Of course, there are more pressing issues with this club. For example: When exactly is the offense going to gel? Is there something wrong with Le Toux physically? Can Piotr Nowak stop parking the bus after scoring a goal?

Now, don’t get me wrong. Winning is winning is winning. They don’t ask you how you won, they just ask you if you did. If the choice were given between 34 unbelievably boring games that gave the Union a playoff spot, and wild shootouts that kept the Zolos near the bottom of the table, of course I would take the playoff appearance. I’m just saying that it would be nice every once in a while to see the Union click on offense and win a game by a more comfortable 3-0. I think the perfect opportunity to do something like that is this coming Saturday afternoon against the Sounders.

The Sounders enter PPL Park having won their first match of the season, an exciting 2-1 match against Chicago. They are 1-2-2 on the season, and they scored 5 and conceded 6. Their saving grace so far this season has been their older-than-dirt goalkeeper, Kasey Keller, who I believe was one of Jesus Christ’s original 12 apostles. Anyway, he’s the reason why Seattle isn’t further down the table, and why they may still be alive for a playoff spot come late September. Beyond Keller, Seattle’s defense hasn’t exactly set the world on fire in their first 5 matches. Their offense has also struggled at times, but they showed potential last week with having Steve Zakuani return and play up top with the Irish-sounding non-Irishman O’Brian White.

The key to the Union winning this one will be to continue to play the shutdown defense that they have been playing all season. Another key is Seattle’s gotta come across the country to play in a hostile environment which is something they always seem to have a little trouble with. The final key is scoring more than one goal. Seattle has scored 2 goals in each of their least two matches. The Union have to be able to match that should the game turn into a shootout. Seattle’s offense seems to be picking up steam. They are still a dangerous team.

Overall, I like the Union’s chances in this one. They’re 2-0-0 with 2 shutouts at home this season, and PPL Park has become one of the best home field advantages in MLS. I do think they’ll finally break through for more than one goal, but that will only be if they can put a lot of pressure on the Seattle defense and not constantly play on the back foot.

In case you’ve forgotten, here’s a look at what happened when Seattle came to PPL Park last season to open up the stadium down by the river. After all, Seattle invented losing at PPL Park…

C’MON THE U!

El Pescadito scores the game winner

Imagine that. The Union have their first ever winning streak. That allows me to play this video…

OK, so, technically, it’s not really a winning streak, but the Union have won two games in a row for the first time ever. That’s got to give a lot of Union fans a reason to hold their heads high and be proud. Be proud that the Union are tied with Real Salt Lake and Colorado for the best record in Major League Soccer. Unfortunately, that’s about where the comparisons end for the Union and those other two teams. Real Salt Lake is, arguably, the best team in MLS, and Colorado is just as deadly. On Saturday, Real Salt Lake handily beat the Galaxy, and Colorado took care of business against Chivas. The Union? Well, they won, but that’s really where the happiness ends.

The Union’s first half was really, honestly, quite boring. It reeked a lot of the second half against Houston, where they mustered very few chances, and seemed like they weren’t going to score at all for the rest of the game. Le Toux had a chance in front of goal, but the Whitecaps keeper kept it at bagels and donuts.

There was a lot of chippy play with a few cards brandished – then again, this is MLS where the refs pull out cards if you fart from the bench – and the match had the hallmarks of a goalless draw. Then, Eric Hassli had a major brain cramp, drew his second yellow card of the match, – both were on needless, stupid fouls – and was sent off with more than 30 minutes left. With Vancouver down to 10 men, they decided to bunker and try to play for the scoreless draw. That would eventually be their downfall as the Zolos would put more pressure on Vancouver’s defense, and get the game winner behind Carlos Ruiz’ first MLS goal in over 3 years.

Now, we must put things into perspective. The Union have played the Dynamo and the Whitecaps. They’re not exactly the human wrecking balls of the league. Don’t get me wrong. I’m uber happy that we have 6 points and two clean sheets after two games. I just can’t get overexcited at the teams we beat.

The Good

Carlos Ruiz got on the board in only his second Union game. He actually played really well. He had a nice setup to get Le Toux a crack on goal, and he was robbed of a goal on a bicycle kick by an outstanding save by Whitecaps keeper Joe Cannon. I think he’s going to be the most important player for the Union this season. He’s got that veteran presence and tremendous offensive skill that the Union need.

What more needs to be said about Faryd Mondragón? The guy has earned the Captain’s armband with his leadership, and his play isn’t too shabby either. He didn’t really see too much action after Hassli was tossed, but he still made 3 saves to earn his second consecutive shutout. As a side note, he is just a monster of a physical specimen, and looks so damn intimidating out there. If Faryd is looking for a job after his career is over, I recommend bodyguard or brutally honest television personality. I bet he can rip a phone book in half, and not the cheap and easy way, either.

Props to Piotr Nowak as well for the changes he made. Bringing on Torres and McInerney seemed to provide a big boost to the attack. Torres looked more than competent, and McInerney’s chance from outside the 18 was worth the effort. The Farfan for Mwanga swap was just to shore up the defense and ensure the 1-0 win. Overall, I’ve been very happy with what Nowak has done so far, especially with his changes. He’s mixed up the starting 11 a little bit for both games, and his changes that come on have benefited the team. Hopefully, he can keep up his good touchline form.

I like the third kit. It’s pretty nice in person, and translates well on TV. What I really like, though, is Mondragón’s bright green jersey that was surely visible from the Commodore Barry Bridge. The far end. Like, precisely when you cross into New Jersey. I hope he dons that thing for every game from here on out. I’d love to get a hold of one myself. I can wear it around the office. I think it would be a good look for me.

The Not-So-Good

Despite the Ruiz goal, this offense is still struggling. They didn’t seem to generate much until Hassli’s red, and then they turned on the juice. They shouldn’t be depending on opponents playing down a man and bunkering before they turn the heat on.

Le Toux has now gone two games without a goal, but he’s also had a touch of bad luck. He dinged the bar in the Houston game, and he was shut out on all 4 shots he took against the Whitecaps. He made the right play to get Ruiz the goal, and he’s still a great ball handler. And, although we’re not really panicking about this, we really want to see him dent the twine soon. It’ll be great for his confidence, and we really want to see that MVP form he had last year. He’s still a class act, and an awesome player, so we all want to see him rack up the goals again.

The team, as a whole, has got to do a better job of staying out of the book. 5 yellows in 2 games is not a good way to go about your business. It’s only a matter of time before these yellow cards start turning into red cards, and we know all too well the relationship between the Union and red cards.

The Bottom Line

Hey, the Union won. That’s great. They’re now 2-0-0 with 6 points, and stand atop the Eastern Conference for the first time ever. It’s great to be a Union fan right now. However, the toughest test of this season is coming up. They have a month of hellish matchups in April: at Galaxy, vs. Red Bulls, vs. Sounders, at Real Salt Lake, vs San Jose. These are not cakewalk matchups. Also, there’s a lot of travel in there. These 5 matchups will test the Union’s mettle, and provide an insight into whether the Zolos are contenders or pretenders. If they come away with at least 9 points from these 5 matches, I’d say that’s a pretty successful month, and should keep the Union near the top of the Eastern conference as the summer heat approaches.

Hey, at least the Union are tied for the best record in MLS. That’s something we can hang our hat on right now while we chomp at the bit for the Galaxy game this Saturday night.

Here’s the highlights of the game, if you missed it, and some photos from the game can be found here…

Next Union Game: Saturday, April 2 at 10:30 pm vs. LA Galaxy at Home Depot Center

By the way, I know that I’ve been derelict in my blogging duties since my internet at home is down and I’m working two jobs. Once the internet is back up and running (which should be around Friday), I hope to be posting more soon. Thanks, as always, to my loyal readers and followers on Twitter. I want to make this blog a spot you come to frequently for Union news, and jokes and fun. I do it all for you.

C’MON THE U!

The Good

What else can you say about the defense? They blocked shots. They pushed the ball forward. They didn’t get killed on set pieces. They were the straw that stirred the drink on Saturday night. Houston had 14 shots, but only 3 went on goal. Now, they missed a lot of shots wide, but the area around the 6 yard box was impenetrable. They only had one real chance, and Mondragón made it look easy.

Faryd Mondragón looked like the player everyone thought he would be last night. He was the right choice to wear the captain’s armband, not only because he was the team’s vocal leader, but he also willed his defense in a way that very few keepers can. He commanded his defense in a way that Seitz or Knighton just never could. The defenders respected Mondragón and his wishes, and when he held their feet to the fire, they came through. There was a scene after halftime when he gathered all of the players into a circle, and every set of eyes was focused on their captain. That’s leadership. He also made a fantastic diving save on a Houston shot that typified the kind of night the Zolos were going to have. It was the 18th clean sheet of career, and his first in MLS. If he can play the level that many are expecting of him, Faryd can look forward to a few more shutouts this year.

How about Danny Califf? I remember having a conversation with him after one of the Union’s practices in February, and I asked him if he was growing out his hair would make him stronger like Samson. He laughed, and said if it made him better then he would keep it. He scored a goal, and played some very fine defense. He had a fantastic header to clear out a Brad Davis cross earlier in the game. Despite losing the captain’s armband, he played like a captain should. I think he should keep his hair long. It might be good luck.

The Not-So-Good

The defense looked pretty darn good, but the offense seemed quite impotent. The U were offside 3 times, and they really only generated two good chances. Despite Nowak switching to 4-3-3 after bringing on Mwanga, the offense still really couldn’t get going. One of the chances they did have was completely botched by the referee who didn’t allow for an advantage after the Union had a 2-on-1 break after Le Toux was fouled. Once Nowak realized that his team wasn’t going to be able to put one home, he brought on Amobi Okugo, switched back to a 4-4-2, and tried to hang on for the 1-0 win.

Speaking of the referee, Abiodun Okulaja had a horrendous game. Cards were brandished when they shouldn’t have been, and when they should have been shown, Okulaja was nowhere to be found. His non-advantage call late in the game was an awful blunder, and something that should not be happening at this level of soccer. Say what you will about MLS, but the officiating is atrocious all over the league, and if you want to improve the play, start with getting rid of the crappy referees.

One of things I noticed, but I’m not too concerned with right now is that Sheanon Williams kinda burned out towards the end of the game. He started to look exhausted with about 15 minutes left to play. One of the things that helped the Union last year was that they were better conditioned than their opponents. Sheanon was starting to become exposed toward the end, and he could have helped Houston tie it, but his teammates helped him out.

With Williams being tired toward the end of the match, Nowak was almost exposed himself for being thin on the backline. The Union had no options at the fullback position last night had either Williams or Harvey got sent off or injured. Neither Valdés nor Califf are able to move over to either of those positions. Nowak’s bench only featured Okugo who is capable as a center back, but is not a fullback. There were no other options off the bench. Players will get booked, and miss time. Not having a capable replacement is worrying. Hopefully, Nowak gets this figured out, and all of the back up concerns will be washed away.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the Union looked like a more than competent side in their season opener. They took 3 points on the road against a team that hasn’t lost a home opener in its existence. They pitched their shutout in team history, and they didn’t really seem frazzled at all. The confidence they showed seemed palpable, and it extended to every player on the field, and even to the fans who were watching. It was everything a Union fan could hope for to start the 2011 campaign. Yes, there are still a few bugs to work out, but there were also many shining moments. Having a keeper like Mondragón will be huge to the rest of this season. There were times when it looked like he had a look on his face that said, “MLS? I got this.” It’s that kind of confidence that is infectious to the rest of the team. There is more leadership this time around, and it certainly shows. The goal at the beginning of this season was to make the playoffs. If the Union can put out this kind of effort over the next 33 games, they should be able to punch their ticket to the MLS postseason party.

By the way, the Union are tied for the best record in MLS for the first time ever. It just feels good to type that.

Here are the highlights from the match…

Next Match: Saturday, March 26 at 4:00 pm vs. Vancouver Whitecaps at PPL Park (2011 Home Opener)

C’MON THE U!

They look significantly different from last year, that’s for sure. Here’s the Union’s roster as of March 6 (New signings in RED)…

GOALKEEPERS
1 – Faryd MONDRAGÓN
18 – Zac MACMATH
24 – Thorne HOLDER

DEFENDERS
2 – Jordan HARVEY
3 – Juan Diego GONZÁLEZ
4 – Danny CALIFF
5 – Carlos VALDÉS
25 – Sheanon WILLIAMS

MIDFIELDERS
6 – Stefani MIGLIORANZI
7 – Brian CARROLL
8 – Roger TORRES
13 – Kyle NAKAZAWA
14 – Amobi OKUGO
21 – Michael FARFAN
22 – Justin MAPP
23 – Ryan RICHTER
27 – Zach PFEFFER

FORWARDS
9 – Sebastien LE TOUX
10 – Danny MWANGA
12 – Chris AGORSOR
19 – Jack MCINERNEY
20 – Carlos RUIZ

Many notable names from last year were released from this year’s squad: Brad Knighton, Toni Stahl, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Cristian Arrieta, Eduardo Coudet, Andrew Jacobson, Nick Zimmerman, and J.T. Noone. Chris Seitz, Shea Salinas, Fred, and Alejandro Moreno were all selected in one of the 142 different drafts that MLS holds.

Now, this roster seems a little short given that the every MLS team has been allotted 30 roster spots. From this list, we only see 22 names. There are a few players who are still technically on trial with the Union, but, since the gestapo says we’re not allowed to know who they are, we can only speculate that Keon Daniel, Gabriel Farfan, and Levi Houapeu are still trialists with the club. Even if they were to make the club, that still leaves 5 open roster spots. It’s anyone’s guess who will fill those out, but the Union do have until April 15th (Tax day. Bummer.) to fill out their roster before the MLS winter window closes.

Based on what we’ve seen from the preseason games, it looks like the Union will be going with a 4-4-2 formation. Although it’s not confirmed, here’s how the Zolo’s lineup should look like on Opening Night out in Houston…

Mondragón
Williams – Califf – Valdés – Harvey
Carroll – Nakazawa
Le Toux ———————–Mapp
Ruiz – Mwanga

From the looks of things, this looks like a pretty damn good lineup. We’ve got a national icon for a goalkeeper. We’ve got solid defending options in Califf and Valdés. We’ve got defenders who can move the ball forward in Williams and Harvey. We’ve got a solid central defender who can help out the centerbacks in Carroll. We’ve got two very good setup men in Le Toux and Mapp. We’ve got one of the MLS’ all-time scoring greats in Ruiz, and one of the best young strikers in MLS in Mwanga. I’m not going to say we’ve got a stacked team, but we definitely have got one that can, and should, contend for a playoff spot. If there’s any concern about this club, it’s going to be where it had problems last year: the bench. We only have one defender to come off should we need one, and no one is sure how versatile he is if he’s needed to play one of the fullback positions. Our midfield still only has one true option for outside mid, and that’s Roger Torres, but it’s uncertain if he can fill the outside mid role, as he’s more of an attacking mid. The one area I’m not overly concerned about is the attack. Le Toux can slide up into a striker role if he needs to. Jack McInerney, if given time, could be a dynamic scorer, as he proved in the Chivas friendly and his late goal against New England last year. Chris Agorsor was one of the most promising American prospects before his knee problems. If he regain the class he showed in his high school years, the Union could be very dangerous inside the box, which is something that they weren’t last year.

Overall, I’m confident that the Union can get to the playoffs with this lineup, but like every other Union fan, I’m also incredibly nervous about what happens if our players succumb to injuries. Of course, these are things that a fan can’t really worry about because injuries happen. A great team will press on from whatever injuries they suffer, and they will take their team to the promised land. However, if we see two injuries to our backline at the same time, and we don’t fill those holes, this could be a long season. Personally, I’ve got faith that lady luck will be on our side, and we’ll see some magic this year from our Zolos.

By the way, one of these channels I’ve been glancing at has been showing a Family Feud marathon, and I’ve seen like 10 different hosts. This season can’t come soon enough.

Only 13 days until Opening Night.

C’MON THE U!

So, I was reading around on some of the other MLS Offside blogs – as I am wont to do from time to time – and I came across this post from my esteemed colleague Brenton over at the Vancouver Whitecaps Offside blog. He was stating that the new system rewards mediocrity and that the playoff system as a whole seems like a sham. I am inclined to disagree. The biggest problem with most of these arguments is that some people want MLS to be something it’s not: mainly, exactly like Europe.

Personally, I like the playoffs in MLS. Maybe that’s because I just like the idea of playoffs in general. I like the intensity that playoff games bring. I like the do-or-die nature of the playoffs. The “Win, or go home”. Where amazing happens. Will this be the year? And other assorted playoff slogans. The purpose of playoffs is to make the regular season more interesting. By adding 2 more playoff teams, more teams will have the opportunity, down the stretch, to make the playoffs. It’s possible that on the last day of the season we could see 4 or 5 teams that are fighting for those last two playoff spots. Also, there will be a few teams fighting for seeding. How would playing meaningful games at the end of the season be a bad thing for attendance and viewership of those teams?

Another argument is that teams who are bad will make the playoffs. It’s a fact that there will be teams who make the playoffs with a sub-.500 record. That’s not really a problem though because teams who had great regular seasons should be able to easily beat inferior competition. Right, New York and Los Angeles? If you have a great regular season, then you should have no problems beating a lesser team. If you surrender 3 goals at home in the second leg of a playoff (::cough:: Red Bulls ::cough::), you don’t really deserve to win a championship. In the end, it’s all decided on the field of play. If the Galaxy were good enough to win the Supporters Shield, then they should have been good enough to beat 3 teams who were under them for the entire season. Also, luck doesn’t play into this. You make your own luck. Dallas wasn’t lucky when they beat the Galaxy. They were just better than them.

I, for one, am looking forward to the upcoming MLS season with the new playoff format. I believe that we’ll see more meaningful games at the end of the season which will provide better a atmosphere around the stadiums as we head toward the end of the season.

Also, MLS has been at this for 16 years. I think they might have an idea of what they’re doing.

Only 22 days until Opening Night

C’MON THE U!

Ruiz is a 31-year-old Guatemalan who most recently played for Aris Thessaloniki of the Greek Super League. His contract was mutually terminated by the Greek club, which allowed Carlos to make the move back to MLS. He has a consist track record of scoring goals in MLS, and he helped guide the LA Galaxy to an MLS Cup Championship. Along with playing for LA, he has also had stints with FC Dallas and Toronto. He has totaled 82 goals in 155 MLS appearances, including 16 postseason goals, which is the most by one player over a career. His hope is to get a few more postseason goals this year.

After leaving MLS, he played for Olimpia Asunción in Paraguay where he scored 10 goals in 18 matches, and quickly became a fan favorite. From there, he joined Mexican side Puebla FC. He scored in his first ever match for Puebla, a penalty kick, and went on to tally 9 goals in 33 matches. In the summer window of 2010, he went to play for Aris Thessaloniki. He scored again in his debut in a Europa League match against Austria, and again in the return leg which led the team to advance to the group stages. Shortly thereafter, Aris fired their head coach, and Ruiz found playing time difficult to come by.

Ruiz is known as “El Pescadito” or “The Little Fish”. He has a propensity for flopping to draw fouls, and has been criticized many times by opposing fans for this tactic.

This is the player the Union have been searching for to fill the slot that was vacated by Alejandro Moreno: The type of player to hold the ball up for Mwanga and get the team valuable free kicks in good positions. The upside to Ruiz over Moreno is that Ruiz has the propensity to score a whole lot more than Moreno did. Ruiz seems to be just the player that could put the Zolos over the top and into the playoffs. He can score. He can add helpers. He can put the team in positions to score more goals from free kicks. Also, this frees up Le Toux to move back to more of a right wing/attacking mid role. This should be the lineup for opening day and beyond…

Mondragón
Williams ———- Califf ———- Valdés ———- Harvey
Carroll ——————– Nakazawa
Le Toux ——————————————————– Mapp
Ruiz ——————— Mwanga

Personally, I like the look of this lineup. You can have Nakazawa push forward to help the attack from the middle, while having Carroll push back and help the defenders. Le Toux and Mapp can roam the midfield and move towards the center to get the ball to Ruiz and Mwanga, while having Williams and Harvey play more of a wingback position, and push up when they can (especially Williams who is more adept to going forward than going back). I think the versatility that each player brings also is an added benefit. Also, you have to feel a ton of confidence in the new guys who make up “The Spine”, as Mondragón, Valdés, Carroll, and Ruiz all bring enormous talent to the team.

Is this the piece that brings the Union the MLS Cup? It’s hard to say at this point, but it puts the U in a great position to get to the playoffs, and, as we all know from Colorado and Real Salt Lake the last two years, once you get to the playoffs anything can happen.

Here’s a little taste of “El Pescadito”…

Only 25 days until Opening Night

C’MON THE U!

Agorsor was named the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year and NSCAA National High School Player of the Year in 2008 . That year, he scored 24 goals and added 8 assists in his senior season for McDonough High School in Maryland. He helped the team to a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference Championship. He finished his high school career with 88 goals and 43 assists. He’s equally talented in both scoring goals and distributing to his teammates, and he also has a nice touch with the ball, and decent speed.

After high school, Agorsor attended the University of Virginia. He only participated in 7 games before a devastating knee injury. Once held as one of the most promising young forwards in America, Agorsor would have been given an opportunity in MLS, or possibly in Europe, had his knee injury not happened.

Agorsor was on trial with the Union, and seemed to make an impression with the coaching staff, earning a spot on the starting 11 next to Danny Mwanga for their first exhibition game against the USA U-17 team down in Orlando a few weeks ago. Whether Agorsor is in the starting 11 come March 19 is unknown, especially with more rumors circulating about the Union going after a more experienced forward, but, for now, this seems like an excellent pickup for the Union. One that could help this young man to play up to his potential, and one that could help the Union in the years to come.

Here’s a little video about Agorsor after winning the Gatorade Player of the Year…

Only 32 days until Opening Night

C’MON THE U!

According to the match report, in the 53rd minute Pfeffer found a loose ball 35 yards out, and fired an absolute missile that went into the top right corner for the Zolos only goal. It’s Zach Pfeffer’s first professional goal, and many Union fans hope that it certainly won’t be his last.

Some of the players who took part in today’s match, based on the photos from the Union’s facebook page, include captain Danny Califf, Jack McInerney, Kyle Nakazawa, Nick Zimmerman, and trialist Keon Daniel.

The Union will wrap up their American preseason schedule this coming Saturday night at 7pm against Orlando City S.C. from the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

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In other player news, there will be a lottery held Monday afternoon at 2:00pm for former University of Virginia and USA U-20 player Chris Agorsor.

Based on photos and first-hand accounts, Agorsor has been training with the Union. As of right now, it is undetermined if the Union will take part in the lottery, but it is expected that they might since he is training with the team. Depending on who takes part in the lottery, the Union have one of the better chances of landing the forward, based on their position last season. If the Union do win the lottery, it is expected that Agorsor may find himself either as a bench option or a player on the Reserve team.

34 days until Opening Night.

C’MON THE U!

Now, who played in this game? We know for certain from the team’s facebook pictures that the following people played in this one: Le Toux, Mwanga, Mondragón, Miglioranzi, Carroll, Torres, Valdés, Orozco Fiscal, Zimmerman, Pfeffer, Williams, and Gabriel Farfan. No lineups were posted, so we’re unsure of who played in what position and what halves they played. All of this secrecy is very confusing. Most other teams release not only the players that they’re trialing, but they can at least go a little more in-depth when it comes to the game reports.

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Well, the Union schedule was released yesterday, and I, for one, am a fan of the fact that we have more night games to enjoy. Somewhat overweight men who sit behind a desk all day, such as myself, aren’t too keen on standing in the River End at 4:00 pm with the temperature at 92°, with 5,000% humidity, and the sun beating on you like it needed your skin for sustenance. Anyway, here are a few highlights of the new season…

Opening Night: March 19 at Houston
Home Opener: March 26 vs Vancouver
Renewing the Rivalry: April 9 vs New Jersey
Rematch of the PPL Park Opener: April 16 vs Seattle
Landon Donovan comes to town with some British guy: May 11 vs LA Galaxy
The RFK Invasion: July 2 at DC United
The Champions Come to Town: July 30 vs Colorado
Timbers First Visit to PPL Park: September 10 vs Portland
Last Regular Season Home Game of 2011: October 15 vs Toronto
Last Regular Season Game that just happens to be to a somewhat big matchup: October 20 at New Jersey

The Union will also be on a 4 game road trip during July, but they are back and forth swings from the East coast to the West Coast. It’s tough to determine whether a portion of your schedule is tough and not, but this seems like the toughest part of it: at DC, at San Jose, at New England, and at Seattle.

————————————————————————————–

There are also rumors today that former MLS player Carlos Ruiz might be joining the Union. He had his contract with Aris Thessaloniki mutually terminated, and he has been telling reporters that his next stop is Chester, PA.

The 31-year-old played for the LA Galaxy twice, Toronto, and Dallas from 2002-2008. During his tenure in MLS he’s scored 90 goals in 164 matches. He played with Mexican side Puebla FC in 2009-10 playing in 33 matches and scoring 9 goals. Most recently, he signed with Aris Thessaloniki, but he found playing time difficult to come by and he was released from his contract. According to this article (may need to be translated para aquellos que non hablan español), talks with Ruiz’s agent and the Union began in December after Aris’ Argentinian coach was fired and Ruiz found himself on the bench. It is believed that Ruiz is coming to Philadelphia to sign a deal to bring the forward to the Union.

Ruiz could be the forward that the Union are looking for, but the player has gotten a bad reputation with MLS fans as being a big time diver. Greg Louganis jokes aside, there are also rumors that he may be a bad teammate, which is something a tight Union locker room don’t need. The Union have a need for another striker up front, especially a poacher like Ruiz. If he can put the ball in the net – and set up goals – the way the team needs him to, I’m sure the current fanbase will be happy with what Ruiz brings to the table. Nowak has said that his roster is far from complete. Perhaps Ruiz will be the latest addition to the Union.

Only 36 days until Opening Night.

C’MON THE U!

The man pictured above is Tressor Moreno, and Colombia’s RCN Radio is reporting that the Union are ready to sign the Colombian international.

Moreno is 32 year old attacking midfielder/forward, and he most recently played for Independiente Medellín in Colombia after being loaned from Mexican side San Luis FC. Although his goal numbers aren’t outstanding, he’s been known as a pure #10, something the Union have been looking for. He was also named one of the best players in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup while playing for Colombia, and he has played 32 games for his country. There are some rumors that are saying that Faryd Mondragón has been whispering in the player’s ear to encourage him to come to Philadelphia. It is unknown if the player is currently on trial or is training with the Union down in Orlando.

If Moreno joins the Union, he would seem to be the missing piece in Nowak’s attack, slotting right next to Danny Mwanga. This would allow Nowak to push Le Toux back into more of a roaming attacking midfield role, something he played last year when Alejandro Moreno and Danny Mwanga were paired up top. The plan would seem to look like this…

Mwanga – Moreno
Mapp ——————Le Toux

…with Mapp and Le Toux crossing over more towards midfield and allowing Jordan Harvey and Sheanon Williams to move up and cover the whole left and right side. This would seem to be the ideal setup for Nowak’s attack. Whether it comes to fruition is yet to be seen, but the addition of Tressor Moreno would be huge, and would pretty much cement the Union lineup for the 2011 season.

C’MON THE U!