Short-sided and on the road, here’s how the Union plan to keep their red-hot streak alive

The Union are unbeaten in their last 10 MLS matches, including seven wins. But there’s been plenty of time for the red-hot Union (11-3-4, 37 points) to cool off during the league’s most recent five-day break.

Now, Bradley Carnell is tasked with preparing his team after a week of rest for a match at the Chicago Fire on Wednesday (8:30 p.m., Apple TV).

The Union will continue to be without Quinn Sullivan, Nathan Harriel, and Andre Blake against the Fire (7-6-4, 25 points). Sullivan and Harriel advanced to the knockout stages of the Concacaf Gold Cup with the U.S. Blake will be in the net for Jamaica against Panama on Tuesday night as the Reggae Boyz look to secure a spot in the knockouts.

Injury will be an issue for the Union as they enter into a stretch of three MLS matches away from Subaru Park. During his news conference on Monday, Carnell said forward Mikael Uhre is still sidelined with a groin injury he sustained against FC Dallas on May 31.

On Monday’s call, Carnell added that Jésus Bueno is “trending in the right way.” The midfielder pulled his hamstring in the second half of the Union’s 2-1 win over Charlotte on June 14. Carnell also noted Frankie Westfield sprained his ankle.

“We’ll just see how we get through today and tomorrow’s training,” Carnell said. “We can give ultimate roster moves or what we’re doing with the team here over the next two days.”

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While the Union’s depth is being tested, the team could soon get a boost with the potential return of Tai Baribo, the league’s leading goal scorer. The forward was injured in the Union’s match in Dallas and traveled to Israel to rehab with Israel’s national team during the June FIFA window. Baribo was stuck in Israel after the escalation of war in the Middle East.

Carnell confirmed Baribo was out of Israel, saying the forward was “safely out of the country” and “arrived at his destination” at around noon Eastern on Monday. Carnell did not give a timeline for Baribo’s return to the team, as even after he does return to the squad, the timeline is unclear on his calf injury.

Danley Jean-Jacques also will return to the Union after featuring in Haiti’s midfield at the Gold Cup. Haiti was eliminated in the tournament’s group stages after suffering a 2-1 loss to the U.S. on Sunday.

June has been a lighter workload for the Union, especially in comparison to May’s nine-game slate. The league break allowed players and technical staff to catch their breath.

Now, Carnell finds himself preparing his team for a midweek game. Maintaining the momentum the team has built through May isn’t easy after a respite, Carnell admitted.

“It’s kind of weird in the rhythm,” Carnell said. “You play all this fixture congestion, and then you’re forced to have five days out. Then you’re forced to have four days of training, and on the fifth day, you play again.”

Carnell said the timing of the break in the Union’s season schedule was “a little bit frustrating.”

“I felt the need to get more days to prepare,” Carnell said. “[To] get the boys ready for the intensity of the training, and to get the boys ready in the flow of how we like to play.”

With league play resuming, the Union will play three away games in 12 days. After Wednesday’s match at Chicago’s Soldier Field, the Union play on Sunday in Columbus against the Crew (8-3-7, 31 points). A match at Nashville SC (9-4-5, 32 points) will follow on July 5.

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This stretch of three away matches is the longest of the Union’s schedule.

“The energy I portray is the energy the team needs to feed off,” Carnell said. “I’m really excited about this. We’ve had some great results, especially away from home. That’s the kind of train we want to follow.”

On Sunday, The Inquirer reported representatives of German star Thomas Müller approached the Union about the prospect of signing the 35-year-old forward.

The Union balked at the salary Müller desired, as the 2014 World Cup winner reportedly sought between $8 million and $10 million a year.

“From a financial perspective, that’s absolutely unthinkable for us,” Ernst Tanner, Union sporting director, told Sky Sports.

Müller has contacted a number of MLS clubs since he announced he would depart Bayern Munich, his longtime club, after the FIFA Club World Cup.

As Tanner made clear, Müller will not sign with the Union. But, when Carnell was asked about Müller’s hypothetical fit with the team, he said having Müller “would be amazing.”

“He creates value anywhere he goes,” Carnell said. “He’s done it, and he’s proved everybody wrong, even though he’s in the latter stages of his career.”

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