A New Role for the Captain - Bay Area Sports Nation

Against the Timbers, Cristian Espinoza once more showed the league why he remains the Quakes’ star player. Dominating from the opening whistle, the Argentine carried the team to a resounding win.

With a few tweaks, Arena found a new role for the team’s heartbeat.

Since he arrived in San Jose, multiple coaches have attempted to get Espinoza to play the central attacking role. No manager figured out how to balance the team thus far, but recent moves highlight Arena’s willingness to try.

Playing Espinoza in a more central role requires plenty out of the player and the system. Espinoza tends to prefer drifting out wide, rather than cutting in to provide an additional threat. More of a traditional winger, the Argentine provides crosses and cutbacks rather than through balls.

The addition of Jones to the team, among others, gives the team more stability in Espinoza’s absence. A proper balance remains necessary to allow for the mercurial talent to play in the role envisioned by Arena. However, this leaves Hernan López as the odd man out as he returns to the squad.

Just one game means relatively nothing, but recent moves show that this choice may be permanent.

Outstanding circumstances make any implementation of this difficult, and it may not fully save this season.

One of the best wingers in the league, Espinoza changed this franchise the moment he joined in 2019. Despite his production, managers continue to try to get him to play in a more central role.

On his best days, the Argentine gives his team the ultimate outlet on the wing. Constantly creating for his teammates, too often, he becomes isolated as the only threat. The team’s over-reliance on the talented winger belies the deeper issue at the heart of the team.

Being isolated on the wing remains both a blessing and a curse for the team. It also explains why managers desperately try to fit him into that central role.

If Espinoza had played more like a modern winger, cutting in on his favorite foot to create opportunities and moving him under the strikers would have been easier. However, the Argentine provides more danger from wider passes on his right foot. Especially when partnered with a threatening striker, this unlocks a devastating side of the team.

When you move him under the strikers, the ability to impact the game changes completely. Rather than being able to create chances via crosses, Espinoza needs to play more like a midfielder. It means that he must act like a hub, like López does.

On Saturday, Espinoza looked great in this role for a multitude of reasons, but mainly because of the balance to his play. Crashing into the box for both his goals, he played well in the space opened up by both Arango and Bouda. Similarly, Espinoza operated well deeper by playing deep balls perfectly to DeJuan Jones.

By playing Espinoza more centrally, Arena needs to find a way to find a balance for Espinoza.

This requires the team to replicate the impact he has out wide in the space under the strikers.

In the past weeks, Arena made a surprising move. By trading for Jones, a clearer image of the manager’s vision comes to light.

Starting Espinoza at right back came both from a desire to get more out of the player and a necessity of the roster. The hope underlying the positional move was that Espinoza could produce more on the counter. It also promised to paper over a rather weak defensive roster makeup.

Having played almost every minute of every game, Arena depends on Espinoza, unlike almost any other player. By choosing not to move him to López’s role after the injury, it speaks to how weak the roster is at the right wingback position.

Theoretically, Nick Lima promised to be a good option, even if he’s limited on the attack. Over his previous stint in San Jose, the academy product projected a well-rounded game. However, his offensive regression turned him into a rotational center back.

These issues forced Arena’s hand, opting to trade for Jones in a sort of reclamation project. Having already worked with the USMNT player in New England, the manager understands the versatility Jones brings. While he sometimes struggles defensively, the wingback’s instincts mirror those of Espinoza.

Unfortunately for the Quakes’ most expensive transfer, this ultimately feels like he’s being left out of the plans. If Espinoza continues to succeed in the position, and Jones as well, where does López fit? The midfield continues to be solid, so perhaps Arena moves Espinoza back and Jones to the left wingback role, allowing López to return.

The roster makeup, both this season and in years past, barely allowed Espinoza a proper run in that more central role. However, Arena’s vision for Espinoza in this role potentially threatens the future of López.