The biggest question heading into Philadelphia Union’s 2020 season is a simple and straightforward one: How do you build on the best season in club history? The answer could come from two directions. First, the personnel could improve. Second, the system could become stronger and more refined.
Much of the offseason has suggested that Ernst Tanner is leaning heavily in the second direction. This year, the Union will succeed by playing an even more high tempo, frenetic, athletic and aggressive style of soccer that will value the ball less and value field position far more.
That begins against FC Dallas on Saturday, and you could not find a more fitting opponent.
Much like the Union, Dallas is looking to build on a strong season by leaning into academy-developed talent. Unlike the Union, the Texas squad is built to retain the ball. In Luchi Gonzalez’s second year, Jesus Ferreira, and Brandon Servania will look to take the same leap Reggie Cannon and Paxton Pomykal took before them, emerging as true MLS-level talents that can push on toward national team minutes. If they do so, this becomes a stacked team with multiple options across midfield and up front. Gonzalez’s system requires extremely versatile midfielders so finding players that take ownership of those three roles can key a run to the playoffs.
Up front, Dallas will likely have a familiar face with supremely fast feet. Fafa Picault is opening his first season in Frisco against his old squad and a return to the left wing where he wreaked so much havoc in his first two years in Philadelphia is probably in the cards. Picault was acquired to score goals and stretch defenses so late-arriving mids can crash around Zdenek Ondrasek and overwhelm defenses.
Whereas Dallas brought Picault in to provide more wing-driven attack, Philly spent the offseason becoming a more narrow side. This is part of Tanner’s desire to control the center of the pitch and create turnovers when teams look to attack through a chaotic middle. Ilsinho, Jack de Vries, and Michee Ngalina provide wide options should Jim Curtin look to create space up front, but expect a narrow shape led by two strikers to be the default look.
Right now, that means Sergio Santos and Kacper Przybylko leading the line. That’s an incredible amount of potential in two players, but also a good bit of risk. Santos had trouble staying healthy in 2019 and Przybylko burst onto the MLS scene after a long injury layoff. If either player goes down, de Vries, Ngalina, or Andrew Wooten will need to step up. Wooten has a good goalscoring record in Germany and showed solid defensive instincts last season but he wasn’t the finishing threat Philly needed to support Przybylko. If he finds his feet, this starts to look like a very dangerous attack.
For all their talent in midfield, Dallas lacks true superstar creativity. Expect the Union to exploit any loose passes through the center to counter through Santos’ speed, with Przybylko in support and Brenden Aaronson filling gaps.
Additionally, Dallas’ central defenders are comfortable on the ball and will take risks with long passes that Philly will hope to pounce on and turn into opportunities.
Unlike last year, the Union won’t build through midfield like they did with Haris Medunjanin sitting deep. Instead, they will look to play quickly through midfield and create numbers around the ball in Dallas’ half. This might fit Jamiro Monteiro’s skillset well, but it means Ale Bedoya will, once again, need to adjust his game to fit his team’s style of play. Bedoya has been a deep No. 8, a narrow box-to-box player, and everything in between for Philly in recent years. One constant, though, has been the captain’s ability to create combinations deep in the opponent’s half by moving wide in transition. Watch to see if Bedoya curbs that tendency as the Union remain narrow this year.
The biggest matchup to watch on Saturday is likely on Philly’s left. Matt Real will take over the left back role with Kai Wagner recovering from injury. Real serves a vicious ball and is fearless going forward, but he needs to show he can get tight to a player as elusive as Michael Barrios. Winning that 1v1 battle will open a world of options for the Union since it’ll allow the young fullback to get forward and drag Barrios deep.
The Union take on Dallas at 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 29 to open the 2020 MLS season.
