Post-match: Sporting Kansas City - San Jose Earthquakes (Wednesday, 8/19) postgame thread [R]

Sounds like you have a new family tradition... right? RIGHT!?!

 

KC likes to counter down the middle and Godoy and Alashe killed that. That with our speed on the wing and KC's formation, we had lots of space to run.

 

Wow, I really, really needed this. Thank you Quakes. The Quakes win:

• against Sporting KC
• AT Sporting KC
• with Jair "I couldn't find my cards for most of the game, you're welcome SKC and especially Chance Myers" Marrufo as ref

I sure as heck didn't foresee this result, but the last few days I have been thinking, "You know, on paper, this team LOOKS pretty decent. They have the potential to be able to do a little better." And I thought about what it would take to do better, and to me the key came down to formation:

• Put Wondo back up on top (to be fair, difficult to say that really made the difference this game)
• Rely on Godoy in midfield
• Find a way to use the speed of Salinas, Cato, and Wynne (I think that really did make a difference this game)

I was pleased to see the formation for this game with Wondo up top. I would even like to see us try a 4-3-3. Looks like SKC's field may be a bit wider than normal? If so, that really helped us. We were able to make a lot of unpressured passes, keeping the ball on the ground. Unfortunately, this also leads me to question how well we can repeat this kind of result, or even string together another win. Most games, we are pressured all over the field. Still though, we can strive for quick counters, and to get folks in the box.

Amarikwa and Cato were amazing, my men of the match. I especially like Shea feeding Cato rather than the other way around, as I think the latter is a much better shot. That said, Godoy really showed his potential in midfield, with his consistent passing.

I hope the Bingham-post-Bingham save makes it into the home game highlight reel... I laugh every time I see it, and it was a legitimate save that helped him earn another shutout.

 

Sorry to rain on the parade, but that win was most likely a complete anomaly. A tired KC team matched with a formation that favored us and I think some good game prep by Dom (he must of closely watched the Vancouver game). Against a team that mostly bunkers and counters, like LA, we'll look just as bad as always.

 

Probably.. It's kind of frustrating because we really don't know what it's going to take to give Doyle the axe. This victory will be forgotten if/when we get beat down the rest of the season and fail to make the playoffs. Even if we were to tank the rest of the season, the move to make Leitch Technical Director all but ensured they are planning on keeps no Doyle around regardless of what fans think.

 

Match highlights.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2015...ing-kc-vs-san-jose-earthquakes-august-19-2015

 

I don't think anyone is under the delusion that we are suddenly an awesome team and going on a run. It's certainly encouraging, but we've had these anomalies every season but still suck.

 

Kinnear finally figured out where's Wondo. It took too long, maybe too long for a playoff spot. Godoy is a good addition. It looked like Kinnear went for an unbalanced attack with Salinas wide and Cato favoring himself centrally.

Without doing research, I seem to remember that Kinnear's Houston teams traditionally did well at Kansas City. Maybe he knows how to outcoach Vermes. Now if he doesn't return to outcoaching himself....

On to DC, who played in lovely Panama City this evening.

Still need at least 5 more wins for a playoff spot. It will be tough. Less so, if the team can play at close to this level consistently.

 

I'm going to give an assist to mlssoccer dweeb Anderw Wiebe, who recorded this piece about how KC is currently the best team in MLS and a possible "triple" winner - SS, MLS Cup, and Open Cup. He called out the 2 upcoming the games against SJ as soft spots in the schedule. Thanks dweeb, I mean Wiebe!

http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2015/08/17/why-sporting-kc-are-best-team-mlsfor-now-mls-now

This game sure had a weird vibe. It was like everything was going in slow motion, especially KC. And the Quakes were just sometimes literally standing in the front of the goal with the ball, thinking about how they were going to score (and many times blowing it), but still dropping in 5. It could have seriously been a 10-0 game with better finishin. Incredible!

 

Lovely. Just lovely.

 

um, Debbie Downer, can we at least savor this sweet victory for a minute and contemplate our changing fortunes before we lapse back into wooden spoon purgatory?

 

This one was so one-sided it was ridiculous, it was like a whole new version of 2015 Quakes, revitalized and playing with purpose...two wins and two shut outs in two games, and a complete dismantling of KC, is just enough to give me a glimmer of hope.

 

Well I really hope this is not an anomaly, and truly a sign of what is to come. Imagine beating DC United and then coming home to play the Galaxy. It will be crazy at Avaya!!!

 

It looked like, on TV, that Dom was asking for it to be called at full time, with no stoppage.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm crying right now I'm so happy for the Quakes and all of the fans! I had no way to watch this game. The way the quakes have been playing, I did not stay home to even listen to KLIV online, because I had to go to my water aerobics class tonight because I'm organizing the annual potluck while the pool is closed.

So imagine how surprised I was to read the in game and now postgame thread. Five to friggin nothing! Yeah QUAKES. And congrats Wondo for 100 goals! Love my Quakes! Dorothy

 

link

Good thing it only took a month and a half to figure out the 4-1-4-1 with Wondo in the midfield wasn't working...

 

Sadly, I had to work late and only watched the condensed match. But man, let one of the league's all time greatest goal-scoring forwards play forward, and alongside a second forward to boot and suddenly we're banging in goals. Who woulda thunk it. Awesome result!

 

Cato's late runs into the box were a thing of beauty.

And Alashe's cross into Wondo for his header was almost as pretty as the finish. That thing was bending rocket.

Quincy is a damn playmaker... the throughballs, the backheel, the jukes.

 

After the 3rd goal you could hear sirens outside the stadium. Made me wonder if someone called 911 about a murder happening in the stadium.

 

Hey, I was responding to the Debbie Downer! My first post was completely positive!

 

I hope Dom let's this winning team stay on. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Alashe and Godoy win balls in the midfield and feed our speedsters... who exploit opponent being out of position and use speed to get behind defense... speedsters feed Wondo near the goal... Quincy is perfect link in this counter attack in that he can offer speed, finishing, and wily play making.