Norway definitely isn't the strongest league out there... I don't think anyone would argue that it's better than or even close to MLS. Franck Boli from that list was with the Portland Timbers in 2023 and now he's in LigaMX https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franck_Boli Adama Diomande isn't on that top scorers list but he played for Stromsgodset and then Stabaek and then Bob Bradley who coached him at the latter brought him to LAFC https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adama_Diomande
We also brought in Marcus Tracy from the same league. Diomande was decent though in fairness. The Pellegrino highlight videos are electrifying no doubt, and he clearly has an eye for goal, I just don’t ever seeing him get that much time or space on the ball in MLS
Yeah Marcus Tracy was a low risk reclamation project, not really comparable... one last shot for a former Hermann Trophy winner.
Harder to get that much time and space on the ball in MLS especially when you play for the Quakes. Our counterattack is generally too slow and we don’t have a CAM to drive the ball and unbalance the defense.
I don't know why we bring in a guy like Pelle. He's a cherry on top guy for a fundamentally sound team. The attack under Luchi is plain and disjointed. We needed a guy with a similar profile to Espinoza for the left side, someone who could unbalance the D on the other side of the field...at least have some speed and savvy to skin some defenders. Honestly, we already have guys that would look better than Pelle for what we need on the left side. Maybe on a far better team Pelle would be an interesting pick up, but for us, under the current circumstances with Luchi, he gives us almost nothing...we don't have enough going on to cater to his needs...we're still misfit toys in the attack...and we just added a new one in Pelle.
I was advocating for a take-on-defenders guy too on the left side. As I have said - “even a 3/4 Espinoza”. Or like Cade but with a final ball. But I thought Pellegrino - a drift in / finisher guy could work for us *if* we had a strong take-on / unbalance the defense CAM to pair with him. It gives us a pseudo-4-4-2 when Pellegrino drifts in, but someone has to provide service. So it all comes back to that phantom CAM. That’s the missing piece we’ve been talking about for months. We’re trying to skate by with Niko or Skahan but they are not strong enough in that take-on / unbalance the D role. Niko’s game is more about passing and when he takes it on the ground he tends to get “stuck” by his extreme one-footedness. Skahan’s touch / technical skill is not good enough to do it when space is limited. And so here we are. As I’ve been saying just give us even k-mart Puig and we’d look a lot better. I'd still like to see Ricketts in that left side attacker role sometime before the season's over. He'd be hit and miss but what do we have to lose. He'd try stuff for sure. He tries stuff every possession. He picked up a knock in the last "Town" game. I hope it's nothing serious.
Niko is coming along...game to game he is getting better at driving the ball and actually shooting, he rattled the crossbar late in the last game...he has potential to improve his attacking game...and I think we'll see it going forward...I'd still love to have a high level ACM but Niko could develop into solid option upfield...there are at least 5 guys I'd rather see at left flank attacker rather than Pelle. it's just frustrating continually watching us bring guys in that clearly don't move the needle...or move it the wrong way....it should be obvious in our assessment if they can help us fill a need...whiff after whiff. I mean, really, we are no better now than Doyle looking at VHS tapes in our assessment of players.
Niko's getting better but he's 18-years old and he's got issues with his game. His speed is average and his extreme one-footedness causes him to get into positions at times where he's just "stuck". He just can't be our starting CAM if we're going to have a chance to be a good team in this league. Having a cutting-in goal scoring finisher guy on the left is OK but only if we have a strong attacking CAM. BTW, Pellegrino is first on the team in shots / 90 and also xG / 90, so it's not like he's not getting involved in the offense. We can talk about defense and participation in the buildup and weaknesses there, and even some blown finishes, but in terms of being a goal-scoring threat, that hasn't been a problem, at least relative to the rest of the team. And he's only played the equivalent about about 3 full games.
Watching videos and reading reports or articles is not the same as "the eye test", which is Steve Ralston's preferred measurement technique. I've had my eyeful of Pellegrino at PayPal Park.
@JazzyJ always has his favorites.. The Mount Quakemore of JazzyJ Coach Leitch, Tommy Thompson, Andreas Rios & Amahl Pellegrino
I never claimed any of those players (coaches) were great. I only pointed out some of the good things they do / did (as well as weaknesses) when the board goes lynch mob mode on them. So sue me. BTW you forgot: Cristian Espinoza (2023+ edition) Rafael Baca Chris Wondolowski Darren Huckerby Steven Lenhart Dwayne DeRosario Brian Mullan 2017-18 Flo Jungwirth Jimmy Conrad Eddie Robinson 2011-12 Simon Dawkins (coming on board) Jamar Ricketts
I don't disagree that Pelle doesn't look to be the answer, but five guy's you would rather see than him. Really? There is no one at this moment that I would rather see. Not that Pelle is great, but it's because the choices are worse.
Im not apaet of any lynch mob at the moment. (Surprisngly). Huckerby hated his life here, im convinced. Waibel > Conrad. Best move Yallop made.
On “Quakes Exclusive” they said Hucks is coming back for the 50-year thing, whenever that is. I think if anything he hated the nagging chronic injury that prevented him from playing much in 2009, and then having to retire. Salinas said he learned a lot from him.
I don' t like what I see in the attack and for Luchi's system, where he is expected to play some D on the flank, he's a fish out of water...and incredibly weak in the challenge. so just my two cents...I'd take anyone who is more direct or a two player...or even an inverted possession/creator...or a quality rookie like Ricketts who has a good read of the game and crazy athleticism. Skahan, Marie, inverted Niko, Benji, Ricketts. Pelle tip toeing around doesn't do it for me...but that's just me. On a better team, I'm sure he'd be okay, but for us, he can't help us much, being that soft.
I don't want Luchi to ruin Bieganski, Ricketts, Verhoeven, LeRoux, or Munie so I'm just fine if he doesn't play them, and then they get their shot when he's fired.
I find myself agreeing with you more and more. I don’t hate Luchi but what I see is what I expected based on his coaching at Dallas. I wanted him hired, but as Academy Director and not head coach. My only hope was he would connect the academy/Next Pro teams tighter with the first team. I’ve seen zero evidence that he has engagement with either. That is the biggest disappointment to me so far. Casey Walls and Emi Ochoa are coming up to the end of their homegrown contracts where both were extended and they have zero MLS minutes so far. No idea if either is worth keeping or cutting loose. Luchi is drowning and I’m hoping he doesn’t take others down with him.
Ochoa is likely going to jettison to Mexico. I think Bieganaski was brought in under the assumption Ochoa was leaving at some point. He also could be groomed and trained to replace the eventual Daniel departure as well. Ochoa isn't playing right now is he? I think Beig is getting all the II minutes, and Ochoa is rotting on the Quakes bench between both in limbo. Casey Walls is probably another casualty of we really don't need him. We have to protect the youth we have at all costs and NOT waste them in the Luchi parade. Medina, Cowell and Mendoza should also be apart of that list.
Gonzalez on the upcoming close to the MLS Primary Transfer Window on April 23 and the possibility of bringing in any new players: "I don't expect any changes to the roster in the coming days."— Robert Jonas (@robertjonas) April 19, 2024 GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Pellegrino also scored 17 goals in 40 UEFA conference or champions league matches in the last 3 years, so he hasn’t just been scoring against Norwegian teams. In UEFA Champions League, 4 goals in 7 matches.
They didn’t qualify for the champions league, so those numbers are at least a little disingenuous. To put it in perspective, those 4 goals came against Northern Irish and Lithuanian sides, neither of which even have fully professional top divisions. 4th was against Zagreb who are a quality team from Croatia. But he never played in the champions league beyond qualifying rounds.