As foreseen in our Match Preview, San Jose showed that their recent home record of two wins and a draw in their last four games, was a more reliable indicator of the likely outcome today than a cursory glance at the league table. In almost every department of the game, they were hungrier and more competent than the visiting Sounders.
However, as much as any praise heaped on them is well merited, it cannot be denied that Sounders contributed to their own downfall. Barely eighty seconds had elapsed when the effervescent Cornell Glen released Ryan Johnson down the left wing. Whether Kasey Keller called for defenders to leave his harmless cross or not is as yet unclear, but either way, Osvaldo Alonso chose to play it, and played it badly. He lazily stuck out a foot and diverted the ball well away from where Keller was patiently waiting to collect it. Alonso’s outstretched leg placed the ball firmly in the back of the net.
A goal down with their designated player missing wasn’t the end of the world for Seattle. There were 89 minutes still to go. But Sounders compounded the unfortunate start with a pusillanimous display, whose insipidity was only punctuated with a series of fouls, for which they were too often penalised, and cards issued.
Briefly after 26 minutes, Seb Le Toux found Quakes keeper Joe Cannon in an uncompromising position, facing his own goal with the Frenchman waiting to pounce. As if to perfectly illustrate the art of making the wrong choice, Seb tugged the keeper’s jersey once, maybe twice, and the referee rightly awarded the Quakes a free kick, when the best they could otherwise have hoped for was to escape with a corner, a penalty looking the next likeliest option.
But a more regrettable and terminal selection was to come. A minute after another excellent Keller save had kept Sounders in the match on 32, Sounders right back James Riley ran at Bobby Convey from quite a distance and attempted to dispossess the Englishman with his outstretched leg, entering the fray studs first. Replays showed that Riley made little or no contact, but the referee reached for a red card and sent Riley off for the intent. Although a yellow would also have been an acceptable call, Sounders can really have no complaint about a red for a tackle that could have done some serious damage to Convey’s ligaments had it connected.
Seattle started the second half better than they had played all day, but the San Jose defence was on form, making some excellent tackles on the way, Bobby Convey making one key interception. However it was the Quakes that scored next. Shea Salinas found Glen in a limited amount of space, but he superbly turned his marker Le Toux, revealing a clear shot on goal. Glen buried it in the corner leaving Keller no chance.
Two more goals followed to ice the San Jose cake. 12 minutes from time, Huckerby had a tap in after Keller came to collect a ball but it appeared to spin away from him. Six minutes later, substitute Chris Wondolowski added a fourth. But the visitors were well beaten, well before that.
If there is any saving grace for Seattle, it is that everything went pear-shaped on the one day. Today they were without their designated player, they played lousily, they scored a daft own goal, they surrendered parity in seconds, the normally reliable Keller had an off day, the returning Alonso had possibly his poorest outing yet, the team didn’t connect, every player was off form, and they played 2/3 of the game a man down. Any one of those things could cause a loss on any given day. Together they only cost one.
There is probably no need to panic. All sides have days like this. As they say, drift happens.
San Jose Earthquakes: Joe Cannon, Chris Leitch, Jason Hernandez, Brandon McDonald, Bobby Convey, Andre Luiz, Ramon Sanchez, Ryan Johnson (Chris Wondolowski 59), Shea Salinas, Cornell Glen (Quincy Amarikwa 75), Darren Huckerby.
Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Cochrane, Simon Elliott, Antonio Ribeiro, Andrew Weber, Michael Zaher
Seattle Sounders FC: Kasey Keller, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Tyrone Marshall (Jhon Kennedy Hurtado 87), Tyson Wahl, Steve Zakuani, Sebastien Le Toux, Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Nate Jaqua (Sanna Nyassi 57), Fredy Montero (Stephen King 57),
Substitutes Not Used: Terry Boss, Roger Levesque, Nathan Sturgis, Peter Vagenas
Attendance: 9919
August 2, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Steve:
It may be no reason to panic at this point; HOWEVER, today’s showing (or lack thereof) is reason for serious concern. Championship sides put all other teams down and put them down hard! They especially do it to ones they either dominate on the pitch or are weaker or lower in the tables. They consistently execute on the pitch methodically and ruthlessly. Championship sides are predatory in nature. They play the beautiful game with no excuses for poor officiating, missing or injured players, bad weather, or pitch conditions; and they certainly do not accept performances like the one that was delivered today. Our lads in Rave Green have shown themselves to be an exciting and very promising team, one that has far exceeded, both on and off the pitch, any reasonable expectations for their inaugural campaign,. Exceeding expectations are what Championship Sides do without thinking. Reasonable Expectations = Average. Championship Sides = Extraordinary. That is the standard they set for and hold themselves to. They do not use the besting of artificial expectations as cover for poor performance, because they have exceeded expectations overall.
Right now, I, like many Supporters are calling the Sounders Out, Do they have the hunger, drive, intestinal fortitude, cojones, will, determination and strength to be a Championship and Trophy Winning Side; or are they content to bask in, and betray, the off-field success and support created by the FO, ECS and the Seattle Fan Community at large.
From what I have seen so far this season, I am not sure about their capacity to be a Championship Side. The only match that the guys played that showed requisite level of grit, determination, work effort, ruthlessness and singular goal scoring focus necessary to be a Championship Side was the US Open Cup Semi-Final Match against Houston. It takes the determination exemplified by Nate Jacqua in that match going a full 120 minutes sporting a bloodied and bandaged head and not stopping until the match was won and the other side vanquished.
With 8 of the next 12 away the boys literally have a tough road ahead of them:
~ Beckerman and RSL – Beckerman showed so real strength for the USMNT in the Gold Cup.
~ Donovan, BeckSHAM and the Galaxy – these weasels are coming on strong, and we appear to be shirking in front of lesser sides
~ New England in Boston a tough side at home
~ Houston, once again, in Houston with Stuart Holden and Brian Ching – as we learned today, it is tough to beat a team three times in one season.
~ Toronto – always dangerous, need I say more
~ DC Back to Back on the East Coast over 10 days – Do we have the will to win the US Open Cup Final and a follow League match that will most likely be critical from a points perspective to make the playoffs? With all of the blow hard talk that has already happened between these two clubs, these matches will be physical. Will we stand and deliver like against Houston or wilt like we did today against Smurf Town. We lost to Poppa Smurf for Christ’s sake!
~ Then we have Chivas, New England and Columbus, before it theoretically gets easier with KC and Dallas. KC and Dallas may be shitte teams, but KC has several different motivations for playing us in a spirited manner and well the boys at Dallas will all be fighting for their jobs by then.
This brings me back to my earlier question: Do the Sounders have the hunger, drive, intestinal fortitude, cojones, will, determination and strength to be a Championship and Trophy Winning Side; or are they content to bask in, and betray, the off-field success and support created by the FO, ECS and the Seattle Fan Community at large.
I am writing this to ring the bell now, before today’s disaster become more than a one off aberration. I hope the whole team somehow, sees this message and takes it to heart. They have shown flashes of brilliance that indicate they have the POTENTIAL to be a Championship Side, but now they are at the point where the rubber is about to meet the road. It is put up or shut up time, the bell has been rung, it is game on. It is time for the lads in Rave Green to show that they are Champions not boys playing a little footy!
August 2, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Excellent response. I hope the guys read it, somehow. Should we be satisfied with better than expected success? Are we naive to think the team is better than the rest and should come out every game and dominate? I don’t think so. First, remember that the team had a whole year, allocation money, the first pick in the draft, first in line for a guy like Keller and deep pockets for a DP, to start things off. They also had a ready made group of depth, with the old Sounders team. The FO has done a fantastic job of putting these all together correctly and the players have performed well. We have an inherent advantage though. With all the things I mentioned, along with the tremendous fan support. The players need to step it up another level every game. The support that no other team, other than Toronto has, demands it! For them to play today, without any fire is very dissapointing. To see the lack of support by other teams, I think we deserve to have a team that comes out every game and plays with attitude and to win. We should have a team that is not satisfied with a draw. A team that puts the other team down, because the other team doesn’t feel it through their bones, what’s at stake. And what is at stake? Ruining the support that has been given and having to find ways to use the support as the positive of the season. We don’t want to be the positive of the season. We want to win. EVERYTHING! Thank us after you go out and do your jobs. Forget this expansion team bologne. This is a professional team, with professional support. Time to prove it.