San Jose Earthquakes - Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Saturday, 5/9) pre/in/postgame thread [R]

Sure hope not - we need to stay healthy because cheapass Fisher ain’t springing for reinforcements…

 

This will be a very difficult team, particularly if Niko is out.

 

No Niko is a very notable loss. Wonder where we go to pick up the slack there. Maybe Noel Buck comes in from the cold? Roster is getting awwwfulllly skimpy

 

It’ll either be Nick Fernandez, who’s played some minutes at the 10, or Bruce might move up Beau or Harkes into the role. Buck is more of a straight 8. It’s possible but I don’t see him getting Niko’s minutes but he’ll probably start making the bench.

 

I'd like to see Fernandez in the starting 11, flipping places with Beau.

 

Fernandez is OK, at least.

Noel Buck hasn’t shown me anything to get excited about.

But Bruce doesn’t seem to trust Nick F at the #10 spot.

So I’m not sure what he’ll do.

I need more whiskey.

Go Quakesfans!!

 

The bad news is the Quakes have to play four league games and one Open Cup match in the next 20 days.

The good news is, the games are all on the west coast and they also get a 2 month break for the World Cup after these next round of games.....

 

Bruce can have Nick train with the 1st team at the #10 with the starters. That would help. And also the Beau-Harkes-Vieira midfield. You need more than one setup because if it’s Nick and he gets injured then what. And it’s unlikely Nick could go 90 in that role right away. It’s a very demanding role because you’re expected to high press *and* help build out of the back *and* run the attack.

 

Yeah, that's a lot of games for sure. At least there is no midweek game this week. Maybe enough time to let Nick practice with the team in the middle. That would be my preference. However, I'm thinking that Bruce moves Beau to the attaching role and lets Vieira and Harkes sit more.

 

Yeah, I think those are the two most viable options, and you probably need to be ready to employ both. Would be nice to have Cruz Medina around about now (or Hernán!), but Nick and Cruz played together a lot last year with The Town and while they were both very good, Nick was better as an attacking player.

Cruz is not getting a lot of playing time with Chivas's 2nd team - about 50 minutes their last 5 games and sometimes he's not in the squad.

 

Most of our competition in the West have five games in May, we have six (along with LAFC). If Fisher doesn't allow BA to bring in some talent to fill those empty roster spots I am afraid we're going to get hosed this month.

 

Too late to bring in reinforcements now, should have done it at least two weeks ago. Anyone we bring in now will take at least a couple of weeks to find their sea-legs.

I don’t think we’re getting anymore help until the summer transfer window, if then. We could be in for a rough road. We’re going to need the WC break to recover.

Go Quakesfans!!

 

A third of the season in the books. Who’s currently got it better than the Quakes? Nobody.

If they drop a game or two (big if) they’re still gonna be fine. Enjoy this ride.

 

So we are still three points clear of Vancouver, beat them and it's six points.

 

The transfer window doesn't open until July anyway so it's a moot point unless we're calling up someone up internally or grabbing an unemployed guy off the couch...

 

USL Bro!! Don't sleep on USL!!

I think every USL team probably has one or two players good enough to cut it in MLS, even if only as bench depth. I'm not saying that USL is actually competitive with MLS, but each team probably has one or two guys who could compete, at least on a stop-gap basis.

Go Quakesfans!!

 

Point still stands? Still can't buy or loan them until the summer transfer window opens.

 

We've played teams this year that were so short on bodies that they brought in a few Next/Pro guys to start, including Seattle, who beat us in that game. There's no reason we can't do that. The Next/Pro guys on the senior roster are Mendoza, Rajagopal, and Spivey. And then 2 non-academy guys who haven't played with the 1st team yet I don't think - Adimabua and Crockford. And then there's Buck who also has 0 minutes this year.

So before trying to do deals with USL, we have these guys that could fill in if necessary:

Mendoza - probably the most ready of the academy guys - could be an 8 or 6

Rajagopal - a #6 all the way. Short, but low center of gravity and a little feisty

Spivey - not quite 17 yet but already one of the best Quakes 2 players, could even play #10

Adimabua - he's been on the bench at times, not high on him but if we need a 9...

Crockford - our #2 keeper right now I guess while Earl is out

Buck - he's an 8 primarily where we already have lots of cover, but I suppose could play a 6 or 10, or even winger if we're desperate. He's slow but he's got a killer shot from distance and good delivery with his left boot

Bruce has said that everyone on the roster is important, from 1st to last man, so maybe let's see him put his money where his mouth is.

 

I didn't realize that the "Off-Roster Homegrown Players" (currently Edwyn, Rohan, and KK - could put Tomo there too if you move up his scheduled promotion) are eligible to play in up to 6 league matches each. That could be an interesting space to explore since our supplemental roster slots are currently full, with 2 senior slots which we probably want to keep open for summer acquisitions.

 

I have a couple of theories about Bruce and his willingness to play these kinds of players. 1) He doesn't like to play real young players, and 2) I think he has a thing about physicality and shies away from the smaller or more slight of build players, especially central players. Edwyn is fairly tall but light frame, Rajagopal is short though a little more stout, KK is very young and also has a pretty light frame. I think he even shies away from Fernandez a bit, as a center mid, because of it. He seems afraid to keep him in the middle for very long. The guys he likes in the middle are the more solid build guys. Adimabua and Buck would make that cut.

BTW seeing Verhoeven play the other night, looks like he's bulked up a bit, a year or so too late to make an impression on Bruce.

 

The team will have exactly two months off starting May 23rd.

Only 1-2 players?

I think there is a little more than that.

Some teams have quality.