Four areas to watch during Philadelphia Union’s preseason matches

It’s an obvious area that Philadelphia Union fans are curious about. With off-season moves that brought Connor Casey to town and the return of Sebastien LeToux, many have been wondering what Hackworth attacking scheme and formation will be.Will he play a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 or even a 4-3-2-1? With LeToux and Jack McInerney not very strong as wing players, it seems very unlikely that they will play a 4-3-3, but maybe they have been working on that the last two weeks. It is very possible to see a two forward line with Casey and LeToux starting and McInerney being the first sub in or vice versa with Casey subbing on.Another possibility for the Union is to play a 4-3-2-1 with Casey up front and McInerney and LeToux playing behind him and not as wide as they would be in a 4-3-3 formation. No matter what formation the Union plays, they will need to do a better at creating chances on goal this season.Also look for Antoine Hoppenot and Chandler Hoffman to find some playing time while in Florida. They could play a critical role of the bench this season. With the acquisition of Jeff Parke in the off-season and a healthy Bakary Soumare, Amobi Okugo’s role and positioning on the field for the Philadelphia Union is in question. Will he stay on the back line and be solid force to reckon with like last year? Or will he return to a more natural defensive midfield position?Only time will tell, but no matter where Okugo fits into the Union’s plan, he should be a consistent contributor to the Union’s success in 2013.  Okugo could still be on the back line if there is an injury, but look for him to be in a midfield position come opening kickoff.It is very probable that you see Okugo in multiple positions during the preseason matches. This would allow to Hackworth to see how he fits in each position and with the team’s plan. After being acquired during the 2012 MLS season, Soumare has not stepped foot into the Union’s formation due to injury. So far during preseason training, it looks like he will be good to go for action. Also announced during the preseason, the Union didn’t rush Soumare back from injury last year because there was no real reason to do so.Also he could have made the injury worse and would have had to be out even longer. The preseason matches in Florida should show team personnel and the fans that Soumare is ready to return to game day action. Also if he stays healthy and is in shape, look for him to be on the back line on March 2. View the list »
As the Union head to Florida for preseason matches, there are four areas to focus on ahead of these matches.

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The Philadelphia Union will be kicking off preseason matches in Florida Friday in the Walt Disney World® Pro Soccer Classic. A total of eight soccer teams will be participating. Six Major League Soccer teams, Sporting Kansas City, Toronto FC, Philadelphia Union, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, Montreal Impact, and two NASL teams, Orlando City and Tampa Bay Rowdies, will be taking part. The classic will take place from Feb. 9 to Feb. 23. The full schedule of the Pro Soccer Classic can be found here, and all of the games will be streamed on MLSSoccer.com and ESPN3.

Over that time Philadelphia will take on Orlando, Columbus, and Toronto. They will also play exhibition games against Montreal and D.C on Feb. 15 and 20 respectively. Both of these games are not a part of the Pro Soccer Classic, but will be great opportunities for the Union players.

With the Union training for the last two weeks at the youth academy facilities and the NovaCare Complex, this will be a good time for the team to show off what they have learned in training. Moreover, the players who were drafted will be out fighting for a spot on the senior squad.

At the same time, these five preseason games will allow John Hackworth and company to test out technical ideas they have and experiment with different players in different positions. There are four areas to watch for during these matches. These are Bakary Soumare’s health, Amobi Okugo’s position on the field, formation of the forwards, and the back line.

View the list
  • After being acquired during the 2012 MLS season, Soumare has not stepped foot into the Union’s formation due to injury. So far during preseason training, it looks like he will be good to go for action. Also announced during the preseason, the Union didn’t rush Soumare back from injury last year because there was no real reason to do so.Also he could have made the injury worse and would have had to be out even longer. The preseason matches in Florida should show team personnel and the fans that Soumare is ready to return to game day action. Also if he stays healthy and is in shape, look for him to be on the back line on March 2. 
  • With the acquisition of Jeff Parke in the off-season and a healthy Bakary Soumare, Amobi Okugo’s role and positioning on the field for the Philadelphia Union is in question. Will he stay on the back line and be solid force to reckon with like last year? Or will he return to a more natural defensive midfield position?Only time will tell, but no matter where Okugo fits into the Union’s plan, he should be a consistent contributor to the Union’s success in 2013.  Okugo could still be on the back line if there is an injury, but look for him to be in a midfield position come opening kickoff.It is very probable that you see Okugo in multiple positions during the preseason matches. This would allow to Hackworth to see how he fits in each position and with the team’s plan. 
  • It’s an obvious area that Philadelphia Union fans are curious about. With off-season moves that brought Connor Casey to town and the return of Sebastien LeToux, many have been wondering what Hackworth attacking scheme and formation will be.Will he play a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 or even a 4-3-2-1? With LeToux and Jack McInerney not very strong as wing players, it seems very unlikely that they will play a 4-3-3, but maybe they have been working on that the last two weeks. It is very possible to see a two forward line with Casey and LeToux starting and McInerney being the first sub in or vice versa with Casey subbing on.Another possibility for the Union is to play a 4-3-2-1 with Casey up front and McInerney and LeToux playing behind him and not as wide as they would be in a 4-3-3 formation. No matter what formation the Union plays, they will need to do a better at creating chances on goal this season.Also look for Antoine Hoppenot and Chandler Hoffman to find some playing time while in Florida. They could play a critical role of the bench this season. 
  • Just like with Amobi Okugo’s position on the field, the back line and who will crack the starting XI is not certain yet. One thing is almost for certain. With the depth on defense, the Union will probably play with four defenders and Jeff Parke and Bakary Soumare will play in the center back.Look for maybe Sheanon Williams to play at left back or a slight chance Okugo gets a try at that position. The latter is highly unlikely as he is better in the middle of the field. If Sheanon Williams stays in the right back position like he played last year, maybe Ray Gaddis will get an opportunity in the left back position.As the preseason games in Florida begin Friday, these questions and uncertainties to be answered and experimented with by John Hackworth. Look for Hackworth to try some different things with his backline and remember that nothing is ever set in stone. Parke has joined the Union in Florida after finishing up training with the U.S. National Team and not being announced to the 24 man squad. 
View the list
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, Philadelphia Union Examiner

Phil Naegely is a sophomore at Messiah College where he is a sports writer for the Swinging Bridge and works in the sports information department. He is an avid Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Union fan. Phil looks to continue to write throughout his college tenure. In the future, he would...

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