Archive for the ‘MLS’ Category

Nakazawa & 2nd-rounder to LA for international slot

Naka is gone

UPDATED: Philadelphia Union trades Kyle Nakazawa and a second round pick to Los Angeles for an international player roster slot.

Why aren’t you excited about the All-Star game?

PPL Park

PPL Park will host the MLS All-Star game on July 25, but outside the pomp-and-circumstance announcement Tuesday, there seems to be little excitement about it. Why? PSP asks.

Vejlko Paunovic announces retirement

Paunovic scores his first goal for the Union

The Union’s 34-year-old Serbian striker Veljko Paunovic has announced his retirement from professional soccer.

Union decline options on Houapeu, Langley, Richter and Tait‏

Levi Houapeu

The Union release four players, freeing up two international spots. Richter and Houapeu on list of trialists at DC United.

10 Union questions for 2012 – Part II

Paul Rudderow

In this second of two installments, the PSP asks and answers questions about the Union’s goalkeeping situation, breakout stars and conference rivals.

10 questions for the 2012 Union: Part I

Photo: Paul Rudderow

In this first of two installments, the PSP asks and answers questions about the Union’s roster, formation and depth for the upcoming season.

Union SuperDraft: 13-Hoffman, 32-Jordan, 35-Gaddis

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With their first pick, the Union selected UCLA forward Chandler Hoffman.

Complete SuperDraft 2012 coverage

SuperDraft 2012

Pre-draft coverage and the picks in the MLS SuperDraft as they happen.

SuperDraft what, who and why: Possible Union selections

hunter jumper uva

Nobody seems to know what the Union will do in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft; experts have predicted everything from defenders to wingers for Philly with the No. 13 pick. PSP looks at potential Union targets at wing, defender and striker.

Moaning about the unbalanced schedule

Looking at the schedule

While the claim that the strength of schedule differences between conferences is real – the West has a tougher conference – is the claim that differences in the strength of schedule exist between teams supported by statistical analysis?

Visualizing Union passing statistics

Visualizing passing statistics

The PSP is pleased to welcome Rolando de Aguiar and his work analyzing Union player and match statistics. In this post, Rolando looks at passing statistics.

More players, more problems

Photo By Earl Gardner

Five new players before the calendar rolls over? Wow! Has an aggressive offseason made the Union a better team? Plus, the international slots question and Keon Daniel’s status.

Season review: Sheanon Williams

The Sheanomenon. (Photo: Earl Gardner)

You know his name. You know his nickname. You know what he can do and how well he can do it. The only question left for Sheanon Williams is how much better he can get.

Season Review: Faryd Mondragon

Faryd Mondragon thanks the fans at PPL Park

Faryd Mondragon helped solidify Philadelphia Union’s defense in 2011. But how long will it be enough to hold off young Zac MacMath? PSP has a season review on Mondragon and a look at what the future holds for him.

Danny Mwanga & the aerial game

Danny Mwanga takes on DC

The Union scored just two goals in the air this season, but the solution isn’t to sign a veteran target forward. Rather, it’s time for Danny Mwanga to work on his aerial game. PSP explains.

Montreal: The new evil geniuses of MLS

Brian Ching takes a kick to the head

Montreal fleeced Chivas, gave Brian Ching and Houston the ultimate boot to the face, took Justin Mapp off the Union’s hands, and made some really good expansion draft picks. PSP thinks Montreal might be the new evil geniuses in MLS.