From Last Word on Soccer, by Dan Burkhead
Although not mathematically eliminated, the San Jose Earthquakes‘ season is in serious jeopardy after dropping three points at home to Western Conference rival Sporting Kansas City. The loss will certainly doom San Jose’s season, and could be the nail the in the coffin for Head Coach Dom Kinnear.
GBU Report: Earthquakes Versus Sporting KC
The Good
The only positive take-away from San Jose’s loss appears to be a foundation which can be built upon next season. Midfielder Alberto Quintero led most of the Earthquakes attack on the right flank, and led the Quakes with three key passes and 12 crosses. Quintero has been a steady contributor to the San Jose attack and a stand-out defender when needed; one can only wonder why he was subbed at the 79th minute. Also, forward Henok Goitom was a noticeable contributor. He had the back-heel pass which set up midfielder Simon Dawkins’s goal at the 42nd minute, finished with three shots, as well as a key pass.
If San Jose can retain Quintero (who is on loan) and Goitom (who is on a short-term contract), the Quakes may have some players they can build around in 2017.
The Bad
Forward Quincy Amarikwa‘s season is probably over. Amarikwa’s knee was injured in a collision with Sporting KC ‘keeper Tim Melia in the first 15 seconds of the match and had to be subbed off. With the season ending in less than a month, don’t expect to see Amarikwa back on the pitch until 2017.
Forward Chris Wondolowski‘s career is closing. The lack of offense generated by San Jose this season is a harbinger that the 33-year-old forward (34 by the start of the 2017 season) is not the same goal-scorer he was in years past. If Wondo fails to score in the next four matches, he will have his lowest goal scoring season since 2009.
The normally resilient Quakes defense allowed two shots on goal, both of which found the back of the net. With the Quakes offense sputtering, the defense needed to step up, but wound up stepping aside to forward Dom Dwyer and defender Kevin Ellis.
The Ugly
For the fourth time in as many years, the San Jose Earthquakes will be out of the playoffs, unless they go on an improbable run while both the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders experience epic collapses. At this time last year, the Quakes were 11-11-7, good for 40 points and one point away from the playoffs. This year the Quakes are 7-9-13: 34 points and seven out points from sixth place. Rather than improving, the Quakes are regressing, which should mean the end of Dom Kinnear as the Quakes head coach as soon as a new general manager is signed.
Head Coach Dom Kinnear’s sub of midfielder Tommy Thompson for Alberto Quintero was a very questionable decision. With the majority of the attack coming from the right, Quintero was inexplicably called to an early exit. To make matters worse, the choice of sub was baffling. Midfielder Shea Salinas had been a spark-plug for the Quakes offense off the bench (four assists and a goal) while Thompson has yet to put up any goals or assists in his MLS career. Either Salinas was suffering an undisclosed injury (and judging by his warm-ups on the sideline, he wasn’t), or Dom was rolling the dice on an unproven player to be the difference maker in a 1-1 draw. Unfortunately the gambit failed and the Quakes capitulated the go-ahead goal shortly after the Quintero/Thompson sub.
The Quakes go on the road to face the Montreal Impact on Wednesday, September 28th. Game time at 7:30pm Eastern.
