The Tweet and Lowdown
Can Chris Wondolowski carry @sjearthquakes back into the postseason? Or will defenses finally shut down the 2010 Golden Boot winner?
Setting the Scene
After two post-expansion years of minimal success, the Earthquakes caught fire at either end of the 2010 season. San Jose opened the year on a 5-2-1 tear, putting them on pace for their first MLS Cup Playoffs appearance since being re-founded in 2008. They closed the year out 7-4-2 to clinch the No. 8 spot, then continued their run with a 3-2 aggregate win – featuring three road goals – to knock New York out in the first round of the playoffs.
The team set a franchise record with 13 shutouts last season, and kept its back line fully intact. But a quartet of offensive-minded players were let go – Arturo Alvarez in the Expansion Draft; Cornell Glen, Eduardo and Geovanni, the team’s first Designed Player, via declined options.
That leaves questions as to who will pick up the slack alongside 18-goal scorer Chris Wondolowski. Target forward Steven Lenhart was acquired via draft-day trade from Columbus to help address that need.
[inlinenode:322598]The team solved its logjam in goal by exposing Joe Cannon, supplanted during the season by newcomer Jon Busch, in the Expansion Draft, where Vancouver scooped him up.
Key changes
Players in: Anthony Ampaipitakwong (Univ. of Akron), David Bingham (Univ. of California), Simon Dawkins (Tottenham Hotspur, loan), Steven Lenhart (Columbus)
Players out: Arturo Alvarez (Real Salt Lake), Joe Cannon (Vancouver), Eduardo (option declined), Geovanni (option declined), Cornell Glen (option declined)
Star Attraction: Chris Wondolowski
The team’s revival last year started with the introduction of Wondolowski, who arrived from Houston in June 2009 in exchange for Cam Weaver. Wondo couldn’t crack coach Yallop’s lineup initially, but as so many chances fell by the boards, the Bay Area native – who was originally drafted by the first MLS Quakes side and moved with them to Houston in 2006 – seized on his opportunity.
Amazingly, opponents never seemed to be able to account for Wondolowski, who bagged almost all of his goals with clinical one-touch finishing. Though it’s unlikely Wondo will match that scoring total, it’s reasonable to think he can reach double digits while drawing attention away from other potential scorers.
Unsung Hero: Sam Cronin
The Atlanta native arrived in San Jose midway through 2010, having been bounced from position to position in Toronto before finally landing in first-year coach Preki’s doghouse. With Brandon McDonald needed in central defense because of injuries, Cronin seamlessly stepped in as the Quakes’ holding midfielder and gave San Jose smooth distribution while cleaning up any messes left behind by the back line.
As Yallop tries to recast his team in a more attacking vein, more pressure will be placed on Cronin as the link between that dynamic midfield and a stout defense.
[inlinenode:327691]Ready for Primetime: Ike Opara
McDonald and Jason Hernandez formed a potent partnership in central defense for the Quakes at the end of last season, but it’s hard to see how Opara – fully recovered from the broken foot that cut short an impressive rookie season – will be kept out of the lineup long-term.
Opara is undoubtedly raw, but his height – which led to three goals off set pieces in 2010 – and recovery speed are unmatched among San Jose defenders. Depending on how injuries break, the Quakes might ponder a trade from their center-back pool, especially if they need added scoring punch.
Storylines to watch
All eyes will be on Wondolowski, but Yallop is aiming to mask him by playing his star in the middle of a tweaked 4-3-3 formation. Wondo will be half of a central midfield pair playing behind a lone striker, and the team and its star both believe he can still wiggle free to find open space – where his one-touch finishing prowess is practically unstoppable – even though there will be more defenders buzzing around him in the center of the park.
Yallop has plenty of offensive talents to mix and match, but the key figure may be Lenhart, whose bruising style and back-to-goal abilities cannot easily be replicated by anyone else on the roster. Unfortunately, Lenhart will miss at least one game – and maybe more – after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on March 3 to repair a slight tear in the meniscus of his right knee.
What He Said
“Look at last year: We were one step away from going to a Cup [final]. Nobody gave us that chance at the beginning of the year, and probably even halfway through the season. We now believe. I think that’s the biggest thing we came away with from last year, is the belief that we can do it.”
– Goalkeeper Jon Busch
If Everything Goes Right
The Quakes see themselves as potential MLS Cup finalists, but the path to get there is laden with obstacles. If Wondolowski continues to find the back of the net at a frenetic pace, even as defenses heighten their coverage of him, if the 34-year-old Busch stays healthy for the entire season and if Bobby Convey, rejuvenated in 2010, continues his renaissance on the left wing, the Quakes could surpass last season’s sixth-place finish in the Western Conference.
But it’s still hard to see them getting past LA, Real Salt Lake or Dallas in the regular-season standings.
