So the trial by fire begins, a two game road trip with the Earthquakes sitting on the bottom of the table with zero points. The good news is that we have a game in hand, meaning that a few good results could propel us up the table. The bad news is that our first opponent is the Colorado Rapids. Its a rather strange sensation to approach a match-up with the Rapids in a state of anxiety. No offense Colorado fans, but your team, while often grinding out victories and play-off appearances, has rarely inspired fear. But its something that the league is probably going to have to get used to. Its still too early in the season to make grand predictions, but as it is now, this Colorado team is playing with confidence, organization, and an attacking verve. They are coming off a 1-0 road win against a New England team that is not lacking in talent. No easy points to be found here then.
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
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