Post-match: San Jose Earthquakes - Club Deportivo Chivas USA (Sunday, 5/13) postgame thread [R]

Without speed on the wings we look horrible.

A point is a pont but it feels like a loss. This is a game that we should have won, period.

AGREED!

We were worse than usual in the first half, but for the full 90 I'd say we dominated play.
They scored once on their one good chance. We scored once on our 5 or 6. Wondo was particularly off target.

The Moreno-Stephenson midfield was a bust. I don't understand why Khari wasn't subbed out, especially carrying a yellow. He more often than not contributes nothing to the team. Yallop's insistence on playing him is having a negative impact on our team.

Let's see more Garza please!

Shameful time wasting tactics by Chivas in the second half. But as to be expected from a team heavily influenced by the Mexican league.

Meh. We should have won the game, but a point is better than a loss. We obviously need the speed on the wings. Get well soon Chavez. We still look better than last year.

I've only seen the goats play a a few times this year, but each time, Dan Kennedy's been a monster. I saved their point again today.

The Quakes lost any shape they had after that stupid sub to put in Gordon so early. It got to the point where all three forwards just waited at the top of the box for a cross to go in. It was a ********ing mess in there. Gordon was running like a headless chicken contributing almost in 30 minutes nothing apart from that goal at the end. When Wondo and Gordon sandwiched Gavin for no reason, that was when you knew those subs did more harm than good because the players themselves were not on the same page.

I'm not saying that Yallop should not have gone for it. But he went for it way too early and caused us to only attack by one method and that was by just sending balls into the box.

Garza did pretty well. He is way more effective than Salinas going forward because he can beat his man. He should start the next game easily. The real dilemma is the Baca-Moreno-Stepheson situation created by Yallop. Baca is not a winger and his delivery was sporadic today. He is never going to beat his man so to have him out there is a waste of time. He needs to be in the middle of the park or on the bench. Moreno cannot run and down the field for 90 minutes so he needs the protection that a three man midfield offers on the defensive side of the ball if he is going to start a match instead of being a super sub. Stephenson for me is one of the most erratic players I have ever seen. It gets to the point where you can't count on him to do a job because he is so up-and-down. I prefer a three man midfield with Chavez out, because at the very least we are able to spread the field out a lot more and vary our form of attack.

IMO that was the worst game I've ever seen Dawkins play for the Quakes. He singlehandedly killed about 10 attacks in the first half alone. I think its time for Frank to shake up the starting lineup, and maybe include Gordon/Garza. I'm a Lenhart fan, but I've been a Gordon fan for almost 10 years. He is more of a proven goalscorer. And seeing Baca/Dawkins out wide reminded me exactly why we paid for Chavez and Salinas.

I also don't think we really turned it up all the way until 70 minutes or so. You can't win games reliably like that. I don't think the subs were unreasonable. But for the first half we didn't look like a particularly good team, and I thought Yallop's comments were very accurate.

Just got back from the game. Beautiful day at Buck Shaw. The game was a war but also a bore! OMG, I knew after they scored early it would be a struggle throughout the whole match. Nice to see Frank utilizing the subs well as Garza & Gordon both came through....

I would have liked to see Garza for Moreno, Baca in the middle, and Cronin instead of Khari to start. Just not sold on Moreno as an impact #10. Sure, he flicks balls around, but they spray all over the place. By pure chance some some split the seams.

Agreed.

Stephenson didn't play great but he did his job and was as good or as bad (depending on how you look at it) as the team was. When he doesn't score from outside, his tall frame and long strides disrupt play and he mixes it up and that is exactly what happened. He isn't a finesse player but today anyway, I don't think any Quakes players were either.

Dawkins did one thing well, which was show up for some dangerous shots. Other than that, I agree he wasn't combining to break down the D on the left like he usually does.

The thing is that without Moreno trying to, no one else on the Quakes can split the seams. Baca will keep possession well and move the ball around, but he rarely tries to spring a man through the defense. So you have find someone to be able to do that or you will be very one dimensional going forward just like today where our only for of attack was playing it to Beitashur and then crossing it. That will not get you anywhere.

Reasonable critiques, but you have to keep in mind that Chivas was packing the center and leaving Beita wide open to beat them with crosses. They forced Frank's hand.

Whoah, Salinas can definitely beat his man, and probably better than Garza. My hope is that what we saw today indicates Garza can make better passes with either foot than Salinas.

Agreed that Baca is not a winger. Are you calling for a 5-3-2/3-5-2? We certainly looked pretty effective in the 2nd half with Beita on the wing.

Dawkins was one of the only ones that realized how quickly he had to get a shot off even though they were all blocked. I didn't see many passing options for Moreno to capitalize on so it made sense to sub him. When he sees passes even if he doesn't hit them it isn't luck though.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did Ampaipitakwong have some decent speed at RM last season? I'm thinking Garza and Ampai starting out wide in place of Chavez and Salinas.

Dawkins splits and does short through passes very well. I just don't remember seeing many missed passing opportunities in this game. Chivas played smart (say what you want, it ain't luck), and without much dynamic movement, our guys weren't creating enough of their own space.

Say what you want about Corrales but I thought he did well. In a game like this you have to force the lid open; because you don't get natural space created from counterattacks.

Is it just me or does wearing black during home day games look stupid to anyone else? You have the choice of colors, pick one that doesnt absorb all the heat.

Ampai has a little bit of quickness, but not much speed.

Lets be clear about Garza, he had one excellent push of the ball and cross, but other than that, he turned it over on every play he was involved in. Still, definitely looks to have some assets worth grooming.

I believe that can be remedied with game minutes. The kid is a gamer.