There were plenty of bright spots in the Earthquakes 4-0 win against Birmingham City on Tuesday, but Joey Gjertsen’s emergence was the most enticing.
Gjertsen showed the dynamic playmaking ability that made him an intriguing signing last offseason. Starting at right midfield, he scored, had an assist and was active on both ends of the field during a dominant Earthquakes performance.
After enduring his fair share of adversity in 2010, a season that ended in October with arthroscopic knee surgery, Gjertsen finally appears healthy.
“When I came into camp my knee was bothering me a little bit from the surgery last October, but I think I’m used to the workload now,” Gjertsen said. “I’m practicing every day now, and I’m not feeling the pain anymore.”
Gjertsen joined the Earthquakes from the Montreal Impact during the 2010 offseason. After coming off the bench in the Quakes MLS opener against Real Salt Lake, one week later he earned a start in Chicago. Gjertsen had a goal and an assist in his first four starts and was poised to be a key contributor for San Jose.
Two games later, Gjertsen strained his quad against Seattle Sounders FC. It was the beginning of what would be a trying final three months to his season.
The quad strain lingered even when he returned to San Jose’s lineup on July 10 against the Philadelphia Union. Gjertsen was in and out of the starting lineup thereafter and ultimately had season-ending surgery.
“Joey was playing great for us last preseason and a few games into the regular season,” Yallop said. “He never really recovered all year, but he looks like he’s back to being the old Joe, so I’m excited for him.”
A little under four weeks into preseason camp, the Tacoma, Wash. native continues to work on his fitness. If anything, all the time spent on San Jose’s injured list sparked a desire to make 2011 a breakout season.
Desire was an accurate descriptor of Gjertsen’s play on Tuesday. His assist was a perfectly placed cross to the near post and the goal was an absolute cracker. During first half stoppage time, Gjertsen took a pass and turned his man before immediately firing a shot from 25 yards out that found the top-left corner of the net.
Off the stat sheet, Gjertsen was the most creative player on the field and his engine never seemed to idle. Late in the match, the small-statured midfielder even won a header against a Blues center back, flicking the ball ahead to a teammate in space.
Having played a full 90 minutes, Gjertsen expects to rest up during Wednesday’s reserve game against Colchester United. On Thursday, he will return to the lineup against Leicester City in San Jose’s final match of the trip.
“A big win to open the trip definitely helps the team’s confidence, but now we need to close things out with a quality performance on Thursday,” Gjertsen said.
