Saturday night provides yet another crucial test for the Philadelphia Union as MLS’s best team visits Chester. Head Coach Jim Curtin and standout midfielder Jamiro Monteiro understand the big challenge ahead but stressed throughout the week, it’s just another game. How will they fare?
Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Union hosted Eastern Conference elites Atlanta United FC to Chester and handed them an L. Tomorrow night, Western Conference elites LAFC enter Chester and Union midfielder Jamiro Monterio and company, are hoping to deliver another L to a top team.
But Monteiro and his teammates also recognize that the past week has been simply ‘business as usual.’
“It’s a good team,” said Monteiro during a phone call with PSN yesterday. “But I respect every team even if they’re not good or very good. For me, it’s just the same week just like every week. Every game is important.”
Important may be an understatement. Philadelphia is in the midst of their best season in franchise history – as we all know – and they’ve recently tallied one of the most impressive and monumental wins in franchise history. This test against LAFC is a chance for Head Coach Jim Curtin and his group to once again send a loud message to the rest of MLS, that Philadelphia is for real.
“A big challenge in LAFC coming into town,” said Curtin during his weekly press conference. “A great team, a team that is playing perhaps the best soccer that our league has ever seen. These are the types of games that players live for and are happy to be a part of. It’s been a good two weeks of training as we prepare for LAFC.”
Statistically speaking, LAFC is off the charts. They’re seeking their 20th W of the season tomorrow night while they continue to reign high above the rest of the Western Conference clubs in the table with an impressive 63 points and a mind-blowing +44 goal differential.
With those numbers, it’s not too hard for a neutral fan to assume LAFC would never falter. But they are beatable.
Just ask Minnesota United who handed LAFC a 2-0 loss on September 1st. Yet, with just 4 losses on the year, LAFC remains a very big challenge for Philadelphia – even at home.
The attention to detail from Curtin’s players will tell the story tomorrow night. Precision passing and sharp decision making will decide the contest.
“You can’t play three and four yard passes otherwise that sets up their press,” said Curin. “They are relentless in terms of turning you over quickly and then it’s one pass and they’re in on goal. It doesn’t take a lot of film to go through with them to recognize how ruthless they are.”
As far as how Monteiro has been preparing, he mentioned the focus is internal. “To be honest, I’m not really focused on them,” said Monterio. “I’m just focused on me and my team. We just need to continue to do the things we are doing, fighting for each other and get those three points. The training has been just like every week. Everything is just the same, only now we are playing against a big team. But nothing changes.”
Monteiro will need to have a stellar performance if Philadelphia hopes to escape with a positive result. And as one of MLS’s best midfielders in just his first year in the league, tomorrow night is a great opportunity for Monteiro to step up once more and carry the load for Philly.
LAFC thrive on creating a bit of chaos with their counter-pressing. But Monteiro, along with Haris Medunjanin and Alejandro Bedoya by his side in the midfield, will hope to control the tempo while limiting mistakes. Considering LAFC thrives on an opponent’s inability to play with urgency and decisiveness, there is very little room for error.
Medunjanin, who has displayed world-class passing abilities this season, will need to be firing on all cylinders. Bedoya will need to bring the fire and grit onto the pitch. And Monteiro will hopefully find opportunities to change the game with his skill in the attacking half.
This game, more than most, will be decided in the midfield. Can Philly overtake another king of MLS? Monteiro and the rest of the Union locker room sure think so.
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Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
