Friday Blog Tour

By: Ian | July 3rd, 2009

It’s been awhile since I posted, so I thought it appropriate to examine the Quakes landscape through a little tour of the blogs and news out there. The Quakes are up against the Stormin’ Mormons tonight (RSL), and need to start picking up some results on the road if we’re going to get anything out of this season. My prediction? 1-1.

* First, the Big Kahuna itself, the Quakes official website is reporting that Yallop will be tweaking the line-up a bit, with Corrales moving to left back and McDonald and Ribeiro manning the central midfield. I pushed for Corrales at left back earlier in the season, but it seems a bit strange timing to make the move now with Zaher putting in some solid performances. It does show that Yallop sees that Corrales has been struggling in that central midfield, but is not willing to simply bench him. McDonald should be an improvement in the midfield, with a lot more athleticism and bite than either Elliott or Corrales can offer. Ribeiro still has to prove that he is not just an USL reject.

* Centerline Soccer is busy as always. They comment on McDonald finally getting the nod in midfield, while pointing out that a pairing of McD and Ribeiro might not provide the needed creativity or invention to generate some attack. Given the poor performance of our central midfield this season both offensively and defensively, I’ll settle for some steel and bite and actually getting in the opposition’s way now and then. We’ll deal with the creativity once the transfer window opens. They also report on Huckerby’s status, who will sit out this game in order to fully recover from that nagging quad injury. It sucks to be without the Hucks, but we do need him to be healthy for the rest of the season. This looks to be his last season as a Quake, and it would be a shame for him to sit out most of it.

* Whenever an aging European star even hints that they might possibly think about perhaps playing at some point in the MLS, it raises hopes to unrealistic heights. The most recent example is Pavel Nedved, whose mere mention of a desire to play in the MLS set hearts aflutter. I wouldn’t bank on him coming to the Quakes or any other MLS club, however. It is most likely just another groundless flirtation to add some more negotiating leverage to Nedved’s cause.

* If you haven’t yet read the excerpt from Grant Wahl’s upcoming book, “The Beckham Experiment”, do it now. I mean it, clink on this link right now, whether you’re at work, in summer school, or wherever and feast your eyes on some juicy gossip about that scummy team down south. Grin with joy as Judas himself tears into Goldenballs with all he can muster. Wow, to be a fly on the wall on Beckham’s first day back in the L.A. locker room. ”So, Becks, do any light reading on the plane over?”

* Check out Alex Davidson’s (my co-host for Under the Blue Banner) blog about the recent USMNT upset of Spain. While you’re at it, start following Under the Blue Banner on twitter. This Sunday’s show will be on at 10:30 a.m. due to the Gold Cup games that afternoon.

* Finally, in that same glorious tradition of shameless self-promotion, head on over to World Soccer Reader, to hear my take on Bobby Convey’s troubled time in San Jose.

That’s it for now folks. Don’t drift away, head back to this blog next week for some more Earthquakes fun. Go Quakes!