Pre-match: Sporting Kansas City - San Jose Earthquakes (Sunday, 5/27) pregame thread

Kamara and Convey take on the quakes....should be a fun time.

I'm actually happy Gordon will start now with no Lenhart. Should allow us to play a 4-3-3
---------------Gordon--------------------
Chavez----------------------------Dawkins
--------Baca/Moreno----------Khari------
------------------Cronin--------------------
Corrales----Morrow----Hernancez----Beita

Even if Chavez can't start, Frank better begin with Garza on the wing. Enough of this Baca as a converted winger, we need speed on one of those flanks.
I also want to go back to our early season success of Baca Cronin bossing the center.
Everyone else . . . the whole team had diarrhea in the first half against LA. Hopefully the food's better in Kansas.

one guy who was tragic to the point im not sure we can use him was Sercan, boy was he lousy today. I dont think he will make much more than substitute appearances. Might have to start considering McLoughlin again at this rate.

Opara, your on notice, and you need to sort it out. He was better the second half, but he cant start out so lousy like that.

Im thinking given SKC normally playing 4-3-3, playing away we will go 4-5-1 with Gordon alone up top. I really wish we would start giving Garza more of a run out given how heavily we depend on speed on the flanks.

I would prefer Garza but then to fit Dawkins in you are left with a pretty light midfield.

I'd roll with:

-----------------------Gordon-----------------------

--------------Dawkins-------------------------------

Chavez---------------------------------------Garza

---------------Baca--------------Cronin------------

Corrales----Morrow-----Hernandez----Beitashour

Like!

I do worry about Dawkins's work rate. But he's got to be a better option roaming around the middle than Moreno. Sercan was terrible tonight and Lenhart and Wondo are both out. I don't know if Gordon can go 90 (ditto Chavez). So I don't know how feasible this actually is. But with a long break after this game and the need to grab at least a point here, we might as well go all out.

Definitely worth a shot. Not sure it will come to fruition. I would expect maybe this:

----------Gordon-----------
----Khari--------------------
---------Baca/Moreno------
Dawkins-------------Chavez
------------Cronin----------
Corrales-Morrow-Hernandez-Beita

Yeah. I think you win the award for: most likely line-up that Yallop will field.

Hopefully, it's Baca in there and not Moreno. What a horrendous game from him! (Moreno, not Baca.)

I'm not to hard on sercan today cause honestly Moreno, Cronin, and Baca had horror show first halves.

That is the first time Surgeon has been on an MLS pitch for that long. He has to have a bit more time to see if he's game fit. Look how much time we gave Johnson and Sealy. If you give Guvenisik half the time those two were given and he doesn't work out, then get rid of him.

The scary thing about Sunday's match is that SKC plays with high pressure, that is their style. The Quakes looked horrible in the first half against LA's pressure, so they better figure things out for Sunday or it's going to be bad. And SKC will be rested, while the Quakes won't. I agree with those who suggest a 4-5-1 formation, keeping the midfield clogged and trying to boss some possession to slow down SKC. Given that Moreno played 90 minutes and is older than the other guys, I'd go with Dawkins, Baca, Cronin, Stephenson and Chavez if he's feeling good enough to start. If no Chavez, then consider starting Garza. The Quakes need some fresh legs to counteract SKC's style and bring energy.

I wonder if there's any chance we see Bernardez play Sunday? He's about to go off with the Honduras National team, so he must be ready to play. It's kind of risky to start him after so long out, but with how bad Hernandez and Opara have been playing I'm not sure he could do worse. From what I've read, Espinoza from SKC and Bernardez should be available for Sunday's game and then they report to the Honduran team after that.

I hope they stuff Bobby Convey into the ground!

Wonderful!

You have to ask? It should be obvious.

No Wonder or Lenhart for this one, who's starting up top, Sercan and Stephenson? Gordon isn't 90 minute fit, maybe Garza? Baca has to play in the center or not at all, he's invisible on the wings. Hernandez and Opera were dreadful against the filth, something has to change in our backline. I'll be happy with a point out of KC.

I'd gamble and try Dawkins-Baca-Stephenson-Garza, you could always bring in Cronin as a defending mid.

Do we know this for sure? I know he hasn't had a ton of minutes but it doesn't appear that he's having any problems. If he gets the start, it's likely he'd be subbed off at some point, but with is current form, it's hard for me to justify not starting him. That is, unless he absolutely loves coming into the game late to tear !@#$ up.

Not for certain no but, i'd rather have 100% animal on the field when we need it rather than 50% over an extended period of time.

I couldn't agree more. This is not the guy you want too tired to run in the 90th minute. Bringing him on at the half in LA was brilliant! If he's match-fit then great. If not, bring him on in the second half and give someone else a half to develop.