Philadelphia Union Suffer Brutal, Disastrous Loss to Chicago Fire

The Union experienced another catastrophic defeat on the road in Chicago.

Andre Blake is the Philadelphia Union’s most valuable player in franchise history.

That’s the biggest takeaway from the Union’s latest disastrous collapse against the Chicago Fire.

Oliver Semmle was put back in net by Union head coach Jim Curtin and he cost the Union three points.

Semmle displayed a lack of confidence and skill in defending crosses all season long and that’s the major reason why a Chicago Fire comeback felt inevitable on Wednesday night.

The most inexcusable play of them all came in the buildup to Chicago’s equalizer, where Semmle punched away a cross instead of catching it with two hands.

That’s an elementary level of goalkeeping, and it’s not the first time this season Semmle showcased difficulties with crosses.

Chicago was playing itself back into the game late in the second half and knew it could take advantage of Semmle’s failures to read crosses, and oh boy, did the Fire succeed.

Curtin’s reasoning for starting Semmle over Andrew Rick was poor at best. He sounded like a coach who has absolutely no answers at the goalkeeper position until Andre Blake returns from injury.

“Just trying to get someone to get hot, to make a play, to make a save and right now the harder we try, the worse it tends to get,” Curtin said.

“It was a tough game for (Semmle),” Curtin said. “We have to regroup and try to protect him as best we can. We have to not allow shots, not allow crosses and do a better job of that.”

Semmle looked lost on all three of Chicago’s late goals.

On the 83rd minute goal, Semmle got over to the right post to deal with an in-swinging ball, but then it looked like he strolled back over to the middle of the goal and wasn’t in position to contest Hugo Cuypers’ header.

He had no reaction to Gaston Gimenez’s shot from outside the box that leveled the contest, but even before that goal went in, the damage was done.

Kai Wagner looked aghast as the ball bounced near him and out for a corner after Semmle’s failure to catch. Wagner was stunned at how the backup goalkeeper approached the play. That body language should tell you everything you need to know about the lack of confidence the defense has in Semmle.

Semmle’s inability to read a simple cross hurt him again on Cuypers’ game-winning goal. He was incredibly hesitant to read the ball in from the left, and by the time he actually reacted, the ball was in the back of the net.

I could make a strong argument that Blake prevents at least two of those goals. He wouldn’t have allowed the corner in the buildup to the third tally and probably would’ve affected the game-winner as well.

Now, while Semmle is most at blame for the defensive disaster, the center backs are not without blame either. The entire back four struggled at points of the night. Some of that is drop off in individual play, but I would also accredit that to forcing themselves to do too much because if the ball does reach the penalty area, there’s no confidence in Semmle getting the job done.

There’s a reason why Curtin’s answer on Semmle was the shortest of his post-match press conference.

Curtin knows Semmle isn’t good enough. He knows he screwed up that decision to start Semmle over Rick.

It shouldn’t have gotten to this point, though, which brings us to the bigger point of organizational failure in the transfer window.

The Union are so fucking cheap that they can’t even spend a decent chunk of money on a backup goalkeeper. They have to sign a developmental prospect from the USL Championship ranks instead.

Of course, no one could’ve expected Blake to get hurt so early in the season, but the Union front office should’ve been aware of the weakness at backup netminder after watching Joe Bendik play in reserve duty last season.

The lack of quality depth across the board was also on display with the lack of substitutions made by Curtin.

Curtin’s never been one to throw young players into the deep end, especially on the road, so I can understand not putting Olwethu Makhanya out in that situation. Makhanya does need to start soon so that we can at least see how he’s progressed in training and with Union II.

The last few transfer windows were supposed to be about building depth and tactical flexibility and instead Ernst Tanner is continuously taking shots on players from far off leagues who might pan out.

All of the poor play in the final 10 minutes washed away a solid attacking performance.

Quinn Sullivan and Jack McGlynn each raised their games and Daniel Gazdag looked good in his return to the starting lineup.

Chris Donovan got on the score sheet from just being in the right place at the right time. The Union got lucky on his goal, but in their current situation, it’s probably better to be lucky than good.

The attacking performance was far and away good enough to take three points on the road, but all sorts of defensive calamities once again ruined something positive.

The Union can’t trot Semmle out there again until he grows into his game more and has confidence to deal with the simple stuff. He was supposed to be a developmental prospect, and there’s plenty of time to grow, but that can’t be in the starting lineup.