Union Starts 0-3, The Non-Reactionary Analysis

Photo: Philadelphia Union

The Philadelphia Union fell 1-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes in their third match of the season, dropping them to 0-3 for the first time since 2012. The defeat follows losses to DC United in their league opener and NYCFC in the home opener.

Three games are a small sample size, but a few early trends are already emerging.

1. Lacking a Spine

Philadelphia’s recruitment strategy is well known. The club develops players, increases their value, and sells them for profit while trying to remain competitive. This offseason, however, the Union moved on from several core players at once. Leading scorer Tai Baribo, who had 19 goals last season, was sold to DC United for $4 million plus incentives. Center back Jakob Glesnes, the 2022 MLS Defender of the Year, was traded to LA Galaxy for up to $2.2 million in allocation money. Left back Kai Wagner, a three-time MLS All-Star with 56 assists, also departed.

In total, Philadelphia in one window lost a striker who produced nearly 20 goals and two defenders who had anchored the back line for years.

The Union has replaced key players before, but usually one at a time. This winter was different. The plug-and-play approach isn't the same without on-field leadership.

2. New Partnerships Take Time

With so many new pieces, the Union’s structure has looked disjointed early in the season. Partnerships that developed over multiple seasons have been replaced by combinations that have only existed for a few weeks. Injuries and suspensions have also forced positional changes, with players like Nathan Harriel and Frankie Westfield already filling multiple roles. That instability has left the defensive shape looking unsettled. Given the Union’s track record of defensive organization, this is something that will likely stabilize as the season progresses.

3. The Attack Still Relies on Chaos

Through three matches, the Union has one goal and none from open play. For years, despite a manager change, Philadelphia’s attack has relied heavily on:

• transition moments

• counter-pressing

• physical duels

• crosses from deep

When those chaotic transition opportunities disappear, the attack often struggles to create chances through possession. NYCFC’s organized defensive structure in the home opener showed how effective that approach can be against Philadelphia.

This leads us into a big issue.

4. MLS is Rapidly Growing

Another reality is the changing level of the league. MLS clubs are increasingly signing players with significant European experience. For example, San Jose recently added Ronaldo Vieira to their spine, who has played in both the English Championship and Serie A. He bossed the midfield against Philadelphia and has added stability to a previously discombobulated team.

With the price tag of these players comes a tactical nous that many young, developing Americans lack. This again ties into playstyle. Mature, experienced, senior players will recognize league patterns and quickly figure out the Union's playstyle, which hasn't changed in about six years.

This is happening across the league, where transfer spending continues to climb, and squads get stronger. During the winter window, several MLS clubs spent over $10 million on incoming transfers. For Philadelphia's standards, they splashed the cash, spending roughly $10.9 million. This year's numbers are less relevant, however, when you consider the fact that most teams repeatedly spend like this year after year. For Philly, this was a one-off, sitting in 26th out of 30 in MLS spending since 2010.

The gap between clubs investing in established players and those leaning heavily on development prospects is becoming more noticeable.

How the Union Defines Success

The club aims to position itself as one of the premier development hubs in North America. While the club never enters matches expecting to lose, its long-term priority is developing and selling talent while remaining competitive.

In a league where nine teams per conference can reach the playoffs, simply staying in that mix is often viewed as success. That playoff structure can blur the line between building a profitable pipeline and building a championship roster. In the organization's mind, the stadium is mostly always full, food and merchandise are being bought, and their development pipeline is working. So why change? The question that supporters want to know:

Why sell your franchise short of fan-defined success in a league that has remained wide open since its birth?

Despite the early-season frustrations, Philadelphia will slowly come into form. New left-back Phillipe Ndinga has joined the club from Sweden and will bolster an already tested defense. A natural left footer, Ndinga will comfortably swing balls into the box from more dangerous positions than the likes of Frankie Westfield and Gio Sequera. With this addition, Philadelphia will feel more comfortable in its own skin once again. The next few matches are big ones, with the Union matching up against CF América, Atlanta United, and the Chicago Fire. Competing against Atlanta away from home is never easy, and Chicago has shown growth under Gregg Berhalter. If Philadelphia comes out of the matches with something to show for, then it would be unfair to write them off for the remainder of the season.