Now, with Mattia here too - if they are really good players, I hope we get to see them soon! With 8 games left, I believe they have to have played in 5 matches to be eligible to play in a playoff game. Also, the team really needs to step it up and win these next two at home. They are so much better than they have showed of late.
They have looked rather poor lately. I’m wondering if Reno players are unhappy with how the Quake players practice in San Jose and then just show up to the game and get on the field. That could be very frustrating if people are not on the same page.
That could be a real possibility. We have heard rumbling from the players about the SJ players' performances and them showing up on Friday and starting.
I think you are right on them needing 5 games. I saw a quote from the club on Paradella that he was having acclimation problems to our elevation. He should be good to go this week I would think. Agree the team needs to get it together and finish the season strong.
This is a great point. It would be very frustrating to know that there are players that will get time despite not spending the majority of their time training with you. However, that's the reality of being a minor league team. It's the coaching staff's responsibility to really impart that Reno players have value, and that their efforts are recognized, but that the larger goal is really to filter players up to the Quakes, and that good performances for Reno could lead directly to opportunities with the Quakes. Obviously if you aren't getting the chances to prove that in games, it can be a bit counterproductive, and naturally, there's a risk that if not enough upward movement happens, then Reno players will deem it not being worth it to them. It's a very delicate balance and MLS does not have a lot of experience in this. Some of the team owners probably do (Fisher at least should), but as a league, it's still a very new concept.
Important to note that Reno 1868 is not owned by Fisher or the Earthquakes. They have an agreement, but that will expire and if Reno is not satisfied with the arrangment (or SJ for that matter) they could part ways in the future. The Reno owners need to make sure they are getting enough value in the affiliation. If attendance is slipping because of poor performance then the amount the Quakes are paying may not be worth it. I'm not 100% sure, but it seemed in the past that the Earthquake players would stay and train with the team in Reno between games in past seasons. I think it's Almeyda's idea to have them train with the first team until they leave for the Reno game. This arrangement makes them seem more like guest players than teammates to Reno.
Excellent point. Trouble for Reno is, if they do dissolve their association with the Quakes, then they would have to go out and hire an entire soccer ops staff, which is currently completely provided by the Quakes. I'm not actually sure if Reno pays that staff or if the Quakes do (I assume the Quakes do). Having to go out and hire an entire staff is not easy or cheap. It would make sense to me to put forth the effort elsewhere, which is how things have gone so far. Minor league sports are always a dicey venture. Margins are thin, player turnover is usually high, it's just a very unstable business. But yeah, their agreement could fall apart if Reno thinks it has more potential or that the Quakes are hindering their ability to operate as a business. I think this is why some MLS teams have just created their own USL teams so there's no disagreement about what the team's purpose is. But minor league teams in other sports are often owned independent from their associated clubs (which is why they swap associations sometimes), and they still have to deal with teams lending them players and basically requiring them to play. I'm sure Reno would still want to be associated with an MLS team even if it isn't the Quakes, and they'd run into similar issues, I'd guess.
I see 2 big issues with Reno right now that they need to fix if they want to return to winning soccer. #1- They stopped playing high, aggressive press. I don't know why, but Reno has become far too passive in pressure. I see a few guys chasing and trying to press, but that does nothing when there are several opposition players wide open for easy passes to break pressure. Ian Russell even mentioned it at half time against the Timbers ll. It takes all 10 field players stepping up and being aggressive for it to work and Reno has stopped doing that. #2- Reno is not defending the center channel well at all. Very easy for opponents to get open looks at the top of the box and that's where a lot of goals are starting to come from. I don't know if it's because the center backs are too split apart of maybe the #6 is too high up the field. Whatever the cause, Russell needs to fix that if Reno wants to play better.
I have read in a couple of places that the Quakes pay the salaries of the coaching staff and the players.
I received confirmation that there is a lot of friction between Reno and SJ players from a Reno player. Apparently the SJ players are coming here with a boatload of attitude and not giving their best. The Reno player also said SJ sent no players this week.
I'm not surprised to hear the attitude issue because that happens alot at all levels. A JV guy gets called up to varsity for a few games and suddenly he is too good to play for the JV. I think they just need to put their heads together and get things sorted out. It can work for everybody's benefit if they do it right. The idea that guys can just show up and be on the same page as their teammates is not smart.
I think this is especially true for young players. If you're say, 27 or 28 and you get sent down, I think you'd probably have a different attitude about it than if you're 18 or 19. This is something that can be worked out, but it will take some good communication between the coaching staffs, and Russell really has to flex his player managing muscles. On an unrelated side note, if you do go from JV to varsity, aren't you then not actually allowed to go back to JV? Been a while since I had to worry about high school sports rules, but I do remember a couple sophomores I played with got pulled up to varsity and it was kind of a big deal for the JV team because we knew we'd have to go without them the rest of the season.
Interesting that no Quakes players other than Bersano (who I assume is in Reno full-time) were in the 18 on the weekend when the Quakes were off. On the other hand, the Quakes have a depleted roster that has to prepare for RSL, so probably it was smart to keep the squad training together. Reno plays again tomorrow against Tacoma (aka Sounders 2), and I assume the situation will be the same.
I went through that once, when I went up to varsity as a midfielder, then sat on the bench for a couple games when an exchange student displaced me. I thought he was better than I was and decided to drop back down. I don't know how much animosity there was but I'm not really an arrogant type so that might have helped. (and the exchange student ended up quitting because he couldn't deal with "refs that don't know football")
Yes, this aged well! Congrats Danny Deadly... Time for you to start your own 10+ goals a year for a decade streak ala Wondo.
Coming right up. No San Jose field players. Bersano in goal had 4 saves including a PK attempt. It was his birthday yesterday and he was serenaded(?) on both ends of the pitch. Danny could have had a goal or two more with a little luck. He also got the assist for the goal he did not score. Paradela and Trianni both subbed in in the second half. Paradella played 35 minutes and Trianni about 15. It was the second appearance for Paradela. Both need 5 appearances before they are eligible for post season play. We have 6 games left. Paradela is pretty pacy, Trianni seemed to have decent pace also.
I remember the one time I played in Reno (I was in my 50s) and went on a junket with a bunch of guys who do (or at least did) get a charter bus up there once a year for a bacchanalia followed by a game the next morning. We played a team from Reno at a school on a Saturday or Sunday morning (many of us sporting hangovers), but were surprisingly able to beat them. However, I do remember spending some time with my hands on my knees, and my tongue handing out almost to the ground. The altitude + a few drinks the night before was tough on these old bones...
1868 signed Ivan Valencia until the end of the year. https://www.reno1868fc.com/news_article/show/1049156
1868 beats Austin Haji came on in the 72' and did a good job playing defense. His one on one attempt was blocked by Restrepo. Paradela and Valencia subbed in also. Third appearance for Paradela and first for Valencia. Trianni was in the 18 but unused. Goals by Musovski and Hertzog. Bersano was in goal and had no saves as the only shot on target went in. 24 other shots from Austin went lacking. 1868 had 7 of 15 shots on target. Austin controlled the ball but were very off with their finishing. 1868 had 51 clearances. Restrepo kept Austin in the game with 3 or 4 one on one saves. Russell decided to play for the counter in the 2nd half, just excellent goal keeping prevented the plan from working. Reno is in 2nd place with one more win than Fresno. Fresno has 2 games in hand. If all falls right for Reno with a win Friday and losses by the teams below the playoff line they could be qualified for post season play after next weekend.
What’s up with Zach Carroll?? Injured- or more? He was the captain and starting every game. Now he occasionally plays and hasn’t even been part of game day rosters.