The Bright Side
- The Earthquakes aren't at the bottom of the table, and they don't have the lowest points per game average in the league (HOORAY for Montreal and Colorado!).
- There are 22 matches left to rectify the season. It's not going to be a Western Championship type season, nor a Supporters' Shield type season, but there is still plenty of time for the Quakes to throw themselves into the mix. As it stands right now, San Jose is only eight points below the playoff line. Juxtaposed against the Earthquakes' home-heavy second half of the season, a run for the playoffs doesn't seem entirely out of the question. Yes, right now it looks a bit unlikely, but it's not even June.
- Summer is starting, the World Cup will soon be starting, and rosters will be impacted. The Earthquakes will feel the absence of Anibal Godoy and Harold Cummings, but they won't be the only club that loses impact players. This will be a big opportunity for the Quakes to make a move in the standings and show off the depth we speculated this team had at the start of the season.
The Not So Bright Side
- Anibal Godoy is away with Panama because of the World Cup. Be careful what you wish for, folks. There has been much criticism of Godoy as of late, but I remember what the Quakes midfield looked like before Godoy, and I also appreciate what Godoy does to impact the game away from the ball. Hopefully, those that fill in for Godoy in the midfield will do a great job, but sometimes it takes a player to not be on the field to truly realize the full gravity of what they do.
- Harold Cummings is also away with Panama. He's rounded into form quite nicely as the season has continued, and just when the back line had their best game of the season (the 1-0 loss in LA against the Galaxy), now it gets jumbled again. Yes, Florian Jungwirth is quite capable in the CB role, and JImmy Ockford has been a pleasant surprise, but at this point, Harold Cummings paired with _ has been the best back line up to this point.
The Hazy Middle
- Yeah, I don't have the answers at this point, guys. This is not the way I expected the first third of the season to go, but I also don't expect it to continue this way. The way I see it, there is just simply too much talent for the team to continue to underperform. This happens in sports, and the Quakes are not the first team to fall victim to this. Honestly, if I was a Seattle fan, regardless of how they are perceived as a second half team, I would be much more worried about them than the Earthquakes.
- It can really only go up from here. When the veterans of this squad spoke about the talent level on this team at the start of the season, it was in reference to how it was the most talented squad they had ever seen in San Jose. That statement still rings true, it's just a matter of it all coming together on the pitch.
