2020 Quakes -Looking ahead to next season

The coaching though , with the exception of the beginning and the end of the season seemed to get the most out of average players.


There were times when watching the Quakes this summer where I couldn’t believe that I was witnessing such spectacular play.


Maybe being average caught up with them in the end as they lacked depth and consistency but I hadn’t seen a Quakes team play this well since 2012. Almeyda and his coaching staff, in that respect does deserve some credit for that.

 

The line-item in the budget for bribes should be increased, that's for sure.

 

Yes, this. We have a lot of players around the top of the cap ($400-500k) that just aren't worth it in terms of play.

 

The Quakes roster budget is 14th in the league
The Quakes standing is 15th in the league.

It seems the players are performing as the market would expect them to.
It doesn't mean that every team that spent less than us is worse than us, but not every team that spent more than us is better than us either. It averages out.

 

I believe bribes are paid in the form of big dp spending.

 

If only MLS had not folded in the Columbus lawsuit before discovery could be had of their finances.

 

Interestingly the worst valued player on our team in terms of goals+assists per dollar spent by a player in the midfield or forward is.... Anibal Godoy. The one guy we already traded away.

Code:

Dollars spent per goals+assists

Jackson Yueill     27,142.86
Shea Salinas       27,777.78
Magnus Eriksson    34,615.38
Cristian Espinoza  45,833.33
Chris Wondolowski  47,058.82
Paul Marie         57,000.00
Tommy Thompson     58,333.33
Danny Hoesen       68,750.00
Nick Lima          72,666.67
Valeri Qazaishvili 123,384.62
Judson             305,000.00
Anibal Godoy       498,000.00
Florian Jungwirth  617,000.00

Note, these numbers are not out of whack with the rest of the league - not even Vako so much.
Our players are worth their value for the most part.

 

We had an open DP slot THE WHOLE SEASON!!!

 

We only had one pk all year according to Colin Etnire.

 

Everyone always mentions this, but you do realize if it wasn't for TAM and GAM we would have about 6 "DP's"

 

We will see if they put their money where their mouth is....but it seems KC wants to spend some $ to get better.....doesn't appear that the western conference is going to get any easier.

from mlssoccer.com

"........Illig indicated he's looking to add a carry-the-load No. 9, as well as an attacking midfielder and a center back, and added that he doesn't expect the moves to be inexpensive.

"We know how much it's going to cost to get those impact players in here," he said. "But it's still a priority for us."

 

The problem with Jackson moving up field is that Magnus is gage, so Jackson has to step up. If we had an actual number ten, then Jackson could hang back more.

I can see that you think Judson isn’t good enough, and he’s 26, so maybe not a lot of upside there. BUT, Matias turned Magnus into a less crappy player, so there might be hope for Judson, I just don’t see replacing him as our most pressing need.

I want to see the last of Vako, Kashia, and Magnus, and that means that their replacements need to be priorities one, two, and three. So, I’m just no so exercised about replacing Judson. He’s good enough, especially if we can upgrade Vako, Kashia, and Magnus. Does that make more sense?

Go Quakes!!

- Mark

 

This is how I've looked forward to every season since 2008, with the exception of 2013 (when this was the pose adopted by the middle of the season...

 

I don't think spending money is the only way to find success on the field. The Chicago Fire have had a top 5 pay roll the past (however many) seasons and there on field success hasn't been really seen for years. However picking up Medran is a good find. I think they'll be quite decent next year.

We might be able to find some gems within the Free Agency this year for some depth or even start quality. I have to see the list when it comes out.

 

How about we play Jackson in Magnus' spot, send Magnus back to Sweden, and get another d-mid? We play a 4-5-1 (not my favorite formation, but it's working so I won't complain). The 4-5-1 calls for two d-mids. So, it we want Jackson further up field, lets put him at the attacking c-mid spot and get another d-mid to match with Judson?

Besides, we've already ditched Godoy. (Long overdue in my book.) So we need to get at least one new d-mid. Two would make for a difficult adjustment, unless we kept Jackson as our pseudo d-mid (Attacking d-mid?) and brought in a replacement for Judson. Maybe we can play Fuentes, Luis Felipe, or Calvillo in Judson's place? But if that were true, we'd have seen them getting mintues at the end of the season.

I think that Almeyda will keep and start Judson. (Which may or may not be the right decision, and you're welcome to disagree with it.)

And I dig Jackson's distribution. He's just awesome. So yeah, maybe play him in the #10 spot?

Go Quakes!!
F@#$ el-lay!! (Just because.)

- Mark

 

Yueill is doing great as our #8 and I think Judson is a good #6. We just need a Carlos Gil type player to replace Magnus. Jackson does what he does well, I just don't think he has all we want in a #10.

 

I agree here. Yueill has good vision and he can distribute from a deeper position. His line-breaking passes marveled by Matthew Doyle and diagonal balls in the recent USMNT game vs Cuba were done closer to the center line. I want him to become our Xabi Alonso.

And we need a better #10 or creative attacking player than Magnus when we are closer to goal.

 

My thinking has been that we need to upgrade the #10 spot. Which is part of why I think that Judson is fine. He covers a lot of ground, he tackles well, and I don’t recall him getting into a lot of yellow card trouble. (Am I wrong on that?)

So a quality #10 in Magnus’ spot, means that Jackson can hang back a bit more because he won’t have to make up for a poor #10.

We need to replace Vako also. He’s just not good enough, and when Vako goes, I want to see the last of Kashia as well. Kashia is not good enough either and he’s old. We can’t build on him, so let’s get a younger, faster, decent CB and mold him into the kind of player that we want.

And we need a serious outside left back. Lopez isn’t good enough. Lima’s not a good fit there (much better on the right.)

And we should start Bersano or JT in goal.

Go Quakes!!

- Mark

 

I definitely agree about making sure that JY needs to be kept as a #8 for him to be most effective. He is not the most agile/athletic player with great technical ability thus would be wasted playing the #10 role behind the striker(s). Instead he has great vision and awareness to play deep stretch passes as well as through balls but needs room and more time which is afforded when playing a deep-lying playmaker role. Judson had 5 lungs and is a "hustle" player but is limited when it comes to passing/link-up play. However, playing him next to JY would negate the need for him to provide the link-up play and instead just focus on being the "attack buster" and provide defensive cover for him.

Eriksson is even less athletic/agile than JY and needs to be replaced in the starting line-up. I wouldn't mid him being a depth option off the bench to provide experience when we're trying to hold on to leads or calm the game down as he is a vet who knows how and when to hold on to the ball, get fouled, etc. His problem is that he doesn't provide a dynamic element that we need in the center nor has technical ability to dribble in close quarters and play any of the attackers open. However, these types of players are not cheap to acquire and with our ownership situation I have no high hopes of signing anyone to take over that position.

Vako just makes too much money for producing 30-40% of the season. This especially hurts the team when taking into account that ownership would not shell out any funds to get another DP at a similar price to compensate for Vako's inconsistency as has been proven with the vacant 3rd DP spot we've had. I would move on from Vako or expose him to the expansion draft if it means that his salary will be split into bring in two new players at about $600k-$800k which this team could use as we're talent deprived. If Espinoza is signed to be one DP then this scenario needs to happen.

I'm not as down on Lopez as most here seem to be since he's still a 19-year old kid and developing so mistakes are bound to happen like with most teens. He should be kept and given playing time do develop. Now, does he have to be a starter? No, but he has upside and should keep growing his game with great coaching around him. I would bring in a veteran LB to split time with Lopez throughout the season.

Jungwith is serviceable for another season as he relies on positioning, IQ, hustle to make up for his other deficiencies. Kashia is done and should be released. Cummings in nothing but depth as he lacks IQ and gets by on physicality and above-average athleticism. A new, young and athletic CB is badly needed on this squad and should be a top priority along with a Eriksson replacement.

The goalie situation does not carry a high priority at this point seeing as Vega is not on high wages but is experienced and is comfortable with the ball at his feet which allows him to distribute it to our guys to keep possession instead of just blindly heaving it to the SJC tarmac every time. JT should be brought up and given opportunities to show where he's at with his development and see whether he can take over full time in 2021.

 

Tomorrow. 👀 pic.twitter.com/pCydCT4Gm2

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) October 22, 2019

Wondo contract announcement?

 

2020 Quakes -Looking ahead to next season and what must be done?


Contract both LA teams!

 

I think it's probably necessary due to Climate Change.

https://medium.com/s/2069/los-angeles-is-burning-f9fab1c212cb

 

Yep. One more year or bust.