Los Angeles FC - San Jose Earthquakes (Sunday, 4/19) pre/in/postgame thread [R]

Couple of people really chomping at the bit to ask Timo questions in German. The translations were...interesting. I suppose it's AI...

 

I think the 1st question was by a German reporter onsite but the last German question was from Alex Calabrese, a young MLS reporter from Chicago. https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/lift...irst-mls-goal-in-san-jose-s-statement-victory

 

ESPN is going to publish their weekly "power rankings" tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure they're still going to have Vancouver at #1. (For reference, last week was Vancouver at #1, followed by LAFC, Nashville and San Jose at #4. In last week's report, they said Vancouver is the team to beat - well, what about the only team that beat them so far this year?

Anyhoo, we're not playing for power rankings, so let them keep Vancouver on top. We'll just have to keep beating respect out of the other teams on the field.

 

I’m psyched!!
F- el-lay!!

I’ve seen the highlights, but won’t get to watch the game until Wednesday. I’m hammered in CirrhosisOfLivermore.

Go Quakesfans!!

 

Technically, Vancouver is ahead of us by virue of goal differential but we did beat them at their place and we've played 4 road games and they've played 1. So I think an argument can be made that we should have the top place but they won't make that case. It would take some kind of 4D chess motivated reasoning to put LAFC ahead of us based on the numbers and after tonight, and Nashville has 2 less points. So neither should be ahead of us. I think they'll grudgingly put us in 2nd, and then dress it up in lots of caveats.

 

Results like this make me think that Bruce Arena could attract some pretty good players over the summer to come to San Jose like he did with Temo.

 

Maybe waiting until after the World Cup is actually a good strategy because it's a natural timing for national team players to transition to a new career phase. If Timo could get another German international onboard - say, around age 30 who has plateaued at a level below the big CL clubs - we could be cooking. I'd be interested in someone like Deniz Undav at Stuttgart, burly, mobile, and versatile. Or a LB like Mittelstädt or Gosens on a TAM deal would be fine, but ideally a DP matchwinner.

 

Bruce has said multiple times that he thinks a number of players are gonna want to play in MLS after the World Cup. So that indeed could be the plan. And yes a “friend of Timo” could be good.

 

In the past, I have tried to stay emotionally divested from our team as the constant disappointments throughout the years have left me somewhat cynical. We would often show great improvement just to have the plane crash right into the mountain and take the whole season along with it leaving me bitter and angry. That being said....

I'm going to go out on an emotional limb and support our team whole heartedly. This is the best version of us that we've had in a long time and it was a distinct pleasure to watch us dismantle the "best" team in the league while the homer LAFC announcers were left dumbfounded. Hearing that imbecile Twellman stupefied and unable to process what he was witnessing was so very gratifying.

Go Quakes Indeed!

PS: Judd is our weakest link, imagine if we had a quality striker the likes of Haaland, Mbappe or Salah up front, it boggles the mind how far me might progress.

 

I'm still waiting for the bottom to drop out... my PTSD is still strong.

However it's clear we can play with anyone in the league and that is all I ever really wanted.

 

We could kind of coast the rest of the way with a 1.0 PPG and still wind up around 6th. But a couple of key injuries could derail us a bit. I would say Munie, Beau, and Daniel would be the most critical. Knock on wood.

 

We don't need that much quality to improve significantly. A #9 who can hold the ball while the rest of the team gets upfield would help a lot--and there are many of those in the world.

 

We need depth more than anything.

 

https://bsky.app/profile/mattdoyle.bsky.social/post/3mjv7xnu4as23

 

I haven’t followed his career closely but I really wouldn’t mind getting Marcos Lopez back. We seem really banged up on the left side with Jones out for the year and Costa, Ricketts and Warner in and out with nagging injuries. Lopez is only 26 and has good size and speed. He’s already lived here so he would he comfortable moving back I assume. He’s got 51 appearances for Peru. I think he could be even more effective in this team than he was before.

 

Depth, but that depth can be built with 1) upgrades to existing positions or 2) "similar" skill level - create competition, or 3) backup (less than current level). Of course you want to do as many upgrades as possible as long as you don't kill off development of younger players. That can be managed. Like if we got a better 9 than Judd, take reduce Judd's minutes to a trickle. Give him some starts, sub him in, etc.

I'd say the #9 and left back are the biggest needs, especially if Ricketts is gonna be out for a while. Get a left back who can also do wingback / winger as well.

 

I was never much a fan of Marcos Lopez. Extremely one-footed and does not ever really overlap deep and pump in crosses the way you'd like a left back to be able to do. In that sense he's very similar to Costa.They are really basically the same player IMO. And while both have OK speed, neither's speed is great. I'd prefer a DeMarcus Beasley type.

 

I saw him play a couple times in Champions League this season against Villarreal. He looked physically stronger than when he played for us, and definitely liked to get into the attack.

 

Just a great all around game by the boys. Lots of dudes showing improvement over last year and commitment to excellence.

Made LAFC look like Chivas USA in disguise

 

MLS power rankings: Timo Werner’s San Jose dominate as LAFC continue slide in matchday 8

3. San Jose Earthquakes (Previous: 4)



Timo Werner scored his first MLS goal against LAFC.