Philadelphia Union Return From Break to Face Orlando City

The Union will be without Andre Blake and Damion Lowe and potentially Daniel Gazdag for Wednesday's trip to central Florida.

The Philadelphia Union’s next month of games could be their most challenging stretch of the Major League Soccer regular season.

Wednesday’s trip to Orlando City kicks off a run of four road games in the next six, and they aren’t easy road trips either.

In addition to all the travel, the Union will be without Andre Blake and Damion Lowe while they participate in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup for Jamaica.

Jim Curtin will likely have to deal with another absence on Wednesday since Daniel Gazdag and Hungary play Tuesday in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.

We know one of the three replacements in the starting XI.

Curtin revealed on Monday afternoon that Joe Bendik would once again step up into the starting goalkeeper role.

The 34-year-old backup conceded on five occasions in his two MLS starts earlier in the season while Blake was out injured. He also held a clean sheet against Alianza in the Concacaf Champions League.

Bendik caught some criticism from the fan base for those concessions, partly because he is not Blake.

The end-of-game debacle up in Montreal and the two quick goals scored by Orlando City had plenty of blame to go around between goalkeeper and defenders.

Bendik should get a fairer shake in net over at least the next three games because the back line is in form.

I would expect Jakob Glesnes and Jack Elliott to pair together in a four-man back line for the Orlando game.

Curtin could mess around with different personnel in the 3-5-2, or 3-4-1-2, at home against Inter Miami on Saturday, but he historically has not taken many risks on the road.

A flat back four with an abundance of central midfielders in front of them could be the way to go.

Gazdag will most likely not be available on Wednesday unless the Union come up with a teleportation system from eastern Europe.

Joaquin Torres is the like-for-like replacement at the No. 10, but we know from Curtin’s comments (most of them being indirect) that defensive work will get you on the field first. Torres does not offer much in that department.

Maybe Curtin could play the revenge angle and let Andres Perea start in midfield, but again, that comes down to producing the satisfactory defense.

I’ve been wrong about lineup predictions many times before, and I will continue to get these things incorrect, but I think Curtin should play to his strengths on Wednesday.

And that strength right now is an abundance of midfielders.

Start Jose Martinez and Jack McGlynn and use Jesus Bueno and Leon Flach as closers.

The right-sided midfield spot comes down to Alejandro Bedoya’s health, but I doubt Curtin would throw him out there in the heat as a starter instead of easing him back into the lineup.

If the 4-4-2 diamond returns, Perea should get the start and the final spot comes down to Torres or Quinn Sullivan. Or Curtin could get crazy and start Bueno or McGlynn on the right to fortify the space in front of the center backs.

Sullivan might be the X-factor to figuring out this whole lineup conundrum without Gazdag.

The Homegrown Player is relentless on both sides of the ball, and that gets you more playing time in Curtin’s starting lineup.

Sullivan is also versatile, so he could potentially start on the right side of the diamond, the No. 10, or as a link between the central midfielders and forwards if Curtin opts to keep the three-man back line.

The only ways the three-man back line works with Lowe out is if Brandan Craig is comfortable in that spot, or Curtin feels okay with using Nathan Harriel or Kai Wagner in a center-back spot on the road.

I think it’s more practical to use Sullivan, or another midfielder, to replace Gazdag and then fill out the midfield and defense from there.

Regardless of what moves are made, we’ll be breaking them down before AND after Wednesday’s game.

Myself and Jon Jansen will be hosting a pregame and postgame show on my Twitter account, @JTansey90, at 6:45 p.m. ET and then right after the final whistle.

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union.