If there’s one thing MLS pundits praise the Philadelphia Union for, it’s having their own identity. By no means was this showcased on Wednesday night.
The Union didn’t just play down to their opponent, they abandoned the intensity that has made them so successful. Philadelphia pushed the couter forward, but did so lazily and gave up easily (see Mikael Uhre’s lackadaisical backheel at the endline in the second half).
The defensive laziness goes without saying. The Union aren’t much if they aren’t invested in how they play, and Wednesday showed a worst case scenario.
Pushing the ball forward
Outside of Cory Burke making himself the man of the match for twenty minutes, the Union didn’t really get much out of their forwards.