San Jose Earthquakes - Cruz Azul exhibition (Saturday, 10/13) pre/in/postgame thread [R]

Magnus starting? Why? And why risk injury to Wondo in a meaningless game?

 

Lots of empty seats tonight along with the dead crowd. Anybody glad they skipped this snorefest?

 

Watching on tv. Looks like an away game. Hats off to the Ultras and Quakes fans who are there.

 

40th minute was that Quakes first shot of the match?

 

I hope Baldy has his shit together and we never have to see Eriksson in a Quakes shirt ever again.

 

How did Fuentes do? I thought this was a 7:30 start and just tuned in

 

Fuentes did ok. wasn't really on the ball that much. First half was a snooze fest, and that’s being nice.

 

Eriksson sucked more than his usual self.

 

Not great in my opinion. He was slow to the ball and could not keep up with the opposing players. He made some fairly good decisions with the ball when he did get a hold of it.

Certainly not ready to play at this level. It was FAR different (in a good way) when Flo replaced him in the second half.

 

Wasn't dead... the Cruz Azul, all over the stadium, were very much into it. Second half, when we pulled Quiberg and Fuentes was MUCH better... I think we outplayed them in the second half.

Marie looked pretty good on the right... can either Nick or Marie play left?

TT Added life too when he came in for Wondo.

Odoro needs to be gone... what a waste.

 

I thought Fuentes made a good showing, considering his age and the opponent. He didn't dominate the game but for a first extended look his touch was good and he shows good potential. Certainly, he demonstrated poise.

Every time the announcer warned fans would be ejected for language when there was a goal kick, the objectionable chant just grew louder. The Cruz Azul fans seemed to be laughing at the announcement and the stadium staff just looked impotent with such numbers there.

 

How did Calvillo do?

 

He looked like he belonged.

 

Marie looked confident and showed more speed than I remembered. He wasn't afraid to cut inside with the ball when in the attacking third, but, invariable lost the ball to an errant pass or was closed down and lost possession. Still, I liked what I saw.
Fuentes did not impress, but, no one in the midfield really did in the first half.

We were much better after all the halftime substitutions.

 

That's good to know. Calvillo should be given every chance to play at this point, no reason not to start him in both the remaining games.

Fuentes on the other hand is 16, just getting him a taste of the professional game in 2018 is good enough, let him spend next season getting regular minutes against grown men in Reno.

 

We have better records playing teams from foreign leagues than MLS teams this season .

I hate it when we become the away team in these friendly games. But I also love how these fans who think their more famous teams can beat us easily do not get their wish granted.

Is Cruz Azul a better team than us? Certainly yes. Am I impressed by them in this game? No way. We are still not good, but I think we have more scoring chances in this game than Cruz Azul. Also, they got frustrated and started to foul more frequently towards the end of the game.

 

By now, not really sure what FIFA or anyone else for that matter, can or will do about that opposing goalkick chant. It’s pretty much indoctrinated so they should just forget about contesting it.

 

I said it before, and I will say it again, they just need to flash this on the video board on goal kicks.

PLUTO!!!!!

 

Better get used to it at Avaya every game next season. It will become "tradition".

 

Here’s 3 suggestions on stopping the p-chant:

1. All fans need to take a pledge — that they will report and/or record everyone they see yelling the p-chant. And as we start to report people in real time, and they are ejected from the stadium, the chant will stop.
2. award someone $10-20 towards a free ticket every time they successfully report someone — other than themselves or their friends — with video evidence.
3. Oh, oh, and give the better p-catchers a jacket that clearly identifies them in the stands.
4. Give the p-catchers google glasses!

 

And it can say on it, "hey, I'm a snitch!"

 

I think the only method to stop the chant is to enlist the help of the referees and the coach and star player of the opposing team (and this would only work in exhibition games, not meaningful competitions).

1. Every fan entering the stadium is given a piece of paper which explains the chant is not allowed and that ejections will take place, and perhaps "issued" in the visiting team's name. The team can explain that they are guests in the stadium and they expect their fans to behave accordingly in this case.

2. Just before the game stars the video scoreboard will have a video made by the coach and star player saying their own team condemn the chant and expect their true fans to not use the chant.

2. When a kick is taken and the chant is heard the first time, the referee will stop play, the announcer will explain why, and the kick will be retaken.

3. The second time it happens ( I assume the first warning will have no effect) play will stop, and the coach and/or star layers will be given a microphone. They'll announce that fans who use the chant are dishonoring their team and make it impossible for them to play. They can remind the fans about the warning issued at the gate and on the video screen. They should ask fans to ask other fans to cease and desist.

4. The third time play stops and the coach should pull his team from the field for about 5 minutes.. Stadium announcement should be made in Spanish and English about the chant again, explaining that if it happens again, the half will be terminated at that point, and, if it is the second half, the game will be ended by the visiting team and forfeited by the visiting team.

5. The fourth time it happens, carryout the threat in #4.

Do I think this will work or is practical or won't lead to fights inside or outside of the stadium? No, probably not, but nothing less than this will either (unless the visiting team is willing to pull off a star or to cut the number of players on the field by one each time it happens until the game must be forfeited.

 

Why punishing the visiting team? Next season, the new set of Quakes fans who will follow Matias and the potential Chivas players that he is bringing, will make the ******** chant a routine for every home game. Like it or not, it is part of the Mexican futbol culture and it should be accepted.