Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread       Will California's first MLS Cup Champions ride the wave of a season-opening win?       Will the hometown squad victoriously send their fans' spirits soaring a Mile High?       The Earthquakes breaking the dam of Colorado's high early-season expectations? The Rapids flooding the visitors' quest for an undefeated first week?       Discuss.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
      With DeRosario's recent season-ending injury, who can Frank Yallop obtain in time to replace him by the season-opener?       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Our team is screwed. Our season is screwed. The fans are screwed. If we win 10 games this year it will be a miracle. And good luck trying to get people into the stands with a sub-par team. Can you say" The Seattle Earthquakes" Rapids-4 Quakes-1
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread I know many are quick to say this is going to be horrible. While I agree that it is not looking good at all for us on paper, I still can't totally write off the team just yet. I'm very big on continuity in teams. It IS tragic about DeRo and it will definitely hurt our team but the "silver lining" is that the front line players that have worked all pre-season together--developing timing and understanding of one another--will be in the lineup. That was not a luxury DeRo was afforded. Granted, I don't think Ching will create as much as DeRo does, nor do I think he will draw the attention away from Donovan like Dwayne would...but he has somehow managed to put a ball in the net almost every game this pre-season. If he can keep up that quiet efficiency then we'll be alright. Maybe not top-of-the-table-alright, but alright. The realist in me says Rapids 3, Quakes 1 with the line-up as it presently stands. However, I'm hoping to enjoy dining on these words come the eve of 4/12. Starting XI: Onstad Dayak, Robinson, Agoos, Corrales Mullan, Mulrooney, Ekelund, Lagos Ching, Donovan I know it seems strange playing Corrales at right back when you have a true defender in Waibel on the team but I'd rather have Ramiro's offensive abilities working out there. Seems we need offense from wherever we can find it now. Waibel doesn't show me much offensively. Go Quakes!!!
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread Onstad Dayak-Robinson-Goose-Corrales Russell-Ekelund-Mulrowney-Mullan Lagos-Donovan Manny has been hot, remove his inability to track back and let him and LD hook up for a few counters... Quakes-1 Rapids-1 Go Quakes!
Re: Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread This is a great idea. Manny is on a hot streak during the pre-season offensively but not on the defense. Sure, Mullan has had jitters in the pre, but he will add that pace on the flanks that we are so used to. Also, is it just me or does Russell look like he put a few pounds of muscle on. ?
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread plus, Ching & LD are not on the smae page whereas LD may feel more comfortable next to Manny.... just a thought....
      Nope, because it ain't gonna happen.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
the one discouraging note...wait...did i say "the one" discouraging note out of a tidal wave of dicouraging notes this off season?....anyway....more MORE discouraging note is the away record of the Quakes last season...they just did not play well away from Spartan....hopefully they'll improve on that this year but one has to wonder... rapids may be off their mark with grimandi's el foldo so who knows what to expect.
Here's a discouraging angle: Despite being the points leader in MLS much of last year, the Quakes were barely a .500 team, finishing 14-11-3. They did well in points because they had hardly any ties, something unlikely to happen again this year. So take that team and subtract Cannon, Barrett DeRo and Graziani and we'll probably suck. The other changes aren't nearly as significance (subtract Conrad and add Mullan, Ching, Alveraz, Dunivant, Walker and two bad goalies). The only positive is Lagos is healthy and Donavan should do better without all the distractions. Maybe Russell and Dayak will be healthy enough to add value too. We also have a good coach, but I think the best we can hope for this year is to sneak into the playoffs in one of the bottom-of-the-table spots.
Why is everyone so down in the dumps? This is the Crapids we're talking about! 2-0 Quakes. As long as Mulrooney and Ekelund are healthy, and goals come from somewhere, we'll get by.
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread On the bright side......Onstad will lead MLS in saves after this weekend, the downside is that the Rapids will lead in shots on goal, probably 3-4 of the 15 shots on goal will go in. 0-3 Colorado. Henderson(2), Carrieri
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread I think that the team is coming together relatively well. They have shown very well in pre-season, and Yallop does know what he is doing. Starting line-up I would like to see: Onstad Corralles Robinson Goose Dunivant Mulrooney Lagos Alvarez Ekelund Donovan Wegerle What we will probably see: Onstad Dayak Robinson Goose Corralles Mulrooney Mullan Lagos Ekelund Donovan Ching The fears I have from the above line-up is the right side. Dayak (bless his soul!) is just to slow to be playing a wing-back position. I just don't have a lot of confidance in Mullan helping him out. Mullan puts in a nice cross, but is more likely to get dispossessed than not. He just doesn't seem very comfortable on the ball. I am afraid everyone else in the MLS knows that and will focus their attack down our very weak right side. I know that no-one wants to hear this but boy oh boy do I miss Jimmy!
well, only one team won more matches than the Quakes last year, which was LA. And only one team won 13 matches last year, which was Colorado. And its not like the Quakes were the only team that struggled on the road. MLSnet.com keeps taking me to the 2003 stats when I want to access the 2002 regular season ones, but I recall that overall the winning percentage of away teams was uniformly low. Go Quakes Tony
Re: Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread Here's a wild idea that's been gnawing at my brain for a week. How about Mullan at right back? Obviously the kid's got wheels. And we know he can throw in a wicked cross from the right. His shortcoming seems to be indecision on what to do with the ball at his feet going forward - and hence he losses posession. If FY can train him to bring it up and then drop it off to the central d or mulrooney until he gets more comfortable, (like he trained Wade), then Mullan could work I think. Keep in mind that I've not seen if he's even capable of being effective defensively, although his hustle and desire seem good. This idea is of course, predicated on one of three things. Either Ian has to be back into 2001 form, or Dunivant has to start, moving Corrales to left mid and Lagos to right, or Alvarez has to play left mid with Lagos on right. Whaddya think, should I email FY?
I'm sure Frank has thought of everything that we have and probably several things that we haven't thought of. I'd hope to see this for the lineup. Onstead Waibel--Dayak--Agoos--Corrales Mullan--Mulrooney--Ekelund--Lagos ------Donovan--Ching Waibel gives us enough speed and credibility at the right back spot. Corrales's speed is also necessary on the backline until Dunivant is ready for prime time. Waldo41, Wegerle isn't on the roster, so we can't very well play him. Maybe we could get him as a replacement for DeRo? But I think he's signed to an Italian side yes? In any case, he's not an option. Mullan, Donovan, and Ching have been playing well together, so that could work to our advantage. Frank is likely to play Waibel--Robinson--Agoos--Dayak across the back if they are all healthy. So we could see Corrales at left mid and Lagos at right. In any case, it's going to be a tough match for our guys. GO QUAKES!! - Mark
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread I wanna see this: Donovan and Mullan up top.....Russell on the right and Lagos on the left, Ekelund and Mulrooney in the central midfield. Robinson and Agoos at central D, Corrales at left back and Dayak at right back. I like Mullan over Ching starting up top because of Mullan's effort. he'll check back alot more and he will pressure the Rapid defenders. I would miss Ching's height, but thats it.
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread Do you think he's thought about talking to Dante Washington?
Re: Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread We have stunk in pre-season. We performed very badly at that preseason tournament in Europe and got knocked out of the Champs Cup harshly by a club team from Guatamala. Last week we drew an off-season college team.
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread True, but I would credit the CSD victory in Guatamela to Onstad. Regarding the pre-season tourney in Europe, I would fault Yallop for not getting his troops together sooner. They only started training a few weeks before leaving for Spain. I am looking forward to the start of the season and the end of all of this speculation. The team still has Donovan (World Soccer just called him the top player for the USMNT), Goose (please don't deny that he still has it!), Ekelund (MLS top XI last year), Mulrooney (Mr. Fundmentals that just does not know how to slow down), Arturo Alvarez (USMNT U-20 leading scorer last year), a healthy Lagos who seems to have his touch back, and a host of new guys that are dying to show you all just how good they are! Go Quakes!
Re: Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread Absolutely. Frank has said that he'd move Saunders's to DP status so that he could sign another forward if necessary. I bet he's looked into acquiring at least a dozen forwards. I'm sure that MLS have given him a limit. "You can sign a player as long as he costs less than X." Frank clearly looked around the A-League for players, and he probably checked out trades and or players about to be waived from other MLS teams. I'm sure that the instant Dante was waived that Frank and eight other coaches looked at his salary and considered whether or not he'd be an asset to their sides. GO QUAKES!! - Mark
Colorado - San Jose (Saturday, 4/12) pre-game thread I agree with you about Mullen vs Ching, but I think I'd get a bit more inventive even... Waibel .... Robinson....Agoos Lagos.....Mulrooney (emphasis on defense and right side).....Corralles (emphasis on offense and left side)....Alverez Ekelund Mullen....Donovan Of course, Yallop wouldn't play a 3-5-2, but I think clogging the midfield could work against Colorado provided Mulrooney is very defense-minded and Corralles does his fair share of supporting Jeff. -KMJvet