Latest / Tectonic Takes / Episode 171: Depth Check

Transcript

Episode 171: Depth Check · Tectonic Takes

• speaker-0: What's up Quakes fans? We are back after two unfortunate losses, both of them three two, one was to Seattle in Seattle and one was at home against F C Dallas. ⁓ Devin, obviously two disappointing results. ⁓ what do you think that they mean for the the season going forward? ⁓ speaker-1: ⁓ I think it was a little metaphorical for what just happened right now. I thought I had a spider on my finger, so I was looking down to see if there was a spider on my finger. ⁓ but I was also brushing away the cobwebs and I feel like that's a little metaphorical in terms of how the Quakes are doing right now because, you know, in in one match week we've it's we've seen two losses, both results ending up in three two. ⁓ it's not the most disappointing result, ⁓ personally, because both games were quite entertaining, to be honest. ⁓ I know there's a lot of ⁓ hounding at the refs. ⁓ but at the same time the earthquakes need to put the ball on the net to to win games and ⁓ they need to keep the ball out of the net to win games. So ⁓ on that front, yeah, disappointing to see both losses, but at least it was an entertaining game for me. What are your thoughts, Abraham? speaker-0: Yeah, I mean there is still a lot of positives to take from both matches. We didn't look bad. We weren't like dominated. You look at the stats at the ⁓ Seattle game and you're like, okay, well they were dominated in that game. And well I'll I'll say that yeah, we were defending a lot. You know, it wasn't our best game. ⁓ we were still able to score two goals and, you know, we still played pretty well. it was just unfortunate what happened and ⁓ some calls by the ref didn't really help us and ⁓ you know, games are gonna happen like this. ⁓ I'm I'm not personally too worried and I think that it's pretty, you know, befitting of a team that's been like running on fumes, that's been doing so well for so long, ⁓ this season, ⁓ is gonna have ⁓ games where, you know, missing f two of their best players, three if you can't do on Yeah, maybe we'll lose a few, right? ⁓ speaking of positives, I I wanna give a quick shout out to ⁓ Mario who approached me at the Quees game ⁓ two days ago now. Yeah, on on Saturday. ⁓ shout out to you and and he he said he appe ⁓ he likes our content, so ⁓ appreciate that. but that was you know he he asked me ⁓ how Bruce is feeling about ⁓ 'Cause after the press conferences when I ran into him, he asked me how Bruce is feeling and I'm like, Not good. You know, he he's not in a good mood after that. And, you know, he was a little bit surprised, but like, yeah, this was a better ⁓ Bruce than we saw versus ⁓ Seattle. After Seattle he was extremely distraught. ⁓ Devon, you got to ask him a question. ⁓ and I'll also point out, ⁓ in the press conference ⁓ after the Seattle game the the quick communications officer so said to us, ⁓ one of you can talk to Nick, one of you can talk to Bruce, but we're gonna keep it to one per. And I was like, I'll talk to Nick, because Bruce cannot be in a great mood after the antics that just happened on the field where ⁓ Zarakin was given a a red card. ⁓ he looked pissed on the field and so I was like, Devin, you you got this one. You could ⁓ y you could ⁓ take the bun of this. ⁓ also 'cause I had questions for Nick and you had ⁓ you had stated on the Discord that you had questions for Bruce. So that's why I let you have that one. speaker-1: Yeah, I think in terms of rapport as well, I think Bruce and I connect a little better, unfortunately, than than you and Bruce, and it was good to have me ask that question. But I had asked Bruce what it was like, you know, to to walk into the to the locker room at halftime one to one, despite the overwhelming performance that that Seattle, you know, put forth on us and and he kinda gave a surprising answer and he's like, It wasn't actually that bad of of a performance. I we I thought we had played well, we moved the ball well, but I'm like, in what possession sense did you Do think we move the ball well if we barely had the ball? speaker-0: Yeah, I think ⁓ y you had ⁓ added the caveat of it being like the second team. ⁓ like barely any of our starters were on the pitch at that time. And ⁓ I think, you know, considering that it makes a little bit more sense. Our midfield that is usually very dominant, we didn't have those guys and I think there needs to be a conversation about Ian Harks. 'Cause I do like him, right? But the Ian Herks that we saw last year was a lot more capable, a lot more calm on the ball, and able to do more, I feel like, ⁓ than than this year the Ian Harks. I don't know what it is, but he's not the same guy. ⁓ do you have speaker-1: He's a little more frantic this season than he was last season. I feel like last season he was composed, like he had just brought himself into a new role and he's trying to understand what Bruce really wants out of this team specifically and now he is more comfortable. It's almost like he's just he's overdone it. Do you get the same feeling? speaker-0: Yeah, I don't know if it's that he's like not happy that he's not the first name on the the team sheet to go in the midfield. ⁓ and I can understand that, but I don't think I don't know 'cause i I don't get the sense that he's like trying to overperform. It's just like he looks shaky. He looks like he had like, you know, two Red Bulls before the match and is like, you know, freaking out. Maybe he doesn't want to mess up. You know, I I can't really figure out what his psychology is. He didn't look super comfortable when we spoke to him like last month or or maybe two months ago at this point on at ⁓ media availability. ⁓ I'm sure you remember that, Devin, but he he he he was very nice. He he's a great guy, but he didn't look ⁓ like the smooth, calm collected Ian Harks that we've come to know. ⁓ and I think that that also ⁓ is showing itself on the pitch. I don't know if if you agree with that. speaker-1: Yeah, for the most part I agree. I actually see a lot of cracks in Ian Harks' game and that you know, maybe maybe Fatherhood is not like catching up to him or anything, but it's it's keeping up yeah, exactly. No sleep Yeah, it might be on three Red Bulls, yeah. speaker-0: He is on two Red Bulls. Yeah. We we we know a a new father in in ⁓ Shadow Hamine in the Discord, ⁓ one of the the ⁓ tectonic patrons, ⁓ he is struggling with sleep. ⁓ and now I think of it, yeah, Ian Harks is also has a new baby and and I'm sure that that that you know is is affect affecting his sleep affects his body, affects everything. I'm I'm I can't believe we didn't ⁓ consider that until now, ⁓ Devin. ⁓ do you have more to say? speaker-1: No, I think we'd we'd basically covered that. I I I genuinely think fatherhood is a is a pretty big factor for the not uncomfortable levels that we see with Ian, but just more of trying to find his rhythm and groove again. I just as like a a person, you know, just ad adapting to something completely new. ⁓ and I know fatherhood and and motherhood as well takes a huge toll out of, you know, everyone's everyday life. Like when when you plan to have a baby You gotta make sure that you're ready for it 'cause it it it's not like it hits you hard, but there's a lot of things you gotta do to be a good parent and I I know Ian a hundred percent is a good parent, but ⁓ I'm sure it you know it it takes somewhat of a percentage out of your your professional life. speaker-0: Yeah, a hundred percent. ⁓ so whatever that is, I hope that we can see the old Ian Herc soon. I don't think it's like something where we shouldn't have him in the team. I do think that he is like behind ⁓ Bo and Vieira, he is the next best option. ⁓ so yeah, definitely wanna keep seeing him, but there is been like for me there's just that that question of like what's wrong with Ian. But ⁓ glad we we're on the same page there. It's not just me ⁓ being crazy. ⁓ speaking to midfielders who ⁓ I feel were a little bit shaken. ⁓ Bo LaRue he had a ⁓ a decent game in the first half especially. ⁓ he looked okay and then he scored a banger. ⁓ and then he looked really good and then he missed a penalty and then wasn't the same for the rest of the match. ⁓ does that mirror your your analysis at all? speaker-1: Yeah, I think ⁓ that mirrors almost exactly kinda what I'm thinking about with with Bo's game. ⁓ Ivan th shout out Ivan. He ⁓ wrote a lot of notes throughout the game and he sent it to us through email, so I'm kinda skimming through that. But yeah, I mean first of all, Bo's game First goal should be goal of the year for the Earthquakes. I don't think we're gonna see a better goal out of any of our players than Boluru. And and again, yet like Bo just scores banger after banger. I don't think Bo will score a nonchalant goal. He just only scores bangers. And that's why So yeah, the penalty was too easy. He didn't want the penalty. ⁓ But no, on on a serious note, I think Bo had a a better than average game, but We didn't see him defend the way that we're used to seeing him defend. Obviously because he's playing a new role, he's playing the ten. We're used to seeing him play the box to box eight and he's he's he's sat back more, ⁓ in his natural position where he's able to intercept passes, ⁓ tackle players off the ball, win the ball, win possession. He didn't really get a chance to do that d do that at the ten. and plus his pace as well, ⁓ I think kinda slowed him down. ⁓ at least at the the the cam. ⁓ y you see a little faster pace out of Nico, closer dribbling, easier to find space. I think it was an awkward position for Bo. And I I I Abram, you had talked about it many times in in earlier episodes. You know, we had gone back and forth about whether or not Bo should be could be a backup 10 or not. And I think this kind of solidifies both of our opinions that you know maybe Bo isn't the best option at the 10. Maybe Nick Fernandez is better than Bo at the at the ten. ⁓ and this is me thinking out loud, we haven't had this discussion yet, but I I think in terms of who the next best thing is at the ten, apart from Nico being injured, might actually be Nick Fernandez, because I would greatly prefer Bo as a box to box eight over Ian Harks, leave Vere Vieira at the six, ⁓ and that way, you know, the play will flow much smoother. ⁓ and then everyone's roles is kinda just how it is and how it was for you know the start of the season. speaker-0: Yeah, ⁓ I will say that like it's not the worst he's not the worst ten in in the league. Like I think a worst option would'd be like put ⁓ Montali at at a ten. Like the the fourth string goalkeeper. You know, th we're not saying that Bo was bad at the ten. It's just it was clear that that's not his natural position. He actually, you know, played very good for a good portion of the match. you know, I think that there is a lot of skills that that ⁓ translate between an eight and a ten, but not all of them. I think that if you aren't super familiar with soccer, you might think that like I don't know, Devin, maybe maybe I'm going crazy, maybe I'm being elitist. But there are tendencies that a player in a natural position will have that will make it hard to adjust to other positions if they're not playing there super often or even recently. Like you can lose ⁓ tendencies that make you like a better ⁓ ten ⁓ if you're playing eight too often. Like you just it your your mindset has to change. Like Bo is used to getting the ball and having the whole field in front of him as opposed to getting the ball in the pocket and then already having to know what to do. And then y like you said, Devin, the ⁓ the quick twitch like movements that that a ten has, like a natural ten, isn't really what we're accustomed ⁓ to seeing from Bo. Not that he doesn't have good dribbling, but it it's in a different context. And and that's the thing that makes the difference. Is that why Bo looks awkward as a 10 versus ⁓ somebody like Nick Fernandez who is a natural to that position. He'll just do those things naturally. Now, can Fernandez launch a volley from outside the box ⁓ first time into the top corner? Maybe I never seen him do it though. ⁓ You know, I'm not gonna say that he is not capable of doing that. I'd love to see him do it, but Bo can. ⁓ so like there there are things that Bo can do very well. He he's good at passing with both feet, he can shoot from outside the box. That's those are things that make him, you know, a suitable candidate for a ten, but just not ⁓ the best overall natural fit. ⁓ and so I made a video ⁓ last week and both Bo Luru and Buddha saw it where I was saying that they might not be the best at the ten position. and I obviously it's a short video and so I couldn't like explain all the things that I'm explaining to you now. They are very good players. Buddha is an amazing winger. Bo is an amazing ⁓ eight. But I couldn't say that in the short video, so they're watching it and they're like, ⁓ Abram thinks I'm not good at the ten. speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: And and they didn't do the worst job in the world, but like Nick is the the natural ten. ⁓ he's not like better than any of them, like in overall ⁓ but it's just like as it that's his position, right? I think speaker-1: I think what essentially you're trying to get to here is is they're at their players have certain attributes that will allow them to perform better at certain positions than other players. And Nick Fernandez and Nico Sakaris both have attributes of agility, close dribbling, distribution that are better suited for that camp spot than Boluru has and Osani Buddha. speaker-0: Well so yes, that that is ⁓ essentially what I'm saying, but there's also just mental things that like you have habits as a player. Like say say you're you're ⁓ an attacking fullback versus a full out winger. You you attack different. You you receive the ball differently. And just those key differences are very subtle, but they do affect things in the way that ⁓ the the amount of time between you receiving the ball and and you know being on the attack. It just just those very small things do affect the game at the highest level and that's why they're playing. ⁓ but you know, i in a pinch, Buddha could be a really good eight b ⁓ ten, sorry, because he has close dribbling, he he's, you know, very nimble and can find combinations and stuff. C can shoot from outside of the box. But his it it's just that he's used to playing winger and so he's better at winger. ⁓ you know, he he'd want to receive the ball ⁓ naturally and in a wider position rather than in the pocket where it's like when Nico receives the ball, there's somebody on him right away and he knows that he's always like receiving the ball as if he's going to be, you know, attacked right away. Whereas when you receive it on the wing, you kinda have time to size up your man differently. And it's a whole different dynamic. And if you've played the game at a at a competitive level, not saying I played like a super high level, but at a competitive level you you understand these things. And I'm just trying to relay that information. Because like I I do think these are great players, but the ten is a really hard position to be naturally good at. speaker-1: It is a it is a comfort zone thing too, 'cause I I had played, you know, I as I had said in the interview with Tom Alan, I had played with Dienza Force for quite some time and and you know, to play at that high level you have to know what your comfort level is at certain positions and and know what you're good at, what you can bring to the table, w you know, and maybe what what weaknesses you have that maybe you shouldn't put yourself in certain positions. Like I would never be a center pack. I'm not that tall, I'm not that strong. I mean, I am tall, I'm German, but I I'm not that strong, so I'd get beat off the ball. Yeah. speaker-0: It's Here's the example. Okay. So Devin is very fast. ⁓ Devin is left footed. ⁓ and Devin is pretty tall, like six one around there. The the physical attributes that you have, Devin, you if if somebody doesn't know like what you what what position you like to play, they might put you at a center back. And you wouldn't do the worst job because you can catch most people. You are taller than most people, and so that's center backs do that. But Because you are comfortable playing as more of a a forward or an attacker, you are better at that, right? It's not it's not a like it's not that you cannot ever play center back, it's just that you're more suited and more effective in your natural position just because that's what you know how to do. You know what I'm saying? speaker-1: Yep, I'm like the Danny the the Daniel Mole of ⁓ Update Rolling Takes. speaker-0: Yeah. I if if I'm the striker, which I'm I'm not very fast anymore, I'm not getting past you as if you're playing the center back just because you're gonna catch me. But that doesn't mean that like in every situation that you'd be the best, you know, center back in the world. So it's I mean my dad and I are always just talking about like the the little nuanced thing that that like it's hard to see if you don't know. And and I'm trying to bring more of that. My dad's really gonna like this episode. We talk about he calls it tendencies and and we talk about it for hours on end. And ⁓ so that that's what I thought about when when I thought of ⁓ Bolaroo and and Buddha being very good attacking players, just not necessarily being a hundred percent suited to the ten. But I think we've pretty much exhausted this point. I I I like Nick Fernandez and what he brought To the team, he got a goal, his first MLS goal, ⁓ against Seattle. ⁓ speaker-1: And it was his first MLS start. speaker-0: Exactly. I wanted to talk about Nani. I we're talking about Nick, but I actually wanted to talk about Nani where he he got that assist and it was great for him to read that that play, win that ball, and then pass it over to to Nick Fernandez, who was in a better position to shoot. Within like the first two minutes, right? Like super early on. For the rest of the game, I didn't think that he was very he wasn't getting involved enough. ⁓ I didn't and when he got on the ball, he didn't make the right pass for me. ⁓ Like it wasn't a great game for him again. and I'm sure that he could get better as time goes on, but this wasn't this was the first time we saw him play like a a a good amount and it wasn't, you know for me I I was disappointed in his performance. What do you think, Devin? speaker-1: ⁓ yeah I I I'm still under the impression that Nani needs to be used in a better advantageous way to his attributes. He's tall, he should be given crosses. ⁓ let him stay in the box, you know. Th put him put him like a wando. Just give him all the one touch opportunities he can get and I'm I'm sure he'll put many of them away. But if you keep giving him the ball to his feet and his back's towards goal, then he's not gonna do anything for you. ⁓ and I know his hold up play is is better than average, but it's still, in my opinion, not that great because a lot of the defenders seem to strip him away from the ball, not even the ball away from him. ⁓ so in that sense I am dis I like I disapprove of the way we handle Nani, but you know, it it's good to see him press high in the first two minutes of that game. play it back to to Nick Fernandez and get that goal. And it's funny 'cause on the the momentum chart that we see here ⁓ against Seattle, there's no momentum in the first two minutes of the game. Like that's that's how quick the earthquakes took to to get that first goal. Yeah. ⁓ and that's that's what we're used to seeing for the earthquakes. We're used to seeing those those quick ⁓ introductory goals to give them the momentum for the rest of the game. ⁓ it's unfortunate that, you know The rest of the game, Seattle had momentum, so we didn't really see much of Nani as well, be just because of the fact that they held onto possession for so long. ⁓ and a lot of the opportunities and and we'll go back to Nani in a second, but this is just off the top of my head. The earthquakes kept trying to play the ball out to our left hand side through the wings, and none of our players seemed to to catch up onto those long balls. It just kept getting like ⁓ every pass kept getting overturned back to Seattle, and then Seattle just does what Seattle does best and maintains possession all the way from back to front and just generates another opportunity that either Daniel saved or was blocked by a a Quakes player. ⁓ so it was just really annoying to see that our attempt at strategy ⁓ was just long through balls through the wits because then again that just takes Nani out of the question. Do you have any extra thoughts on that? speaker-0: Yeah. I mean, I think that ⁓ Nani isn't Preston Judd in that, you know, they're both big guys, but Judd is different in that he is able to and much more willing to run onto those balls in behind and actually, you know, be a threat in that way. Nani I would say ⁓ isn't really that he he's not the slowest player I've ever seen, but he's not very fast. ⁓ You know, take that as you will. ⁓ so yeah, I I don't think that like just lobbying it forward and being like, Hey, go get it is is his game. It's Preston Judd's game. ⁓ but yeah, it's not Nunny's and ⁓ also it's ⁓ much harder to get good attacks going in the final third without your natural ten. for this game Let me see. ⁓ did Buddha line up at the at the ⁓ cam position or was no it's Fernandez. So yeah, Fernandez was the ten. He has one of the better ratings, ⁓ I'm sure that's because of his goal. ⁓ somebody who was crucified in in the ⁓ earthquakes n you know, fan base was ⁓ Max Foriani, even though he has a seventy ⁓ seven point ⁓ zero match rating as opposed to Reed Roberts who has a five point nine. ⁓ I I thought that, you know, Floriani did make a few good stops, a few good tackles, but wow, you can't give the ball up like that for no reason. Like n not that much pressure, just kicks it like way too far forward in front of himself, thinking that he's gonna dribble past the guy. That was really amateur from from Floriani there and and obviously leads to the the the last goal being scored. ⁓ what did you make of his performance overall? speaker-1: Just think in terms of our back line and I'll get to Floriani a second and and our six, we we really have to clean up our midfield and defensive third passing, especially under pressure. In the first the first third of the season, we used to do a really good job with playing out of pressure, finding the right triangles, ⁓ switching the sides, ⁓ or switching the field, sorry. But it our back line When it comes to ⁓ Vieira, some occasions, and and Roberts as of late, just the last couple of games. I'm not even talking about the first you know, ⁓ twelve games of the season, just over the lo the last three or four, it seems like the Quakes other teams may have just found out how to press the Cra the Quakes appropriately. But in our perspective, I think it's it's justified to say that the Quakes are kind of losing momentum. ⁓ and maybe that's a factor of missing Nico and and Werner and it just affects the entire team's morale. But we've seen this from from the earthquakes and in terms of playing playing well out of the back, but as of late, you know, especially Reed Roberts. He hasn't had the best game in possession. I think he's he's second guessing himself a lot. ⁓ maybe that's that's just comes with with experience. ⁓ he hasn't really had much experience. He's only twenty-two years old. ⁓ let's not forget that. He's still a young defender. Defenders go until they're like thirty-nine, forty years old, ⁓ a lot of times. So he's got a long career left. ⁓ we can be patient with with Roberts, but at the same time You know, giving up these these opportunities and giving up these chances for you know, for Seattle, is not good. It's not good. And if we wanna stay in the supporters shield contention, Reed needs to clean it up. speaker-0: Yeah. I I I think it's a mental thing with Roberts. ⁓ you know, last season he had a rough couple of games. There was like Floyhan and Roberts, like they were in the exact same boat last year where it was like, Okay, that's pretty good. ⁓ they just really messed it up really bad. Let's never see them again. And that that was kind of like every game that they would play, they would do something good and then immediately, you know, have a hard time. And I think that's that's ⁓ a mental thing. ⁓ confidence, ⁓ composure. you know, th that that all that really matters and ⁓ I think Roberts has been a little bit shaken. I I hope he's able to to shake it off because when he is at, you know, full capacity, he's very good. ⁓ I like what he brings to the team. I I've been really struggling ⁓ with Romney at left back. I think that like sure he's not terrible defensively but like he can't Do anything remotely creative. ⁓ he is literally just a rock at the left. And that's really good when the other team has the ball, but like he we cannot progress through his side. and that that's really limiting. ⁓ and so passing out from the back, w especially when you don't have Viera and when you don't have Boluru him being at left backs makes everything much harder. And I do like having Romney around. I think that he is a great center back. But man, I I'm not liking him at a at the left back position. I really enjoyed having Jazinski play at left back instead, ⁓ like he did in Dallas, which ⁓ we should probably get on to. A much better game for us overall. ⁓ I I think that yeah, we had a lot more momentum throughout. ⁓ better possession ⁓ distribution for us by far. but yeah, I I am curious about ⁓ the point I was making about j ⁓ Romney at left back. Do you share that sentiment or is like it's not working? speaker-1: If it's a game of tortoise versus the hare, Romney is the tortoise and everyone else who plays in that position feels like a hare to me. He's just really slow and like literally a rock. ⁓ I would like Romney in the back line if it's a if it's a a a further set how how do I say this? A deeper a deeper set line than than what we've seen lately. speaker-0: Parking the bus or something. speaker-1: Almost like parking the bus, yeah. I would love to see Romney in that because I think he does a good job with maintaining the back line, you know, holding his ground, etcetera. but at the same time, you know, this is where Dewan Jones is much needed because he's got good pace, good distribution, good chemistry, everything that you want to see out of a left back and and it's unfortunate that we're missing Dewan Jones and we have to play Jzinski and Romney because I just don't think Jzinski is quite Not necessarily first team ready, but starter ready. And Romney is just not that guy at left back. So here we are kind of struggling to to find someone on the left side, apart from Jamar Ricketts, who I know can do a good job, but we just need someone there on the left. But we'll we'll get to this in a second. The Quigs are about to sign a a new player who I think can can do a good job for us in that spot. ⁓ but You know, i in the F C Dallas game, I think our our left hand side was exposed due to ⁓ Dallas's player on the right hand side. I was very concerned of that after the first half, and then the second half they persisted even further. ⁓ to which, you know, Jzinski was kind of the the main target and was subbed after the seventieth minute. So ⁓ it seemed like Bruce Arena was well aware of that fact and and maybe had to to put someone else in just so Jzinski wouldn't get a worse rating than a a six point one, which is not great. But ⁓ Daniel Muni with a five point five. But yeah anyway, so ⁓ speaker-0: Yeah, let it inside. speaker-1: ⁓ just the the left hand side for both Seattle and Dallas is just is is not flowing very well. speaker-0: Later in that match, ⁓ they pulled out Chinsky, moved Ricketts to the left back, ⁓ which I felt that after we did that we were able to move out from the left better or quicker because you know Ricket is able to do that. But there's still a problem with Ricketts where he's so volatile. It's a it's an unstable factor where he can be super dangerous, right? He he has so much ability to to really ⁓ hurt you or hurt the other team. But that is a double edged sword in that he is too comfortable taking risks and losing the ball. ⁓ and I say too comfortable because, you know, this is a game where we could have gotten a draw. Obviously not the best result, seeing as for me we're much better than the Stallows team. But ⁓ we we lost the ball when we didn't need to. and I think that Rick it's ⁓ while he he was somebody who you'd want to ⁓ you know, try to make things happen, I think that he needs to really pick his moments better because ⁓ if he doesn't have that momentum for him, if he doesn't have the the upper hand, then losing out on on those possessions really hurts us. and that's not what we want. I'd rather we try to recycle that if he doesn't have Stop your hand. And that's not saying like, yeah, we we like players who take risks. ⁓ I think Devon Devon would agree. Taking risks is a good thing, but when it it's not favorable to you, then you should hold on to it, you know, just d do a better choice. Because I felt like he was going into a situation that didn't favor him and and would lose the ball that way, just trying to make something happen, trying to force it when you know there was better options at play. ⁓ speaker-1: I think you actually made a good point, sorry, I ⁓ for interrupting. But you know, there was one of those things I was watching too when I was just sitting with ⁓ sitting with my family and when the earthquakes when the quakes decided to switch the ball, they kind of shifted it along the back line, but I personally don't think that shift was quick enough. If you wanna switch the field, you have to know you're going to switch the field and then do it in a swift way. So you can build up the field a little quicker, you know, and you know, shift back, switch the field again, slowly bringing the ball up the field, gaining momentum. We didn't do that very well. We kinda gave it to the center backs, and the center backs were indecisive in passing whether whether or not they wanted to continue the switch or play it back to where they or they received it. So, ⁓ I think in that sense, this is where I had thought ⁓ Reed Roberts ⁓ Muni and Floriani in Seattle were having a really hard time with being decisive. They were compl they were too indecisive and it slowed down the momentum that that Bruce we're normally used to seeing from this Bruce's squad twenty twenty six. ⁓ I think in in games to come, especially versus Colorado and Portland, if you want to switch the ball and if you want to sway that you know, sway possession from from right to left or left to right. You have to do it in a in a a swifter way, otherwise teams are gonna call you out. speaker-0: Exactly. And I know you have a heart out here, so I'm gonna try and and move us along. one of the things that that ⁓ Vieira had said in the press conference that stuck with me was that this was a game where they probably could have ⁓ you know, made sure to get a point rather than really trying to push for a win, ⁓ which, you know, obviously ended up hurting them and they got no points. ⁓ d do you agree with that sentiment or was it like did you see it as a game that we should have tried to win. speaker-1: I'm gonna give Dallas a lot of credit. I think Dallas just played a really fierce game and the best that we could probably have done in that game is draw. Now you the the viewers watching can make a good point and be like, Well if Bo put the penalty in the you know, in the back of the net, then this game will have a completely different dynamic and you know, we'll have the momentum and Dallas will have to kinda be more on a front foot, which, you know, would give us better counterattacking opportunities. Yeah, totally agreed. But, you know, that that didn't happen. So You know, we're sitting here talking about what ifs and ⁓ I think just the way the game played out, yeah, the refs were in my opinion, pretty unfair. I don't think that last goal should have counted to be honest. ⁓ it should have been a foul on ⁓ in V Vieira's favor after he cleared it. Yeah, player just kinda plowed right through him. But with the way that Dallas played the game apart from the refereeing. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: It was a good game and I think Dallas should be given credit for for their performance. And ⁓ the Quakes just couldn't match the pace, they couldn't match their tempo, and they, you know, conceded three because of it. So ⁓ yeah, there are two technical instances where maybe the Quakes were unfavored by the refereeing, but or not unfavored by the referee. It was more than two for for refereeing. speaker-0: Definitely a handball that wasn't called in the box. for Yeah, yeah. ⁓ speaker-1: And it was on it was on the the head the big screen too. So a lot of all the fans had seen it. It's just yeah, kind of unfortunate the ref did not look at the rules the way we had seen it versus ⁓ what was that one game where there was that that one handball call and we we went crazy in the Discord about it. speaker-0: I don't think I can help you there 'cause that happens pretty often. but yeah, we we had talked about last week with Saz. ⁓ he kinda rolled his eyes when I pointed out the ⁓ that ⁓ Dallas had two over two X G just by only having twenty seven percent possession. And like, you know, I I get why Saz doesn't like X G and I I knew that when I was saying it, but I was like For the viewers at home, that just means that they were making ch chances. Like they were able to do chances with very little possession. ⁓ and ⁓ Ronaldo Beira kind of he emphasized that point of like w when they defend fine, but when they attack, they attack fast. And and that's you know, what creates that kind of stat line. ⁓ and that's what we saw. ⁓ they they we were able to score on them, but they when they were attacking there was like direct, you know, straight straight down the middle and like Yeah, ⁓ Peter Musa ⁓ he's in double digit skulls. Obviously was gonna be somebody that we're worried about. ⁓ there will be better games when ⁓ we have a more fit team. We will look much better. ⁓ so I'm just waiting for this ⁓ break to come up, ⁓ so we can like 'cause you know, dropping points is inevitable when two of your best players aren't on the field anymore. ⁓ speaker-1: I I keep forgetting about Dewan 'cause it just happened so early in the speaker-0: It was yeah, and I was looking at that on the screen here, ⁓ in ⁓ the preview for the Portland game and ⁓ every time I see DeWan injured, I'm like, God, that really sucks. ⁓ shout out DeWan. We're we're hoping that you're you're recovering well. I actually saw him at the game ⁓ two days ago, so he he's able to move, you know, that's that's good. But ⁓ we're getting into the Portland game. ⁓ they are I guess in better form. than us just that they have a a win against Kansas City, which of course ⁓ they have a in their last three games, they have a win against Kansas City, then they have a draw to Montreal, whatever. ⁓ Portland Tibbers has a two nil loss to ⁓ inner Miami in their last game. ⁓ whereas ⁓ the Quakes we ⁓ drew to Vancouver, we lost three two to ⁓ Seattle and we lost three two to Dallas. ⁓ I would say that the draw to Vancouver is a really good result seeing as how good Vancouver have been. It's not great to lose and I don't think that, you know, you can really you know, say say too much about these the the the results where we didn't pick up any points where we definitely could have gotten ⁓ two draws here, ⁓ in a in the last two games, but that's not the case. So numerically, ⁓ in the last three games ⁓ Portland's in better form, but ⁓ they are also still in twelfth place. ⁓ how do you see this game going into it? speaker-1: Well, we've never won in Portland in in our history in MLS. So I'm I have low expectations for any result of any kind. The refereeing has not been kind to us in Portland, and neither have the results. ⁓ and neither has the field, to be honest. ⁓ so, you know, in in terms of expectations heading into the game, I'm expecting maybe like a two-one loss, maybe three one. ⁓ we'll probably hang in there for the first sixty minutes, but I think after the the Colorado game, there is there's a lot of catch-up at play for the earthquake. ⁓ considering we're we're in the US Open Cup and Portland is not. So I believe they'll have a bit of a longer break and we have to utilize a lot of those substitutes. ⁓ knowing Bruce Arena, I believe he's trying to prioritize the US Open Cup, wants to bring some silverware back to San Jose, and the US Open Cup is the best way to do it. Therefore, I believe we're gonna put out put forth our our best starting eleven that we saw versus FC Dallas towards Colorado. ⁓ and then maybe make some rotations versus Portland to send us into the World Cup ⁓ break. So I am not expecting much at all heading into Portland. We we might see another nawny start, to be honest. Do you have any expectations, Abraham? speaker-0: mean ⁓ I I think that on paper we should win. ⁓ just 'cause Portland isn't as good as we are. But ⁓ like you said, you know, they have history on their side and also the fact that we are in the open cup. ⁓ so the paper might be lying here, right? ⁓ in I'm looking at ⁓ the stats here. In forty two games against Portland, we have one eight, John twelve and lost twenty two. So it's not great, ⁓ in terms of ⁓ the numbers. ⁓ but like I said, their place in the table shows that they have not been great this season. ⁓ I'm I'm sh I believe that they've kind of turned things around a little bit ⁓ lately. ⁓ but yeah this open cup game's gonna be really tough, especially 'cause I I do agree with you. I think that that's the game that Bruce is gonna prioritize, even though when you asked him he said, We're gonna win both games. Like Yeah. speaker-1: Points and speaker-0: I wanna lose against Portland. That's what we're gonna do. We're gonna go to Portland and lose. Like obviously San Jose. We're gonna take the the three nil defeat ⁓ and forfeit that game. Yeah, of course that's not ⁓ what he's gonna say. ⁓ but ⁓ I I am excited about that Colorado game because they are ⁓ in really bad form. ⁓ from from at least the last episode when I looked at their their stats, they weren't doing very well. I don't have them in front of me right now. ⁓ But I know you have the the early out, Devin, so ⁓ we're gonna probably close this episode here. ⁓ speaker-1: Well actually before we before we close it, sure, ⁓ I think we need to recognize an incoming player. ⁓ someone that Earthquakes player ⁓ players and and fans ⁓ are somewhat recognized of. ⁓ and he's coming from Phoenix Rising F C. They're number twenty two ⁓ right winger when he played against us, but normally he plays left wing for Phoenix. his name is Darius Johnson. He's speaker-0: Yes. speaker-1: Quick on the ball, quick feat, really skillful. ⁓ came from England, Chelsea's U twenty one player. ⁓ then I think played in the Dutch league for a little while. and then in twenty twenty four came over to the United States to play with Phoenix Rising. Since then he's been playing with them, and after the US Open Cup where he absolutely cooked Jacks Jack Skein, I think Bruce took a liking to him and was like, Hey speaker-0: Check scan. speaker-1: I want him. He's my guy now. speaker-0: Nice. speaker-1: Yeah, as Tom Bogart had had ⁓ unveiled the other day, talks talks are closing in. ⁓ it looks like you know, we're gonna pick ⁓ up within this week. So keep an eye out on ⁓ Darius Johnson to San Jose. speaker-0: Yeah, we we had covered ⁓ Darius last week on ⁓ with Saz, ⁓ but ⁓ it's now confirmed by Bogart. Yeah, very excited for Darius Johnson. Very excited for next week's episode. We're going to talk about the the aftermath of the Portland game. ⁓ we won't have another Quakes game for a while after that due to the World Cup break. ⁓ we we might do a little bit of ⁓ s talk about the World Cup ⁓ shortly, but ⁓ This is a Quakes podcast, so we're not gonna focus too much on that. ⁓ we'll just I guess talk about the the first part of the season and how we felt we've done ⁓ so far. ⁓ but until then, we'll see you guys next time and go Quakes. speaker-1: Go quakes.