Mild Earthquakes Visit RFK

Mike Martin

June 20, 2008

Clyde Simms celebrates his first goal of 2008

Clyde Simms celebrates his first goal of 2008
Photo: Martin Fernandez

For the first time since 2005, the San Jose Earthquakes rumble into RFK stadium, but while they inherited the Quakes old records and two MLS Cups, they are hardly as fearsome as their forebears, and DC United will be looking to shut them out to continue their march up the table.

Washington D.C., The expansion Earthquakes coached by former DC assistant coach Frank Yallop and with former DC defender Eric Denton, venture into RFK for the first time since the team was re-created this season. But like most expansion teams, the Quakes have struggled in their first season, and on top of that are reeling a bit lately from injuries and absences.

To date, San Jose has the worst offense and worst record in the league with only 10 points in 11 games having scored only scored 9 goals. Further hampering their offense is the loss of top forward Kei Kamara to Sierra Leone for African World Cup qualifiers, backup Gavin Glinton has a sprained ankle, and recently added reinforcements, Jean Philipe Peguero and Jovan Kirovski are both injured as well, Peguero for the season.

But, considering DC has the worst defense in the league, the prospect of facing the worst offense means something has got to give. Despite its recent unbeaten streak, United is still the only team in MLS without a shutout and has leaked an incredible 24 goals in 13 games. Even LA and their hideous defense is three goals better than that.

Conversely, San Jose’s defense can be pretty tough to score on especially when they hunker back like they did in Salt Lake Wednesday night in where they managed to be the first team all year to shut out RSL at home, where the Royals are they are undefeated this season. San Jose has even weathered injuries to their two best defenders, Nick Garcia and Ryan Cochrane recently, but while those two are likely to hobble out and play, the fastest defender on their team, Jason Hernandez won’t due to a red card against RSL.

But, United will be missing a key player too as Santino Quaranta is suspended due to yellow card accumulation, even though they get back Marcelo Gallardo and Bryan Namoff who sat out the NY win due to suspension. Still, replacing Quaranta on the right may be a bit tricky as United is thin at the wing positions and Quaranta’s offensive spark has been crucial to United’s recent success.

Devon McTavish played there prior to Quaranta seizing the position, but McT is playing so well in central defense alongside Peralta, it might be dicey to disrupt that partnership. Rod Dyachenko played wide in the NY game after switching with Fred, but is not particularly suited to the position. Dominic Mediate might play there as well, but has spent so much time covering in the defense lately, that he might not be the perfect fit either.

I have a suspicion that Fred will play the right and Burch the left which also has the added bonus of getting Fred away from Ronnie O’Brien’s side where he might have to track back too much, while at the same time putting the bigger and more physically intimidating Burch on that side to help slow down SJ’s main midfield threat as O’Brien’s propensity to crumble against physical play is well known. See Kovalenko, Dema as a reference to that. But, Burch on the left side also means the defense will be able to play their first choice lineup with Namoff on the right, McT, Peralta, and Martinez on the left.

So looking at the matchups, defensively United has the size and speed in center backs to easily contain the dynamic Ryan Johnson and whatever other skell Yallop puts up there to partner with him. O’Brien should be neutralized by Martinez, Guerrero contained by Namoff, and Gallardo and Simms easily outclass Grabavoy and Corrales in the center of the field. Seriously, unless it’s just one of those fluky days or United gifts them a goal, it seems impossible that San Jose will find the back of the net.

Offensively for DC, things look pretty rosy as well. Fred against Denton, Jaime and Emilio against the hobbled Garcia and Cochrane, even Burch against Riley has a nice ring to it. With Gallardo back and the team firing on almost all cylinders offensively, you gotta think a DC team that could hang 4 goals on NY’s stingy defense, can find a way to hang a couple on a weakened SJ expansion team.

So, there you have it. On paper, DC wins in a canter. Unfortunately, MLS doesn’t seem to go by the book all that often. United has to be very cautious about being overconfident. San Jose shutout RSL at home with only ten men for over 45 minutes. Yallop is easily the most imaginative defensive coach in the league and can develop a plan to shut out anybody if the players do their jobs, and Cannon has a blinder.

Plus, DC still hasn’t shaken a penchant for giving up bad goals on high school mistakes. If San Jose comes in and frustrates DC long enough, then a breakdown is certainly possible. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if San Jose scores first considering the weapons in DC’s arsenal, but mentally it’s likely DC will have a tough time digging themselves out of such a hole against the worst team in the league.

Still, soccer gods willing, United puts an end to the defensive mistakes and pulls out their first shutout win of the year. That will do Wells and the defense a world of good going into the LA match against the scariest offense in the league next Sunday.

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