The San Jose Earthquakes lost 2-0 to the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink field on Saturday, dropping them to fifth in the West. Despite the loss, San Jose had some diamond performances in a rough game.
GBU Report: Sounders Vs. Earthquakes
The Good
- Midfielder Matias Perez Garcia continues to impress. Statistically the Earthquakes’ most productive player per 90 minutes, “MPG” entered and helped power the Quakes offense to a few scoring chances. He had 24 touches in 25 minutes, three key passes, 93.8% passing efficiency, and three successful crosses on six attempts.
- Midfielder Simon Dawkins returning to form. Simon had another “DP” game , including a pass which drew a foul on Victor Bernardez to set up a penalty kick opportunity. Dawkins’s numbers include three successful dribbles, 82% passing accuracy on 67 passes, two accurate long balls, and two shots, one of which hit the crossbar and bounced on the goal line without actually going in.
- Midfielder Matheus Silva blossoms. While it may have been a bad night for the Quakes defense, Silva showed why he may have a bright future. The 19-year-old had five interceptions, two tackles, an 82.5% passing including two successful long-balls, and two successful dribbles.
- Goalkeeper David Bingham keeps poise under fire. Bingham was bombarded all night: 15 shots, eight on goal, and 22 crosses. Bingham ended the night with six saves, six punches, and two aerials won. This would be considered a tough night for any goalkeeper, but Bingham held his own despite allowing two goals.
The Bad
- Midfielder Alberto Quintero ineffective. In 65 minutes, Quintero had 48 touches, one key pass, one accurate long ball, and a 78% passing accuracy on just 36 passes. Compared to his sub Matias Perez Garcia, these numbers are abysmal.
- Defense lacks chemistry. The Seattle offense was relentless all night: 15 shots, eight on frame, and 14 chances created. The defense could not disrupt the Seattle attack, leading to the two goals. Another part of the problem was the lack of attack from the Quakes midfield, which was partially answered with the entry of Perez Garcia.
- Forward Chad Barrett comes home. The former Sounders forward Chad Barrett made a start against his old team, generating just one shot on goal, and putting a shot inside the box on a pass from Shea Salinas way over the crossbar.
- Midfielder Shea Salinas a double-edged sword. While Salinas helped generate some offense–two key passes and nine crosses–he was terrible in most other areas. Only one cross was successful, he had five dispossessions and four unsuccessful touches. Ouch. Salinas needs to work on preventing so many giveaways, which was another culprit to an impotent Quakes offense.
- Two points in five road games. The Quakes tied FC Dallas 2-2 and Philadelphia Union 1-1 on road, but lost to the L.A. Galaxy, Portland Timbers, and Seattle Sounders. If the Quakes want to contend for a playoff spot, they need to find ways to win on the road. They are one of four western conference teams who remain winless on the road, and the other three (Portland, Seattle, and Houston) may be vying for the final playoff spots late in the season. It may come down to who has the better road record as Portland and Seattle are known to hold serve at home.
The Ugly
- Forward Chris Wondolowski rattled. The team’s captain had three opportunities to score, including a shot over the crossbar, a penalty kick, and one-on-one with Seattle ‘keeper Stefan Frei in which he took one touch too many. Going 0-3 in scoring chances on the road is not the play one would expect from the MLS co-leader in goals scored thus far in the season.
- Defender Shaun Francis rolled. Statistically, Francis could be considered the worst defender of the night: one tackle, one interception, two clearances, one blocked shot. Francis was also dispossessed twice. All things considered, these stats show Francis was more of a liability on defense as he wasn’t able to create turnovers or block shots, yet was prone to turnovers himself.
The Quakes return home to Avaya Stadium on Wednesday night to face the Houston Dynamo. Kickoff at 7:30pm.
The GBU Report is a statistical breakdown and analysis of San Jose Earthquakes player and team performances. Look for the GBU Report after each Earthquakes match.
Main Photo: Victor Decolongon, Getty Images
