In watching the San Jose Earthquakes take on the Colorado Rapids last night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, I noticed something about the Earthquakes this season: they lack consistency.
One moment, I generally feel like this team is taken the appropriate steps forward, under Dominic Kinnear, but more and more I wonder which team I will see each night.
Is this the team that went into Seattle and capitalized on each of the Sounder’s mistakes or the team that looked virtually helpless as New York undressed them on National TV almost a month later?
The answer is both.
The Earthquakes have been four distinctly different teams so far this season: Without Innocent, With Innocent, On the Road, and At Home.
The Guilty San Jose Earthquakes:
Without Innocent in the lineup this season, the Earthquakes as a team appear to be more in control in the games they play. They didn’t give up a shot at home against the Whitecaps, who are currently in a dogfight with New England and Dallas for the Supporter’s Shield. They picked up a point last night against the bottom dwelling Colorado Rapids (a game they should have won, but I digress), and crafted a win on the road against the Houston Dynamo (MLSSOCCER.com).
The Innocent San Jose Earthquakes:
Innocent’s actual impact for the club has already been questioned, but with news of successful knee surgery this week the Earthquakes have more time to develop the likes of Tommy Thompson and Adam Jahn.
With Innocent, the Earthquakes get a player that is constantly interested is running at defenders, drawing fouls, and finding himself in dangerous positions behind the defense. Unfortunately, he has only scored a single goal, and the Earthquakes are 2-4-1 with him in. In those matches, they have scored 7 goals and conceded 10 goals. Needless to say, the Earthquakes and Innocent can afford some time to rest (MLSSOCCER.com).
The San Jose Earthquakes of Avaya:
The Earthquakes are 2-1-0 at Avaya and have enjoyed a decent amount of possession at 51% there. Oddly enough their home possession have led to them only creating 2.9 chances per game (3rd worst in MLS) (Squawka.com).
Earthquake fans living in the Southern Bay Area haven’t enjoyed much offensive fire-power live as goal scoring is infrequent at Avaya Stadium. In three games there, the Earthquakes have scored 3 and given up 2 in those contests. Three games. Five goals. The nets still look pretty new in the South Bay (MLSSOCCER.com).
The Anywhere Else Earthquakes:
The Earthquakes on the road have been a different story all together. They create chances, score more, and often play a more open style, on the road. Whether it’s a complete derailing from their intended style of play or not, it occurs.
On the road, they create 5.2 chances per game (4th best in MLS) and have scored 7 goals on the road tied for third most. However, they hold 45% on possession on the road, give up nearly a goal a game (5th worst), and have conceded 9 goals on the road (3rd most in MLS). Their road record is not terrible, but it is not ideal at 2-3-2 (Squawka.com).
Maybe the different versions of this Earthquake team, is due to them still adjusting to their coach, their surroundings, and each other. Perhaps, Coach Kinnear is trying to adjust to his own team in some respects as well. Realistically, with the transfer window fast approaching, expect more acquisitions to be made in an attempt to gain some consistency.
At some point, we will find out which Earthquake team they really are. Hopefully, it’s the one they wish to be.
