of the 80th to 85th where Sullivan can't really do much.
The same could be said for all these players logging these massive minutes. I understand leaving the starters out there to figure it out, but there is no need to do that when the talent on the bench is shining the way it is.
The homegrowns do not need to be starting 11 mainstays. Most of them are 16-20! However, just sprinkling them in at the end of every other game for 10 or fewer minutes really helps no one.
Now Jim Curtin gets paid the big bucks for a reason and his system has generated results, I just think giving the kids more time would help prevent guys from getting worn out, and maybe even help grab a few extra points along the way.
Featured Image: Wes Shepherd/PHLSportsNation
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