The Union currently sits outside of the MLS playoffs. After a summer where they lost more than they gained, it seems the Union is headed down the worst path. That is having no direction.
After finishing 4th in the Leagues Cup, but missing a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Union fans wonder what is next. After a disappointing loss to the Leagues Cup winner Columbus Crew, the Union followed it up with an impressive 2-0 win against their rivals, NYRB. It appears the Union is in an identity crisis regarding what they should be doing.
With just a few weeks left in the MLS season, what should the Union be focusing on?
The Roster Changes
The biggest factor in this identity crisis is the roster. In the summer the Union lost Julain Carranza, Jose Martinez, and Damion Lowe. Three crucial players to the Union scheme in the last 2 years. Unfortunately, the Union only made 1 move to replace those 3 players. That was bringing in a young stud Danley Jean Jacques to replace Jose Martinez.
For Carranza, the Union has been fortunate they had a star stuck down their depth chart. Tai Baribo has proven to be the real deal and the number 1 striker, ahead of Mikael Uhre. It was announced that Uhre’s option had been triggered and he will be a Union player next year. However, the Union has almost no striker depth. Unfortunately, Ernst Tanner did not change that in the transfer window.
Unfortunately, Damion Lowe’s departure appears to be the most consequential. The Union has no centerbacks behind Elliott and Glesnes. Nathan Harriel can step in but he went down with an injury in the first game without Lowe. Now, Lowe was going to be gone in the winter anyway, so getting a nice sum of money for him before he walked for free was nice. However, it was no secret the Union had little CB depth.
Eliott and Glesnes, who already are having down seasons, will need to play pretty much every game left in the season. While the Union has Olwethu Makhanya on the roster, Jim Curtin made it clear that Makhanya is very far down the depth chart. Makhanya is currently the starting CB for Union 2. A gig that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.
The Identity Crisis
The biggest issue is the Union have no idea who they are. Ownership and management think the team is still around the top of MLS. This roster and the standings tell a different story. They currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference. In 6 of the Union’s last 7 games, they play teams ahead of them in the East.
While that is a huge opportunity to jump up in the standings. The Union have shown this year they have no consistent footing. Sometimes they show signs of their 2022 selves. Other times, they play like they want the wooden spoon. The Union is in a state of limbo where there is no direction as to whether they head towards a rebuild or think they can win with what they have. However, the state of this roster shows the Union has no chance of winning a trophy this year.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean things are changing. Curtin is still rolling out the same lineups and the same players. We have seen almost nothing from the new academy signings like Cavan Sullivan. If this current era of Union soccer is over, there is no reason to not try and see what the younger kids have to offer. After all, ownership did state in their town hall that they will always rely on their academy over signing multi-million dollar superstars.
A Tough Time for Fans
The worst part about this is it leaves the fans in limbo as well. Of course, all Union fans want to see the team succeed. However, it is the same story every time. The Union can go on a run and slip into a bottom seed in the playoffs. However, it won’t matter. Everyone knows the Union can’t hang with the likes of Columbus, Miami, and Cincinnati when it matters. Unfortunately, it all comes down to those teams have superstar game-changers to turn to and the Union just does not.
The Union needs to figure out its identity soon. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging the roster needs to be rebuilt. However, there is nothing worse than delaying the inevitable. The more the Union hangs in limbo of its rosters’ future, the more fans that won’t put up with it.
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