Going into a game without two starters would have been a death knell for the 2015 Union, or the 2014 Union, or the 2013 Union.



So it's strange to think that the team is in decent shape for Sunday's season opener.

The absences of Maurice Edu and Tranquillo Barnetta are significant, but not crippling. You're starting the season on the road, against a top five team, minus a pair of World Cup veterans. But, unlike years past, this roster has depth across the board and a number of guys who can step up to fill those roles.

Here are a few formation ideas for the opener.

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This is the starting XI I think Jim Curtin is leaning towards.

I spent the entire offseason talking about a possible switch to the 4-3-3. Curtin calls the system a 4-2-3-1. I'm sticking to what I originally said, because this team seems to be trying for the former and not the latter.

There isn't much of a difference between the two formations, in terms of where players are deployed. Each shape features a single striker and a three-man triangle in the central midfield.

The difference is philosophical.

The 4-2-3-1 is a balanced defensive shape with few weaknesses. It provides good protection and counterattacking ability. The 4-3-3 is predicated on the concepts of possession, pressing, and winning the ball in positive areas. Last season, the bulk of the offense was generated on the counter with Cristian Maidana pulling wide to find space. This preseason, you saw that the team is trying to hold possession and keep the ball on the ground.

You're witnessing a nascent stylistic transformation.

For Sunday, you can fill Barnetta's No. 10 role with Ilsinho, Roland Alberg, or Leo Fernandes. Chris Pontius or Sebastien Le Toux are then available for wide duty. The holding midfield role I give to Brian Carroll, because he's shown good understanding with Vincent Nogueira and fits the system. At age 34, Carroll isn't a guy you want playing a ton of games this year, but he's capable as a spot starter in situations like these.

As for the center backs, I just have a gut feeling that Tribbett gets the nod in week one.

There's no time frame for the return of Barnetta and Edu, but this is probably what the shape would look like with those guys available.

Some of these selections are a wash. You can put Ilsinho at any of the front three spots. That's the same deal for Alberg and Fernandes. Barnetta came into the season as Maidana's replacement, but maybe he ends the season as a better left wing option. Curtin will have to sort out the stacked midfield and figure out everybody's best position on the fly.

As far as the right back spot, I'm not ready to hand it over to Keegan Rosenberry just yet. Yes, the Union made a commitment to the rookie when they traded up to get him at number three overall. But is Ray Gaddis, who trained in full this week, sitting on the bench from day one?

Rookies have to earn their spot on the field, and if Rosenberry keeps pushing, he'll have certainly deserved it. Right now, I'm choosing Gaddis for Dallas and hoping that his strength in 1v1 defending helps against a speedy and skilled team that features the likes of Fabian Castillo, Mauro Diaz, and Maxi Urruti.

I love the 3-5-2.

If you've got Barnetta and Edu on the shelf, and you're concerned about Carroll, you can just bypass the defensive midfield issue and try this instead.

The idea here is based on what Juventus did with Andrea Pirlo, whose strength as a deep-lying playmaker was complicated by his lack of defensive presence. The compromise is playing a three-man backline to protect the "regista" while turning the midfield triangle upside down with a pair of box-to-box midfielders in front of your playmaker.

Truth be told, it's a hard formation to play. Guys like Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal don't grow on trees, and not many people have the legs to bomb the flanks like Stephan Lichtsteiner. Defensive assignments are more specific and the shape can be vulnerable to counterattacks. We play this formation in the CASA League and I'm gassed about 35 minutes into the game.

The Union, however, does seem to have the personnel for this shape. Alberg, Ilsinho, and Fernandes can play those Claudio Marchisio-style midfield positions. Rosenberry and Fabinho have flank attacking qualities. Sebastien Le Toux or Chris Pontius would make for a nice pairing with C.J. Sapong and give you more attacking capability up top.

The best case scenario in this shape is a free roaming Vincent Nogueira spraying balls all over the field with defensive cover from three center backs. The worst case scenario is the undermanned rearguard getting burned in the channels and on the counter when Philadelphia loses possession.