MLS: 5 teams who could benefit from coronavirus layoff

2. San Jose Earthquakes

The San Jose Earthquakes are included on this list not because they were missing any key players to start the year, suffered any serious injuries in the opening weeks, or are scheduled to have any saviors joining their team in the coming months. Rather, they are included because perhaps no team looked worse in the opening two weeks. A quick click of the reset button on the 2020 season could be just what the doctor ordered for Matias Almeyda’s side.

San Jose weren’t busy in the offseason transfer market. They entered 2020 with much of the same roster that ran out of gas and fell short of the playoffs last year. The thinking was that a full offseason of conditioning and practicing Almeyda’s man-marking system could see the Quakes look more like the team that lost only three times over a 19-game stretch and were ranked second in the West and less like the team who won only twice in their final 12 and sunk to eighth.

San Jose may have escaped with a point in their season opener vs Toronto, but they were down 2-0 and scored the tying goal on the last kick of the game. Week 2 they weren’t so lucky. They fell behind 4-1 to Minnesota in the first half on their way to losing 5-2.

Both matches were at home and neither inspired much hope for Quakes’ fans. Seven goals allowed was the worst in the league over the first two weeks and their minus-three goal-differential was tied for second-worst. A reset is needed.