Union's Le Toux looks to recapture scoring touch

The circumstances are different for sure, but the facts are undeniable. Sebastien Le Toux remains a huge presence on the Union, just not the dominant force he was a year ago.

Of course, it's a good-news, bad news scenario with Le Toux. His numbers are way down, and his team's wins are way up.

True, he hasn't been the target player of a year ago in many instances, although he was in Saturday's scoreless draw at San Jose. Even though he's playing more midfield, the chances have been plentiful. But he has yet to cash in during the course of play.

Last season, he dominated Major League Soccer defenses with 14 goals and 10 assists, giving him nearly twice as many goals as Union wins (eight).

This season, he has just one goal, although his playmaking ability is evident by his six assists. That lonely goal came on a penalty kick, so he's still looking for his first score in the heat of action.

The Union are a much better defensive team, and they have almost matched last year's win total with a 7-4-7 record. They are also tied for first place with the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference - and with two games in hand.

"Last year, I got more goals. But what is important is this year where we are in the standings," Le Toux said, looking for a positive spin.

Le Toux has always been about winning first. But make no mistake about it, he has been frustrated. Le Toux, who is a cerebral player and person, may be thinking too much.

"He needs to relax and just play," Union team manager Peter Nowak said of Le Toux. "Sometimes you have to make the game simple, and he is trying so hard."

There are few players on the team who command as much respect as Le Toux, mainly due to his style of play and his magnanimous personality. On the pitch, he can be both graceful and a grinder, with the ability to explode by defenders and the willingness to do the dirty work to get to any loose ball.

What is interesting is that whether he's playing in the midfield or up top, Le Toux has created plenty of chances for himself and his teammates.

An optimist might suggest how well the Union will do if Le Toux recaptures his scoring touch. A pessimist wonders if he will regain the form from last year.

Nowak has said repeatedly this season that he would be more worried if Le Toux weren't getting the chances. Yet Nowak's latest comments show that this goal-scoring drought has been a sort of albatross for Le Toux.

Nowak always says that a person can't excel at this game if he's too tense. Of course, that could go for any sport, but try spending a day in Le Toux's boots.

He is an offensive catalyst whose job is to put the ball in the back of the net, and he wants to achieve this goal so badly.

It almost goes against the athletic code, but Le Toux has to stop caring as much or thinking so much. He must just relax and allow his athletic ability to take over.

Using his best slang, Nowak put it precisely when giving advice to Le Toux.

"He just needs to chill out a little," Nowak said. "That is the phrase?"

It sure is, and maybe some chillin' will eventually lead to more scorin'.