MLS Inquest 2012: Philadelphia Union

Carlos Valdes has emerged as a defensive force for the Union (Getty Images)

MLS Inquest 2012: Philadelphia Union
Record: 10-18-6
Points: 36
Finish: 8th (Eastern Conference)


Player of the Year: Carlos Valdes
As the Union often struggled to find goals this year, it was their defense that helped keep them in quite a few matches.  The leader of that defense is Carlos Valdes.  Not only is he a top notch defender, but his foot is a threat on set pieces as well.  His strong play this season for the Union also earned him a look from the Colombian National Team late in the year.  Also impressive for a defender, he only picked up 4 yellow cards in 33 matches, and not one single red card the entire year.  His work rate on the pitch is outstanding, and he rarely puts himself in compromising positions.  Valdes is the kind of rock you can build a team around.

Flop of the Year: Freddy Adu
Have American soccer fans had their fill of Freddy Adu yet?  I hope not, because despite the drama around him and two different head coaches at Philly this year, I still think Adu can be an impact player both in MLS and for the national team.  One does get the sense that the window is closing though.  Peter Nowak seemed to have a man crush on Adu, while John Hackworth seemed to not really have much use for him.  There has to be a middle ground for him, but he struggled to find it, scoring only 5 goals and 1 assist.  How much of it is him and how much of it is his coach?  We may never know, but it's safe to say that he fell short of expectations this year.

The Good:
The Union did improve after John Hackworth was appointed head man following the departure of Peter Nowack.  The on pitch product improved, and the feeling around the club and the organization seemed to pick up as well.  The Union also have one of the best grounds in the league, in my opinion, and great supporters that always provide plenty of atmosphere at their matches, think Sons of Ben.  Unfortunately, these fans really deserve more than they got this season.

The Bad:
One of the biggest issues the Union had this year was their inability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.  For much of the season, they featured Colombian striker Lionard Pajoy, who did manage 5 goals in his time with the club.  Unortunately, Pajoy seemed to have trouble hitting the broadside of a barn, and probably should have been among the league leaders if his finishing was more consistent.  Eventually Pajoy was shown the door in Philly, sent to DC United who made the playoffs while the Union coninued to struggle.

The Ugly:
Unquestionably one of the ugliest situations in MLS this year had to be the departure of Peter Nowak from the Union and the circumstances surrounding it.  Nowak had seen a steady stream of departures from the Union roster, including Sebastian Le Toux, Danny Califf, and Danny Mwanga to name a few. The situation was obviously toxic, and once the weight was lifted and he was dismissed, the Union won 5 out of their next 8 matches, accounting for 50% of their win total for the season.  The drama kept coming though, as Nowak then filed a lawsuit against the Union for wrongful termination.  The Union then turned around and threatened to file criminal and fraudulent allegations against him after it came to light that he may have personally profited from Union player transactions.  I don't know much about the the legal mess, except that it's truly ugly.

The Verdict:
Despite their immediate improvement under John Hackworth, the Union couldn't sustain the momentum and never seriously contended for the Eastern Conference playoffs.  This is a real pity for the club, who saw Nowak systematically dismantle the side's playoff team from the year before.  Losing fan favorite Le Toux seemed to be an especially big blow, considering the issues the Union had scoring goals at times.  Still, the foundation seems to be there for the Union, despite the fact that they need to work out whatever is going on with Adu.  They should fish or cut bait with him.  If they could piece together more of an offensive threat over the off season I could see them competing for a playoff spot again next year.  They have to get better to catch Montreal and Columbus though, who improved significantly.