San Jose Earthquakes Vs. Seattle Sounders: Highlights, Quotes And Stats
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 3, 2011 8:50 AM PDT
in Sounders: MLS Regular Season
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Unfortunately there is not as much insight to be gleaned from the highlights as you'd expect in a nearly 12-minute clip. The editors seemed much more intent on creating a package that showcased the announcers and their understandably homer-ish announcing than giving us an idea of how the match played out.
The one thing that did jump out was the quality of Nate Jaqua's chance in the 81st minute. I'm a big defender and fan of his, but that is a ball he absolutely has to finish. He got a freebie about 10 yards out and took way too long to take his shot. Granted, it still took a nice play from the defender to keep it from going in, but a quicker shot would have taken the defender out of the equation.
I'm really looking forward to watching this game again, particularly because I want to see if my initial observation on Erik Friberg vs. Alvaro Fernandez was correct. I thought Friberg looked like he was sick, even before he was pulled. I thought Fernandez had some great moments and looked like an improvement. I'm not sure what, exactly, changed in the second half but I don't think it had anything to do with that switch.
More likely, I think it was Mauro Rosales running out of gas - he seemed to disappear after a stellar first half - and the Earthquakes simply doing a better job of controlling the midfield. Based on memory, it doesn't seem like any Sounders played as well in the second half as they did in the first.
Goals by Period 1 2 Tot 2 0 2 1 1 2
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Scoring Summary: |
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SEA -- Brad Evans 1 (Mauro Rosales 1, Erik Friberg 1) 17 |
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SJ -- Simon Dawkins 1 (Ryan Johnson 1, Bobby Convey 1) 32 |
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SEA -- O'Brian White 1 (Steve Zakuani 1, Osvaldo Alonso 1) 42 |
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SJ -- Khari Stephenson 1 (unassisted) 52 |
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Seattle Sounders -- Kasey Keller, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Jeff Parke, Leo Gonzalez, Erik Friberg (Alvaro Fernandez 46), Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Mauro Rosales (David Estrada 83), Steve Zakuani, O'Brian White (Nate Jaqua 66). |
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Misconduct Summary: |
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SJ -- Chris Leitch (caution; Reckless Tackle) 6 |
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SEA -- Nate Jaqua (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 71 |
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SEA -- Leo Gonzalez (caution; Delaying a Restart) 80 |
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Referee: Edvin Jurisevic |
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Referee's Assistants: -Rob Fereday; Colin Arblaster |
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4th Official: Niko Bratsis |
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Attendance: 10,276 |
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Time of Game: 1:53 |
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Weather: Partly Cloudy-and-68-degrees |
Opta Stats
San Jose Earthquakes Seattle Sounders FC
14
Attempts on Goal
17
4
Shots on Target
5
7
Shots off Target
9
3
Blocked Shots
3
7
Corner Kicks
9
4
Fouls
12
24
Open Play Crosses
14
3
Offsides
3
1
Yellow Cards
2
0
Red Cards
0
46
Duels Won
60
43%
Duels Won %
56%
453
Total Pass
332
81%
Passing Accuracy %
72%
57.6%
Possession
42.4%
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH FRANK YALLOP
On the Match: We felt a little unlucky tonight that we didn't get the win, but to come back into the game being a goal down twice is very good in any match. I'm very happy with tonight’s match, with the outcome and with the performance by our players. For the most part, I feel we dominated play against a good team. About Coming From Behind: What I liked about our play tonight was that we didn't give up. We dominated play in the second half, we got the goal and I felt that we were unlucky that we didn't get the third one to win it.
EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER BOBBY CONVEY
Thoughts on Match: "I thought we played a good game. We created a lot of chances and fought back. Khari (Stevenson) had a good goal in the second half, (Simon) Dawkins’ goal in the first half helped us get momentum and we completed the comeback." On team’s play through Three games: "I think we are playing a lot better. Last year we were more defensive and relied on the counter (attack). This year we possess the ball more, creating more chances; last year we only created a few. As long as we continue to play with confidence and keep the ball, we will create the chances and score."
EARTHQUAKES FORWARD SIMON DAWKINS
On first career MLS goal: "I had a chance before; I wish I would have taken it earlier. I said to myself the next time I get an opportunity, I will hit first time. I got the opportunity, I hit it, and it went in. I am very happy."
EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER KHARI STEVENSON
On Importance of Home Play: "We haven’t had a good home record for a while now, it was important to play a good team at home and come away with a draw. Starting the season of at home with two losses isn’t a good sign. It was good for us to finally get back into the game and tie it up the way we did." On First Goal of the Season: "I picked up the ball, I’m not sure if it came from Bobby (Convey) or Sam (Cronin). I tried to play the ball to Wondo, made a bad pass and the ball ended up on my feet. I looked up, I had time and space. I had the shot and I took it, and it went in."
SOUNDERS FC COACH SIGI SCHMID
Thoughts on Final Result: "We had some turnovers and that always puts you in trouble. We had some chances and they had some chances. It probably could have ended 4-4 and nobody could have complained. But two goals should be enough to win when you’re on the road." On San Jose: "This is always a tough place to play. The field plays a bit smaller than it is. But San Jose is a good team and they really battled out there tonight."
SOUNDERS FC MIDFIELDER STEVE ZAKUANI
On Team’s Play: "In the first half I did well running at them on the left side, but in the second we were unable to connect with the wings and I had to go inside to look for the ball. Credit San Jose because they kept the ball really well." On Opposition: "They’re a quick defensive team. But they like to attack and leave themselves open defensively a bit. With all the chances we created we should make you pay for it. The game was there to be had."
SOUNDERS FC GOALKEEPER KASEY KELLER
On Trying to Shut Down Chris Wondolowski: "He had a couple of good chances. On the first, if he’d put that a little lower I would’ve had no chance to save it, but sometimes you find yourself in the right place to make the save. I think we focused so much on him that we let a couple guys run through the middle. On the Earthquakes: "They have a good team here, there’s a fun atmosphere, it’s a great pitch to play on and I’m just looking forward to seeing the new stadium."
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Sigi's comments about not having Frieberg were interesting...
Sigi’s comments via the Times’ Josh Meyers: "(On using speed on the flanks…) “We felt we had an advantage that way and we could use that. Again, if Erik would have been 100-percent I think we would’ve gotten a little bit more on the right, because Erik is a very good two-way player and I think that hurt us a bit.” Will be curious to see the implications for Fernandez.
Life's what happens while you're making other plans
i think it basically means fernandez is gone in the summer
i doubt he is happy sitting on the bench in the MLS
Unfortunately I think you're right.
He is good but he’s never played to a DP level. Now he’s gotten on Sigi’s naughty list for whatever reason and seems pretty much doomed. I’ll be sad to see him go but I’m sure we could use all that money elsewhere.
by Philip Mueller on Apr 3, 2011 1:50 PM PDT up reply actions
A snap judgement but...
I thought both Rosales & OBW ran out of gas early in the second. Both seemed to go missing. OBW had some good services into his feet & he couldn’t collect it.
I thought Zakuani’s 2nd half role was interesting. He seemed to be receiving the ball centrally more than he usually does. I wonder if this was intentional or a result of a more fluid attack where he was making space for Rosales. Either way I think Zakuani is stronger on the flanks where he can get isolated and turn to run at the defense.
I thought El Flaco had a very forgettable game. It seemed to me that he hardly completed a pass for the first 15 minutes of the second half. (LGoofus- good catch)
Keller, had a good game. He was an inch away from an amazing save on SJ’s 40 yard bomb. (Pakre was 7 yards away and backing up…should have closed & forced a shot to one side or the other; then Keller can cheat a little) Distribution was fine other than his slip-kick near gift in the first half. He also had a pair of saves which, had they gone in, nobody could have faulted him.
BTW- any thoughts on El Presidente? Do you think Ianni will need to lay a stinker before we’ll see him again? Are we waiting for the final remains of his injury to clear away? Have you dropped him from your fantasy squad yet?
I don't think Rosales was fit to go a full 90
Hopefully he’ll improve.
OBW also looked gassed after 45, but he’s supposed to be match fit, so I don’t know what to make of him.
I thought Ianni laid a stinker last night
I like Ianni a lot – as a 3rd CB. I thought his distribution last night was awful.
Frieberg definitly had something wrong and had to be pulled
I thought the second half was a big advertisement for the problems Fernandez has had in MLS. For most of the half he just lost posession time and time again. He could have taken advantage of the situation and gotten back in the 11, but I think he just cemented his place on the bench.
Agreed
Flaco has just not been right, something is not right with him and it’s not his skills, he obviously has those, but he has been almost completely ineffective this season, I think it’s mental, something is causing him to misfire.
The most telling quote I’ve seen from another thread is, what does it say about Flaco that Friberg with the flu gets the start over him.
More like
what does it say about Sigi’s view of Flaco.
by Philip Mueller on Apr 3, 2011 1:51 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
The more I think about this
the more I think this is one of Sigi’s worst games managing his roster and subs.
Friberg had the flu, looked unable to play, yet started. With a respiratory illness limiting his lung capacity, he shouldn’t have been in the 18.
Jaqua whiffed on the sitter in the 81st and generally looked really rusty. I like Jaqua generally, but I’m not sure he should have played. He looked like a guy that needed to play in the reserve match today to be ready for next week.
Having both of these unfit players in the 18 limited the decisions that Sigi was able to make later. Ianni was clattering around and might have been able to be taken off if Friberg didn’t need to be pulled early. Rosales was clearly on the pitch too long, but Sigi left himself with Estrada as the only possible replacement. In the “who starts for Montero” discussions before the match, I don’t recall any of us mentioning Estrada, yet Neagle and Montano were left out of the 18. Maybe one of those two isn’t a difference maker but with their fitness, seem to be better options than Friberg and Jaqua.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. We are all around you, there is no escape.
by 108Ultra on Apr 3, 2011 10:43 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Estrada was one of the like for like subs mentioned
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
i agree with you.
sigi did mention estrada in his pre game quotes but i do not agree with him.
i think both montano and neagle are better then him and both can play montero’s position
Montano never (basically) plays forward
not in scrimmages, not in reserve play
While he might be able to learn it, he doesn’t do it at this time
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
he played it during the open cup game versus vancouver
and that was his primary position before he came to the sounders
before he came to the Sounders he was <18
and on a 2nd division argentine reserve team. Not the best sample for what a player IS
yes, he played up top, in the Summit match v Vancouver, for about 20 minutes
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Montano at forward is kind of like my dream of Fucito at right mid
just not going to happen.
In today’s Reserve Game Montano started at Left Mid, came off about 70 for Tetteh.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I do not agree, nor disagree
So, help me make up my mind. Based on what is Montano and Neagle better than Estrada? From what I have seen and read so far, none of them has distinguished themselves as of yet to make any determination,
Sigi mentioned him...
…and so did I in one of the pre-game threads by way of advocacy. We haven’t had near enough of a chance to see Estrada tested by game play for him to get the reception he sometimes has hereabouts.
If you are not going to play Jaqua, then when are you going to play him?
He has to play his first game sometime.
I thought Zakuani looked back to normal last night
Didn’t see lingering effects from the hamstring injury. Hopefully he stays healthy and continues to torment MLS defenses.
watching that highlight
Made me so thankful for having Arlo White as the voice of the sounders. I don’t understand why the league doesn’t show more of his calls on the highlight clips. Thank you Sounders for Arlo.
by Colin Johnson on Apr 3, 2011 1:59 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I think they always default to the home announcer
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, North American soccer editor SB Nation and of course follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 3, 2011 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions
They didn't play that well in the first half either
So far the Sounders have lost a game they should have won, lost a game they should have drawn, drawn a game they should have won, and drawn a game they should have lost.
Evans was great in the air and poaching that goal, but he was horrific in passing the ball. Overall it was the worst passing performance by the Sounders since they’ve been in MLS. Both goals came off of turnovers on uncontested passes. Evans must have missed 8 straight attempted passes to Zakuani that instead just went straight to a Quakes defender. That was just shocking to watch.
Rosales was inspiring, though. Once he’s fit, I think the right wing is his and Alvaro moves on in the summer.
Nos Audietis
by sidereal on Apr 3, 2011 4:50 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
People seem really quick to get rid of Alvaro
I’m as down on him as the next guy, but I don’t see Alvaro moving this summer. That’s exactly when he would be the most useful to the Sounders, and he’ll be getting USOC and CCL minutes. Plus, there’s the whole matter that the point of getting a younger DP is that he could improve, so I don’t think that how Alvaro is playing now is how Alvaro is going to play all season.
He's sitting on a lot of salary to be a summertime fill-in
and Cup player. That’s money that could go to a starter-worthy transfer.
Nos Audietis
His salary can't be freed up unless he's traded
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 3, 2011 9:46 PM PDT up reply actions
or sold
Though every non start lowers his price.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
by Dave Clark on Apr 3, 2011 10:13 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
And as far as improvement
Montero was a revelation from day one, and he wasn’t even a DP at that point. Younger DPs will improve, but they should at least start out good enough to start every game, or they aren’t worth the early DP salary.
Nos Audietis
I don't think it's a good idea to get too hung up on the DP tag
There are a ton of DPs who have flamed out terribly in MLS. There’s no guarantee that his replacement would be better, and we’re going to have plenty of competitive games for him to contribute meaningfully to the team. And every time it seems as though we’re stacked at some position, injuries pile up and it turns out we didn’t have as much depth as we thought we did.
I’m just not so eager to give up on him yet.
I'm hung up on the resources, not the tag
Assuming nothing major has changed since the last salary release, he’s tied with Keller as the second highest payed player on the team behind FM. Is that an appropriate amount to pay for a bench player?
Nos Audietis
Even Henry
Seems a bit of a bust as a DP
and his salary compared to Flaco’s is just silly
"But who would listen to Little old me anyway?"
-by thehemogoblin
by Little old me on Apr 4, 2011 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions
i think he will want to move this summer
if he is on the outs with sigi and is not starting. then i think he will want out..
last summer he was a substitute at the world cup now he is a substitute in the MLS. i think for his sake on the national team, he will want to go to a team where he is starting and performing well.
i dont want him to leave but if he isnt get first team starting action then i feel like he will leave. and i dont count CCL and USOC as first team action because we normally played our second team
Not entirely up to him
With MLS rules the way they are, the Sounders could not just cut him. They would need to find another team willing to take him and his salary. That said, I really don’t think the Sounders are just going to let him go.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 4, 2011 12:25 AM PDT up reply actions
That's what gets me about Evans
People want to go, “Hey he made a great run to the goal!” Yes, he did, but if you look at the first goal for San Jose, it came off a horrific Evans giveaway (on a ball that wouldn’t have accomplished anything if the pass had been completed). There were other times where there was an easy (as in, I could’ve made it) uncontested pass to Zakuani on a run – although sometimes others – where the ball from Evans was just awful, either getting picked or going straight out of bounds. That is the problem with Evans. Friberg loses a ball, Nyassi loses a ball, etc., and people do not hesitate to point that out, but with Evans, he scored a goal and he makes runs so he’s great as a box-to-box center mid!
You'll find many more negative comments about Evans on other blogs
or forums.
We point out the runs and positioning so often as a bit of counter balance.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Couldn't agree more
Evans is exceptional as a late attacker in the box. He makes great runs to both open defences and get himself and others a passing lane.
He lacks vision with his passing, but has a high work rate and is fairly strong both on the ball and in the air.
To sum: Normally works hard and makes good decisions, good runs, and ok passes. Against SJ he worked hard, made ok decisions, good runs, and too many iffy passes.
"But who would listen to Little old me anyway?"
-by thehemogoblin
by Little old me on Apr 4, 2011 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions
He's not usually as bad as he was vs SJ
He does add a lot to the team and his passing is fine most of the time, at least to my recollection. He’s been out for a long time. Like Jaqua, I think it’ll take him a few ups and downs before he gets back into form.
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