By Tony Edwards - SAN JOSE, CA (Apr 25, 2011) US Soccer Players -- In his postgame media comments, San Jose coach Frank Yallop provided a telling statement about his team after the Earthquakes were clearly second-best to a cohesive, if not thrilling, CD Chivas USA squad.
“I’m a little bit lost for words to be honest.”
Yet rather than look at the lineup he put on the field, the style of play, his substitutions, or the inability to meaningfully get Bobby Convey or Ramiro Corrales involved over the 90 minutes, Yallop fell back on the worldwide coaching list of list of acceptable clichés.
“I didn’t see commitment or fight from anyone. We need to come out with more energy. One thing that I always want to see is fight and that wasn’t there today.”
The problems for last year’s Eastern Conference finalists run a lot deeper than a lack of energy or fight. Maybe that's part of what's up for discussion at a players only meeting scheduled for Monday morning.
The fans who attended the Saturday afternoon game at Buck Shaw Stadium left in droves after Chivas bundled in the 85th minute game-winner. And with good reason, as little in the previous 85 minutes suggested San Jose would find the equalizing goal.
One of the hallmarks of great San Jose teams in the past, built by Yallop, was their ability to keep the ball on the ground and use the narrow confines of their home field to their advantage. Yet, four years into San Jose’s return to MLS, Buck Shaw Stadium is a liability for the Earthquakes, as the team struggles to find rhythm and possession.
Too often what isn’t seen is the kind of patient build up play that involves a talented central midfield, skilled wing play, and at least one attacking player who constantly makes intelligent runs and finds spaces even though defenses key on him.
Oddly, the Quakes have all these players. In Sam Cronin and Simon Dawkins, San Jose has an enviable central midfield paring. Cronin’s positioning is a level above most MLS midfielders and his distribution improves every week. Save for one misplaced pass and his over exuberant tackle to win the ball back (he deserved the yellow card he received), Cronin rarely put a foot or a pass wrong. Dawkins has evident talent and will hopefully find his footing in MLS soon.
Looking for more production from the right wing, this weekend Yallop tried Khari Stephenson in that position. Even though Stephenson has experience on the wing, he wasn’t in sync with his teammates and he tended to clog matters by drifting in-field. The introduction in the second half of rookie Anthony Ampaitakwong opened up some space on the right side of the field, but didn’t lead to many convincing chances.
Which still does not account for the lack of involvement of two of their best players, Bobby Convey and Ramiro Corrales. Yes, Chivas did a nice job funneling play away from them (both were stationed on the left), but the Quakes didn’t make any adjustments either. Convey could have moved to the right side and Cronin shifted left to cover for Corrales’ far too infrequent runs up field.
Yet, with three passers, as it were, in the midfield (Convey, Dawkins, Stephenson), the Quakes kept hoofing the ball towards target forward Scott Sealy, hoping for a flick to Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski, who was excellent in more of a free role.
Throughout the game, Wondolowski constantly made intelligent, probing runs off the ball. Sometimes his aim was to create space for his teammates, but far too often Wondolowski found space and went unrewarded. The one time it did get rewarded, Wondolowski placed a neat header comfortably over the goal line for the Quakes only goal.
After the game, Wondolowski said, “Maybe we aren’t being as dynamic in the final third as we should as we’re missing on our finishing touches. Until we fix that, we’re stuck playing a numbers game by just throwing bodies at the opponent.”
In a capsule, he’s exactly right. Yallop is just throwing bodies at their opponent instead of a cohesive, patient approach. When the Quakes needed a player who could provide a spark, Yallop sent on offseason acquisition Steven Lenhart, known more as a presence in the box than for his ability to take on defenders. The result was more aimless balls pumped long and very few worrying moments for Chivas keeper Dan Kennedy.
There’s little question that Yallop and General Manager John Doyle have put together a playoff caliber roster. On paper, the Quakes may not be in the Salt Lake/Galaxy/Red Bulls category, but this is easily the deepest, most complete roster since the franchise came back to MLS. And yet, the fans departing Buck Shaw on Saturday were left contemplating how a squad with so much talent could play so poorly.
Tony Edwards is a soccer writer based in the Bay Area.
