PHOTO: Tim Heitman, USA Today Sports Images
For the first time since May 12, the San Jose Earthquakes earned their first victory against a side not named Minnesota United, defeating Western Conference leaders FC Dallas 3-1 in a suffocating Toyota Stadium.
That’s what the Fioranelli era brings to the Quakes.
Nothing majestic or heavenly, rather hard-earned and proletariat. In this case showcased by the Black-and-Blue’s tenacious backline, an unwavering goalkeeper, a properly executed yet humble plan by the manager, and last but certainly not least, an anomalous 90 minutes from a budget DP. (It’s not the first sequence of its kind by any means, there is a handful of teams within the league praying on a similar blue print.) Mikael Stahre’s Quakes problem was never lacking a mutual understanding of their own nature, but failing to stick with it when the odds were against them.
With another road match against the Colorado Rapids slated in a weeks time, San Jose will need to take advantage of:
Keeping the momentum (and lineup) alive
The standings reflect the truth: the Quakes have, easily, been the worst team in the league this season. However, this isn’t a top-flight European league, so on any given week, table leaders can fall to the league’s worst. That was the case on Saturday night in Frisco. And while the Quakes are still a miracle away from qualifying for playoffs, their new-found momentum can extend the team’s better days — at least for another week.
Sentiments, however, don’t single-handedly win games; at the end of the day, it’s eleven against eleven. Over the past two games, Stahre, contrary to popular preference, has left Chris Wondolowski and Florian Jungwirth on the bench in favor of Luis Felipe and flexibility in his attack’s design. On one hand, the Brazilian has offered stability in the midfield and allowed Anibal Godoy to ease his way back into his box-to-box juggernaut self. On the other hand, Stahre’s choice to deploy Vako as a lone, secondary-striker has done wonders, allowing the Georgian to roam the top of the 18 carefree. Undoubtedly, these have been the Swede’s most efficient tactical adjustments since his arrival.
Stahre’s tactical style finally coming full circle
“My teams were defensively rock solid,” said Stahre a few weeks back on what his Swedish sides were known for.
These Quakes aren’t there, but their last two bouts have been encouraging on that end. Last week, they were able to register their first clean sheet in 26 games, while against Dallas, defensive compactness (and some luck) kept San Jose in a winning position. Sure, his side tends to bunker in front of the goal at times, but they defend with viciousness and structure.
Stahre always has and always will emphasize on backline stability; his attack is a pure product of his forwards. On Saturday, more than ever since his arrival, Stahre’s known tactical philosophy finally appeared in MLS. It’s not the prettiest, but it gives a team like San Jose a good chance to compete in most cases, especially when his forwards are efficient in front of goal.
Calculated substitutions paying dividends
Lots has been said about Stahre’s substitutions; however, this time they were the difference. Wondolowski was instantly a bolt of energy when he took the field in the 63rd minute, Florian Jungwirth was almost absent for all 12 minutes but added to the collective defensive efforts and Quincy Amarikwa did his part in nagging and displacing the backline in the sequence that led to the third goal.
The cries were never about the substitutes influence on the game, though, they were simply about who Stahre decided to bring on and at what time of the game. It could be said that on Saturday, the Swede finally gained a firm grip on his team, both on and off the pitch.
