Philadelphia Union (4-1-3-2) 

MacMath 

Gaddis-Okugo-Soumare-Williams 

Carroll 

Farfan-Kleberson-Cruz 

Le Toux-McInerney 

Bench: Konopka, Albright, Daniel, Torres, Fernandes, Casey, Hoppenot

Chicago Fire (4-4-2)

Johnson

Segares-Anibaba-Berry-Thompson

Duka-Pause-Laurentowiz-Lindpere

Rolfe-Nyarko
Bench: Tornaghi, King, Bone, MacDonald, Amarikwa, Videira, Alex

 - It seems like the lineup many have been waiting for has finally come to fruition. Gone is Keon Daniel after a lackluster midweek showing in a loss to Los Angeles. In is Michael Farfan, giving the Union what on paper appears to be its best midfield foursome. Kleberson returns in the middle to be the fulcrum of that advanced triumvirate.

- Bakary Soumare starts a third game in eight days with Jeff Parke not yet ready to go (my preview is grateful for that). Parke participated fully in training this week and was listed as questionable, but he doesn’t make the 18 on this cold rainy day.

- Conor Casey is on the bench for a second straight game in favor of Sebastien Le Toux, pairing Jack McInerney. With Casey and Antoine Hoppenot on the bench, expect changes.

- Chicago makes just one change this week, with the suspended Jeff Larentowicz returning to the lineup to replace Daniel Paladini. Sherjil MacDonald recovers from his bout of strep to make the bench after being out altogether last week, while Maicon Santos is dropped for the 18. The emphasis on speed in the forms of Patrick Nyarko, Chris Rolfe and Dilly Duka remains.

Philadelphia Union (4-4-2)

MacMath 

Williams-Okugo-Soumare-Gaddis  

Cruz-Carroll-Kleberson-Daniel  

Le Toux-McInerney  

Bench: Konopka, Hoppenot, Albright, Torres, Wheeler, Farfan, Casey
Los Angeles Galaxy (4-4-2)  

Cudicini  

Meyer-DeLaGarza-Gonzalez-Dunivant  

Donovan-Juninho-Sarvas-Magee  

Villarreal-Keane 

Bench: Rowe, Leonardo, Franklin, Cochrane, Garcia, Jimenez, Rugg  

- The day is here at long last: The first start for Kleberson, the Union’s newest designated player. Interestingly, though, it’s not in the position most would’ve envisioned with he and Keon Daniel in the side. Looks as though one will operate wide on the left in the position vacated by Michael Farfan; I’d expect a fair amount of interchanging though.

- After starting one game in 14 months, Bakary Soumare makes it two in four days. The trade of Gabriel Farfan Tuesday made any other combinations – such as returning suspended Sheanon Williams to the center of defense – untenable with a sudden lack of fullback depth (given the injury to Michael Lahoud, the top candidate as a deputy there). Williams is back at right back though, Ray Gaddis moving to the left.

- There’s also a change up top that comes as no surprise. The combination of Sebastien Le Toux’s assist on the game-winning goal by Jack McInerney over the weekend against Chicago and the fixture back-up made it an easy choice for the Frenchman to replace Conor Casey. Casey still makes the bench with Antoine Hoppenot and Aaron Wheeler. Plenty of attacking options there.

- For the Galaxy, both Robbie Keane and Todd Dunivant passed their fitness tests. That means Keane will pair Jose Villarreal up top with Mike Magee doing a lot of interchanging up top.

So, the biggest news from the Union may have come later in the afternoon Tuesday with the trade of Gabriel Farfan to Chivas USA. But manager John Hackworth had plenty to say on a variety of topics in the afternoon. Here are a few quotes that didn't make the cut.


On the extra motivation for Los Angeles:
We’re trying to just manage this three-game stretch in eight days, so our focus has been trying to prepare and recover from Chicago in a short amount of time, but the reality is that they’ll be a little more juiced. I don’t know if it’ll be in the legs, but it’ll certainly be emotional because there’s definitely a little more of a spotlight on you for sure. You’re playing at home, all of those kinds of things. Probably for our team, there’s probably a little bit of a feeling that people don’t give us respect right now, and even when we go and we win games, it doesn’t seem like we’re getting enough credit for it. I think having an opportunity to play LA at home is a really good game to try and make a statement, so I think there will be a little more motivation there for sure.

On the depth of his team:
It’s something we’ve talked about all year is that there were going to be times in the season where we had stretches where whether it was injuries, suspensions, just the number of games coming in a short amount of time where guys were going to get a chance. That proved to be very true Saturday in Chicago, it’ll be that way tomorrow night and I’m sure it’ll be that way against Chicago again.
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Once again the Union proved an ability to pick up points away from home, and despite playing on the backfoot for large stretches and failing to create much in the way of attacking verve, they managed to get the goal they needed in a 1-0 win at Chicago. Some quick reacitons:

- Jack McInerney showed exactly what makes him such a dangerous weapon. His goal off a quickly taken free kick showcased his ability to pop up out of nowhere and get a goal. He was clinical in the finish, and it's the reason why the Union start a difficult stretch with three points.

- Eyes were focused on Bakary Soumare, and I think he proved pretty conclusively that he's still an MLS-level defender. He may not be as quick as Jeff Parke, but he knows that and doesn't take the kind of risks that Parke does tracking the ball farther up the field. Since both Parke and Amobi Okugo prefer to play that aggressive style, it can open holes at times. But if Soumare stays home and cleans up the messes, he and Okugo could flourish for however long they play together. This was a tough matchup for Soumare with speedy guys like Chris Rolfe and Patrick Nyarko. But he did well in the face of that.
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In case you missed the holiday that is MLS salary day (asinine concept that it is), here are the full numbers for the Philadelphia Union, most expensive to least (numbers represent 2013 base salary/guaranteed compensation):

Kleberson $495,000/$495,000
Bakary Soumare $310,000/$350,000

Carlos Valdes $321,000/$321,000
Jeff Parke $205,000/$216,500
Sebastien Le Toux $200,000/$212,812
Brian Carroll $176,400/$176,400
Conor Casey $175,000/$175,000
Sheanon Williams $150,000/$110,500
Jack McInerney $125,500/$189,666
Roger Torres $121,968/$125,093
Danny Cruz $120,000/$126,500
Zac MacMath $110,000/$155,000
Amobi Okugo $101,250/$184,250
Michael Farfan $98,670/$136,170
Michael Lahoud $90,000/$93,333
Keon Daniel $80,004/$80,004
Chris Albright $75,000/$75,000
Zach Pfeffer $65,000/$75,000
Cristhian Hernandez $62,500/$64,375
Jimmy McLaughlin $60,000/$69,000
Gabriel Farfan $50,820/$50,820
Antoine Hoppenot $48,400/$48,400
Ray Gaddis $46,500/$46,500
Greg Jordan $46,500/$46,500
Matt Kassel $46,500/$46,500
Chris Konopka $46,500/$46,500
Aaron Wheeler $46,500/$46,500
Don Anding $35,125/$35,125
Leo Fernandez $35,125/$35,125

Union forward Conor Casey, left, duels with Seattle Sounders
defender Djimi Traore during Saturday's 2-2 draw between
the clubs. (Times Staff/JULIA WILKINSON)

Union manager John Hackworth
On the defense response after Parke is injured:
Great response. Really good but then we let up and we let the second one in. you work so hard to get back in that game and we put a lot of energy to get back in that game. Should have been back at halftime, for sure and we are down a goal. Get two back in the second, do all the right things, should have got a third. Our fault for giving up that second one for sure.

On Danny Cruz stepping up in the second half:
We talked about the fact that we just had to come out with as much urgency, and as much pressure and as much...we were playing good at the end of that first half, we had put a lot of balls into the box but execution was really poor and I said to the guys, there is nothing I can say as a coach to get you to execute a skill that you guys are all really good at, but I can get you to play harder and you have got to just keep going, you have got to keep your foot on the gas and know that it is coming and believe in it and thank goodness....For Danny it was especially pleasing because he probably has been microscoped a little bit and criticized for some missed chances and for sure he takes two great chances there. So I am really happy for him.
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Philadelphia Union (4-4-2)
MacMath
Gaddis- Parke-Okugo-Williams
MFarfan-Carroll-Daniel-Cruz
McInerney-Casey
Bench: Konopka, Le Toux, Kleberson, Hoppenot, Lahoud, G.Farfan, Wheeler

Seattle Sounders (4-4-2)
Gspurning
Yedlin-Hurtado-Traore-Gonzalez
Rosales-Evans-Carrasco-Caskey
Johnson-Neagle
Bench: Hahnemann, Scott, Martinez, Ianni, Estrada, Rose, Zavaleta

- Union manager John Hackworth said this week that the time for changes was close; he also said it wouldn’t be this week. He was right on the money, naming an unchanged squad from last week’s loss at New England.

- The big name missing from the starting XI or the bench for Seattle is Obafemi Martins, who scored last week in the win against Colorado. Instead, it’ll be Lamar Neagle pairing Eddie Johnson up front, which could be even more dangerous given their familiarity. (Martins has played just three games since coming over as a DP pick up from Levante in Spain.) Also missing are Shalrie Joseph, Steve Zakuani and Osvaldo Alonso. Those are big missing pieces.

- You may notice three strikers on the Union bench: Sebastien Le Toux, Antoine Hoppenot and Aaron Wheeler, the latter getting his first bench appearance of the year. No defenders again.

- The battle in this game will be in the engine room of the midfield. Mauro Rosales is one of the best playmakers from that deep-lying role in MLS and will test the central tandem of Brian Carroll and Keon Daniel. But without Joseph or Alonso, this is an opportunity for the Union to get an upper hand (making the exclusion of Kleberson even more perplexing).

In my sit down with him Wednesday, Nick Sakiewicz made a couple of things painfully clear. First, he and his ownership group were taking nothing for granted in trying to improve the viewing experience of fans at PPL Park. Second, any changes would be made with the soccer experience and the best interest of the fans in mind.

Here's a little more of what the Union CEO and Operating Partner had to say.

On the possibility of seat expansion at PPL Park:
"I think the seat expansion part is a little bit out there in the further timeline. What we’re looking at right now are some entertainment amenities. Suites, we’re virtually out of suites, so we’re looking at a concept there to build out more suites and different types of offerings. We’re looking at things outside the stadium in Toyota Plaza in terms of some hospitality options that are new and different. We’re looking at the section behind the sons of Ben, which is the roof of that building, was footed and designed and beefed up to accommodate either a restaurant or a party deck or something, so we’re exploring that option"

On preserving the river view:
"One thing is for sure that we don’t want to elevate too high on that end because the river, the bridge have become iconic symbols of our brand, so I don’t think they’ll ever be a big wall masking those visuals there. So we’re exploring ideas of maybe a second club in that area, but the seating expansion, the growth of the seating, is off a ways."
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It's going to be an emotional week for Union defender Jeff Parke. After three years in Seattle, a successful tenure he cut short last winter to return home closer to his native Abington, the 31-year-old will face his former team for the first time in what promises to be an emotional weekend. (For another perspective, here's the view from the Seattle side of things.)

Here's a little extra from his press conference Wednesday.

On how much useful knowledge he'll have of his old team:
"I’ve been around for three years and I know the team quite well, so there will be some questions asked and some things that I’ll have to point out and some areas where I’ll be able to help out in a way. But they’re a different group this year. Their backs are against the wall a little bit, so it’s going to be a different feel and a different team, but at the end of the day it’s another game, and we’re at home and we want to get three points."
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The Union face a tough task this weekend of coping with a Seattle Sounders team that has gotten off to a slow start to the season. It's just the latest installment of the lengthy roller coaster that is the MLS season.

Aside from the story, he's the rest of the press conference from John Hackworth.

John Hackworth

On Jeff Parke's meeting with a former team:
"I really don’t have anything but good things to say about Jeff because of the kind of person he is and the kind of professional he has been since the first day he arrived here. Not only that, he’s played very well and brought some leadership and continuity to our backline which up to now in this part of the season has been very good. Jeff’s been a great acquisition for this club. Him being a hometown guy is really important to us in a lot of ways because he totally gets the culture here in Philadephia, the fanbase growing up here. I think that’s a little unique for anybody to understand and he’s certainly very valuble to us and hope that remains the way for a long while to come. ... It won’t be the first time Jeff is in this situation, and once you’ve gone through it, you understand the emotions that come into it. I don’t have any questions that he’ll handle it any way other than the pro that he is."
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Revolution manager Jay Heaps On the game:
I thought it was a good game for us, complete from front to back. Philly’s a good team and they’ve shown that they are a good team on the road. I thought that in the first half they showed why: they sit in and they let you attack, they give you chances and then they break. When they break they break well. I thought Danny Cruz did a nice job. I thought the Michael Farfan shot that Bobby (Shuttleworth) saved was pretty good. Then from there I thought we dictated a lot of the game. I thought we were playing some good stuff from midfield. I thought that Kelyn (Rowe) and Lee (Nguyen) did well. Kalifa (Cisse) cleaned it up behind them. Overall, I thought our front to back movement was pretty good. I thought that we felt the goal coming it was just a matter of when.

Union manager John Hackworth
On the loss:
Well I thought New England was the better team tonight. So congratulations to them, Jay Heaps and his staff and his team. They were the better team tonight. With that said, that was not reflective of the kind of game we’re capable of playing at all: probably our worst performance on the year so far. In a lot of ways just frustrating that we’ve been playing so consistent and at least the way we try to play and tonight wasn’t the same.

On what was missing:
I just think we’re a team that has to do things on both sides of the ball collectively. We didn’t do that tonight. We were fortunate to not be down a goal in the first half. Yet we had chances too and we didn’t take them well. (Bobby) Shuttleworth makes a couple of really good saves as well, keeps them in the game. Then I thought we came out in the second half and we were actually playing much better. We had good numbers forward on both goals and I just watched them and there were little details and guys just stopped playing. That is not reflective of our team usually.
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No one even had to ask Danny Cruz about it.

In the locker room of RFK Stadium Sunday after the Philadelphia Union’s 3-2 win over D.C. United, Cruz shifted gears faster than a NASCAR driver on a road course. In describing the elation that he felt in topping his old team – and in the process seeing the Union takes its first ever points at RFK – Cruz couldn’t help but look to the big picture, even without being pushed that way.

Even after claiming a win over D.C. United Sunday,
Union midfielder Danny Cruz and his teammates have their eyes
on more points this weekend at New England (AP).

“(I’m happy) especially for the team because we separated ourselves from other teams, which is most important,” Cruz said. “And we go into next week playing a team that’s a little bit down right now and is going to be scrapping just like they did, so we’re extremely excited. I’m definitely excited. I’m happy about where we’re going as a club.”

That team is New England, sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference and coming off a 4-1 defeat at the hands of New York.

Politics and gamesmanship aside, the Union face two realities: 1.) The Eastern Conference is very crowded, making head-to-head points extremely valuable; and 2.) They have a stretch of games coming up against teams that have underperformed of late. It’s a very real opportunity to pick up points in bunches and determine if this team is truly a contender.

Consider this schedule:
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