The 2016 Season is finally here, and the Union will be kicking it off in the Big D. This Sunday, the Union will take on FC Dallas at Frisco Texas' Toyota Stadium in the first of two road games to start the season, and while they might be considered underdogs, there's no reason to write them off just yet.
Offseason Moves: This offseason, Earnie Stewart and the Union's front office shook up the roster, sending team assist leader Cristian Maidana (along with Andrew Wenger) to Houston, Connor Casey to Columbus and returning Nantes loanee Fernando Aristeguieta to France. They brought in center-back Anderson Conceição, Dutch midfielder Roland Alberg, Brazilian midfielder Ilsinho and former MLS and NASL Best Eleven selections Chris Pontius and Walter Restrepo, as well as surprise revelation Ken Tribbett and draft picks Keegan Rosenberry, Joshua Yaro and Fabian Herbers. Leo Fernandes is also returning from a loan stint with the New York Cosmos, where Mike Lahoud was sent for the 2016 season.
FC Dallas has also seen some changes this offseason, having traded el Super Ratón Blas Pérez to Vancouver and goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to the Galaxy. They declined options on midfielders David Texiera and Michel, and mutually terminated defender Je-Vaughn Watson's contract. Undoubtedly, their biggest offseason signing is Re-Entry Draft pickup Maximiliano Urruti, formerly of the MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers. They also brought in former Stuttgart midfielder Carlos Gruezo and Homegrown defender Aaron Guillen.
On The Field: Tactically speaking, FC Dallas is a tough matchup for any team. From Jesse Gonzalez' solid goalkeeping to the formidable center-back duo of Matt Hedges and Zach Loyd, Dallas' defense is a strong one. The real threat, however, is up front. Mauro Diaz' stellar service, Maxi Urruti's finishing ability and Fabian Castillo's blazing speed on the outside combine to make Dallas' attack a tough one to defend against, and a tough test for the newly re-forged Union defense.
While Jim Curtin may still be trotting out a 4-2-3-1 (for the first couple of games, at least), the Union's re-tooled roster may provide more offensive potency than they've had in past years. With Maidana gone, Tranquillo Barnetta will slot into the #10 role, and Roland Alberg and Ilsinho can attack from the wings. The additions of Anderson and Ken Tribbett, in some combination with Richie Marquez, will allow Maurice Edu to move back into his preferred defensive-midfield role. If Vincent Nogueira can stay healthy and CJ Sapong (or Roland Alberg?) starts scoring goals, the Union's offense could really get going.
Unfortunately, it won't work out that way on Sunday. With Maurice Edu and Tranquillo Barnetta both injured, Jim Curtin will have to find another combination to start in Dallas. One solution, substituting Brian Carroll for Maurice Edu, seems like a lock, and it's likely that Roland Alberg will take Barnetta's place in the middle while Chris Pontius slots in out wide.
Prediction: This will be a strong performance from the Union. The fact that the Union can still field a strong eleven despite missing two key players is a testament to the great job that Earnie Stewart and the front office have done refreshing the team this offseason. Whether or not they end up winning, expect the team to give a strong showing in Dallas.
