Bradley Carnell and his Union team return home on Saturday against the New England Revolution after a long week on the road. And with just four games left to seal their fate, there’s hardly any time left to mourn their consecutive defeats in the past week. While he and his men are picking up lessons from their disappointing displays, they’re also putting all of the misery behind them, as they aim to go on a four-game winning streak henceforth. Here are the major talking points from his press conference
https://youtu.be/TJCDkSp-y3o?si=zcMASxjcWdNuMxiu
Must-win match vs New England
Talking about this weekend being a must-win game, he didn’t exactly call it a must-win. Still, he expressed the fact that the winning mentality that took them to the league’s summit with 57 points remains the same, and they are ready to go into the remaining games without the slightest doubt of their ability to win.
”We want to make sure we’re aiming for the next three points possible. And through that accumulation, we’ve put ourselves in that position, and if you ever leave in fear, you’re gonna fail. There’s nothing to fear. We just have to play free and enjoy the last four games.” - Union head coach, Bradley Carnell
The strength of the New England Revolution
When asked about New England’s record away from home–five wins, five draws, and five losses–in comparison with their home record, he instead pointed out the change in their leadership. Caleb Porter was sacked earlier this week and has been replaced by Pablo Morreir, whose first game in charge will be against the Union.
“I think whatever was, I think you can almost throw it out. There’s been a change, and we have to expect their best. Sometimes, change can reinvigorate a team, and sometimes it takes longer. It’s our job to make sure it takes longer. They have a good team, there’s no doubt about that. I don’t think there’s any bad team in the MLS.” - Bradley Carnell.
Andrew Rick’s performance and Andre Blake’s fitness
Aside from Frankie Westfield, who will soon join the Under-20 Men’s National Team for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Carnell was asked for his thoughts about Andrew Rick’s performance in the absence of Andre Blake, whose recovery was also discussed.
“Andrew‘s been good, even [if] he’s conceded some goals, I don’t think any has been put on his head, right? Even in Vancouver, he had moments with the ball at his feet, he did things and took a lot of bravery and risks to play at the back and do exactly what we want. We’ve seen a lot of growth from Andrew, despite the adversity, despite the negative results.” - Union head coach, Bradley Carnell.
Despite Rick’s efforts, Blake’s presence presents more than just excellent and experienced goalkeeping. He brings huge leadership qualities that a teenage Rick may lack due to his age, and Carnell couldn’t gainsay the impacts of his presence as well.
“Dre is day-to-day, he was on the field, in a certain capacity. I think tomorrow we’ll have another evaluation on how he’s doing. He knows his body best and he’ll give us an honest opinion on if he can go or not. For sure, his presence is vital and valuable. We’ll see, but we’ll have a plan both ways.” - Bradley Carnell.
Setbacks vs Vancouver and Nashville
Of course, one of Carnell's biggest questions is how his team responds to their recent setbacks, which saw them concede 10 goals in two matches. He didn’t just take responsibility for their losses; he was also accountable, pointing out the frequency of individual errors that all contributed to their downfall.
“We’ve lost one league game and one cup game. So, that’s where we’ll leave it at. We don’t want to inflate it and overvalue it. But for sure, we’re very critical about ourselves. A lot of things that we’ve seen are just accounts of multiple errors. And through that accumulation of errors, there’s a certain result that happens, and that’s usually a goal conceded. So, out of these moments, we’ve found out, and we’ve learned lessons the hard way that if we have too many individual errors, we’re gonna concede a lot of goals.” - Union head coach, Bradley Carnell.
In putting their past behind them, he explained how this phase is a strong test of the team’s resilience and tenacity, a proof of their growth over the course of the season.
“There’s a lot of accountability, starting with myself and moving through the ranks with the rest of the staff and the players. There’s been a lot of physical and mental stimulation happening in terms of just getting bodies and minds right for the job at hand now. It’s one of those weeks we wish we would forget, and if we’re not feeling comfortable, it means we’re not growing. We’re already at a point in the season where we have to grow one more time to finish the season strong and prepare us for the postseason.” - Bradley Carnell
With hopes of an impressive comeback, the Union hosts New England Revolution on Saturday as the race for the Supporters’ Shield gets hotter.
Be sure to return to Philly Sports Network for more Philadelphia Union and other soccer content!
Follow our Union team on Twitter:
Tim Lovenguth | Jimmy King | Nate TennesenSteve Beavon | Eric Frysinger | Paul FrenzelTomiwa Aderinoye | Christopher Babos | Liam Jenkins
Doop on Union fans!
