Post-match: San Jose Earthquakes - Portland Timbers (Wednesday, 5/18) postgame thread [R]

For those only watching on TV, you may have missed the back of my custom tee.

 

I don't really care about the attendance numbers so I generally don't chime into these convos when they happen. But is the commute still a thing? I continue to work from home so I really don't know what the real word is like anymore.

 

I think it spoke to Cade's ability to get it there and Monteiro's skill (Danielle was right he was ready for pretty much anything placed near him)

 

For working class fans, like many of the Ultras, work is performed in-person, and so, yes, the commute remains a thing. Moreover, the Quakes have many fans who travel from outside Santa Clara County, so mid-week games are always tougher.

 

The pass was just a hair from being too slow. I was thinking - come on, hurry ball! But it got there just in time and Monteiro's 1st-touch strike was excellent.

I was even more impressed with Yueill's goal because Yueill actually started his run before Jebo turned to cross it. I did not expect Jebo to cross there at all - he looked hemmed in - as usual trying desperately to somehow get the ball on his left foot to shoot but two guys on him. How did Jackson know that was coming, and what are the chances that ball would get to him just at the right time? Maybe this is something they worked on in training?

The Quakes 1st and 3rd goals resulted from midfielders joining the attack late. That is yet another good development in the Quakes attack that we haven't seen enough of in the past, like when we went what 4-5 games with 0 goals from run of play. It's tended to be outside attacking mids crossing into the box with really bad numbers, like Jebo and 3 defenders. Chance for success -> very low. But with center mids crashing the box it starts to get interesting and a lot more effective. They can pick up GK spills and punches (as in Monteiro's 2nd goal), and they can find seams on runs (Jackson's goal).

 

You have to get from wherever you are to the stadium, so that's a thing.

 

"Where else would you rather be than right here right now."
-- Marv Levy

 

Seattle fans stuffing the ballot box.

 

The Warriors playoff game was last night as well so I'm sure it had some effects on the lack of attendance for the Quakes.

 

I'm lucky enough to live 10 min from the stadium with light traffic (generally). In my bubble there is no commute.

 

We'll be freeing up some cash on Chofis soon which is how Fish likes to Fish (especially if said new player is paid less than Chofis).

I think we need a right and a left back to compete with our starters.

 

So a CB, RB, and LB... no big deal, just 3/4 of a new defense!

I agree, but what's our international roster spot situation, will any be opened up with current guy acquiring green cards?

 

My eyes glazed over with all the back-passing in the 1H. Sometimes I think they do it to make not just me but their opponents fall asleep. Like I said, some people are happy just to have the win. But I prefer to watch good soccer. Yes Jebo’s assist to JY’s goal was an awesome play. And Monteiro’s goals were excellent. But the rest of the play by the Quakes was just so slow and deliberate, especially in comparison to watching the EPL. I guess I just prefer to watch relentless attacking teams… Which obviously we are not…

 

Weren't both Jimmy and Craig CBs? Don't remember for sure. I agree that Craig was a good defender but don't agree he offered much in the attack. Talked with him once and he seemed like a real nice guy. It was a long time ago.

 

Don't want to go overboard on the PM love, but he was picked on the 1st Portland goal, and the peinado header by Paredes was perfect. I think laying too much blame on PM is harsh. Not sure PM would have stopped that even if he wasn't late.

 

My issue in the attack with both Beita and Lima was that neither had much guile.

 

Yeah right. Like that EPL team Man City crashing out of Champions League in OT after attacking relentlessly for 180 min in two legs.

And Chelsea too.

 

We have actually gotten less "back / side passy" in recent games, and I think not having Grey Goose in there has helped. But it's going to be our style, and it was the same with Almeyda. We like to possess the ball. We had 60% possession again in this game. You don't get that much possession without being somewhat conservative with it.

But I feel like we're taking our chances more now - we pick our spots but we do try stuff instead of just passing it around with no consequence until we lose it, and movement seems a little better. Monteiro was moving around a lot and he and Yueill were box crashing, which helps our attack (and resulted in 2 goals). And though I don't remember seeing it against Portland we are also going into a very high zonal press at times and that's led to some wins of possession deep in the opponents half and a few goals.

So we're making strides. Still only 4 team in MLS that have more GF than us. So the once anemic attack that went like 4-5 games with 0 goals from the run of play is actually not a bad attack after all, right now anyway. We could get cold again.

 

If we're talking MLS 1.0 Quakes, Wade Barrett was the man... but he played on the left and the discussion was about the right.

 

I like Lopez as the starter on the left. He's MLS quality. We need a starting RB for sure, and Beason should be our starting LCB in place of Calvo. We do need a back up LB but with Salinas finally back he has shown he can be the backup for that spot. So our 1st priority should be an upgrade at RB imho.

 

We have some people saying that Marie is the best Quakes RB in years and others saying we need a starting quality one ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I’m somewhat in the middle on Marie. And then TT, who is not a great fit for RB, has come in multiple times this year and sparked the team offensively from RB or LB or other positions. I think he's a good "need a goal" sub for either side, less good for protecting a lead, but with a packed D he would be less susceptible to getting burned by speed.

I actually am less bullish on Lopez, His defense is OK but the problem with his game is that he doesn’t actually play wide when attacking. He never goes wide and crosses, always wants to cut in. And when he cuts in he generally just stands there and looks for a pass, and doesn’t continue his run to take on defenders the way Marie does. And Cade is trying to do the same thing - cut in from the left. So I think Lopez’s contribution to the offense has been very minimal. What if we had a LB that liked to go wide and cross, and could draw defenders away from Cade? Actually Salinas can do it, but not a great defender. But in any case I'm not sure that I wouldn't prioritize LB over RB at this point.