What to expect in an uncertain season for the Philadelphia Union
Fresh and familiar faces are combining as the Philadelphia Union starts a new soccer chapter against Orlando City today. The Union are coming off an absolutely abysmal 2024 which saw them have the second-worst win total in franchise history. Last season was so bad it led to the Union parting ways with long-time coach, Jim Curtin. This led to the hiring of Bradley Carnell, who will hopefully provide a necessary, fresh perspective for what became a stale game plan.
Where Does the Union Stand in 2025?
To steal a page out of JJ’s book here, the Union has the 11th-best betting odds (out of 29 teams) to win the Supporter’s Shield and the MLS Cup. They have the 7th best odds to win the Eastern Conference. The perception of this squad is that they are an upper, mid-pack team which feels more than fair. While this squad does have the potential to mimic last season, they also can use 2025 as a return to form.
2024 was an absolute disaster in which anything that could go wrong did. So much so that the final result might not be indicative of who this team actually is. The Union is looking to return to the norm it had established over the past seven years. They had won 14 or more games every season dating back to 2018 before last year and had largely become a top five franchise in the sport and once breaking the FIFA top 100. While no championships, this team has become synonymous with playoff appearances for the better part of a decade now. It is hard to argue, even dating back to 2023 that there wasn’t a bit of a downward trajectory.
Financial Limitations and Smart Scouting
Ownership’s unwillingness to spend above the bottom 25% of the league has capped success to a certain degree, as we have discussed in the past. That being said, this team has become a landmark for maximizing overlooked talent and finding production in less looked-upon spots. While they lost Julián Carranza and Jack McGlynn this offseason to save money, they also did find those pieces to begin with. In the week leading up to this first game, they signed Bruno Damiani, and yesterday, they brought in the midfielder, and US Men’s National player, Indiana Vassilev (sick moustache). There is also some immense excitement around teenage sensation, Cavan Sullivan, who will be a key part of the team until he leaves for Manchester City in three years. The younger Sullivan brother turns 16 in September! He made his professional debut two years before he was allowed to drive a car.
Defensive Stability and Veteran Presence
Even with the terrible season last year, there were some positives to take away. Their defense was still relatively solid and they ranked in the top half of the league (13th) in goal differential, despite finishing 23rd overall in the league. Guys like Kai Wagner, Nathan Harriel, Olivier Mbaizo, and Jakob Glesnes are a stable, veteran presence while all-time franchise player, Andre Blake in goal will continue to lead the charge on the backend. While past their primes, Mikael Uhre and Daniel Gazdag are still lethal options up front and new addition Bruno Damiani looks to help up front too. They’ll blend with a super interesting group of fresh faces in an entirely new system in Philadelphia.
This group may present as a middle-of-the-pack team, but turnaround can happen very fast in the MLS. Remember, in 2023 this team had the 5th best record in the sport and just 3 years ago was only a few minutes away from winning it all. The Union start a new chapter, in what is ultimately a new book in 2025. There are elements here that could tell a very good story, but this book could end up on the discount shelf very fast.
What do you think the Union will do in 2025? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, BlueSky, or TikTok. Email us at [email protected] and we’ll share the story on the show. Join our Discord for further discussion with the GENY community!