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