Another match-up against Columbus and all I can say is I’m glad that it’s the last this season (unless we make it to MLS Cup that is, I know, I know, but humor can be helpful). Listen folks, its a long season, so let’s get some enjoyment out of it and look towards the future. Yes, someone messed up big time on the Peguero deal. Yes, some of the picks from the expansion draft were underwhelming. But it ain’t a straight shot to the top (well, unless you get a championship caliber squad moved to your city). We had to put up with years of soccer so painful to watch that the youth soccer at halftime looked Premiership quality by comparison, all so that on the scales of karma we earned two championships. So…we’re on our way!

Quakes/Columbus Pregame Analysis

Goalkeepers: Same as I said last time pretty much. Hesmer is solid but can be beaten. Cannon is having an ok season, but nothing spectacular.

Advantage - Even

Crew Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: Center Line Soccer is reporting that Garcia picked up an injury in training and will probably miss Saturday’s game. Bad, bad news for the Quakes. Without him our defensive quality drops from about a B to a C-. Cochrane and Hernandez both do decently, but are prone to mistakes (Cochrane more so). Needless to say, Moreno will look to battle for balls and win fouls, drawing attention away from other Crew attackers making runs. If the Quakes can’t shut down Robbie Rogers and let him run free as they did last game, it will be over much quicker.

Advantage - Crew

Quakes Forwards vs. Crew Defense: Look for Ryan Johnson to do his thing again on Saturday. He’s more valuable for his ability to beat up defenders, win balls, and launch runs that make things difficult for the opposition than for actually scoring goals. If only Kirovski was valuable for something. If he starts, we’re looking at easy money for the Crew defenders. If its Cunliffe who starts, then it’s tough to call. The Crew have gone through a bit of a slump, as has their defense. Ultimately they have a solid, but not spectacular unit in the back.

Advantage - Crew

Midfield: The Crew’s strength and currently the Quakes’ weakness. Schelotto knows how to pick apart defenses (wow, the obvious statement of the weak). Rogers is the main danger man, and should be concentrated on heavily. Ronnie O’Brien needs to play on the right as he has more of a defensive presence, and I would put someone like Gray on the right side of the defense who will stay back and focus on marking Rogers. Gaven is blah most of the time and can be taken out of the game if he doesn’t take himself out. I am not a big fan of Vide in the middle at all, at least not until he develops his game more. Every time it has been tried, we have gotten savaged through the middle. I would keep Corrales there and try someone like Riley out left (or even Salinas, since we won’t need as much defense on that side). I would prefer as solid a middle as possible and experiment on the flank if anything in the absence of Guerrero.

Advantage - Crew

Coaching: Here is the real test for Sigi. He’s had a good start to the season, but he needs to break his boys out of their slump. If they crash to yet another disappointing finale to the season, he’ll be out of a job. Has Frank lost his magic? Some have asked the question given the acquisition of people like Peguero and Kirovski, as well as some of the draft choices (Goodson, Pozniak, etc.). Still way too early to make such claims I think. It will take a lot of wrongs to erase two championships in my book.

Advantage - Even

Intangibles: The Crew have lost some of their initial momentum and are in a mini-slump. Then again, a slump has to end at some point, and the Crew must see San Jose as the perfect tonic. The last result between these two teams will certainly give them confidence, but will they be over-confident? San Jose has to prove it can win on the road (yes, there was Colorado, but that seems ages ago now) soon, otherwise this road trip will become a long nightmare and a hole that it’s impossible to escape from. They must become true road warriors, and I think they know that at this point.

Advantage - Even

Key Man: Ronnie O’Brien

This of course assumes that he will be playing on Saturday, which is not 100% certain yet. If so, he will have an absolutely vital role. First, he must hustle all game long and help out the defense with Rogers. Second, he needs to be a key channel for the attack (something that we haven’t seen for a few games), which not only is necessary in the absence of Guerrero but will also force Rogers to track back and take him out of the game offensively.

If I Were Manager:

                 Cunliffe-Johnson

Salinas-Corrales-Grabavoy-O’Brien

Denton-Garcia-Hernandez-Gray

                       Cannon

Last week’s 0-0 draw against Dallas was incredibly frustrating because it was another match, like our previous “home” game against Chicago, which the Quakes dominated and should have won. What was worrying was not just the lack of goals but the lack of shots on goal, and the lack of quality chances. The wing players (as well as Riley) did wonderful work to beat defenders and put in some good crosses, but it was always a Dallas player on the receiving end. Seemingly, all teams have to do is stay in the box and clear out our crosses and they can blank us. What is true since the beginning of the season is still true. We are lacking good attack-minded service through the middle of the field. The game where we did have some success in that department was against Colorado, by no coincidence also the one game this season that we won and scored goals in. Yes, the finishing of Kamara and Glinton has left something to be desired, with Kamara making a mess of a couple of good chances, but when’s the last time you saw a Quakes player sprung through for a one-on-one (oh yeah, Colorado again, Kamara’s goal from a Grabavoy through ball). Our finishing needs to be improved, but our service even more so. Attack through the middle as well as the flanks (there were many times when such passes were possible but instead the ball was shifted to the outside), take some shots from outside the box when possible, and then both the middle and flanks will open up. Easier said than done, right? Do Grabavoy and Corrales have the skills to make this happen? We shall see.

Not all was doom and gloom last week. Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara is a beautiful place to take in some soccer. Don’t get me wrong, not all is perfect, with the pathways being crowded at times and blocking some people’s vision, but all in all, it is nice to feel so close to the field and achieve an intimacy that even Spartan can’t match. I thought Spartan brought us close to the players, but from my seat the keeper and any players in the box could hear every word you chose to shout, an opportunity my fellow Quakes supporters definitely made the most of, and will certainly do so in the future as well. It’s going to be tough to play in Buck Shaw for opposing teams, at least as far as the atmosphere goes. Also, we may have only one win and one draw, but we are only five points out of first place in the Western Conference with a game in hand! Fortunately for us, the West is relatively dreadful this season, and will make our quest for a play-off spot not be a complete delusion.

Onto Columbus, one of the hottest teams in the league right now (along with Chicago), looking to get a win and move back onto the top of the standings. Can the Quakes get a win against such competition?

Quakes/Crew Pregame Analysis 04/09/08

Goalkeepers: Will Hesmer is a rising star in MLS, able to make quality saves and shut out the opposition. But as is true with all young keepers, he will make mistakes and can be beat. Cannon definitely has the experience advantage, and after having a mistake-free game against Dallas, looks to have overcome his earlier mental lapses.

Advantage - Quakes

Crew Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: Yet another familiar face returns to face the reborn Quakes - Alejandro Moreno. Part of the 2005 squad, Moreno had a great season for us that year, drawing fouls, opening up space, winning balls, and scoring some goals. I was actually pulling for him to be one of the former Quakes we brought back at the beginning of this season, because he works hard to make goals happen, even if its in the most scrappy way. He looks to be on the road to having his best season yet with the Crew this year, and complements their defensive-minded, workman-like style of play well. What can you say about Schelotto? An old, wily veteran of many battles who can still place a ball on the head of a pin. It’s a dangerous combo because Moreno draws fouls left and right, and Schelotto is a master at set pieces. Fortunately, both do not possess pace in abundance, and the Quakes defense seems to only fall apart either when the midfield makes a mistake and loses possession in a dangerous position, or when the defense itself makes a mistake. They rarely seem to simply get beat by the opposition. The question is: can those mistakes be avoided? I was impressed with Hernandez’s performance filling in for Cochrane. We will probably see that same defensive line-up on Saturday.

Advantage - Even

Quakes Forwards vs. Crew Defense: Saturday looks to be Peguero’s first start with Glinton suffering from a hernia. So for the first time we will see what a Kamara-Peguero tandem can do. Yes, Peguero did not score or really have a quality chance coming off the bench last week, but from what I saw of him, I think he will be quality. He has an ability and willingness to use his power to blow past defenders, and brings a flair that no other Quakes player possesses (there was a moment when he was pinned in the corner and put on a show of fancy footwork that was quite impressive, yes all it did was get him out of that spot and he passed it off after that, but its a sign of his mentality). Still, I’ve been easier on the Quakes forwards than most until now. From this moment I stand with the rest in saying: guilty until proven innocent. As for the Crew defense, it has been and can be beat. Chad Marshall is solid, but O’Rourke (another familiar face) is not convincing in central defense. Let’s attack him at every opportunity. Hejduk is the Energizer Bunny, and is always tough to match up against, but I’ve never been convinced by Ezra Hendrickson on the other side.

Advantage - Even

Midfield: Robbie Rogers has pace and can score. He is definitely a danger man, able to stretch defenses and open up space for the slower Moreno and Schelotto. We traded away Carroll for Kamara, and he has done well for the Crew so far this season. Who got the better end of that deal? Time will tell. Eddie Gaven is another attack-minded player, similar to Rogers, but is vulnerable to inconsistency. For the Quakes, Guerrero is getting better every game, and is probably our best midfield player at the moment. O’Brien has fallen off a bit since the Colorado game, but continues to push the attack up that right flank every game. Grabavoy needs to come up big against his old team, and bring us more of that through ball goodness that gave us a goal against the Rapids. The Crew midfield is talented but the wing players are a bit suspect on defense, and if the Quakes can maintain possession, they have a good shot of cutting off service for the forwards. Moffatt, who has done well for the Crew so far, will miss this game. Good news for the Quakes, as there is a dip in quality from the starting core of the Crew midfield. Final note: Salinas is THE super-sub in MLS this season (yes, I said it).

Advantage - Even

Coaches: Sigi Schmid gets no love. As a Quakes fan, it tickled me to see Schmid get the sack from the Galaxy when he had the team in first place. It seemed like just another example of the Galaxy’s pretensions and lack of sense (hey guys, i know this comes as a shock, but you are not Real Madrid, firing Capello after a championship season). In Columbus, he has had a rough couple of seasons, failing to make the play-offs, but it always seemed like the team was just on the verge. This season, he may have the parts he needs to make that final push. His teams do not play the prettiest soccer, more focused on defense and working hard, but it is often effective. Its not too different from Yallop’s style , though Yallop emphasizes one-touch and possession more.

Advantage - Even

Intangibles: If anything, the Quakes will be even more pumped up for round 2 in Buck Shaw, knowing what kind of atmosphere to expect. But is the lack of scoring getting into their heads? The Crew have achieved an admirable record to begin the season, but only two of those games have been on the road, one being a loss. They still have to prove that they are not simply a home team, and can win on the road. Grabavoy and Kamara play against their old team, but so do Moreno and O’Rourke. Home advantage will be big for San Jose, as they aim to see how loud the crowd can be when a goal is finally put into the back of the net.

Advantage - Quakes

Key Man: Ned Grabavoy

Its time for Grabavoy to step it up or call it in. He’s had a couple of solid games, but needs to do more if the Quakes are going to get some victories. With attacks fizzling in the middle of the park, and balls being directed towards the flanks and not through the middle, it is no mystery why the Quakes cannot score (hint: its not just the forwards). Grabavoy needs to make runs and not be afraid to play some balls forward. Its not always going to work, but I’d like to believe he has the skills and vision to make it happen.

Projected Lineup:

                Kamara-Peguero

Guerrero-Corrales-Grabavoy-O’Brien

Denton-Garcia-Hernandez-Riley

                       Cannon

Question of the Week: (Comment on this article to give your answers)

If you could replace one current Quakes player with a former Quake, who would you replace and who would the replacement be?

A couple of things to get out of the way before we get to the pregame analysis. Yesterday the Quakes (reserves) were torched by Salt Lake (reserves) 4 - 0, in an Open Cup qualifier. Well, it looks like our first, and most realistic, chance at silverware is gone. But hey, most people don’t care about the Open Cup, I find myself not being too enthusiastic about it, and I back Yallop’s decision to rest the starters in preparation for the more important game against Dallas this Saturday. Beckerman did play, at least for the first half. I haven’t seen video of the match, but from the reports it looked like he almost single-handedly destroyed the Quakes. He is going to have what amounts to a real breakout season. Our reserves and depth are obviously not the best in the world, but we knew that already. The ironic, and tragic thing, is that one of the only starters we did play, Ryan Cochrane, was injured in a collision with fellow Quake, Jay Ayres, resulting in a concussion. He will miss Saturday’s game, and at this point it is not known how long he will be out of commission. This leaves a big hole in that touted central defensive pairing of the Quakes. Cochrane has not been having the best of seasons so far, but he will be missed. The likely scenario is Hernandez moving in to the center of defense, Riley moving to the right, and either Guerrero or Denton being put in at left fullback.

Despite last week’s loss, Quakes fans are looking forward to the debut of Buck Shaw. The stadium, which can best be described as “intimate”, will be rocking for the the return of the Quakes. Most of my memories of previous encounters against Dallas are absolute drubbings of the visitors, but these are new Quakes and a new Dallas team, which is having a respectable start to the season. What do we have in store for Saturday?

Quakes/Dallas Pregame Analysis

Goalkeepers: I have been describing Cannon as solid and great so far this season, willing to overlook a few lapses in judgement and positioning here and there. But its getting harder to do so. Still, it is far too early to turn our backs on Cannon, and he has earned our loyalty and respect. He will get back into the groove and be as spectacular as ever before you know it. Sala has done well for Dallas so far, holding onto the starting job. He makes the saves he needs to, but don’t expect the brilliant.

Advantage - Quakes

Dallas Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: Hey, another familiar face: Arturo Alvarez. Alvarez has blossomed into a promising attacker, being moved into a striking role this season. Still, much of his promise is still unrealized. He is developing a classic power/speed combination with Kenny Cooper. Cooper has been on the ascendancy the past couple of seasons, and now he looks like he has developed into an absolute monster. Powerful, big, opportunistic, a good finisher, and on a hot streak, he is a scary proposition to face. Alvarez’s flair and Cooper’s finishing will be a tough order, especially now that the Quakes defense is depleted. The key question is how well Hernandez will fit in the center of the defense alongside Garcia? Denton should be a fairly safe bet on the left side, providing a veteran presence, but you never know. I can see Hernandez flourishing in this role, maybe even taking Cochrane’s spot, but its also possible that he will struggle, not having a feel for the new role in this defensive unit. On a side note, Garcia was a titan last game, clearing two goals off the line and doing his best to single-handedly shut out the Red Bulls. He gets my belated man of the match award and a match rating of 9 (yes, my first 9), with everyone else getting a 6 or below. I can see why K.C. fans loved him and he deserves the captaincy.

Advantage - Dallas

Quakes Forwards vs. Dallas Defense: Here’s hoping Peguero starts. I think the death knell has been sounded for Glinton’s role as a starter, but he may get one more game there yet. Peguero played for a good portion of the Open Cup match against Salt Lake, a good indication that he is still being brought up to match fitness, and so will probably not start on Saturday. I really believed that Glinton and Kamara would flourish after the game against Colorado, but it only took one match for the old sense of impotence to return to this forward tandem. Dallas play a three-man defense of Davino, Serioux, and Moor, far more impressive than the New York unit that shut out the Quakes. It really depends on the performance of the midfield; don’t expect the Quakes forwards to take the bull by the horns (no pun intended) and lead the team to victory.

Advantage - Dallas

Midfield: The Dallas midfield is pretty solid, but can be streaky. Toja is the creative spark, and fills the role well. McCarty and Rocha can both provide some good distribution, possession and offense as well. The other Dallas midfielders are average, not saying that they are poor, but they rise and fall with the performance of the midfield as a whole. Speaking of streaky midfields, San Jose’s lost the match against New York by looking completely overwhelmed, making poor decisions, losing the ball in bad positions, and not reacting quickly enough. There is not a consistent performer like Mullan of the Quakes of old, who played well and gave his all from game to game despite the circumstances. Without that determination and consistency, we will continue to get Jekyll and Hyde results. It is not a lack of quality that will kill the Quakes this season, but inconsistency, unless this issue can be resolved. On the bright side, there is still plenty of time to do so. Or we can just get hot at the end of the season and ride to the MLS cup title with a horrible record like the Galaxy in 2005 (sorry, I had to get my daily jibe in against L.A.).

Advantage - Even

Coaching: Yallop doesn’t have much room to maneuver these days. It’s a sharp drop from the starters to the reserves, as evidenced by Vide’s poor performance and Wednesday’s game against Salt Lake. I was very surprised to see him switch to a 4-5-1 against New York; I can’t remember another instance when he deviated from a 4-4-2. It was also surprising that it was done so early, at the beginning of the second half. It was an understandable decision, with the Quakes being absolutely bossed around in midfield, but the bottom line is that he doesn’t have the personnel to make it work. Well, live and learn. The real test of his managing skills will not be tactical but motivational. Its still too early for the jury to reach a verdict on that. Morrow has far more options off the bench, but he also has the unenviable task of trying to push Dallas to the next level past playoff mediocrity. This season he is definitely on the hot seat.

Advantage - Quakes

Intangibles: The biggest advantage goes to the Quakes, with a real home opener and real homefield advantage. Forget the atmosphere-draining environs of McAfee Stadium, I’m looking forward to Buck Shaw facilitating a real soccer atmosphere. In the old days, opponents would - complain about not enjoying Spartan Stadium because it was so intimate that it could be intimidating when packed. Look for that to be repeated at the Shaw. Hopefully, that will be enough to bring out the best from the Quakes.

Advantage - Quakes

Key Man: Jason Hernandez

No mystery why he will be so key. With Cochrane gone, Hernandez needs to avoid any mental lapses (the kind that have plagued Cochrane), and quickly develop a working relationship with Garcia. If not, the Quakes defense will be torn apart by Cooper and company. The Quakes lose Cochrane’s experience and skills, but maybe gain some athleticism and strength with Hernandez.

Probable Starting Line-up:

                 Glinton-Kamara

Guerrero-Corrales-Grabavoy-O’Brien

Denton-Garcia-Hernandez-Riley

                        Cannon

Question for the Readers:

Here is the debut of a brand new section which will be featured at the end of each analysis (both pregame and postagme), a question for all you readers out there:

What is the one position that needs to be upgraded the most during the next transfer window, and who would you pick to fill it?

Ninety minutes, when translated into soccer terms, is an eternity. And truly our mood and emotions endured a journey of epic proportions before we could finally experience release once again. The first few minutes looked sketchy and the Quakes outmatched. My worst fears of a repeat of the performance against L.A. seemed to be on the verge of being realized. But the Quakes settled into the game and began to assert themselves, maintaining possession and creating chances like they had against Chicago. I was losing hope that we would ever score, however, as chance after chance conspired to hit the crossbar or veer just wide. It seemed obvious that we had been cursed. There was no other explanation. When Glinton’s goal (or so we thought) sent us into premature ecstasy, only to be called back for handball, it was the height of cruelty. I remarked out loud that Gavin Glinton was the leading cause of my high blood pressure (I don’t know if I have high blood pressure, but I was pretty certain at that moment). It wasn’t quite fair as a remark. With a bit more luck, the ball would not have hit Glinton’s arm and he would have been immortalized in Quakes lore as the first goal scorer of the new era. But my statement was not so much a demonization of Glinton, who I have actually been rooting for to succeed, but an expression of how this seeming inability to score, not by any fault of the players, but more so because of the cruelties of chance and destiny, was driving me, and all the other Quakes fans, crazy. When I exclaimed “I can’t take it anymore” after Kamara’s shot was denied by the crossbar, I really meant it. We were doomed to expansion futility.

Luckily, I was wrong. Ronnie O’Brien scored the first goal for the new Quakes after it seemed that yet another chance would go begging, saved by Coundoul. Yet Ronnie took matter into his own hands, followed up the deflection, and told the curse to go to hell. We jumped from our seats, high-fived and cheered. I can only wonder what passer-bys strolling through downtown San Jose thought as they walked by and heard our cries of joy (”Hey, there isn’t a Sharks game today”). Now we were in the new position of having to defend a lead, but I was still so overjoyed that I forgot to be anxious. Besides, this had to be our day. We would not be denied. When Kamara scored after a nice run and follow through (wow, we haven’t seen one of those in a while), curling it around the keeper, it seemed like it was all a beautiful dream. This time fortune smiled on us, Kamara’s shot rebounding just inside the far post into the net. The message was clear: our luck had turned. No one doubted we would be victorious at this point.

A new chapter in Quakes mythology has begun. We were treated to the kind of display we were used to in the past, good one-touch, possession soccer with lots of movement. Most importantly, we were reminded how it feels to get a win. I think the old ghosts have been relegated to the past once and for all. We will always love our heroes of the past, but we’ve got new warriors now. Ronnie, Kei, and the rest of the boys. This one’s for you!

Quakes/Rapids Post-game Analysis

Goalkeepers: Joe Cannon didn’t have too much work to do, but he did have one massive save. LaBrocca’s powerful strike on first glance appeared to have been saved only by the crossbar, but on closer examination Cannon somehow managed to get a fingertip to it and deflect it onto the crossbar. Cannon is amazing. Always has been, always will be. End of story. Coundoul did well, all things considered. He actually minimized the damage, and can’t be faulted much for the two goals that he did let in.

Rapids Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: What can you say? The Quakes defense earned their first clean sheet. Cummings (and Herculez when he came on) were contained for the most part, and the back line looked less shaky and vulnerable than in past outings. Still, improvement is needed in this area. The main problem seems to be a lack of communication among the backline and with Cannon. The skills are there, there’s no question of that. Its just a matter of continuing to develop as a cohesive unit that acts as one.

Quakes Forwards vs. Rapids Defense: A solid outing from Glinton and Kamara. Kamara scored his first goal of the season, and for those of you who have been reading my reports regularly, you know that I have been putting my faith in him since the season began. I believe that with the monkey now off his back, the goals will come for Kamara. Unfortunately for Glinton, I believe that he will be replaced by Peguero. Then again, Yallop is all about chemistry and stability, very much from the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school, so don’t be surprised if Peguero doesn’t start right away unless he really impresses the coaches in training with his ability to fit into the existing squad. I still would have liked to see Glinton and Kamara get into dangerous positions on a more consistent basis. Glinton has speed and works hard, but his touch could definitely be improved in order to create those opportunities and space for himself to score.

Midfield: Another impressive performance from the Quakes midfield. Here is where they won the battle last week, and were able to dominate the game because of it (despite the loss). The same was true of Saturday’s game. Did I say that the Quakes would have trouble against the Rapids five man midfield? I am glad to eat my words. Maybe I’m carried away with the post-win high, but I believe that this Quakes midfield can match up against any other MLS midfield when they are performing to their potential. Ronnie O’Brien had another good game, and seems to have banished the bad judgement and rust we saw in his first game against L.A. Most importantly, he has demonstrated the willingness to work hard and buy into the team ethic (a question mark when he first arrived). Guerrero had his best outing of the season so far, constantly working his way up the flanks and delivering good balls in. Corrales seemed to stay back a bit more in this match, which I think was a good adjustment, as it allowed him to win more balls and dictate the flow from the midfield, and, vitally, prevented the Quakes from being caught in attack which has been a big problem the past two games. When he feels like he has to do it all, then the midfield suffers. This wasn’t a problem, because Grabavoy had his best game yet as well, getting involved in attacks and distributing the ball (including more forward balls which was my critique of him last week). The Rapids shouldn’t worry, they still have a solid midfield with some youngsters that are still learning. But on the night, they were bested by a Yallop-schooled unit that is perfecting his brand of one-touch, movement soccer. Once they get it fully, this team will be tough to beat.

Coaches: Clearly Yallop had his team prepared and confident for this match. They looked like no one told them that they were on the road. The most impressive thing about this squad is how quickly they are gelling as a team, and how their work-rate has improved to the level Quakes fans expect. Clavijo stuck with what works, which was probably the best decision despite the loss, but his team may have been a bit complacent coming into this match.

Intangibles: The road, altitude, and potentially confidence-depleting lack of a win or goal did not slow the Quakes down in the least. They simply went about their business and focused on the game at hand. That is a good sign for the future.

Man of the Match: Ronnie O’Brien

Hard one to call this week, with so many Quakes player turning in stellar performances. If anything, I have to give the whole team this award, because it truly was a team effort. But I will give it to Ronnie for scoring the first goal, showing true grit and determination to pull the team out of their scoring funk. Its not too early to say that O’Brien will be key for this team, as long as he can stay healthy (fingers crossed), both because of his skills and his, dare I say it, leadership. Honorable mention goes to Ivan Guerrero.

Verdict: Its hard not to feel good about the rest of the season after this win. Is that just the rosy glow of victory or a true indicator of what’s to come? Next week’s game against the Red Bulls will answer this question. The Quakes don’t necessarily have to win, but they do have to show that they can keep putting on these performances week in, and week out. I believe they can, because this team is clearly adopting the Yallop system and ethic with gusto.

Player Ratings:

Joe Cannon - 7 [Made the saves he had to, including an impressive fingertip denial.]

Jason Hernandez - 7 [Solid. Continue to show his potential for getting into attack.]

James Riley - 7 [Good performance.]

Ryan Cochrane - 7 [Continues to improve.]

Nick Garcia - 7 [His hard-nosed reputation is well-earned. But so was E. Rob’s.]

Ivan Guerrero - 8 [Best performance yet. Key contributions to the attack.]

Ronnie O’Brien - 8 [Scored first goal for the new Quakes. Worked hard.]

Ramiro Corrales - 8 [Deep-lying adjustment is a good one.]

Ned Grabavoy - 8 [Did his best work so far. Energetic. Better attacking balls.]

Gavin Glinton - 7 [Played hard, but still needs to work on his touch.]

Kei Kamara - 8 [Got his first goal of the season. Continues to improve.]

The upcoming game has been overshadowed by transfer rumors, mainly prompted by the ongoing search for help in the offensive department. First, there was the information leaked during last Saturday’s telecast that the Quakes are looking into signing Zinha (currently with Toluca in Mexico). Zinha is a target because he would fill one of the gaps in San Jose’s squad: a bona fide attacking midfielder. While Grabavoy is currently filling that position, and had a good game against Chicago, there is the feeling among fans (and apparently the management team as well), that the Quakes need someone with flair and offensive vision who can help carve out opportunities for the rest of the team. The more pressing need, of course, has been the search for a forward. On Tuesday, the news broke that the Quakes were looking to sign Jean-Philippe Peguero, a Haitian international and former forward with the Rapids and Red Bulls. It was a bit of a surprise, with no word or rumor leaking until the very end of the transfer window (April 15th). The next day it was revealed that the Quakes managed to get a deal done right as the window closed, getting Peguero in on a loan from Brondby in Europe. Yallop had hinted that he was looking at a player whose rights were owned by MLS teams but was not currently in the league. This seems like a good deal. Yallop has been notoriously hesitant this season about signing anyone unless they are a sure bet (or as close to one as it is possible to get) to perform and, more importantly, to adopt the workrate and team ethic pushed by the team. Thus, Yallop’s signing of Peguero should be free from suspicion that it was done out of a panic to acquire a forward, as is sometimes done by other managers, instead it is likely the result of careful deliberation and scouting. Looking back at past Peguero highlights with Colorado and New York, I’m pretty excited at what he can bring to this team.

Peguero will likely be unavailable for Saturday’s game, so for now the team must make do with what they have. Can they replicate Saturday’s form on the road, albeit with a different result? As I said before, this road trip could hurt the team or it could be an opportunity for them to bond together and develop that chip-on-the-shoulder, us-against-the-world mentality that has always benefitted the Quakes. We’ll see what happens.

Quakes/Rapids Pre-Game Analysis 4/18/08

Goalkeepers: Joe Cannon let in two the first game and one last Saturday, is it time for a shutout against his old team? I sure hope so, but unfortunately that is largely in the hands of the defense, as most of those goals were the result of defensive mistakes. Still, look for Cannon to do what is necessary and make the saves he needs to. On the other side, Bouna Coundoul is a rising star, able to make acrobatic saves that keep his side in the game. This isn’t good news for a Quakes team needing some help to score at the moment.

Advantage - Even

Rapids Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: The Quakes defense is improving but still shows vulnerability to through balls and a tendency to make critical mistakes at least once per game. This needs to stop here if the Quakes are going to have any chance of getting a win or draw against Colorado. A shoot-out is not the kind of game that the Quakes can win at this point. Omar Cummings has had a good year so far. He is not so much individually dangerous, as able to work well with the rest of the team, receive good service and turn it into chances, and open space for the dangerous midfield. If the Quakes defense can hold their shape and disrupt chances, then they can neutralize the threat posed by the lone Colorado forward.

Advantage - Even

Quakes Forwards vs. Rapids Defense: A backline of Kimura, Keel, Erpen, and Burciaga does not exactly inspire nightmares in opposing forwards at first glance. The Rapids are still suffering from backline injuries to Petke and Ihemelu. Yet the Rapids have only let in three goals so far this season (all coming in one game), which means they are one of the top defensive teams at the moment. Burciaga is always an offensive danger at his left fullback spot, but he can be exploited defensively. The Quakes should again feed the attack through Ronnie O’Brien, who should be able to find space on Burciaga’s side, and at the least will tie him up and prevent him from getting into attack. Quakes fans may see a familiar face in Kelly Gray at some point. Likely we will see Glinton and Kamara up front once again. The much deprecated duo have to break the spell sooner or later (or at least we Quakes fans hope). Look for Kamara to get one in the net finally in this game. With Peguero coming, one of these two are going to be losing their starting job (probably Glinton) after Saturday’s game. Will this provide an added motivation?

Advantage - Quakes

Midfield: Let’s put it this way, the Rapids midfield is scary, and definitely is their strength. Terry Cooke has been having a great year so far, and is always capable of delivering dangerous balls and setting up chances. Colin Clark is able to inflict damage as well. Christian Gomez is a threat if fully healthy. John DiRaimondo and Nick LaBrocca have emerged from relative obscurity and seized starting positions. If their stellar play continues, they may go down as Clavijo’s best move. Together, they can disrupt opposition attacks and control the midfield. The Quakes midfield showed a marked improvement last week in doing the same, so this game will largely be determined by the battle of the midfields. While the Quakes midfield is still inconsistent, the Rapids midfield is delivering the goods from game to game. Shea Salinas can provide a spark when brought on, will he be determined to make up for last week’s miss? The Quakes haven’t faced a 5 man midfield yet, and it will be hard to dominate the Colorado team in these crowded conditions.

Advantage - Rapids

Coaches: The much-maligned Clavijo is steadily shedding critics as his team sits atop the Western Conference. Yet many teams have held a lofty position to begin the season and fell apart as the season progressed. Clavijo’s teams have always been plagued by inconsistency. Will this continue to be the case? Yallop prizes stability so that his team can continue to develop chemistry, while making small adjustments here and there. I expect to see the same lineup as last week.

Advantage - Quakes

Intangibles: Many have spoken of a Quakes “dry spell” and inability to score yet it has only been two games. Still, is this getting into the heads of San Jose players, especially the forwards, or do they have the determination to rid themselves of their demons? Will the Rapids be lulled into a false sense of security by facing an apparently easy win against the “expansion team”? If so, they will lose. It it up to Clavijo to keep them focused and ready. The strength of this Colorado squad is their team effort and their goal production has been distributed throughout the team. There is not one man that you can take out of the game, you have to disrupt their passing lanes and stay organized. We’ve seen two Quakes squads so far this season, one terrible and the other solid, so which one will show up in Colorado? A key question this season is how well the Quakes will perform on the road. In L.A. they wilted, how will they manage in the high altitude of Colorado?

Advantage - Rapids

Key Man: Ryan Cochrane

Last week I picked Cochrane for this spot, and I’m doing so again this week. Nick Garcia has been pretty solid; Cochrane needs to eliminate his mistakes and lapses in concentration. Only then can the Garcia-Cochrane duo be the feared combo that was touted before the season began. If Cochrane fails to find his groove once again, then the Quakes will leak goals against this Rapids squad. A defense does not live or die by one man, but he is the lynchpin at the moment. Will he be the Achilles heel or foundation? That is the question at hand.

Likely Quakes Lineup:

                Kamara-Glinton

Guerrero-Corrales-Grabavoy-O’Brien

Riley-Garcia-Cochrane-Hernandez

                       Cannon

Yes, indeed, few observers could deny the superiority of the San Jose Earthquakes over the Chicago Fire. The transformation from the week before was so complete that it was almost like watching a different team. The San Jose team on display in L.A. looked nervous, shaky on defense, utterly impotent in attack, and unable to maintain possession for more than a few seconds at a time. By contrast, the team on Saturday looked like the Quakes squads of old. I was surprised and impressed by the way in which they completely dominated possession, creating long series of passes which opened up space and led to numberous scoring opportunities. Substitutes Shea Salinas and Ryan Johnson both showed speed and an offensive spark when brought in on the wings which bodes well for the future. So even though the Quakes were unable to score a goal once again, and suffered another defeat, things look bright for the future if they can maintain that quality of play.

Now for the not so bright. The Quakes still lack the finishing necessary to win games. Several quality scoring chances were wasted, though bad luck also played a part. The team also needs to improve off-the-ball running, especially in the final third. There were several occasions when the team would move the ball forward well, only to have the attack fizzle out by players remaining too static. Kamara, Glinton, and Grabavoy among others need to work on making that incisive run that can create one-on-ones and clear chances. While I mentioned that there were several quality chances, there weren’t the clear ones that Chicago created a couple times throughout the game, including the one which won the match. Speaking of the goal, San Jose still could use some work on the defensive side of things. While light years ahead of the performance against L.A. in terms of confidence and organization, they are still susceptible to breakdowns in concentration, and need to work on their reaction speed as individuals and as a unit.

Still, in only their second game, the Quakes did not look like the typical expansion team. San Jose fans’ dreams of a play-off spot are not as delusional as others might think, especially given the parity displayed in the league so far this season.

Quakes/Chicago Post-Game Analysis 4/14/08

Goalkeepers: Both keepers were on their game and kept the match a low-scoring affair, especially Busch. Joe Cannon did well. He was only forced to make a few saves, but withstood a couple of dangerous situations, limiting the damage inflicted on the Quakes to only one goal (the goal should be blamed on the defense, not the keeper). Busch deserves credit for his team’s victory, withstanding a barrage of shots from San Jose. He made several key saves, including a fingertip deflection of Gavin Glinton’s seemingly goal-bound curling shot. Looks like he is in for a good season with Chicago.

Fire Fowards vs. Quakes Defense: The Quakes defense mostly contained Chicago’s forwards, but they were helped out by the fact that San Jose kept the ball mostly in the Fire’s half throughout the game. While limiting Chicago’s potent attack, the Quakes defense still seems a little too vulnerable to through balls and counter-attacks. They need to continue working on organization, keeping their shape, and concentration.

Quakes Forwards vs. Fire Defense: A much better performance from the Quakes forwards. A lot of people are down about Glinton and his seeming inability to finish chances, but he definitely is better in the forward spot than Salinas. He helped create a lot of chances with his work-rate and speed. I’m not saying he can’t be replaced with someone better, but he doesn’t deserve as much criticism as he has been receiving. Kamara had a pretty good game, helping keep possession in the final third, and maintaining strings of passes which led to shot opportunities. But he needs to get himself into positions by making runs where he can be the finisher. The Fire defense did a good job of staying organized and making San Jose work for all their shots, especially considering how much work they had to do.

Midfield: An area clearly won by San Jose. The Quakes midfield played the possession game that they needed to, and will need to do more of the same in the future in order to win games. Corrales was solid once again, and I am impressed at how his ball control and composure has improved since his stint in Norway. Grabavoy had a solid game, and did not sink into anonymity as he did against L.A. He maintained possession, made some runs, and seems to be developing an understanding with Corrales, which is necessary for a central midfield duo in Yallop’s system. But he needs to work on creating forward-thinking passes in attack. Ronnie O’Brien had a great game, especially compared to the week before, and much of the attack flowed through him. He found space on the right side, picked out good passes, and hustled on defense. His crosses still don’t have the expected accuracy or bite, but I think that will come with time. Blanco was completely contained the whole game, a team effort on the part of the whole squad. Rookie Shea Salinas looks to have a bright future. His pace and willingness to go at defenders creates an offensive explosion of energy that the starters sometimes lack, and he is not intimidated by this larger stage. His ball control has already vastly improved since the pre-season, where he often lost control and possession of the ball when making his darting runs. I won’t mention his miss of a sitter at the end of the game. Next time, kid.

Coaches: Both coaches did a respectable job, doing what they needed to do to win. Yallop used Glinton instead of Salinas up front, definitely a needed change and a good one. He employed substitutes and position changes (Salinas, Ryan Johnson, moving O’Brien to the middle, etc.) that didn’t win him the game, but did give him an idea of how he can tinker with things in the future. Hamlett has his team organized, confident, and patient. But he also benefitted from some luck on the day.

Intangibles: The biggest intagible in this game was luck. Most teams that put on such a performance and create so many opportunities win, or at least draw. Unfortunately, this was not the case, as shots endeavoured to hit the crossbar or barely miss the goal. The heat of the day must have taken a toll on both sides. San Jose’s chemistry and confidence has dramatically improved. Will this hold up or will it wilt in the two road games to come?

Man of the Match: The overall man of the match has to be Busch. But for San Jose I will give the nod to Ronnie O’Brien, who was the focal point of the attack, won balls, hustled in defense, found space, and helped maintain possession.

Verdict: Despite a loss, San Jose should not hang their heads. If they can keep up the level of performance displayed on Saturday, they are bound to win games and earn points. The tough test will now be having to endure two games on the road, first against a vastly improved Colorado team and then against the talented New York Red Bulls squad. If they can emerge with at least a couple of points, they should be ok. If they lose both games, then the confidence built up in this game may dissipate, leading to the long slide that other expansion teams have suffered. I would like to see Salinas get a chance to play a full 90 minutes on the right side, with O’Brien moved into the middle. Given Ryan Johnson’s display on Saturday (and the quality he displayed at the practice I attended on Friday), he might have been a find and will undoubtedly be used more as the season progresses.

Player Ratings:

Joe Cannon - 8 [Made big saves the few times he was called upon to do so.]

James Riley - 7 [Looks better when employed on the left. Got into attack well. Less nervy.]

Jason Hernandez - 7 [Looks better on the right. Showed some attacking ability.]

Nick Garcia - 7 [Continues to be a solid ball-winner. Often single-handedly disrupts attacks.]

Ryan Cochrane - 7 [An improved performance. Still hasn’t fully settled.]

Ivan Guerrero - 7 [Good overlapping play with Riley. Made some runs]

Ronnie O’Brien - 8 [Won balls, countless runs, made space with dribbling, Distributed well.]

Ramiro Corrales - 7 [Disrupted Chicago’s attack at every opportunity. Distributed well.]

Ned Grabavoy - 7 [Worked well with Corrales. Helped disrupt attacks. Held possession well.]

Gavin Glinton - 7 [Chased every ball that went his way. Had a quality chance.]

Kei Kamara - 7 [Helped maintain possession in the final third. Found short passes.]

Substitutes:

Shea Salinas - 8 [A high score, but he brought that much energy and explosiveness.]

Ryan Johnson - 7 [Showed skill on the ball and attacking verve.]

John Cunliffe - N/A [Didn’t have enough time to show anything.]

With that all said, Chicago will surely be a tough test for our unproven Quakes squad. Blanco will definitely be attracting Mexican fans from throughout the Bay Area, making this something in between a home game and road trip. San Jose’s true home opener will be in early May against F.C. Dallas at Buck Shaw in Santa Clara. This means that the Quakes will have to endure three road games (counting the previously played one against L.A.) and one that can’t be considered a true home game to start off their season. It is likely that this will mean a slow start to the season and points will be very hard to come by. However, the key will be if this squad can take this trial by fire and turn it into a unified team spirit, improved chemistry, and valuable experience that can sustain them throughout the rest of the season. A draw against Chicago would not be an unworthy result, all things considered.

Before I go into my pre-game analysis, a few comments are in order. First, congratulations to the fans in Seattle for successfully pushing for the Sounders name. It was an inspiring display of “fan power”, and there is no more worthy name for soccer in Seattle. Choosing a different name would have been a huge mistake, for American soccer should be working to cultivate and perpetuate history, tradition, and a grassroots culture which will be the true basis for the growth of the sport in this country. Second, Michael Ricketts, a former Bolton Wanderers and Middlesbrough stiker was released from trial, his main drawback apparently being work rate. This means that the striker soap opera in San Jose continues, so look for a future column soon where I will try to do my best Sherlock Holmes impression and track down possible strikers wherever they may be hiding. Finally, with almost everyone conceding that Ryan Cochrane’s goal should have stood in last Thursday’s game, Quakes fans are left to ponder what might have been. With the prevalence of questionable calls only two weeks into the season, something must be done to improve the standard of MLS officiating.

Quakes/Chicago Pregame Analysis 04/12/08

Goalkeepers: Jon Busch is Chicago’s net-minder, a solid player with plenty of experience. While not the first to come up in discussions of top MLS goalkeepers, Chicago don’t have to worry about Busch costing them games. A series of injuries slowed him down after performing extremely well for the Columbus Crew. Joe Cannon, despite not having the best of games against L.A. can be relied upon to bounce back. What will be more important than his undeniable goalkeeping skills is his leadership. He needs to help organize and settle down the defense in front of him, providing veteran guidance for a unit that must be solid if the Quakes are to have any chance in this game and season.

Advantage - Quakes

Chicago Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: The most surprising part of last week’s game was the poor play of the San Jose defense, the one area of the team that was supposed to be its unquestionable strength. The skills are there, so this battle will hinge on psychological factors. Can the Quakes defense rebound from last week and show stability and confidence? Can Nick Garcia or Ryan Cochrane step up and organize the defense? The Chicago forwards seem to be firing (no pun intended) on all cylinders, decimating New England 4 - 0 last week. They also have the benefit of receiving stellar service from Blanco. Rolfe (who may be used in midfield), Frankowski, and Barrett are all starting quality forwards who know how to be opportunistic and finish. Chicago seem to have answers in this category while San Jose still have questions.

Advantage - Fire

Quakes Forwards vs. Chicago Defense: The Chicago defense has so far only allowed one goal, yet a unit consisting of players such as Soumare, Segares, and Prideaux still is not convincing, especially without the presence of Conde (the star of Chicago’s defense last season who angered Chicago by asking to follow Osorio to New York). While the jury may still be out on Chicago’s defense, most people are ready to convict San Jose’s forwards and send them to the chair. Salinas seemed lost as a forward, while Kei Kamara was overwhelmed and unable to generate any shots. Glinton has been ineffectual in pre-season and as a sub in last week’s game. Cunliffe has yet to be really utilized. Overall, San Jose’s forwards are doomed to be guilty until proven innocent. I would like to see Kamara and Cunliffe get the start here.

Advantage - Even

Midfield: One word - Blanco. Blanco has been on his game so far, scoring the equalizing goal against Salt Lake and helping to dismantle New England. If the Quakes midfield is as ineffectual in generating pressure and possession as they were last week, this could be a long game. Beyond Blanco, Mapp is able to unlock defenses, as is Rolfe if played in this area of the pitch. Logan Pause fills the vacated boots of Chris Armas, definitely a huge challenge for any player, and he still has work to do in this area. Ronnie O’Brien needs to have a better game than last week if San Jose is to have any chance of creating genuine chances. Grabavoy needs to step up but I fear the opposition may once again be too much for him. Look for Guerrero to put in a committed and top performance against his old team. I would like to see O’Brien moved to the middle, and Salinas allowed to exercise his speed on the right flank, but I don’t see it happening.

Advantage - Fire

Coaches: Yallop’s struggle is a difficult one. The defeat last week was less tactical and one of personnel than a matter of confidence and chemistry. The practices on Thursday and Friday and the mental adjustments he institutes will be where this game can be won. It is a large task to pass on a sense of the Quakes style of soccer, mentality, and history to a newly assembled squad of players (minus Corrales, Cochrane, and Cannon); it is certainly a task which will require more than a couple of weeks. Hamlett has done well so far for the Fire, but is still getting to grips with being fully in charge.

Advantage - Even

Intangibles: Will the Quakes come in with a better sense of themselves and each other, or with rattled confidence and the nerves we saw last week? Will hordes of cheering Blanco fans create an advantage for Chicago, or can Quakes fans help give their team a boost despite having to struggle to make themselves heard? To win, players such as Grabavoy, O’Brien, and Cochrane must rebound from poor showings. More importantly, the whole team must play a possession game which takes the wind out of Chicago’s attack and especially Blanco. Against L.A., the Quakes seemed to be relying on a long-ball game which was ineffectual at best. They need to settle down, learn how to hold the ball, and be patient in building up attacks. Leaders must step up in-game to help the team keep their shape and raise the intensity level of the whole team. Chicago are undefeated after two games, Blanco is on his game, and they are coming off a huge victory. Confidence will not be an issue for them.

Advantage - Fire

Key Man: Ryan Cochrane

San Jose’s strength on paper needs to be their strength on the field. Cochrane’s poor performance last week was not the only or key cause of the Quake’s defensive failure. But Cochrane does need to help work with Nick Garcia to provide a steadying presence in the center of San Jose’s defense. If he plays with calm and confidence, it will spread to the rest of the defense and the rest of the team. Though only 24, as a former Quake, Cochrane must demonstrate leadership. He cannot simply be the solid defender who silently gets the job done.