Wes Hart to San Jose is official. http://www.sjearthquakes.com/press_box/022804release1.htm Now back to the Manga Cup. Excellent showing by the Quakes so far! Seems they're picking up where they left off last season.
Yeah, and my guess is that Jamil's little training stint with Celtic (thanks Wee Man and whoever else was involved in setting this up) has given him a little edge at this point in pre-season. Yeah, even taking into account call-ups for Donovan and DeRo, we're looking real strong at forward. And even if the team had a bad combo of injuries + call-ups at some point, someone like Mullan can fill in there.
DEPTH! I just thought about who could play where (in a pinch / crisis), and we have a REALLY flexible team. I'm sure I'm forgetting some players, and I know I've put a few people in odd spots, but from where I sit right now (Japan) this doesn't seem too crazy... Guys who could play forward: Donovan, DeRo, Ching, Walker, Levesque, Mullan ...and probably even: Russell, or Arturo Left Mid: Corrales, Arturo ...and (though not the greatest spot for them) in a stretch: LD, Dwayne, Walker Central Mid: Mulrooney, Ekelund, Corrales, LD ...and in a pinch: Tighe (he's been coming in for Mulrooney, but has he been playing midfield?), possibly Agoos (as a Dmid w/Eddie&Dayak central D), possibly Mullan, possibly DeRo ....don't know about Hart Right Mid: Mullan, Russell ...and if needed: LD, DeRo, Walker, ...Hart? LeftD: Dunnivant, Agoos ...if necessary: Corrales CentralD: Agoos, Dayak, Robinson ...if needed: Hart (his spot in the Staeback game), Waibel, Cochrane RightD: Waibel, Cochrane, Hart, Tighe Keeper: Onstad, Conway, Cronin So, as we already know, our team's 'shallowest' area is really the heart of our midfield. I think we will see the greatest drop-off in skill (for the position) with injuries/absences to Ronnie and Rich. ...and while it's nice and encouraging to see us doing well in Spain, I'm not going to get too excited until I see the same results coming against MLS teams during the regular season. (I seem to remember one of our worst years coming after going undefeated in the preseason - back in the pre-Franky/LD/Agoos/Championship! days.)
don't take these results so seriously. the galaxy flew from l.a. to france, arrived in the late afternoon, and played the very next day after being on the ground for less than 24 hours, after 14 hours of flying and a couple more hours of laying around in airports. that result is utterly meaningless.
OK, Beerking's point was a finer one. Maybe difficult for a DC fan to understand, so I'll spell it out. SJ win + LA loss = life is good. As it is, was, and every shall be....
So maybe you've written off Faria, but Roner? Or are you considering him out for the season? It looks like a battle between Russell and Alvarez for left mid, with Russell the front-runner. Corrales is the deep back-up. Also, Levesque can play Right or Left mid. Maybe better than DeRo. And you didn't address D-mid. Mulrooney, Corrales, Robinson, Hart, Roner. In a pinch: Ekelund Except for the missing quality right back, this is a tight and deep team. Top to bottom, best MLS has seen.
If healthy, Corrales will be the opening day left mid. Russell is right footed and better suited on the right side. Alverez is not quite ready to start, he'd be a defensive liability Let's not get ahead of ourselves. An aging center defense, center mid, and keeper. New coach, new GM, the distraction of an uncertain future. We're only an injury or two from fighting the la for a play-off spot Also, Roner may be out for the season.
...hmmmm... my point is that we are not an injury or two away from mediocrity. ...unless the injuries are: Ekelund & Mulrooney. But I agree that the left mid spot is Corrales' to lose. DueTime: I'm assuming Faria is gone and Roner will be out for the season. And I don't know enough about Levesque's game, so I'll take your word on that. ...And I've never really thought about the Quakes midfield as consisting of an A-Mid&D-Mid. I'm probably wrong, but (although Ekelund was often a bit more upfield) it always looked to me like we had two interchangable central midfielders (neither D-Mid nor A-Mid) and most of our attacks developed down the wings. But I agree with your D-Mid selections.
In which case, we play something like: -----------LD--Ching DeRo--Corrales--Agoos--Mullan Dunnivant--Dayak--Robinson--Waibel ------------Onstad I'm actually pretty confident with that line-up!
I'll be playing center mid for the Quakes before Agoos. I was thinking more along these lines -----------DeRo--Ching Russell--Corrales--LD--Mullan Dunnivant--Dayak--Agoos--Waibel ------------Onstad without Ekelund and Mulrooney we are significantly weaker, probably going from the best midfield in MLS to below average. Remember, in 2002 Mulrooney broke his ankle and we went from contending for the supporters shield to first round play-off exit. Yes were probably deeper this year than in 2002, but losing any key players could make for a long season However my original point was that we shouldn't be crowning the Quakes with any championships just yet. We have basically the same team as last year, while other teams have improved. We didn't exactly run away from the rest of the league last year.
According to previous day's Earthquake report, Donovan isn't even there anymore. He left on Friday for a week's vacation.
But Beerking used the present progressive, which makes the reader associate a past event (or 2) w/ the present and even the future. So in Onefinesocceranalyst's defense, he was right to point out the meaninglessness of said events. Now, if it were a meaningful game, THEN I would think a loss to a 2nd division team is embarrassing. It's pre-season. Like a few have pointed out, it's meaningless. The Galaxy took 3rd in La Manga (hot local women, btw) last year. Whoopdeedoo. Re: injuries. O.k., I haven't broken down the position by position analysis, but ya'll seem to be injury prone. It wouldn't surprise me to see that continue. And Jamil is for real. That boy's got game...
My point was that top to bottom the ROSTER is as good or better than MLS has ever seen. I wasn't prognosticating the Quakes are going to run away with the cup. The coach/GM/ownership issues will have an as yet unknown effect on the performance of the team. Now, aging central defense? Two words Robinson & Cochrane. Center mid? Quakes are really hurt only if BOTH Ekelund and Mulrooney are gone or injured. There are capables subs for both. Even if both go down, there are still viable, although less than optimum, personnel. Keeper? Yes, if Onstad goes down, it's a crap shoot. I'll give you that. Conway is iffy. Cronin is good and may be great in the future, but is inexperienced. Playing him could turn into another ugly Burn/Countess affair. If you look at the breakdown, there are two weaknesses in the roster. The Quakes don't have a starting right back. Yes, they have several viable options for what I would consider a reserve right back, but they don't have a starting one that meets the same quality level as the rest of the team. The second is reserve goal keeper as noted. But if those are the only two spots with weaknesses, this is a very strong roster. Maybe not compared to ManU, but certainly to any current or previous MLS team.
Ha, Kinnear will be lacing his boots up before Agoos played in the central midfield. If Ekelund and Mulrooney are out, you put in Corrales and Donovan. After that, Dombrowski might come in as a sub or Hart. If all four are injured/absent, it would probably be a formation reshuffling. The midfield line is more of a flat four rather than a stretched diamond. Sure, Ekelund pushes up more than Mulrooney, but they both work off each other and the play, mentioned before, is emphasized on the wings.
Hey, at least we have a coach (and an assistant coach) who could go play, unlike a certain coach of a certain team to the south...
equakesfan, defender: I still don't think it's so crazy to put Agoos in mid-field (assuming we get the nightmare injuries/call-up-injury-combo). In fact, I think it allows us to keep the maximum amount of talent on the field. It would however, mean changing from a flat midfield to the diamond. Agoos becoming a true D-Mid, and LD acting as an A-Mid. In essence it would be like having three central defenders (with one taking up a more advanced position - and given that Agoos has the best passing skills of the three, I think he'd do best there). ...I'm not saying that's the only possibility. I like the Corrales--LD midfield too. The point, as due time points out, is that we are DEEP. We have a solid and flexible roster. ...and I'd love to go to a practice where the first 11 were going against a team of back-ups with the defense composed of: Kinnear, Doyle, and Lalas. Heck. I'd pay to see that!
The Young Ones As mentioned above, we are DEEP. But I hope to see some of the younger players get more PT this year. Walker, Alvarez, and Levesque are all high potential players. Recall that Levesque was with the U23 Nats when he got hurt last year. Walker showed that he was an exciting player, and Alvarez has that beautiful left foot. I'm hoping Dom gives these 3 alot of minutes here in the preseason. Given the injuries that build up over the year, we'll need them!
Color me suprised.......I don't care how much I hate the Galaxy.....and I really do hate them......but.....until MLS is equal to the EPL in status, I will NEVER root for ANY MLS team to lose ANY match to a foreign team. Even a tiny cup like La Manga would ruffle some euro feathers if the top 4 spots were filled out by MLS. Of course the Quakes on top, then the Burn and the Metros and then LA. MLS Rocks!!!
thank you!!! finally, a fan of MLS that actually has some sense! I want every MLS team to go over to these countries and pummel these squads. Whether they mean something or not, its a good source of pride for those in our league. MLS DOES rock!!!!
Especially when we get results like the Metros winning 3-2 over Dynamo Kiev! No small potatoes, that one. From Soccer America Daily: 4. MLS: MetroStars advance to the final of LaManga Cup The MetroStars advanced to the final of the LaManga Cup with a 3-2 win over Dynamo Kiev of Ukraine on Monday. An own goal in the 73rd minute gave the Metros the victory after they blew a 2-0 lead against Dynamo, which fielded seven players from the team that beat English Premier League leader Arsenal in group play last fall in the European Champions League. The Metros will face the winner of Tuesday's match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Viking of Norway in Friday's final.
I'd love Quakes to kick Ukies' ass (especially Dynamo Kyiv - that team I will always hate!), but I am still happy with Metros sweeping them away. Now, let's hope for All-American Final! San Jose Earthquakes - New York/New Jerset Metrostars.