As the MLS Cup playoffs near their end, another offseason of rebuilding awaits the Quakes. With a number of departures from the front office looming, next season’s team promises to look different. A tornado of changes appears to be in the cards for the Quakes, but will it make the team more stable? Another key player, Cristian Arango, finds himself …
In perhaps their best game of the season, the Quakes traveled down to San Diego to deny them the Supporters’ Shield. Despite some changes across the team, everyone played almost perfectly to grab an impressive win. For as good as the performance felt, the inability to string consistent play marred the team. Among all the aspects of an organization, analyzing …
After seeing their past two projects fall apart, the front office opted to change its strategy completely. Going from a movement based around building the next era of the Quakes through the academy to one focused solely on the playoffs was quite the shift. From the managerial choice down to the transfers and trades, their strategy determined the team’s season. …
Last year’s offseason revolved around finding the correct manager to lead another Quakes project. Having settled for Arena, every aspect of the club’s policies centered around a playoff appearance. With the team missing out for yet another season, where do they go from here? Arena’s appointment signaled a desperate attempt from the front office to find some sort of stability. …
In previous seasons, the right side of the Quakes powered their offense. Throughout this season, the threat posed by this side continues to produce. However, just as in previous seasons, the left side lags behind. When the season started, Arena played a more traditional 3-5-2 with a striker partnership of Chicho Arango and Josef Martínez. However, the manager quickly shifted …
Powering them to an impressive start, the Quakes’ offense looked ready to push this team into a playoff spot. Led by the triad of Arango, Espinoza, and Martínez, Arena tapped into a veteran-led attack. The manager’s decision to build his team around that trio paid off in the beginning, but has slowly started to lose momentum. While defensive concerns remain …
With only two wins in the past two months, in MLS play, the Quakes have plateaued. Struggling with both inconsistent play and absences, the Quakes continue to fall down the standings. As the season nears its end, the pressure continues to mount to return this team to a playoff-caliber one. Against Minnesota United, the Quakes played one of their most …
When the Quakes selected Bruce Arena as their new manager, it was clear that there was a singular goal. Rather than being brought in to lead a project, the American managerial icon came to restore a sense of competency. Now, halfway through the season, the seeds of his work are beginning to show. Arena arrived in San Jose after a …
With another good result this week, the Quakes continue their slow climb back to a playoff spot. Additionally, Arena stumbled on what might be this team’s best lineup without López. As the Argentine nears his return, the Quakes did well not to fall out of the playoff range completely. Last week saw the first real success of the Espinoza at …
With the Quakes finding themselves in the play-in range so far, the team’s potential seems to be in that range. One of the changes made by Bruce Arena coming into this season was moving towards a new formation. To raise their ceiling, the team will need to understand the factors hindering the use of the system. After leaving Los Angeles …
