PREVIEW: San Jose Earthquakes at Montreal Impact

 

The phrase “two teams on a collision course” is one of the most overused cliches in sports, but I promise that using that phrase to describe Saturday’s game between the San Jose Earthquakes and Montreal Impact, the shoe fits between the two teams looking to be on the right trajectory following the impact (pun intended) of their seismic collision. Both teams had strung some decent runs together before being brought back to earth in their last game, with Montreal having won five of six before being thoroughly dominated by NYCFC on Wednesday Night, while San Jose had taken points from three straight before falling to Portland last Saturday Night. While the situation is more perilous for the Quakes if they hope to salvage their season, the Impact will no doubt be expecting to right the ship at Stade Saputo, where they have won four straight.

SAN JOSE WILL GET  A RESULT IF:

• The team is able to put aside the tension in the ranks. Quakes Twitter erupted this week after Quakes Epicenter reported that midfielder Flo Jungwirth had called out his teammates and made comments that the roster “was not good enough to compete.” While the vice-captain may have a valid point, his comments could not have gone over well in the locker room, but they did put the rest of the team on notice. How they respond will ultimately determine how the rest of the season plays out, with this match being the first true test.
• They revert to what worked. With the Panamanian contingent returning from World Cup duty for last Saturday’s match, it was curious to see Anibal Godoy immediately inserted into the lineup. The result was a midfield that looked flat and sluggish was soundly beaten by the Timbers. With Godoy out, players like Fatai Alashe and Tommy Thompson were given some run, and while they had some hit and miss performances, the team looked better with them in the lineup.
• Danny Hoesen is able to play. The Dutchman is the most threatening offensive player the Quakes have, but it remains to be seen if he will be able to give it a go in Montreal after coming off with an apparent head injury. If Hoesen can’t play, it’s difficult to see a path to victory for San Jose.

MONTREAL WILL GET A RESULT IF:

• They have a short memory. It was difficult to tell if the boys in light blue were New York City FC or parent club Manchester City the way they dominated Le Impact in the second half of Wednesday’s game. While Montreal can take solace in holding one of MLS’s best lineups scoreless for the first 60 minutes, the swiftness of how NYCFC dispatched them in the final 30 is something that they need to forget quickly.
• They score first. As Le Impact wilted in the final 30 minutes of Wednesday’s match, so has been the pattern for the Quakes this season, particularly in road games. With the frustration mounting on the San Jose side, a quick knockout punch could be the easiest path to victory.
• They don’t tinker with the lineup too much. Remi Garde chose to go for it on Wednesday against a much tougher NYCFC squad while subbing out starting forwards Raheem Edwards and Austin Jackson-Hamel before it got too ugly. Keeping their attack fresh with one eye on Saturday, expect to see a strong first choice lineup determined to get back to their winning ways.