Pre-match: San Jose Earthquakes - Minnesota United FC "Quarterfinal" (Saturday, 8/1) pregame thread

I spoke too soon! Joe has the center for the QF ORLvLAFC on Friday night. I tried to see who has the 4O for our game, but it’s not listed on MLS or on PRO websites. Bob, where did you get your info? Just curious...

 

What difference does it make?? Their coach can say that they are the best team in the history of soccer, or the worst team in the history of soccer. Makes no difference to me. He can also say that the Earth is flat and that unicorns are real. I couldn't care less. I'm interested in which teams gets the most goals on Saturday

 

Nudge nudge, wink wink

 

It may not make a difference to our team since we play the same way. But their coach's underdog message has a mental effect on Minnesota and they feed off that for energy and determination to execute their hard-to-break game plan. That leads us to the last sentence of your comment. Can we break them down a defensively determined team, avoid mistakes and score more goals?

 

I'm not sure about all that!! You said fans and commentators are tired of these artificial comments. So you believe laymen fans can see right thru these artificial comments and grow weary of them, yet professional soccer players are completely oblivious and carried away by those comments to the point of changing the game. That seems pretty incredible to me.

I personally don't think this narrative has much impact on either the fans, or the players, or the outcome.

 

Unless Ericksson pulls off another performance like he did against RSL, I am not sure we have enough to break down bunker ball. Our slow CBs can get burned by quick counters. I can hope but not feeling great about this game.

 

I am thinking a Jungwirth-Alanis pairing in CB brings us a ticket to the Semi-Finals. No other changes necessary to the starting 11.

 

In my short time as an MLS follower, I've developed a healthy dislike for some teams purely due to their playstyle and Minnesota is on top of that list.

 

If you win the yellow shorts please burn them in protest..

 

I entered the shorts contest, so now we are truly jinxed.
Which is a shame because it feels like a straight path to the tournament championship.

 

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020...-became-fixture-their-mls-back-tournament-run
It looks like the gold shorts were just an option for this kit (as I previously mentioned could be a possibility) and were only worn because a color conflict.


https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/v...ostgame-thread-r.2110635/page-4#post-38805180

"I wonder if there is a blue short option for this kit? I never recalled seeing the yellow shorts with this top when they unveiled it. And with Vancouver already wearing blue shorts for this game maybe they had this yellow short option to use."

 

I hate to get my hopes up too much, but with LAFC out I think the Quakes have a path to the title. They have to win 3 games, but Almeyda Magic just might do it.