QOBC, Vol 4, No 5, June 26, 2024
Josh: So… I guess it wasn’t our column jinxing our San Jose Earthquakes. I’d like to do a quick recap of what turned out to not be eight more points to end May and go through June.
Matt: <crickets>
Josh: Right. End of school year, heat, motivation to recap dark days, the struggle of our friends in The Fort… don’t worry, I’ll get this one.
When last we left our main characters, they were headed to Portland. Let’s get the brutal facts out of the way first:
Portland | 2-4 | dropping a 2-1 lead in minutes 80, 90, 100 |
Orlando | 0-1 | dropping a 0-0 draw in minute 89 |
Sacramento | 2-3 | getting eliminated from US Open Cup in OT |
Austin | 1-1 | Draw |
NYCFC | 1-5 | dropping a 1-1 draw in minutes 80, 85, 92, 95 (and giving someone a top 5 fastest Hat Tricks in MLS History) |
Cincinnati | 2-4 | dropping a 2-1 lead (from minute 72!) in minutes 78, 80, 87 (and giving someone a top 5 fastest Hat Tricks in MLS History) |
Portland | 1-2 | dropping a 1-1 draw in minute 76 |
LAFC | 2-6 | never had the lead |
This rough block started with the terrible (and overturned) Red Card call in Portland (followed by second questionable Red Card). And if my math is correct, if the clock had stopped at 75 minutes in the matches above, our Earthquakes would have 9 more points, which would have them up at least 4 spots in the West.
Oof. Feel it Quakes Fans. If I learned nothing from Inside Out 2, it’s that all feelings are valid and they all work together.
Let’s make a best effort at trying to balance out this harsh reality with some details: What’s going well?
Hernán López has significantly improved the ball movement in the front third, and notched three goals and two assists.
Amahl Pellegrino has brought a hustle to the front line and he is now leading San Jose with five goals on the season.
Jeremy Ebobisse is silencing the haters by reaching four goals so far this season, most of which are, as we say in NorCal, hella athletic.
Tanner Beason was getting lit up on social, and I saw him respond with some great tackles, slides, and body blocks in the box to try to stop the bleeding.
And where are the holes? What can we control?
Goalkeepers - Daniel is showing his PT recovery on Instagram, and I’m hopeful he will be back in playing shape this season. The “4 to 6 months” return time from surgery will arrive in July, but of course everyone wants him to be healthy and as close to 100% as he can be before returning to full training and game time. Yarborough and Johnson have been on the field, but we’re not seeing consistent excellence from either of them.
Coaching/Strategy - watching the NYCFC footage specifically, Rodriguez was unable to run back and defend the first goal, and the Quakes had only used three subs. And yet, the Coaches left him in the full 100 minutes as NYC shredded the 18 yard box. I don’t understand it. And whatever is going on with being unable to finish the game from a defensive standpoint - is that practice? Do they need different/better substitutions? Is it gameplay/strategy in the moment? I don’t have their job or pedigree, but Coach Luchi is unfortunately high on the list for 2024 Scapegoat - and maybe deservedly so.
Timestamp 10:26am Pacific time…
11:36am Pacific time: Earthquakes part ways with Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez: https://www.sjearthquakes.com/news/news-earthquakes-part-ways-with-head-coach-luchi-gonzalez
Not saying I called it, but… here we are. Assistant Coach Ian Russell will step in as Interim Head Coach. And the way the club is promoting his experience and history as one of the 50 Greatest Quakes, it sounds like we should expect him to be here for at least the rest of the 2024 campaign. Maybe Alex Covelo had his phone off, or he’s holding out for a real offer.
I get that "fans" all over are saying Coach Luchi is pure “blame game” and it’s the front office or ownership. We can’t deny, however, that GM Leitch brought Pellegrino, Hernán Lopez, Bruno, Costa, and Rodrigues to PayPal Park; pretty much everyone with a goal this season. So there’s a lot of talent, but there’s something missing - chemistry, teamwork, and/or endurance. Or maybe there’s not enough talent recruited in the back line (see: letting Nick Lima and Johnathan Mensah go). We’ll see how the team responds to Coach Russell and how they rest and rebuild during the Olympics break.
But until that time, there’s no rest for the weary. Quakes have the Stanford Edition of El Clasíco to start a three match week, with travel, against the top of the East. A week to train for SKC into another three match week, with travel, before their next bye week for the Olympics break.
Six matches, let’s hope for 5 points. Saying it from my chest, but with a heavy heart: Vamos SJ!
Quake-o-meter for Matches 4-7 (Richter goes to 9, OURS goes to 10)
Final Score on the Quake-o-meter Richter Scale: 4.5 / 10 - the struggle is real
Current % chance of a San Jose/New England MLS Cup Final: 5% - Not technically out of the Post-Season… yet.
Twitter/X and Instagram: @QuakesCoasts