Roster Discussion: Who's on the team?

[CK]

I haven't been keeping up with the Earthquakes too much. Besides Ching, De Rosario, and Cerritos what playmakers do we now have???

Also, which players on the Quakes last season are not under contract this season?

[Beckham7]

Brad Davis, Ricardo Clark, Brian Mullan, Eddie Robinson,Wade Barrett..You guys are getting a good team.

[anderson]

The press release that truthandlife posted (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=279568) shows Pat Onstad and Wade Barrett in attendance at tomorrow's announcement. Dom Kinnear is also expected to be there.

[CK]

Well, just looking back at a few rosters, this appears to be the favored line-up when everyone's healthy. Not quite sure of the formation so I'll ad-lib.

------------------Onsted------------------
-------------------------------------------
-Barrett------Califf------Robinson----Gray--
-------------------------------------------
--------Davis/Chung-------Clarke-----------
-Mullan--------------------------DeRosario-
-------------------------------------------
------------Ching--------------------------
-------------------------Moreno/Cerritos---

Line-up looks strong.

[dredgfan]

this was up pretty quick. getting on the ball i see. so when does the team get a forum with MLS teams

[Beckham7]

Califf signed with a team in Denmark, and Mark Chung may retire.. They play a 4-4-2..Mullan on the right Davis on the left and DeRo and Clark in the middle..Ching and Moreno would probably start up top together and Cochrane will most likely play center back with ERob, and Waibel or Gray playing on the right.

[Beckham7]

this was up pretty quick. getting on the ball i see. so when does the team get a forum with MLS teams
It's already up.

[IRguy]

Well, just looking back at a few rosters, this appears to be the favored line-up when everyone's healthy. Not quite sure of the formation so I'll ad-lib.

------------------Onsted------------------
-------------------------------------------
-Barrett------Califf------Robinson----Gray--
-------------------------------------------
--------Davis/Chung-------Clarke-----------
-Mullan--------------------------DeRosario-
-------------------------------------------
------------Ching--------------------------
-------------------------Moreno/Cerritos---

Line-up looks strong.
Califf just got picked up by i team in Denmark(i think) so I'm not sure about the depth of the team so i don't know who will take his place?

[dredgfan]

It's already up.

sorry i meant a tag line.

[CK]

Califf just got picked up by i team in Denmark(i think) so I'm not sure about the depth of the team so i don't know who will take his place?

Let's draft next year's Michael Parkhurst.

[yanks02]

The Earthquakes are an awesome team and we are lucky to be getting them.

Also, I wish they'd quit moving this forum all over the place.

[CK]

The Earthquakes are an awesome team and we are lucky to be getting them.


It also looks like we will have a full team throughout the world cup too unless Clarke makes a charge onto the Nat's roster or Ching shows he can play better than he did against Scotland.

[c4smok]

Are we good enough to beat FC Dallas?

[DotMPP]

Well, just looking back at a few rosters, this appears to be the favored line-up when everyone's healthy. Not quite sure of the formation so I'll ad-lib.

------------------Onsted------------------
-------------------------------------------
-Barrett------Califf------Robinson----Gray--
-------------------------------------------
--------Davis/Chung-------Clarke-----------
-Mullan--------------------------DeRosario-
-------------------------------------------
------------Ching--------------------------
-------------------------Moreno/Cerritos---

Line-up looks strong.
Califf is gone.

Cochrane (center), Aliosi (center/right), Waibel (center/right) and Goldwaithe (left) for defense depth

Davis should be on the left. DeRo in the center. Chung was on the left and if he does not retire will probably stay there.

Davis has some serious recovering to do before he can bump Chung out. Not much depth in the mids, of the others, Wondoloski (SP?) was the only one besides Russell who saw any time. (You don't want to see Russell out there, anyone remeber Ted Eck from the 'Burn'? :eek: )

Up front, a healthy Ching and Cerritos did very well early in the season, with Moreno coming on around the 65th min for Cerritos. Otherwise it was Moreno and Cerritos. Nash got some time but he seems to be more of an athlete than a footballer. He got a little better at the very end of the season, but the options in front are even fewer than in the midfield.

I hope these guys can figure out how to play on a big field "at home".

I hope they come up with a name soon, seeing 'Quakes around this forum is kind of sick...

[DotMPP]

Are we good enough to beat FC Dallas?
Hay, instant rivalry. An MLS Dream.

As long as the goat look-alike Goodson spends all his time trying to kill Ching, you guys will have no trouble with FC Dallas.

[Beckham7]

Hay, instant rivalry. An MLS Dream.

As long as the goat look-alike Goodson spends all his time trying to kill Ching, you guys will have no trouble with FC Dallas.
I think it will be more interesting when they play the la galaxy..The players didn't change so i think there will be some sort of rivalry there.

[CK]

I think it will be more interesting when they play the la galaxy..The players didn't change so i think there will be some sort of rivalry there.

The rivalry with LA may stay for a season or two, but the darby with Dallas will soon be much stronger. Just like SJ and LA travled up/down the coast for their rivalry, the devoted Houston and Dallas fans will be traveling up and down the interestate for these matches.

From my experience the fans create the rivalries. The players simply respond to the fan's call for a win.

[yalpstel]

Hey Houston.

I'm dropping in to beg of you to please take care of our boys. Please acknowledge their heritage. You may have the team in your physical presence but the essence of this team is San Jose. You can't deny their roots. These guys will play their hearts out for you. Appreciate them and support them with all of your heart. And please forgive me for not being excited for you as fans, I just want you to take care of my team like they have taken care of me for so long.

Over time, I'm sure the team will become uniquely Houston, but I can't see that happening until several years on down the rode when most of the SJ players have gone. I don't say this to be derogatory, it's just the way I feel about it.

So good luck boys! Keep giving that 110% on and off the field. You are forever in my heart. :(

[Jabinho]

Hay, instant rivalry. An MLS Dream.
If San Jose gets an expansion team in two years, which is very likely, there's another instant rivalry for Houston.. At least on the San Jose end of it.. ;)

[sportsfan-quakes]

Here are the 28 (actually 30 since Waibel and Dayak were on the season-ending injury list) guys who were on the roster at the end of 2005, with comments on their status as best I know it:

Senior Roster:
Brian Ching (F)
Alejandro Moreno (F)
Ronald Cerritos (F)
Dwayne DeRosario (M/F) -- trying to sign in Europe, but hasn't signed yet, seems like he'll be back if he doesn't sign soon
Brad Davis (M)
Mark Chung (M) -- will retire
Brian Mullan (M)
Ricardo Clark (M) -- trying to sign in Spain, but suffered minor injury that's keeping him from playing, so seems like he should be back
Danny O'Rourke (M)
Ian Russell (M)
Kelly Gray (D)
Chris Aloisi (D)
Danny Califf (D) -- signed with Danish team, won't be back
Eddie Robinson (D)
Wade Barrett (D)
Kevin Goldthwaite (D)
Pat Onstad (GK)
Jon Conway (GK) -- traded to Metros for Superdraft 4th round pick
Craig Waibel -- torn ACL early in the year, out for the rest of the year, should be back
Troy Dayak -- injured knee early in the year, out for rest of the year and has retired

Developmental Roster:
Tighe Dombrowski (Sr Dev) -- (M)
Chris Wondolowski (Sr Dev) -- (M)
Ryan Cochrane (Gen Adidas player) -- (D)
Julian Nash (F)
Orlando Ramirez (F/M) -- waived last month
Robbie Fulton (GK)
Bret Rodriguez (D)
Aaron Lanes (M)
James Twellman (M/D) -- torn ACL in middle of year, out for rest of season
Roger Levesque (F) -- waived last month


Based solely on playing time this past year, with the loss of Chung, Califf, and Conway, here is what I'd project as the starting lineup and the first guys off the bench:

Starters:
Onstad (K)
Waibel -- Cochrane -- Robinson -- Barrett
Mullan -- Clark -- DeRosario -- Davis
Ching -- Cerritos

First guys off the bench:
Fulton (K)
Gray, Goldthwaite (D)
O'Rourke, Wondolowski, Russell (M)
Moreno, Nash (F)

Gray was a starter at RB for most of the year, but Craig Waibel was the starter before he got hurt. Gray might fight for a central defender position, or for the RB position. O'Rourke is a very strong central defensive midfielder, but he got limited playing time because Clark had such a good year. If Clark signs in Europe, O'Rourke would be the starting central defensive mid. With Chung retiring, and Russell getting on in years, the outside midfield is a little thin. Most of us San Jose fans did not think much of Russell. Wondolowski didn't play more than a few minutes last year (his rookie year), but in the Reserve Division he led the Earthquakes in scoring (actually came in second in the entire Reserve division in scoring with 8 goals, 3 assists). He should fight for some time at wing or even at attacking midfielder (backing up DeRosario). At forward, the team lacks speed. Ching is a strong target forward, Moreno plays a physical target forward style but lacks height and speed. Cerritos is more of a passer than a scorer, which is why a lot of the Quakes goals this past year came from the midfield, not the forwards. Goldthwaite was a rookie who saw some playing time at LB late in the year, when Barrett was with the USMNT, could fight for more playing time this year. Dombrowski is now going into his 3rd year, he might not make the team (he plays central defensive mid, but is stuck behind Clark and O'Rourke, and didn't get any playing time last year). Nash is a strong target forward who also has some speed. Got some playing time last year as a rookie with all of the injuries to the Quakes forwards. Needs to develop a better first touch and passing skills, but his athletic skills and speed give him a shot to get some playing time.

Biggest team needs would be forwards (particularly speed), outside midfielders, and central defenders. Goldthwaite, Barrett and Davis are all very strong left footed players who would have a hard time playing anywhere but the left side, which limits the flexibility of the team.

Other biggest question is whether Dominic Kinnear will move to Houston and stay with the team. He has deep roots in the San Jose area; you guys will be lucky if you get him, he showed his strengths this year in building a strong team out of a lot of guys who were not superstars. If he doesn't go with the team, that would have a ripple effect on the players as he is well respected by the team.

Hope that you all welcome the Quakes/????'s and show them support, they deserve it.