Union defender Sheanon Williams fighting for job
Union defender Sheanon Williams has gone from franchise cornerstone to a player battling to remain in the starting lineup. Like many of his teammates, the 25-year-old Williams has gotten off to a rough start this year for the 1-6-3 Union, who visit the Vancouver Whitecaps (5-3-2) on Saturday.
Union defender Sheanon Williams has gone from franchise cornerstone to a player battling to remain in the starting lineup.
Like many of his teammates, the 25-year-old Williams has gotten off to a rough start this year for the 1-6-3 Union, who visit the Vancouver Whitecaps (5-3-2) on Saturday.
Williams is part of a defense that has surrendered 18 goals, the most in Major League Soccer. Union coach Jim Curtin has moved Williams to the left outside back spot, with Ray Gaddis switching over to the right. Curtin also said that Williams would be battling Fabinho for playing time.
Since Williams is right-footed, there is added difficulty to the move, but it beats the alternative - sitting on the bench.
After last season, Williams was one of just six Eastern Conference players to record 2,000 minutes in four consecutive seasons for the same team.
Since joining the Union late in their inaugural season of 2010 after playing for their USL affiliate, Harrisburg, Williams has been a defensive fixture who possesses one of MLS's best throw-ins.
So how did he suffer such a free fall?
"That's a good question," Williams said after a practice this week. "I guess I really do not have a good answer for that."
To his credit, Williams offered no excuses.
"I think I can play better, and that is what I need to do to help this team," he said. "I think we all can be a little bit better if we look at ourselves."
That's for sure.
Williams is known not only as a sturdy defender, but he has been effective in the past pushing up on the attack. Last season, one in which he missed time early in the year with a right quadriceps injury, Williams had three goals and four assists in 24 games.
In 2013, he had two goals and eight assists.
He has missed time this season with a hamstring injury but has started seven of the 10 games. He has yet to earn a goal or an assist and has taken three shots. Again, his main responsibility is preventing goals, but he hasn't had his previous impact on the attack.
"In the offseason, we had a tough discussion and I said [Williams] had the talent to be a national team right back and it is up to him to grab a hold of it and keep going," Curtin said. "He does have the qualities and is a player a lot of coaches in our league rate highly."
At this point, Curtin believes he needs more production out of Williams.
"He has a good right foot and the ability to, when he wants to, get up and down the line," Curtin said. "But talking about it and doing it are two different things, and we want him to get back to playing a little more consistently."
Union at Whitecaps
Saturday at 7 p.m. in Vancouver
TV: The Comcast Network.
Records: Union 1-6-3; Vancouver 5-3-2.
Union on the road: 0-3-2
Vancouver at home: 2-2-1
Goals: Union 10; Vancouver 11.
Goals against: Union 18; Vancouver 9.
Outlook: Goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi, who missed the last five games while on a leave from the team, has returned. The Union's two keepers from last week are both out. John McCarthy has a concussion and Andre Blake will have right knee surgery. Both were injured Tuesday in practice. . . . Midfielder Michael Lahoud, who suffered a hip pointer against Toronto, is out four to six weeks. Midfielder Vincent Nogueira (ankle) is expected to return in some capacity. Defender Steven Vitoria (groin) is expected to miss his second game. . . . Forward C.J. Sapong will miss his second game while being evaluated after he was charged May 1 with DUI and reckless driving. . . . Vancouver's Octavio Rivero has a team-high five goals. Keeper David Ousted leads MLS with five shutouts and has a 0.90 goals-against average. - Marc Narducci
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