After Philadelphia Union dropped four on Vancouver Whitecaps, head coach Jim Curtin had some thoughts about his team’s controlling performance.
Playing the way you practice
“I thought we handled the first half extremely well,” Curtin said. “Maybe played some of our best soccer.
“...we talked a lot about playing quickly from side to side and eventually some holes and seams would open up and we would find Borek[Dockal] between the lines. I thought we executed that part of things very good, so the players deserve all the credit.”
The Union head man also noted that his team created 25 shots and didn’t allow the ‘Caps to work Andre Blake at all. “Dre didn't have to face a shot on goal today,” Curtin said. “So that means guys were really doing their job.”
The best defense is a good offense
“When Kei Kamara is defending in their eighteen yard box with Alphonso Davies, that's the best defense we can have,” Curtin argued. Indeed, the Union kept their opponents pinned deep all night and didn’t allow many of the breakouts that allowed Vancouver to stampede Orlando City’s defense recently. “It was probably one of our best performances of the year in terms of complete shutout, four goals, being fairly comfortable, against a good team,” he continued.
Something special for Seba
“I think there was an energy in the stadium, which was special,” Curtin reflected, describing how the Union fans welcomed one of their favorite players. “Seba's a guy that's meant so much to the club. He's a guy who is a winner. He's a guy who has embodied the city of Philadelphia.
Seba deserves it.”
“He's the face of the franchise,” the coach said of his former player. “It was an honor to coach him, it was an honor to have him in the locker room and share the moments we shared together. And he's a special player, and he got a special day today.”
