The Official Jason Hernandez Thread

Very interesting to see how well thought of Hernandez is outside of the Quakes. Early in the year, I thought Jason was playing fairly well but making one or two really bad mistakes each game, and a few of those cost the team a game. Then, when he played outside back, I really was not a fan, as his ball distribution was poor and he contributed nothing to the offense. But then in the second half of the season he really did seem to settle in and play really well. He reads the game well and also seems to help organize the back line - they were generally together in executing offsides traps and covering for each other.

I really think the Quakes have the best central defense in MLS, if you count their top 4 central defenders. Hernandez, Opara, McDonald and Burling - I'd take that group over any group that any other team has.

 

Jason Hernandez had the second fewest fouls committed per 90 minutes out of any player in MLS history (minimum 1,000 minutes):

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/06/15/climbing-ladder-least-and-most-fouled-mls-history

 

Everyone click on this link and vote for Jason for MLS Twitter Best XI:

http://total-mls.com/2012-articles/january/mls-twitter-best-xi-defenders.html

 

Bobby Burling is beating him on votes, for a team that has yet to play.

 

Wow tonight will be his 100th game since 2008. Cool!

 

That was a great save but I think Morrow's, in the 1st half, was better because he came sprinting out of nowhere to run into the box and knock the ball out, the ball was hit harder I think, and he had to sort of launch himself into the goal to get to the ball. He was playing as if he was, I don't know...free? :--)

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-06-23-rsl-v-sj/highlights?videoID=189841

 

Part of what makes him good is what makes him bad, which is why we've seen him make amazing stops and some terrible mistakes. He gets into the right position most of the time, but sometimes reacts too slowly or the ball takes an unexpected bounce. On his own goal, that was unfortunate, but it's hard for me to really blame him all that much. The credit really belongs to LA for the excellent passing in the penalty area. The back pass...well that was horrible and he should have played it safety first.
I can only assume Jason started against LA because of his performance against Salt Lake and not because Frank really wanted to play Ramiro in the midfield. Even still, I was kinda surprised to see him in there when he could have gone back to more stable pairing of Morrow and Bernardez in the middle.

 

I also don't fault Jason for the own goal. Those things happen, especially since Busch did not get a hand on the ball. The backpass was unbelievably bad, sure. But the great thing about Jason that night is he put it all behind him and played out the rest of the game very well. That's character.

In fact, The whole team is showing a lot of character this season -- they don't seem to blame each other for problems and they support each other under duress, and up until the last couple games, they've been staying pretty calm under pressure.

 

Maybe getting Convey out of the locker room was the most important off season move after all. I think it also helps that there are some young guys going out and doing their best. Enthusiasm for the game and being happy with the opportunity to prove yourself can have that effect. Obviously guys like Wondo and such have been around for a while, but the seasoned veterans are of the so-called "blue collar" type that Frank likes so much. When the team is the star, it's a good thing.

 

If there was anyone who didn't look calm on Tuesday night, it was Jason, doing his best "EPL in the 80s" whack the ball when ever it got near him. (Though I know it was not actually "P" in the 80s)

 

Probably trying to play it safe rather than cough up a couple goals the way he did against LA. That's the danger of trying to ball the ball out of danger is if nobody else is on the same page you are, intercepted passes happen. Whereas just booting the ball somewhere out of play always results in the same thing (not that I'm necessarily advocating that kind of defending).