As the race to qualify for the MLS playoffs heats up, Philadelphia Union find themselves in the unusual position of being on the outside looking in. They sit 11th in the Eastern Conference, 3 points behind the final wildcard spot, 9th place D.C. United, albeit with a game in hand. If they want to avoid the wildcard entirely, they have to somehow catch 7th place Charlotte FC, who are currently 8 points ahead and, unlike D.C., haven’t played an extra game. In order to pull it off, the entire team is going to need to step up, but who are the 3 most important players for Philly’s playoff push?
3. Danley Jean Jacques
There are a number of players who could slot into this spot, but I’m going with the promising new occupant of the holding midfielder position, taking over for the recently departed José Martínez. With a backline that has been beleaguered for much of the season, quality protection in front of them is vital.
In the modern game, having a holding midfielder who can not only excel at shielding the defense, but also jump-start the attack after winning the ball, has become increasingly important, and Jacques has shown glimpses of his passing ability in his as-yet limited time on the field.
2. Tai Baribo
The hottest striker in the league right now, with 14 goals in his last 16 games for Philadelphia, will need to continue his rich vein of form if the Union are to have any hope of a postseason berth.
It is no coincidence that the team’s turnaround in fortunes has coincided with Baribo’s injection into the starting lineup. One of the most encouraging aspects of this run has been the variety of the goals scored, with some spectacular hits from outside the box accompanying tap-ins and lethal finishes from inside the penalty area.
His partnership with fellow attackers Mikael Uhre and Dániel Gazdag is still growing, and if they can get even halfway to the heights of the 2022 Union attack, no defense is going to want to see Philly across from them.
1. Andre Blake
I know, a shocking choice. One of the best goalkeepers in MLS history proved his importance to this team when finally stringing together a run of games after niggling injuries and international duty kept him out of the lineup for much of the first half of the season.
Young academy product Andrew Rick has a promising future ahead of him, but no one can replace what Blake brings to this team, both in terms of shot-stopping ability and pure, unadulterated aura. If the Union are to make the playoffs, there is no doubt it will be on the back of several mind-blowing saves from the Brick Wall.
Honorable Mentions
I would be remiss if I didn’t include Gazdag and Kai Wagner as honorable mentions. Either of them could have easily been included, and there are strong arguments for each. Gazdag’s goals could prove just as important as Baribo’s, and no defender in league history has ever contributed offensively like Wagner. Jack Elliott and Jakob Glesnes also merit a mention, as the sale of Damion Lowe has ratcheted up the pressure on and importance of our only CB’s with any reasonable amount of first-team experience.
Union’s injury woes
While the Union have been on pause for the international break, several of their players sacrificed rest for international caps, and with that comes the potential for injury. As first speculated early last week and later confirmed by Jim Curtin, Danley Jean Jacques, Tai Baribo, and Andre Blake all picked up knocks while with their national teams, Haiti, Israel, and Jamaica respectively. While Baribo trained normally and was able to start the game against Inter Miami, Jacques and Blake did not train more most of last week. Jacques was able to come off the bench on Saturday, but Blake was ruled out for the game.
I have a confession to make. I created this list and chose these players before last Monday, so I can’t help but feel like maybe I caused this somehow. And for that, I am sorry.
No matter their status going forward, this all feels like a very Union situation- although unfortunately as leagues, federations, and FIFA continue to pack schedules with games, this type of thing is becoming more and more common across the world.
Let’s hope for the Union’s sake, Andre Blake can recover as well as the other two and we’re able to see the best of the three key players, along with the rest of the roster, for the final 6 games of the season.
Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports
