A season of pent-up frustration and frankly boring soccer in the Bay Area met with a dramatic reversal on Saturday, as the Quakes defeated their archrivals, the Los Angeles Galaxy, 3-2.  For the first time this season, Quakes fans were reminded just what beautiful attacking soccer could look like, San Jose putting on a display more reminiscent of 2005 than 2008.  With Saturday’s win, the Quakes’ playoff dreams were renewed. 

The cause of this dramatic turnaround is not hard to find, with Frank Yallop and John Doyle burning through the transfer window, bringing in Darren Huckerby, Arturo Alvarez, Francisco Lima, Scott Sealy, and Mikel Arce.  Huckerby was everywhere on Saturday, posing a constant danger with every touch, and involved on all three Quakes goals.  He has quickly become a fan favorite, cementing that status by scoring against L.A.  Sealy has proven to be a more effective version of Kamara, while Alvarez looked like he had been playing for the Quakes all along, quickly getting off the mark in the scoring department and displaying passion for the team.  Lima has proven a calming influence, at one point not batting an eye as he took the ball away from Donovan in the penalty area. 

However, the impressive display seemed ruined when Buddle scored a late equalizer.  It seemed that yet again the Quakes would come up short despite deserving a win.  Cochrane’s winning goal, though, signaled the beginning of a new era in Quakes history, the return of the Comeback Spirit of 2003, and once again the belief that anything is possible, even the playoffs.  Those in the supporter’s sections danced jubilantly far after the game was over, exorcising all the pent up frustration from the season so far, and remembering what true glory felt like.  Next up is New England at home (after a rest week), and a win against the league leaders would make a real statement of intent.

Player Ratings

Joe Cannon - B (had a chance to stop the second goal, other than that was solid)

Jason Hernandez - A (was all over the place, making key defensive plays)

Ryan Cochrane - A (has eliminated the glaring mistakes, scoring the decisive goal)

Nick Garcia - A (another solid game, unfortunate to slip on the second goal)

Eric Denton - B (a bit shaky at times, best offensive showing yet, maybe inspired by Huckerby)

Darren Huckerby - A (the offensive engine and dangerman)

Ronnie O’Brien - C (he’s capable of better, held the ball too long at times)

Francisco Lima - B (made a few bad passes, but generally provided good distribution)

Ramiro Corrales - B (the Corrales of old is gone, the new one is much better)

Scott Sealy - B (worked hard to win balls, and keep attacks alive)

Arturo Alvarez - A (had a great first half, including the key first goal, faded in the second half)

SUBS

Ryan Johnson - B (lost his starting job, provides great energy and drive off the bench)

Jovan Kirovski - N/A

After two humiliating losses this season against their most hated rivals, Quakes fans are hoping for a different result this Sunday.  While the Galaxy’s inept defense should surely win the award for best comedic performance, the Quakes have yet to put one in the net in two previous meeting with their SoCal foes.  So far it’s been a story of Leaky D vs. Impotent Offense, with the Quakes’ lack of goal-scoring punch making the L.A. defense look like world beaters, a tough task indeed. 

All that looks to change, however, as Frank Yallop and John Doyle have gone on a transfer binge, signing Francisco Lima, Darren Huckerby, Arturo Alvarez, Scott Sealy, and now young Spaniard Mikel Arce.  Joe Vide and Ivan Guerrero (one of my personal faves) were shown the door.  Surely a Quakes attack boasting the likes of Huckerby, Alvarez, and Sealy will be a bit more worrying to the Galaxy.  On top of that, the Quakes are on a wave of optimism while L.A. is stuck in a state of stagnation and bad feelings that could only get worse.  Appearances are always deceiving with rivalry games though.  L.A. plays with confidence against San Jose this season, while the Quakes always look a bit intimidated.  Donovan’s first return to the Bay Area since 2005 will see a reawakening of old passions and hatred, which can always have unpredicatable effects on a game. 

Your guess for the Quakes’ lineup this Sunday is as good as mine, with the many new additions making any predictions difficult.  I expect Yallop to avoid any sudden changes by keeping to a 4-4-2 (at least for now), and using Alvarez off the bench.

Probable Lineup:

              Sealy-Johnson

Huckerby-Lima-Corrales-O’Brien

Denton-Garcia-Cochrane-Hernandez

                      Cannon

I hope that Yallop benches Denton and puts someone else (perhaps Riley) in that spot, but so far Frank seems to be set on starting him.

Tactically, the Quakes’ main focus should be to contain L.A.’s potent offense of Beckham, Buddle, Donovan, and Ruiz.  This begins with dominating possession, especially in the midfield, forcing the Galaxy’s attacking stars to track back and play defense, while also keeping the ball away from them.  Physicality will be key to taking Donovan and Ruiz out of the game.  You can’t simply mark them forever, they will find a way to break through at some point, so you have to outmuscle them and make their lives hell for ninety minutes without giving away any stupid fouls.  Buddle is physical himself, so the key is to match him, something that Cochrane did a horrible job of last game.  Usually the logic is to cut off service, but Beckham’s service is not going to be denied.  Huckerby’s defense is not his strong suit, nor is Denton up to the task.  Just keep an eye on the dangermen up front. 

On offense, the Quakes need to be less predictable.  Build-up play is fine, hesitating and letting your opponent get back into shape and settle is not.  L.A. is embarassingly vulnerable to counterattacks, so San Jose needs to be better in transition play and make those overload opportunities count.  I think this is where someone like Alvarez can definitely help out.  Additionally, Huckerby needs someone in the left back position who can make overlapping runs and open up space for him.  The difference between Denton and Guerrero behind him last week was like night and day.  Unfortunately, Guerrero is now gone, but someone like Riley, while also prone to boneheaded mistakes, at least has more offensive prowess than Denton.

Team Match-Up

San Jose                                       Los Angeles

***                Goalkeepers          *

***                  Defense                *

**                    Midfield                **

**                    Forwards              ****

 Key Man: Darren Huckerby

Somebody has to step up and exploit the Galaxy defense.  With two games under his belt, Huckerby should have a better idea of how to fit into this team.  Here is his chance to endear himself forever to San Jose fans, by giving them a win against their most hated enemy. 

Verdict: A goal-fest looks to be in the cards for this one.  I’m not convinced that the Quakes defense can keep L.A. shut down for a whole game, and I think the Quakes can put some in the net this time around with their new personnel.  With the playoffs looking out of reach, all Quakes fans want for Christmas is a win against L.A.

I will be trying out a new format this week, with a general analysis of what I expect to see in tomorrow’s match-up, followed by a side-by-side comparison of the teams.  This contest against the Red Bulls is the most anticipated of the year, simply because it’s our first chance to see Huckerby, Lima, and Sealy in action.  Quakes fans have pinned their hopes on this trio.  If not the playoffs, we are at least hoping that they can lead us to some more exciting soccer.  With the coming of new players, there has been the exit of others, with Joe Vide waived after disappointing in his few appearances, and Kamara traded to Houston in exchange for a draft pick and allocation money.  The theme of tomorrow will be hope, however, and moving towards the future.

 Of all opponents to try out our new look squad against, it seems like the Red Bulls are the perfect choice.  They sit at the bottom of the eastern conference, and appear to be doomed to yet another year of mediocrity and failure (sorry RB fans, but it’s the truth).  Then again, its never wise to underestimate any opponent, especially given our own cellar-dwelling status. 

The Red Bulls will most likely match up a 4-4-2 against our own, with the difference being that they tend to more clearly position an attacking and defensive mid, while Yallop favors side-to-side central midfielders who can either defend or go forward.  The key danger man for New York is of course Juan Pablo Angel, so the Quakes need to cut off his service and dominate possession in the midfield, both of which are possible given that the Quakes probably have the better personnel now. 

Jeff Parke is a good defender, so Sealy needs to make good runs and keep him occupied, opening up space for the likes of Huckerby.  Expect the Quakes to line up something like this:

                   Sealy-Johnson

Huckerby-Lima-Corrales-O’Brien

Denton-Garcia-Cochrane-Hernandez

                        Cannon

For the most part, it looks good, but I can’t understand why Yallop has decided to keep Denton on the field instead of putting Guerrero in at the left back spot.  While Denton has been surprisingly solid, Guerrero has been one of our best performers this season and can provide an attacking punch from that position.  Perhaps Yallop feels that Denton has developed more of an understanding with the rest of the backline, but I still think Guerrero should get the nod.  Similarly, given Cochrane’s struggles, I would keep Garcia and Hernandez in the middle, and hand the right back spot to Kelly Gray, who has played with heart. 

The Quakes are sure to be fired up and full of optimism given their new look, while the Red Bulls are at a low point mentally.  I see this as a Quakes win.  Lima definitely impressed me last week with his ability to actually look calm and comfortable in the middle (something I haven’t seen all season from this Quakes squad).  This allows Corrales to settle and find some good passes and through balls to the forwards and Huckerby. 

Team Comparison

SJ                             NY

***      Keepers      *

**        Defenders  **

***      Midfield      *

**        Forwards   ***

***      Coaching    **

 Key Man: Francisco Lima

Nope, not Huckerby.  I think Lima can change the game if he is able to calm the rest of the midfield, hold possession and distribute well.  This will allow the rest of the team to find space and make runs, especially the forwards.

Verdict: Osorio is losing this team quickly.  I thought he might actually turn this franchise around, but it’s official.  That team is poison.  They could make Mourinho look like McClaren in the space of a season.  For the Quakes, optimism has reached its highest point since the start of the season.  But if the results don’t start coming, things may turn ugly. 

After what has seemed like an eternity without a home game for this Quakes fan, it would be hard to imagine anything that could distract from tomorrow’s contest against Colorado.  That is until the news filtered out yesterday that Darren Huckerby was coming to the Quakes.  After a frustrating start to the season marked by offensive impotence, anything and anyone who promises excitement and goals is like a long awaited savior.  While it is unknown whether Huckerby will line up in his usual left midfield spot or finally fill the hole up front, either way he promises to bring pace, creativity, and, let’s face it, attractiveness to what has been an ugly brand of soccer so far.

But the column today isn’t about Huckerby, because oh yes, there is finally a home game again tomorrow.  All in all, the Quakes’ long road trip is a reason more for hope than despair.  While we only picked up two points in the last four games, our play against Chicago warranted a win, and we should have earned a draw against Chivas.  There were plenty of signs that the midfield is beginning to settle into a rhythm, that the defense is eliminating the frequency of mistakes (minus Riley red cards), and chances are starting to come more frequently.  Unfortunately, we still can’t finish those chances.  With the addition of Huckerby and a couple of other new signings, the Quakes should be able to earn some wins and possibly challenge for a play-off spot, especially with the second half of the schedule leaning towards home games.

We got our first win of the season on the road against Colorado, can we repeat our success?

Quakes/Rapids Pregame Analysis

Goalkeepers: I have been a bit critical of Cannon’s play in the past couple of months, but he looks to have finally recaptured his old form.  He made quite a few great saves during this road trip, helping keep every game close.  Coundoul sometimes makes things harder for himself than they have to be.  He has the physical skills, but the mental aspect and positioning is sometimes lacking.

Advantage - Quakes

Rapids Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: We will likely see McManus paired with either Conor Casey or Omar Cummings, more likely the latter.  McManus-Cummings is a classic target man and speedster combination.   The Quakes have been better this year at dealing with the big strong forwards than the ones with pace.  Colorado’s wide players are good and help stretch defenses, leaving space for the quick feet of Cummings to take advantage of.  Garcia should be solid, but with Cochrane likely making his return, can he finally eliminate his mistakes?  I’m a bit skeptical.

Advantage - Even

Midfield: Definitely Colorado’s strength.  Cooke and Clark are dangerous from the flanks, LaBrocca is solid as the defensive mid, and Gomez and Ballouchy both can provide an offensive spark from the middle.  Corrales and Gray are the best options in the middle of the park for the Quakes, providing a better defensive edge than you would have with Grabavoy playing.  O’Brien and Guerrero will be the offensive channels as usual.  The key is for Corrales and Gray to make solid challenges, track back, and distribute the ball quickly to the flanks and forwards, as they will have little time on the ball. 

Advantage - Rapids

Quakes Forwards vs. Rapids Defense: Oh Kamara.  How I’ve supported you throughout the season when others called for your head, and claimed you were a bench player at best.  I really wanted to believe in you, but after painful misses against Chivas and Chicago, it looks like your day is done.  Johnson will likely stay up top due to his work rate and strength, but Kamara will soon be replaced, possibly by Huckerby.  The Rapids defense is solid, but potentially vulnerable.  Ihemelu is quick and strong.  Mastroeni can be a monster if he tries, which is no guarantee.  I say go after him and see if he wants to play or not.  Erpen can be beaten; we did it last time. 

Advantage - Rapids

Coaching: Yallop will be relieved to finally be able to add a few more pieces to the puzzle during the transfer window.  His personnel choices will determine the fate of this team.  No pressure.  He needs to end the season on a positive note, playoffs or not, in order to build a foundation for next year.  You would think this season would be Clavijo’s last chance, but he always seems to stick around.

Advantage - Quakes

Intangibles: The Quakes will finally have a home game, but have yet to establish the Shaw as a fortress (not that they’ve been given much of a chance).  A win here would be a start.  The Rapids seem to be mired in yet another inconsistent season after a promising start.  Will this stagnation be too much psychologically?

Advantage - Quakes

Key Man - Ramiro Corrales

Yes you, Ramiro.  For your entire Quakes’ career, you have most often been the butt of jokes.  Field Goal Corrales, Miss It Like Corrales, etc.  But the past two games we have seen a whole new side of you.  You have been like a demon, making good passes, charging up and down the field, tackling, and rattling beautiful shots off the frame.  It seems like you are on a mission to pull the Quakes up by their soccer laces.  Make it so, Ramiro.  After all, the spotlight will soon be on Huckerby, so do your best now.

If I Were Manager:

           Johnson-Kamara

Guerrero-Gray-Corrales-O’Brien

Denton-Garcia-Hernandez-Riley

                     Cannon

Verdict: I’ve got a good feeling about this one for once.  Must be that Huckerby magic floating through the air. 

Apologies for being late this week, but it was an intense weekend of sports here in So. Cal. You had our favorite Galacticos visiting our most storied rivals The Smurfs, the Lakers making history in all the wrong ways, and the US showing the rest of CONCACAF that they are, indeed, the biggest fish in this small pond.

God, I wanted to be on that bus to Oakland this weekend, but alas when you have a month till your wedding you don’t get to go away for many drunken weekends of debauchery, besides the bachelor party. For those who may not know, the Riot Squad in conjunction with the front office organized the fantastic opportunity to travel with 300 other Galaxy fans up to Oakland via bus to support the Galaxy. My hat is off to you guys. By all accounts, including mine on the Biggie HD (Yes I name my TV), you guys did great. Through the whole game chants of “L-A Galaxy” could be heard to a nationwide audience. Congratulations to the Riot Squad, Angel City Brigade, Galaxians and all the other Galaxy fans who represented.

The Galaxy’s 3-0 win was the type of performance that makes you feel, maybe it is finally safe to trust this team again. The shutout alone should hopefully do wonders for the defense’s confidence. The good news? They now have two shutouts on the year. The bad news? They both are against expansion side San Jose. The good news? They are both against expansion side San Jose. So while it feels good to beat those little Smurfs, it’s kinda like the bully beating up the kid at school with the helmet on… It’s just not very fulfilling and kinda sad.

In terms of team analysis I really have one question for the Galaxy fans. Does this team need Carlos Ruiz? By that I do not mean to trivialize the man’s talents. His career speaks for itself. But consider the following, with no contributions from Ruiz this team already possesses the #1 offense in the league. Yet it lacks strength in defense. So is Ruiz’s max salary slot being used to its utmost potential? There are plenty of teams out there in need of strikers, with an unused DP slot available in trade. Both Real Salt Lake and San Jose could easily trade their DP slot for Ruiz, assuming that either team is willing to try to spend the money to resurrect their playoff hopes. The Galaxy could then turn that DP slot into a quality central defender.

In other So. Cal soccer events I had the pleasure of sitting with Sam’s Army for the United States’ thrashing of Barbados on Sunday. What a day. 8 goals and every time this was my view of the field.

I don’t know if I can ever go back to a regular seat again. Plus that flag provided the only shade on a brutally hot day. The best part about the 8-0 win for Galaxy fans is that this means Landon Donovan will be back in town for the return of Sigi and his Columbus Crew. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to getting a first hand look at Robbie Rogers. The kid has looked good so far this season.

Exciting announcement this week here at ASR. Julian Valentin has signed on to do a weekly blog. My question to him… Are there any interesting prop bets going on revolving around player’s Euro picks?

Lastly, a moment of silence for my fallen Lakers. I’m afraid in this scenario LA was the kid in the helmet.

A midweek matchup for the Quakes is on the cards tomorrow night.  This will be a brief preview, for several reasons.  One, because two games in one week strains my finely honed analytical skills (nah, only joking, I’m just a bit lazy is all).  Two, I’m still suffering from a bad post-humiliation hangover induced by Saturday’s debacle against our arch-rivals.  You can view my thoughts about that game here.  Three, because I’m finding it hard to get all jazzed up about another game against Salt Lake on that field of theirs.  Once upon a time, it would have been impossible to hear the statement, “Salt Lake has our number” and not laugh, but now it’s sadly true.  We have been beaten twice by them this season, once in an Open Cup match-up and once in regular league play.  Can we finally break the hex? 

 Quakes/Salt Lake Pregame Analysis

Goalkeepers: It pains me to say this, but Cannon is not the keeper he once was.  Hopefully, that’s just a temporary state of affairs. 

Advantage - Even

Salt Lake Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: Findley is quality and, as he proved last time, will burn us for a goal if he’s given any amount of space.  I think Hernandez and Garcia is our best central duo right now.  Unfortunately, Cochrane continued his mistake-prone tendencies against L.A., costing us dearly.  However, he’ll get the nod again since Garcia is still recovering from injury.  I’ve actually grown to appreciate Denton’s tenacity and stability; I was not a big fan at first. 

Advantage - Salt Lake

Quakes Forwards vs. Salt Lake Defense: Salt Lake’s defense does not look impressive at first.  The only name that leaps out for recognition is Borchers.  However, they have only let in five goals at home so far this season.  Our Johnson-Cunliffe combination, so promising at first, couldn’t score against one of the worst defenses in the league.  I still like Johnson, but he needs help.

Advantage - Salt Lake

Midfield: Hallelujah, Guerrero is back from national team duty!  One of my personal favorites on the squad, he is a big boost to our chances and quality, both defensively and offensively.  It looks like Gray will be relegated to the bench, which is unfortunate.  I would prefer Gray and Corrales in the middle to Grabavoy’s presence there.  O’Brien looks to start despite the turf.  With our first choice midfield back, we should have a chance, but Salt Lake’s unit is nothing to sneeze at either.  All eyes on Beckerman, but Morales can contribute, and Kovalenko has done his part so far this year. 

Advantage - Even

Coaching: I imagine this season is tougher than even Yallop imagined.  He needs to keep his players riding that rollercoaster.  Inconsistency sucks, but it’s to be expected from an expansion squad.  What we don’t need is a lengthy slump.  Get ‘em ready Frank, this season is all about your motivational skills. 

Advantage - Quakes

Intangibles: It’s true, the Quakes cannot perform on artificial surfaces.  I understand that it makes things difficult, but it never stopped the Quakes squads of the past.  It’s time to step up and finally learn from all those crappy performances on carpet.  How much will Saturday’s game be weighing on the minds of Quakes players?  Will it light a fire or hang over their heads?

Advantage - Salt Lake

Key Man: Ivan Guerrero

You’re just getting back to the squad, Ivan, and your team is in a bad place mentally with a long road trip ahead.  What are you going to do?  I expect him to give the team a bit of energy and spirit, and another dimension of attack.

If I Were Manager:

         Cunliffe-Johnson

Guerrero-Corrales-Gray-O’Brien

Denton-Cochrane-Hernandez-Riley

                    Cannon

Verdict: Hold your breath, and hope for the best.  When I give the advantages to the Quakes, they lose.  When I give them to the other team, we win.  Let’s see if that pattern holds. 

Rivalries are one of the true joys of fandom. Nothing beats the feeling of absolute loathing pumping through your veins as the opposing team takes the field. I can say with true sincerity that there are few things on Earth that I hate more than the L.A. Galaxy. I know that there are consistent attempts to pump up the Chivas U.S.A.-Galaxy derby as the number one clasico in the country, especially in the absence of the Quakes, and I appreciate the rivalries among other teams in the league, both new and old, but let’s be real here. Those who have been watching this league for awhile know that the Quakes-Scum…I mean, Galaxy, match-up is the premier organic rivalry in MLS. It is an outgrowth of true grassroots hate and mythology. As such, it is absolutely beautiful and to be celebrated.

I apologize in advance ASR readers, but I won’t be able to dish out my usual helping of overly lengthy commentary and analysis this week. I’m in the Big Apple, or Red Bull land, whichever you prefer, and will have to limit myself to the nitty gritty. Ok, here goes, my thoughts in 60 seconds or less:


- Ryan Johnson is my new hero, keep him up front and starting always- How good did it feel to beat Houston and take the first step in exorcising some old demons?-


As reported on Center Line Soccer, the Quakes are at the bottom of the allocation list because of the signing of Peguero…- …which means we miss out on McBride (or compensation) or any other ex-MLS player-…all for a guy who will probably never play for the Quakes again- Maybe taking a risk on a guy with a history of knee injuries wasn’t the best move, then again Quakes fans were about to stage a riot at that point because they wanted a new striker immediately (I’m guilty as charged as well)- For Yallop and Doyle this season, it’s damned if you do, damned if you don’tOnto Real Salt Lake…


Quakes/Real Pregame Analysis


Goalkeepers: Will the Real Nick Rimando please stand up? I don’t know about this guy. Sometimes he pulls off great saves, other times he gives up the ghost without much effort. In that kind of situation, you test a keeper and test him early. On this episode of CannonWatch, not much new to report. He had a solid game and wasn’t asked to do too much. No chance on the Ching goal.Advantage - Quakes


Salt Lake Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: Deuchar and Findley are the classic big target man, speedy forward combo package. Problem is that that perfect partnership has yet to materialize for Salt Lake. The Quakes defense seems to be getting better with time, and Denton replacing Riley is probably a good move, at least for now until Riley settles down a bit. Deuchar can be a monster in the air, so I would have Garcia mark him close and challenge for every ball. Garcia won’t win many of those battles, but its enough to get in there and make it difficult for Deuchar. My biggest worry is actually Espindola. He’s quick, has a nice touch, makes good runs, and can score.Advantage - Quakes


Quakes Forwards vs. Salt Lake Defense: For the first time this season, Quakes fans got to see a San Jose forward who made actual runs, fought for every ball and often won. That forward was Ryan Johnson, an early-season acquisition which made most fans (including myself) say “who”? Its a bit too early to declare that he is the answer, but its definitely a possibility. Unfortunately Kei Kamara will miss this game due to being called up by Sierra Leone. Kamara and Johnson seemed to connect well at times. Most likely, Kirovski will start alongside Johnson, and Jovan remains a big question mark. The Salt Lake defense is decent, but not spectacular. If Kamara was starting this category would go to the Quakes.Advantage - Even


Midfield: Without Beckerman, Salt Lake would have only a pale shadow of a midfield. As it is, though, he provides a real threat through the middle. After last week’s display against Houston, I am pretty pleased with the Quakes’ midfield once again. However, the problem is that our best midfield player, Ivan Guerrero, is going to be missing the next three games due to international duty. His presence will be sorely missed. He was an offensive spark against Houston AND put on a great defensive performance as well. Who will replace him? Salinas could play there, or Johnson (though I would hate for him not to start up front), or Riley. Gray could also slot in the middle, moving Corrales out to the left wing.Advantage - Even


Coaching: The jury is still out on Jason Kreis. Far too early to call for his head quite yet, as everyone knows that the Salt Lake job is a massive reconstruction project. Yallop made his best move of the season so far when he put Johnson up front, first as a sub during the New England game, then, seeing his effectiveness, as a starter against Houston. Frank will now have to deal with international call-ups.Advantage - Quakes


Intangibles: The Quakes will be coming off a high for once, but will have to deal with a few knocks to chemistry due to the absence of Guerrero and Kamara. Much will hinge on the play of the replacements. Salt Lake massacred the Quakes in their Open Cup match-up, though San Jose started half of its reserves and the two central defenders were brutally injured. Still, will Salt Lake feel any residual confidence going into this game?Advantage - Even


Key Man: Jovan KirovskiAssuming he gets his first start up front, he will need to prove himself quickly. Will he be the anonymous player putting on a half-hearted performance (which is what we have seen the past few seasons)? Or will he seize the chance to regain his mojo on an expansion team in need of help from every quarter? Ryan Johnson is good, but he can’t do it all by himself. Kirovski needs to step up if the Quakes are going to have any semblance of a viable attack.


Probable Lineup: Kirovski-Johnson

Riley-Corrales-Grabavoy-O’Brien

Denton-Garcia-Cochrane-Hernandez

Cannon

Verdict: One moment I’m giving all the categories to their opponents and predicting massacres, the next I’m giving the edge to the Quakes. It’s just been that type of season, and comes with the expansion territory I guess. Realistically, I expect another hard-fought ugly game similar to the match against the Red Bulls earlier this season.