CHESTER - In the midst of a disastrous 2012 season, the task from the middle of the summer onward for new manager John Hackworth turned from playoff qualification to discerning any glimmers of hope from an otherwise forgettable season.
Perhaps nowhere was the disappointment of 2012 more acutely felt than in attack, where the Union accounted for the fourth-fewest goals in MLS. Their total of 37 tallies was just over an average of one per game, and only that robust because of a veritable offensive explosion after the installment of Hackworth.
From the crucible of that 2012 season, few have emerged burning brighter than Antoine Hoppenot. Where a bevy of forwards fell by the wayside, Hoppenot has become a valuable member of the Union, developing a reputation league wide for his "super sub" role.
"Coach Hack just wants me to come in and bring the edge or if we need to get a goal or anything like that, I will try to create either one or two opportunities for me or my teammates," Hoppenot said Wednesday at PPL Park. "It's pretty much the role I've been playing. It's a good role. At this point, I've kind of been playing every game. For me, it's been perfect."
The forwards Hackworth - and for 11 futile matches before him, Peter Nowak - trotted out last year read like the a ghostly reminder of the past ... or the butt of future jokes shared between Union fans.
Lio Pajoy. Freddy Adu. Danny Mwanga. Josue Martinez. Chandler Hoffman. Jorge Perlaza. Cristhian Hernandez. Between them, in 82 man games, they combined to score only 12 goals ... and account for 0 roster spots on this year's team (though Hernandez remains team property on loan to Harrisburg).
Enter Hoppenot, the 22-year-old, 2012 third-round supplemental draft pick from. His production last year wasn't staggering: Four goals and an assist in 25 games, only three of them starts.
But when you factor in his relative paucity of minutes (1,535), his minutes-per-goal rate of 204 was essentially equal to leading scorer Jack McInerney (203) and much better than those of 2011 MLS All-Star Sebastien Le Toux (278) or Mwanga (307) in what was considered a breakout 2011 campaign.
Plus the Union were 3-1-1 in games where Hoppenot recorded a point last season, to which you can add the victory this year over Colorado in which his pass sprung McInerney for the game-winner.
The 5-8 forward knows what his role is: To provide a jolt of energy off the bench. Should that include annoying a few people along the way, garnering him a cult-hero reputation among Union fans and a pest label by opposing teams, so be it.
"I come in the game and when the defenders are tired, the last thing they want to do is chase a little guy around," Hoppenot said. "It's kind of annoying. That's what I try to do. The angrier they get at me, the more I know I'm doing my job."
It's remarkable that Hoppenot managed to survive the wholesale changes to the strike force. Out went the aforementioned and undistinguished list at various points last season, and in came Le Toux after a year in the wilderness and Conor Casey.
It was enough of a talent influx to chase away plenty of players. But not Hoppenot, who saw the changes as an opportunity.
"We didn't score that many goals last year, so we kind of expected that we would bring in some forwards to see if we could improve in that regard," he said. "Bringing in Seba and Conor was not a surprise. It's good for us with competition, and I get to learn from guys who've been in the league for a while. ... They're great players that you know you can learn from. And I'm still young so I'm ready to learn and become a better player."
In Hoppenot, the Union have a player who understands his role and executes it perfectly. And it's meant he's been a fixture in the side this season.
After being an unused sub in the opener, the Princeton grad has played in each of the last three games. He needed just eight minutes after his introduction against Colorado to set up McInerney's 79th-minute winner with a smart through ball. He also came on as a sub in the win over New England, and the 2-1 loss to New York last weekend was turned on its head when he and Conor Casey entered in the 61st minute.
From being an afterthought addition a year ago, the notion of "a game that is perfect for Hoppenot" has become a common refrain among Union fans. The situation against the Red Bulls - with Hoppenot taking on hulking center backs Jamison Olave (6-3) and Markus Holgersson (6-2) - is the type of situation Hackworth finds him perfect for.
"That is exactly what I like to see when I come in," Hoppenot said. "They've played 60 minutes and they're pretty big guys, so they tire easy. For me to come in and try to run around them and they're just trying to grab onto me, that is the dream scenario for me."
In a way, Saturday's game against Columbus will see Hoppenot's career come full circle. Eight days short of a year ago, he made his pro debut against the Crew, entering in stoppage time of a 1-0 Union win.
It's been quite a ride since.
"For me, it's just kind of cool to look back and see that it's been pretty much a year that I've been a pro," Hoppenot said. "I hadn't even thought of it. It is pretty crazy. It went by quick, that's for sure."