The Attacking Third | Union Lose 3-1 to Columbus | Philadelphia Union 3rd Place Match

good morning good morning good morning the unions quest for another trophy or for a trophy end Wednesday night as they lose three to one to Columbus but they have a third place chance third place match and a chance for next season's uh Champions Cup this is the attacking third on edge of Philly sports [Music] good morning again everyone and again welcome to the attacking third I am Steve fantes you can find me on X Twitter at Soldier Steve 247 I am solo today uh Pat is out he's going to be doing some other shows later today so he had to get some stuff done I am going to be here with with you talking about the unions unfortunate loss um yeah it sucks it sucks when they're so close yet again and yeah look I knew people including myself I didn't expect them to go this far into uh Champions Cup or leagues cup um to be honest with you I didn't even have them coming out of group stage um I was on a uh live stream of the of the match with um Scott and JD from oh I always forget the um Sports Punk entertainment I believe is what their uh what it's called uh what their network is called and I said it there and they I think JD said the same thing that they he didn't expect the union to come out of group stage but nonetheless that's where they are they got there they got out um and and and it took the return of Andre Blake Pat and I we kept saying it all throughout the tournament having him back it's crazy what it can do but all good things I guess have to come to an end it feels like in Philadelphia sports So It Came Crashing Down Wednesday against the uh reigning MLS Champions Columbus crew and they just were better than them at every single level and aspect uh of the match of soccer um and credit to them they did exactly what is expected of them um they've only lost twice I believe at home under Wilford Nancy excuse me and uh and it showed the place didn't look too packed but when they scored the fans were allow so credit to them um and it was the Diego Rossi and Chucho Hernandez Show um they came out attacking the crew did they came out applying more pressure felt like the union took a step back they didn't they they themselves didn't attack and put that much pressure and maybe that's because Ty baribo wasn't in because of those BS yellows um against um maadan in the uh quarters when he got sent off um so maybe that's why uh I'm I'm I was really shocked with Sullivan being put up top with UA uh he's he's much better playing in Midfield I believe I like him better there I like him coming off the bench as that super sub per se uh and I I just didn't like you've Jim has started Sam at dinner already Why not start him in this spot um it blew my mind and really to be honest with you and I would have liked to see Danley probably get in earlier than he did too but this is what happens um to the Union in semifinals finals and it took it took Columbus to pretty much just have some sloppy play which they were consistent with all leagues cup at one point and would give up a goal and they did this again uh for the union it was really the Union's only real I would say real threat uh all game I I can only think of maybe like two other times earlier UA had a great um opportunity when uh I don't think it was off corner I think maybe it was off Corner um but the ball was just too little little too deep on the far post and he couldn't get a good angle on it that was early and then Sam towards the end of the game he had a pretty decent opportunity but other than um Columbus getting sloppy in their own 18 Nathan harriel made a good stop or good defensive play on on a sloppy pass and then uh gazdag was able to clean it up and get the goal so you had that going for him and when they tied it up one to one um after Diego Rossy made an incredible uh putback you know Blake did what he could Blake did what he could all game all match long um and it just it sucked because it wasn't enough and you could tell oh you could tell he wanted he wanted this match he wanted this win um it it's you how much of the emotional roller coaster of Jose Martinez and his Farewell and his sendoff um from the previous match and quarterfinals how much of that played into this I don't know maybe a little not too much I don't think I think these guys knew it was coming so that's just that's just it but it was a a great header on the on the put back and then and then I just like I mentioned gdag ties it up one to one but Diego Rossi again he right before the half puts the them up two to one off of a uh Christian Ramirez beautiful assist don't through ball um and then right before the half right when you thought like oh wow okay they may have uh they may have something here nope the crew uh they get the second goal right before the half and exactly how you felt earlier in the match you went right back to it in the half I was hoping that curtain would would have made a um would have made a sub at the half maybe if you bring Sam on and you want to keep Quinn Quinn on maybe take Flack out let uh let uh uh uh Quinn step back into the Midfield and and then you just have more offensive opportunities and that's what I really wanted with this you the defense wasn't going to win this game for the union the way um The Way Columbus is built and the way they play they don't allow many shots on goal they don't give up that many goals and it this is the outcome of it you know 3-1 usually is the score for Columbus two um and and defense wasn't a defensive lineup wasn't going to be the answer and I know everyone's going to say well what offensive player were they going to bring in exactly what I'm leading to this just shows the depth the lack of that the union have of Strikers forwards and offensive players and this is what the fan base has been germering about and and and and pissed off about from the front office that you're not getting you're bringing in defensive players you're bringing in midfielders you're not bringing in anybody to replace coranza Tai was already here Ty bbo was already here and it took him too long to get on the field but who else have you brought in and now now I wake up to news yesterday that Damen low is gone he's getting transferred to a uh I'm not even GNA try to pronounce the uh the name of the uh of the team I just know they're they're a Saudi Saudi Arabia pro team and he he he's not going to be available now so now the club is down to gnes and Elliot as your center backs unless you're going to bring up um MAA from the union 2 to play I mean and that's kind of been the unions Forte right now right you're bringing up the young guys and you're giving them the the Homegrown deals and he he's earned it I wish he would have been able to get in earlier in the season I wanted I wanted M to be there playing I'm probably pronouncing his name wrong I'm really sorry um I wanted him to be in there sooner getting minutes because he's a talented young kid so it's going to be interesting this is but that's what I wanted that's what I wish curtain would have had the mindset come in and just be an offensive minded team don't don't don't hope that the counter on defense was going to be able to get you some some some chances and and it did once but that was typical for Columbus that that that was more of a Columbus error than it was anything that wasn't anything the union created defensively really to be honest with you um I just wish there was more offensive striking power and and and then the one the one guy that you go out and get for defensive striking power you don't even start that ah it was frustrating to that part but then the second half starts and um and then what was it in the 63rd minute I want to say um 53rd 53rd minute so eight minutes right after halftime chucha Hernandez makes his presence known on the offensive side and he was pressuring the ball all day all G all night all night he was on that ball and and and it's what you wish you heard from gazdag from the announcers right oh Gaz Dag's pressure gazdag with the ball you you don't really hear his name being called too much and that's the frustrating part um with with gazdak he goes invisible at times and you're you're wearing the 10 Jersey that can't happen personally um so but then he puts the ball he gets a goal um Blake made a great initial save on it couldn't hold on to it there was no one around for the union surprise surprise on defense when they get down they get down and it seems like the their play comes down to that to their emotional level um and that that was pretty much it after that and Blake they Blake tried Blake really did try and then Sam had opportunity um after that later on in the match somewhere in the 80th minute in the in in the in the 80th time frame 80 minute Mark um but it just wasn't enough at the end of the day the the the Cru um stars shined and the unions didn't to be honest with you um UA he played good he played well I think he had a great leagues cup for um the way that he can also go invisible at times and for what he's getting paid paid for his uh outcomes for for for what he's putting out at times for me is just it's not enough and I think GL gnes gnes was down for a while and I started to get worried his head was bleeding I was like oh man I bet you they're gonna take him out of this game um JD was saying it when I was on the live stream with them um about oh man concussion protocol he's going to be out now what are we doing and then the sub started coming in and it wasn't for him we were like oh my gosh then you could see the blood and his super super blonde hair and I was like oh crap and I thought he was gonna have to call our guy David R Cherry because I thought he got hurt at work or a motor vehicle accident personal injury or if you're affected by criminal law you know the man to call David R Cherry of the Cherry firm if you've been seriously injured in the state of Pennsylvania which gnz was not in the state of Pennsylvania so he might not have been able to but I think they would have been able to figure out something to get to get David Archer on the uh on the job but if you get hurt in the state of Pennsylvania by negligence of another and if you have questions for Westchester media personal injury attorney don't hesitate to call David R Cherry at 61 05653 or go to Cherry injur law.com that's who I thought gnes was GNA need he might need him he might need him today because they're at home they're at home tonight this afternoon and what what is the feel I I feel like fans are still going to boycott the leagues Cup in a sense but now how do the fans feel after this uh loss in semis in the semis to the champions of you know it's not like they lost to uh crappy team you know like a Montreal club that just had a good leagues cup stretch and they're on a nice run I mean even who they're going up against in Colorado is um they're fourth in the west they're uh but they're they got uh 41 points they're 12 five and nine on the MLS season um so it this isn't going to be a rollover Third Place game I think like what last season was when uh they went up against who was it moner moner montere uh um in the finals or in the third place game when I mean there's guys on the pitch who were wearing three-digit numbers for um for montere so it I I think Colorado's coming out here they themselves are going to be wanting to play for a chance in um in next seasons's Champions Cup um I I I don't remember hearing their name I don't I'd have to look it up I don't think they were in this season's Champions Cup um so that's the one that the fans really like so I I think the union you can't come out this match t uh this afternoon and you got to field your best team um Damen low is not going to be an option on the bench so possibly like I mentioned earlier you're bringing up um MAA from the uh from the union 2 but libero is going to be back so that's a plus that that that striking ability and and he has really between him and Andre Blake and what they've been able to bring to um to this club since they've gotten into this form and I think I saw a PO post earlier in the week from uh it was on mls's Twitter that um Jack Elliott had said you know they're back th this this help this tournament and this run has helped them feel like they are back well now you have you took a loss against a respectable club that how do you bounce back from that and how you respond and I think if you can go get this win earn third place um no one's really going to be all you know it's going to be a good job now let's go do it and keep going in this stretch and keep do playing the way that they are in the form that they are um in the rest of of MLS play you're going to a team get that you just went up against and lost this Wednesday you're going to see in a week um on the 28th next Wednesday in Columbus so then and then you're going to go on a stretch of three by games where this team's been pretty well they've played shockingly pretty well on the road this season and you have Andre Blake back now and he seems as healthy as he's been last two seasons right um you have guys like gnes and Elliott who have come into form since his return my question is what who do you have on the bench now that you can really rely on because you're not going to are you going to take away harriel from his Wing position his his his left back position or you're not going to take Kai because you've you've had harriel there for Swiss army knife in certain situations but are you going to really move him permanently as like a if you need a sub or are you just riding with gnes and Elliott for the rest of the season and hope that they don't get injured and that they're they're able to ride this thing out um you're going to have Danley to hopefully fill that void because you're not going to fill you're not going to replace right I don't want to say replace because you're not going to replace um someone like Jose Martinez which I have not felt this sad about a um a player leaving a team in quite some time I I can't even really think about the last time that I felt this sad that a player was gone um what he meant to this club he was the definition of what Philadelphia sports is um the way he embraced it the way that he was true in his play he let he he never shied away from who he was because he knew um his play was going to be able to um reflect his passion and he was going to be able to back it up and I really wish he went to uh Brazil club uh Corinthians I really wish I could uh they they had a trip to uh Philly sports trips I really wish that they had one going out there but I don't think they do but they do have saquon's return to New York on October 20th to New York and this is going to be one that Philly fans Eagles fans you guys really need to go to make turn uh what do they play what is it called uh I don't even know the the the the giant stadium is called meti is it still called meti turn it into Eagles turn into Philadelphia uh uh North so guys if you're Philly sports trip if you're a Philly sports fan and you want to travel with your Philly's favorite team like the eagles and sequan headed back to New York then travel with the best all right go to Philly sports trip .c and sign up immediately and make sure you tell them EOP sent you this is going to be a good one this is going to be the one but I don't think they have one going to Corinthians I really to Brazil they did they did have one sold out going to Brazil for the Philly or the Eagles uh Eagles season opener against the Green Bay cheese head Packers but I wish nothing but the best for Martinez super sad but who who's going to fill that void right because you don't replace him is it is it Bueno maybe I wouldn't be opposed to that but I think that's what you brought Danley in here for right so got a little bit of him got a little bit of him against the crew against Columbus and that loss I wish they would have um I wish they would have brought him in sooner he's fast he's fast there was a couple um plays where almost like Sam's first minutes on the pitch he his closing speed holy crap it's it's incredible um he's got good length so I'm hoping that he is someone who this pans out because they only went and and got two guys so now I believe they can only sign free agents now there is no more transfer window so I don't really know or can think of anyone who they can bring in off the top of their head off the top of my head to replace Damen low in a sense um he he got here Damen low got here and 20 excuse me 23 so a little two-year stint with uh with Philly I liked him I thought he was kind of attached with Andre Blake I was really shocked to see him get transferred out um so a piece that the union are going to Miss as well but tonight or this afternoon it's Colorado and I was texting with uh with Pat the host of the show earlier and he thinks that the union should rest whoever they can today and hope for a win hope to get the third place and look for look ahead for the MLS season and a playoff push right so because of who you have coming up almost every single game in the the rest of the MLS season is is a playoff is a playoff like game you got Columbus twice you have the Red Bulls at Red Bulls at New York you have Miami September 14th which you can use Philly sports trips to go to I know that then you have nycfc a short that's a that's a that's a that's a Saturday Wednesday combo so then you have that and then you're not back at home until Sunday night against DC which that game is going to be on Fox Sports One that that day that night get some nationally televised game get get it off apple and then you have then you're back at home again against Atlanta then you you go to Orlando you got to go to Columbus again and then you finish the season against Cincinnati who is going to be fighting for the supporter supporter Shield so they're not going to be resting anybody because of how close the top three kind of teams are up there in in points Miami Cincinnati and Columbus so every single game is a playoff like atmosphere and it's going to be a playoff like f um they're going to need help they're going to need help from other teams who are right there with them right there in that 789 range you're going to need um teams like New England you're going to need teams like um Montreal you're going to need teams like Nashville to hopefully knock off and have some upset matches later on in the season for them but I wanna um I want to take a look because Saturday last night there was some MLS action MLS was back from this leagues cup break because today you have at uh 4:30 down at Subaru Park you have the union hosting Colorado Rapids and then tonight for the first place match you're G to have lafc versus Columbus Crew um and then last night or yesterday for everyone else uh Seattle beat Minnesota 3-2 New England put a beat down on Montreal 5 to zero Red Bulls and Charlotte tied 1 to one Dallas beat DC United in a scoring Fest four to3 Miami without the goat Messi beat Cincinnati to nothing nycfc and Chicago played to a 2-2 draw Toronto beat Houston and this is this is where I'm talking about where teams can help the union which it sucks that this is what the union have uh what their early play in the season has led to is you're going to need other teams to kind of help you out right and Houston did not Houston uh Houston lost to Toronto Austin beat Nashville to nothing Kansas City beat Orlando so there's some help uh three nothing and then um San Jose beat Salt Lake two nothing which is wow right and LA Galaxy two nothing uh win over Atlanta and then the end the night Portland and St Louis played to a 4-4 draw so Union don't get their regular season back up and going into Wednesday and then like I said that's going to be their last home game until practically towards the end of September um where do I see this Union Club built how they are now where do I see them ending the season standing wise um they're in 10th place right now H with what they've played 25 games they have game game in hand 27 points a point behind Atlanta six points behind Toronto who sits in eighth Orlando sits in seventh seventh 34 points I mean that's Orlando taking that loss to um to Kansas City it's huge especially the typo law three three nothing um that's huge for the union so those that was a plus because you can't have you can't have I I see a lot of draws for the union um I see at least three draws for the union for the rest for their their remaining schedule here I actually think uh we have the remaining schedule right here yeah at the bottom ticker um so this is is it's going to be a test but I think it's a good test for the union you're either going to go out there and get a spot and squeak into the playoffs ah maybe not squeak maybe that's the wrong word for it maybe not squeak because I think they can I think they can get to seventh I think they can get you're only going to be able to host in the new playoff format where each team gets a home game in the first round I think you're going to be bble to squeak out of having that wild card right which would be good but seventh gets you playing what the third third place which right now is Columbus so again a lot of things have to play out they're playing well and I don't know with that away with that away um stretch you guys you're going to need a place to go eat you're going to need a place to go drink regard regardless of the outcome whether it's happy drinking or whether it's sad drinking and let me tell you the place to go to is Dolan's bar and if you guys are going to be staying local and you want to watch a game or just hang out with some great people go to Dolan's bar at 24 East sellers Avenue in Ridley Park right off of I9 95 south of the Philadelphia airport so it's not too far from the union Stadium down there in Chester off the river the sou so make sure you want some great music great times memorabilia giveaways great drinks great food and if you need to drink the sorrows away you're already there at the place to be and you never know when a former Philly sports icon is going to walk through the door you go to Dolan 24 East sellers AB at Ridley Park and tell PJ that EOP sent you go to w go to Dolan bar.com or follow them on Twitter Facebook Instagram or Tik Tok good food people good good food good people bring the fam especially if it's an early game wow man this is I'm feeling nervous feeling nervous for no reason for a third place game and I because I think this game's going to dictate how myself and the fans feel about the rest of the season I think they tempered emotions about um you know they had the town hall um ownership and and Jim curtain were there and they answer the questions that people maybe they didn't answer it in the way they want but the fact that they did that you know speaks volumes of what this uh what this owners ownership group is at least they're willing to put themselves out there um I think they heard the noise and they almost kind of had to in a in in a sense but I think those feelings have kind of the volume was turned down um and Andre Blake helped that I think with what he was able to bring and we keep talking about it but what he was able to bring um to this to this team in a in a in a lowly moment it was bad it was bad and he brought life back and so you know I mentioned that post that I uh that I saw that Elliott was quoted about saying you know this tournament and this stretch has made them feel like they're back that that's telling me that they they have confidence and they're feeling good um got some comments coming hat hat Bernard the host the gobler rest starters now gamble with the backups for today and fight like crazy on the second half of the schedule yeah you know I brought it up I said it I said that that's what you said earlier that we were you know we were texting before the show and I I I don't know if you're I think at this point you kind of have to go and fight for third place because if you don't go get third place and then you come out and you crap the bed with the the rest of the season you're going to have people oh man we didn't even we could have at least qualified for Champion Champions Cup but we couldn't even do that you know all this and but I do I do think maybe not rest starters but I think they're going to um I think this is a Cavin game I think this is for sure gonna be a cin game but Colorado Colorado's no no walko no push over over this is a good this is a good team pinard let zemla face his old team he might put on his show can you imagine you're not you're not you're not benching Blake you're not benching Blake Big Al gobbler never heard of him I think he not he until he does Phil's uh what what is it called the Big Daddy Pizza challenge to me that that's when he'll really earn that uh that that title gobler um but anyone who hasn't gone and gotten tickets yet there's a place you can go to and if you use EOP 10 you can get 10% off so guys go to Sher ticks.com because Great Moments don't just happen they happen with you in the crowd and I have a feeling they're going to need the union and they're going to need the fans the union fans in the crowd tonight this afternoon at Subaru Park Subaru Park so make sure you guys go to Sher tickets.com it's easy to use and has no hidden fees the price you see is the price you pay so make sure you use the code right there on your screen EOP P10 and make sure you tell them EOP sent you that's what's going to tell them that EOP sent you when you get that 10% off and and and even if you're not going to the union game check it out they got concerts they got theaters they got more than just Sports all right so bring the family check out that website it's right there on your screen www.shi.com all right I'm GNA wrap this up with my final Thoughts with what I think the uh the outcome of this one's going to be I'm going to not say that they rest the starters like what my my co-host Pat Bernard is saying I don't think they're going to do that I think they're going to go out here and they're G to play for third place to play for at least something and get something out of this for the season because you got to get something and that's at least a spot in next season's Champions Cup so I think they go out there they field a squad that you can at least feel comfortable in Ty bbo is back um I think they go they go out and get the win two to one I'm calling it two to one I think Tai gets a goal and I think I think Quinn gets a goal too I I I think they play they play really well off of each other the two of them um I think one thing that the union really missed against Columbus was Tai's ability to continuously apply pressure even when he's given the ball away to um regain possession and just the way he is he's just everywhere he's giving it his all all 90 minutes he's a full 90minut guy and I think he was the biggest thing the biggest player that they missed the most um I'd like to see Danley get a start um tonight this afternoon and then um and then go from there Big Al saying most people do the opposite of what Pat says well I'm going the opposite here I'm saying play your Starters play for something um play this match play for right now and then worry about Wednesday um against Columbus Wednesday um and that's my final thoughts on this and to make Pat happy meal of the day folks Pat likes to do and tell everyone what he's eating the gobler this game um I think I'm just gonna get I think I'm going Pizza think we're gonna we're going down to the game my girlfriend and I so I think we're just going to do pizza do a little tailgate down there I don't think the sons of Ben are doing an official tailgate for this one so um GNA go down there get some pizza do a little tailgate and then hopefully hopefully they get this win and they have some good momentum heading into this final what but last last nine games of the season so guys pm and am is next and then we have a full slew of shows 247 here at EOP seven days a week it's Nonstop Action all right so make sure you guys go and you um you like and you follow the uh Facebook page the Twitter page or X whatever you want to call it these days um YouTube twitch it's down there at the bottom go hit that like button go subscribe um doing it's going to be big eagles are back football is back got college football shows and then of course Monday through Friday Phil trending in the am your opinions matter and he means it and he means it guys so please go check out the website check out all the shows there's something for everyone wrestling I we got it all here all right so thank you all for tuning in have a good morning and let's go get this win [Music] [Music] know [Music]