I do take umbrage with the idea that Wondolowski was "benched" for last week's match against Houston. "Benched" means you're not going to play, at least where I come from. In this match, Wondo was used off the bench, something not totally unprecedented in his career, but something that was a departure from the norm as of late. I know that social media, Quakes fans, and pundits everywhere were immediately polarized by the move, but I want to point out something else that has more to do with Mikael Stahre than it does Chris Wondolowski, and that is: not all coaching in tactical. Sometimes, there are psychological plays at work, as every good coach will tell you. Sometimes when a team is off to a disappointing start (as the Quakes are and or were heading into that Houston match) you have to do something to shake things up, make the guys uncomfortable, and let them know that no one's spot is safe. There is no more noticeable card to play than removing Wondo from the starting eleven. Now, I have no idea if this was the intent of the move, or if it was indeed a tactical move, but I'm inclined to believe it was a little of both. The day saw Yueill and Alashe move into the starting lineup, saw Flo move to right back, and had to adjust overall to accommodate the red card induced absence of Harold Cummings. Cummings has a chance of being on the Panamanian team headed to the World Cup, so I am sure Stahre didn't mind the dress rehearsal of having to plan for life without Harold. Regardless, I personally don't think the move only had to do with Wondo, I think it had to do with the entire team.
Wondo's absence on the XI
The Houston defense shut down Vako, and Hoesen had, by far, his worst game of the season, and maybe as a Quake. I think that was directly a result of Wondo not being out there. Wondo makes defenders very nervous. Not being aware of Wondo is a recipe for disaster, so the entirety of a backline, and defensive midfielders constantly have to keep an eye on, or out for, Wondo. His movement is uniquely deceptive and odd, and he occupies space in ways that creates opportunities for others. That said, Wondo's absence or presence had nothing to do with a giveaway from Quintana that led to a goal for Houston. His absence was felt, but it was not the only takeaway from that match.
Hyka
Jahmir Hyka is a joy to watch. He is not always the most physical player, and due to his relatively diminutive stature, he can get pushed off the ball, but he is most definitely clutch. He had late goals against Dallas last year, and all year long had big moments, big passes, big mental fortitude on the pitch that always allows him to make an impact. I really enjoy watching Hyka play, and didn't realize how much I'd missed his game until he came on to the pitch for the first time this past weekend against Houston. Of course he came through with a late equalizer that salvaged a point for San Jose, one year to the day he did it to Dallas. The Albanian Messi, Hykachu, Jahmir, whatever you want to call him, has a penchant for the moment, and it showed again on Saturday.
Orlando on our minds
The last time the Quakes were in Orlando, it was a week after the horrific Pulse Nightclub shooting, where 49 innocent people were shot and killed by a mad man. The match was the first big event to happen in Orlando after the tragic event. The community was still in morning, but obviously emboldened to show their resolve and did so beautifully in the wake of senseless tragedy. The pregame was full of tributes to the first responders, survivors, family members, and those impacted by the massacre. The match itself paused 49 minutes into the match for 49 seconds of silence to honor those that were murdered. A powerful reminder in the midst of a match that sometimes the distraction of sports can and should be used for the greater purpose of humanity. Next to the hotel we were staying in was a vigil, crowded with swarms of people, sharing pictures, lighting candles, sharing grief. As I walked over to take in the scene, I realized how much of an intruder I felt I was, that I had no place to try and witness these displays of emotion and pain. This was not a natural disaster that had struck the community; it was an act of unadulterated violence of which the community hadn't really even begun to heal from, rather at that point they had stopped the bleeding. I walked away from that experience with a tremendous amount of love and respect for Orlando, and a hope that no community would ever have to go through that again. I was, obviously, and sadly, very incorrect.
Orlando City SC
The Lions are back in fine form after a slow start. The offseason darlings of pundits everywhere are healthy(ish), and have a hot Dom Dwyer leading the charge, a potent rookie on the wing in Chris Mueller, Sascha Kljestan anchoring the midfield, and a backline that seems to be finding their footing. For the Quakes, they've been able to score first in each of the last three games, but have not been able to walk away with three points. Considering San Jose hasn't had many breaks go their way, I think its time for that to happen, but that's totally dependent on getting that second goal. If they can score first vs NYCFC, Philly, and Houston, there's no reason they can't do it against Orlando, a team that is good for the moment, no doubt, but presents a lesser challenge than NYCFC at Avaya, or Sporting Kansas City on the road. That's not to underestimate Orlando, but Orlando, like San Jose, is still a team working to find their identity, and up to this point, are ahead of where the Quakes. It's time for SJ to play catch-up.
