As the Quakes continue their insane start to the season, a picture of the team and its needs is starting to emerge. Bruce Arena, to his credit, found a way to build a winning side with a roster no one expected to perform at this level.
To truly solidify themselves as one of the favorites for both the MLS Cup and the Supporters’ Shield, the team may benefit from bringing in reinforcements.
With the World Cup coming soon, MLS will take a break, giving Arena and his team a month to prepare for the second half. While the team deserves to be proud of what they’ve accomplished thus far, building out more depth would help.
Tim Howard may be ruing Timo Werner’s great start to life in MLS, but injuries have limited the German. When healthy, Werner fits the team so perfectly that he determines the ceiling of the Quakes. However, a number of injuries have seen his playing time vary drastically.
Credit: San Jose EarthquakesBy the end of the first month of play, Preston Judd established himself as the Quakes’ starting number nine. The Quakes’ most consistent scorer since Wondo deserves to keep his place, but bringing in another striker to rotate with him would benefit all. Should the former LA Galaxy man miss any time, it leaves the team without any other option up top.
The upcoming World Cup break presents a great opportunity for Arena to reflect on where the team is and where they can still go.
As well as the team continues to play, bringing in reinforcements may make the difference in the final months.
Coming into the season, Timo Werner’s form over the past few years concerned fans. After flopping upon his return to Leipzig and a further loan at Tottenham, his addition represented a risk.
Even US soccer media made their concerns felt, with Tim Howard going so far as to promise a tattoo should Werner overcome low expectations. Given where they ended last season, concerns over his success in MLS felt reasonable. After all, a struggling forward joined a team that looked likely to be a basement dweller once more.
Instead, Werner started producing for Arena’s side right away, with assists in all his first few games. Fitting in perfectly on the left wing, the manager gave Werner freedom to roam across the front line. In turn, this led to the Germans becoming the piece that will determine how far this team may go in the playoffs.
Despite the early return on investment, injuries have popped up for Werner. Missing a good part of the first month due to injuries, it’s clear that the club will have to monitor these issues.
Dejuan Jones’ injury plays a big role in the lack of depth on the left wing. His absence, along with Vítor Costa’s, means that Jamar Ricketts needs to play at left back. Jack Skahan emerged over the past few weeks as a decent option on the left, but he remains the team’s only solution there.
While with Sporting KC, Dániel Sallói tormented the Quakes, finding ways to play spoiler against the team. Sallói plays a very similar role to Werner, mirroring the German better than almost any other player in MLS. Targeting a player of his pedigree would give the team greater depth and more experience.
Werner exceeded expectations early on, but his injury history continues to concern the team.
Bringing in veteran depth on the left wing allows the team to navigate any potential time Werner misses.
Judd deserves plenty of credit for overcoming concerns over his potential as an MLS starting striker. With the talent lost at the position over the winter, Judd stepped up and became the forward that the team needed.
Already well on the path to getting over ten goals this season, the former LA Galaxy forward, like Werner, exceeded all expectations. Essentially playing a more refined version of Alan Gordon’s role, his presence helps his teammates more than anything. By being a physical forward, Judd draws the defense’s attention, which opens up the game for the rest of his team.
Miraculously, Judd has yet to run into an injury issue or a run of bad form. This, so far, means that Arena and the team have survived without another real option at the striker position.
Rather than continuing to operate with the notion that this is a sign of good fortune, the front office needs to be proactive. Even if Judd remains healthy and in good form, having another option up top would elevate the team’s ceiling. Having only one striker on the roster leaves the team with so little room on the margins.
Theoretically, Bouda seems like a good option to fill in for Judd, but his development into an impactful winger means more. Rather than his impacts coming from more central attacks, Bouda’s best role comes from cutting in on his favored foot. Yes, he proved over the past seasons that he could play well as a striker, but the team lacks anyone to help replace his impact on the right as well.
A few seasons ago, Duncan McGuire appeared ready to break through as the USMNT’s next striker. Injuries and competition reduced his role in recent seasons, making him a unique reclamation project for the Quakes. McGuire has already proven to be a decent MLS striker, which means he would fit Arena’s vision.
Fortunately for the Quakes, Judd’s emergence as a real MLS goal threat meant that they could kick the can down the road in terms of striker depth. However, this upcoming break presents a great opportunity for the team to give him some breathing room.
Given how well the team started the season, they are playing with house money. However, to truly become real competitors for the MLS Cup, they need to add depth.
With the team well alive in the Open Cup and challenging for the Supporters’ Shield, reinforcements are necessary to keep the magic alive.
