Roundtable preview of the Union season: changes, conference rivals and MLS Cup

The Union had an amazing and yet frustrating 2022 season. It was incredible that the team set records in both defensive and offensive aspects, but came up just short on the merits for either the Supporters’ Shield or MLS Cup, losing the first on games won and the second in a penalty shootout after leading in extra time. Now members of the Inquirer’s soccer staff share their thoughts on the season ahead.

The Union had last year’s MLS Cup firmly in their hands before Gareth Bale rose like a salmon in the 128th minute to cruelly equalize with a booming header. LAFC would go on to win in penalties, leaving the devastated Union to pick up the pieces once again. But oftentimes, a team first needs to experience heartbreak before it can learn what it takes to triumph. I believe that will be the case with the Union, who will use the sour tastes from how the last two seasons ended as fuel to finally get over the hump in 2023.

To me, the Union are poised to repeat as Eastern Conference champions, led by the return of Julián Carranza, Dániel Gazdag, and Mikael Uhre, an attacking triumvirate that combined for 49 goals 25 assists in the league. Add in a stingy backline and the league’s best goalkeeper in Andre Blake and there is no reason to think the Union will take a step back in 2023.

» READ MORE: The Eagles, Phillies, and Union lost championships in a 99-day span. Wasn’t it wonderful?

The Union made some solid depth moves in the offseason, the biggest being the acquisition of Andrés Perea, and can count themselves lucky to still have Kai Wagner (15 assists), who was linked with a move to Europe, still in the fray. The Union’s brilliant academy has also ensured young players like Quinn Sullivan and Brandan Craig will continue to break through each season and provide depth and competition.

Every time I’ve looked at the Eastern Conference this preseason, even when the standings are blank, I’ve come to the same conclusion: I think the Union are the best team in the conference, and it isn’t close.

They return every major player from last year except for Paxten Aaronson and Cory Burke. Both could have been important this year, especially Aaronson, but Joaquín Torres coming in fills that hole. Torres could even replace Burke’s scoring too, but he’d do it differently, though, since the Union haven’t yet made a like-for-like replacement of Burke’s size and physicality. That may be part of what has Jim Curtin varying up the tactics this year.

It would have been a good thing no matter what, but as I wrote when I went down to Clearwater earlier this month, it’s frankly necessary.

As long as Curtin rotates his lineup enough to keep everyone fresh, he’ll have Mikael Uhre, Julián Carranza and Dániel Gazdag set for the big games, with Torres behind them and Quinn Sullivan finally set for regular playing time.

» READ MORE: Mikael Uhre aims for a 20-goal season in his second year with the Union

Something that too often gets overlooked in the bragging rights of MLS team and their hardware — what do teams really want to win? MLS Cup remains the top prize and it’s interesting when most teams admit as much by sending out rosters that aren’t the team’s top level for Open Cup games or whatever other competition clogs up their schedule. It’s the MLS version of load management and the top managers in the league are the ones who manage to shuffle the deck of what’s at their disposal to success in various competitions, using different players and formations. But dealing with extra games and competitions often becomes a handicap that afflicts mostly the teams who have already achieved some success. You’re not playing extra games if your team didn’t qualify or stay viable in that particular competition. Players end up getting a rest bonus for not being a great club.

For all the parity in the league, it’s not really on par when, in any particular week, the Union have to play three games, say because of Concacaf Champions League, and each of the opposing teams they’re facing have to only play one or two. The schedule becomes a sort of ghost opponent that haunts the club all season long.

It appears Jim Curtin has figured this out and is game-planning for it with the same tenacity and problem-solving approach he applies to any of the Union’s club opponents. That means he’s moving away from his tried and true and slightly rigid formation approach and working to make the Union more versatile with a bit of a Swiss Army knife approach that could have a nice knock-on effect of leaving opponents slightly baffled about what kind of Union team they’ll face. Instead of doing a copy paste of what worked for the Union so well last season, with the power trio of Uhre, Gazdag and Carranza, opponents will have to wonder if they’ll have to deal with Joaquin Torres in a withdrawn striker role and wonder who will partner him.

» READ MORE: Jim Curtin embraces unprecedented expectations on the Union, and on himself

There’s also the unofficial competition of Top Development Club in MLS ― yes, I just made up this term — but it’s a very real honor to be considered as the domestic club that sends the most players to the next level, whether that be abroad to Europe or the U.S. men’s national team. F.C. Dallas, while winning very little actual hardware, was easily the top claimant of this title for many years, but the Union has arguably the strongest claim now. Extra games on the schedule aren’t just a push to play the kids, it’s a hard shove of necessity, and I’m looking forward to the resulting matches where we’ll see more of Jack McGlynn, Quinn Sullivan, Brandan Craig, Nelson Pierre, and who knows who else.

In terms of competition, I think Toronto FC will be better with Lorenzo Insigne in his first full season in the league, as will Sporting Kansas City with Alan Pulido healthy, and Atlanta United, who were loaded with talent last year but also loaded with disorder.

Then there is NYCFC, who have a lot of talent to replace but have done so before and not missed a beat. Don’t sleep on Columbus or New England, either, both of whom had a down year in 2022. That said, the Union are the unquestioned favorites in the east and are my pick to win the conference and get back to MLS Cup.

The biggest reason why the Union are the best team in the East is the rest of the conference. New York City FC has blown itself up to a stunning degree, losing eight key players this winter after losing Valentín Castellanos last summer. With no major replacements coming in, especially in the attack, the Union’s biggest rival seems poised to fall hard down the standings.

The list of teams that have improved this winter includes Columbus, which visits the Union for Saturday’s season opener (7:30 p.m., Apple TV streaming, free of charge). Wilfried Nancy is a terrific manager, and I’ll bet he gets the best out of striker Cucho Hernández, playmaker Lucas Zelarayán, and tempo-setters Darlington Nagbe and promising youngster Aidan Morris.

Other teams I think will be notably better this season than last include FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami thanks to Josef Martínez, the New York Red Bulls thanks to new striker Dante Vanzeir, and D.C. United thanks to Christian Benteke and Mateusz Klich — the latter a former teammate of Brenden Aaronson at Leeds United.

Toronto FC will be better too, just by bringing in veteran goalkeeper Sean Johnson. The Reds badly needed the leadership he’ll provide. But I’m not sure they’ll be elite, because I don’t know if Lorenzo Insigne will join the history books of summer signings who flopped initially then took off the last year. I’m skeptical for now.

Atlanta United will be better if new striker Giorgos Giakoumakis is as good as advertised, but I think new team president Garth Lagerwey — arguably the best front-office executive in MLS history — needs another year to finish cleaning house.

Montréal will take a step back because of Nancy and Torres’ departures. Nashville will take a step up by moving back to the Eastern Conference. Orlando and New England will be good, but I’m not sure if they’ll be great. Chicago and Charlotte will bring up the rear.

They’re all chasing the Union. I’m not sure Philadelphia is the best team in all of MLS right now, because LAFC, Austin and Seattle have my benefit of the doubt. I won’t be surprised if Austin’s Sebastián Driussi wins the Golden Boot. I’ll also pick Sporting Kansas City for a big year after brutal injury luck last season.

» READ MORE: An analysis of the Union’s roster at the start of the 2023 season

I’ve discussed the Union more and their Eastern Conference opponents less because I agree with you, Jon, that the rest of the teams in the East shouldn’t pose a tough challenge to the Union.

As MLS Cup showed, almost anything can happen in a single game, so I also believe the Union’s best chance at a trophy this season is the one they’ve already won, back in 2020, the Supporters’ Shield. That competition should reward their consistent quality and underscore that the rest of the conference is really chasing the Union as the pacesetters.

However, in the playoffs, whatever the eventual format is going to be, the Union are going to have to be wary of going up against the New England Revolution, because Djordje Petrovic is as good a goalkeeper as I’ve ever seen in MLS, and I’ve watched the excellence of Andre Blake for a while.

I won’t pick a MLS Cup winner, not least because the playoff format wasn’t confirmed until Tuesday — which is absurd for a league as grown-up as this. But I will also peg the Union as favorites for the Supporters’ Shield. The schedule is so unbalanced that they should be able to rack up a lot of points against weaker conference foes.

Finally, there are just three Western Conference road games: relatively lowly Colorado, unquestionably lowly San Jose, and a Los Angeles Galaxy outfit whose follies I will leave to Andrea to make fun of.

The Union’s Champions League campaign would be more of a burden if they go deep in that competition than any of those teams.

» READ MORE: MLS changes its playoff format again, now guaranteeing home games for more teams

The Galaxy, despite their sad state relative to their days as one of the premier clubs in the league, did make the playoffs last season and looked capable of ousting LAFC, though it ultimately didn’t happen, of course.

I’m also not putting it past Riqui Puig and Chicharito to improve upon their first season of playing together.

If the Union return to the MLS Cup final, who from out west will be there waiting? Money talks, really, despite the sheen of parity in MLS, so I expect it will be one of the L.A. teams.

I think to win MLS Cup the Union need to do much of the same things they’re already doing. They were the best team in MLS much of last season and had multiple chances to close out MLS Cup and win their first championship. The key this year will be staying hungry and not getting complacent, which I don’t expect from a Jim Curtin-coached team.

The Union have done what they were supposed to do the last few years in terms of the regular season; the key will be staying focused on the task at hand and carrying that into the postseason.

I like the Union to get back to MLS Cup, and get revenge on LAFC in the final to finally get over the hump and win the franchise’s first title.

» READ MORE: How to watch Union games in the new Apple MLS Season Pass streaming package