Columbus Crew SC vs Philadelphia Union MLS Regular Season Match – Saturday, March 23, 7:30 PM – Talen Energy Stadium Broadcast: FOX Sports Ohio, MLS LIVE on ESPN+ Links: MLS Match Center Vitals: Columbus Crew 7 P / 3 G / 2.33 PPG | 2W-0L-1D | 4 GF / 1 GA / 3 GD | FORM: WWD Philadelphia Union 1 P / 3 G / 0.33 PPG | 0W-2L-1D | 2 GF / 6 GA / -4 GD | FORM: DLL Goal Leaders: Columbus Crew Gastón Sauro - 2 Gyasi Zardes - 2 Philadelphia Union Brenden Aaronson - 1 Marco Fabián - 1 Previous Meeting: Sep. 29, 2018 @ MAPFRE Stadium Columbus Crew 0, Philadelphia Union 0 Notes: Is Philly bad, or have Curtin's boys been the victims of a tough schedule? Can the Crew consistently score from the run of play, or does it matter with Sauro on the pitch? Can Philly find their attacking spark? Who will step up for the Crew on the wings and at CM? I wish they all could be California girls? Importantly, both teams will be without some key players going into this one due to international duty (and injury!). While the Crew will be without Steffen (********), Trapp (hm...), Gyasi (dangit), Francis (eh?), and Meram (oh no!), the Union will be missing Blake, Burke, Creavalle, and Real (this person does not matter so it really isn't a loss). Philadelphia will be (probably, maybe) happy to get Marco Fabián back from red card suspension. I would write more but I've got to get to UD Arena for the First Four and the consumption of lots of free beer and bourbon. ******** it. Phily is bad. Tread on those dickbags. #skinthesneks Discuss.
Are we really without Steffen? I mean, he backed out of his USMNT call-up, sure. But he tweaked his knee on Friday and was well enough to play on Saturday. I'm hoping that with a little rest this week he could play this coming weekend.
I thought there were rules against backing out of international duty due to an injury and then playing for your club. Maybe I dreamed that up. Someone correct me. I am not a smart man.
I've had a busy week. Has there been any word on Artur's health? He came off looking pretty bad last match--and Trapp is out.
St - JJ LW- Robinho Cam -Higuaín RW - Pedro Cdm - Artur Cdm - Clark LB - Jimenez CB- Sauro CB- Mensah RB- Afful GK - Bendik Bench: Kempin Maloney Abubkar Sosa Mullins Opuku Josh Williams Maybe Mullins starts ???
He was out of training yesterday but expected to be ok for Saturday. A mention from Jacob Meyers of the Dispatch of hamstring tightness being the reason he was out and Patrick Murphy saying it was an ankle flare up due to the hard tackle (straight red card tackle I might add) Saturday. Not sure if both are accurate. Hamstring is more concerning as an ankle bruise is just painful. I really don't want a Clark and Jiminez midfield partnership with Maloney at left back. REALLY, PLEASE NO! I voted for a win, just because. I'm certainly not confident. It'd be really nice to control the ball and eek out a 0-0 draw or just snag a set piece goal and run out the clock. I don't expect it to be pretty.
My 1/2 a cent, Our back ups are a back up for a reason. (There not as good as our starters.) Missing 5 starters and playing on the road spells a 0-2 loss IMHO.
Who is Sanchez? I think we stay 4231 with 1 change on D, in mid, and up top. --------------------Bendik-------------- Afful---Mensah---Sauro---Jimenez --------------Artur-------Clark---------- Santos---------Higuain------Robinho ----------------------Mullins--------------- Bench: Kempin; Williams, Abubakar; Argudo, JJ + 2 of Sosa/Opoku/Maloney.
I look at our available players and I am almost ready to give the guarantee. MLS needs to honor the international break. This shit is ridiculous. My father has Union season tickets, 2nd row back directly between the benches. So I'll be about 10-15 feet from the Crew bench. If I see Caleb faltering, I'll be sure to offer my assistance.
While I do not disagree, the only way out of this is to either start in February or play twice a week. They already adjusted the playoffs this season for the international break late in the year.
ACTIVATE IT! You know you want to, and it usually backfires. As for the match, I hope to see you on the broadcast, whispering sagacious counsel and sweet nothings in CB9K's ear. BONUS: Derrick Jones will also be unavailable for Philly; he is off with the US U-23 squad. Jones has come on for Creavalle the last two matches, so Philly will find itself thin(ner) at the midfield position.
I would bet on this as it has the fewest changes and allows us to continue playing Porter's "system".
IT'S A SNAKE!!!!! 2-1 good guys <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Philadelphia Union’s new mascot is a blue snake with a gold mohawk. Meet Fang the soccer fan <a href="https://t.co/ZOXmC6xG84">pic.twitter.com/ZOXmC6xG84</a></p>— Anna Orso (@anna_orso) <a href="1039218453729763331 is not a valid tweet id">September 10, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Never Give Up! Never Surrender! (Name that movie quote?) But a grouchy point is a grouchy point, got to get them where I see 'em. (Love me some Animal House.)
This is what I would do. I think you start the more experienced Mullins vs having JJ's first MLS minutes be a full start. I think Argudo makes the bench because of his ability (though its not that great of an ability) to play in the middle or the wing. So my bench would be Kempin, Williams, Argudo, JJ, Maloney (sigh), sosa, Eddie.