CHESTER, Pa. – Philadelphia Union manager John Hackworth has said that he might look for reinforcements to boost the left side of the field in his starting lineup.
He’s probably not going to want to tinker at all with the other side.
On Sunday, right back Sheanon Williams and right midfielder Sébastien Le Toux both picked up assists to help the Union roll to a 3-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls.
READ: Did McInerney hurt Gold Cup chances by going goalless against Red Bulls?
For the season, Williams now has a career-high four assists while Le Toux leads the league with seven. No pair of MLS teammates have a higher combined total than the pair’s 11.
“I think right now we’re really clicking,” Williams told MLSsoccer.com. “We trust each other and that’s an important thing. We’re trying to make our side at least a dangerous side.”
WATCH: Le Toux cross finds Casey
Le Toux, who was mostly used as a forward during his first stint with the Union from 2010-11, has been a revelation on the right wing this season, providing the team’s best crosses, both on set pieces and from the run of play.
And Williams has been a dangerous part of the attack as well, using his own crossing ability and patented long throw-ins to rack up the assists. Williams’ four assists through 15 games this season is one shy of the total he accumulated during his previous 68 MLS games.
“I think the guys are just making good runs,” Williams said. “To be honest, it helps that we’re not the smallest team in the league anymore. We have some big bodies and we have some people that want to bang with their center backs. And that makes all the difference. As long as we have people that are willing to go into the box, I’ll keep crossing, Seba will keep crossing and we’ll keep trying to get service in.”
READ: How time in Philly has given Conor Casey's career a second wind
The strong right-side-of-the-field relationship between the two players has also become apparent as Le Toux continues to adjust to his new position. It probably helps that both Le Toux and Williams are veterans of the club, having played for the Union during the franchise’s inaugural season in 2010.
“Sheanon does a great job offensively and defensively,” Le Toux said. “I know he can always overlap when I come inside and I know he’s always involved in the attack so I have an outlet to play him.”
“I think me and Seba right now have a good relationship,” Williams added. “It kind of started as, ‘Let’s try this out.’ But we seem to work well together. Seba’s always helping me defensively and I try to do the same thing for him offensively.
“We’re happy to have him back and I’m happy to have him on my side.”
Dave Zeitlin covers the Union for MLSsoccer.com. E-mail him at djzeitlin@gmail.com.
