Okay, so the Quakes want to move on and forget the giant disappointment in Giants Stadium last Friday night. And I'm right there with them; I witnessed it first hand. (Well, I saw it from several stories above the field turf, in the highest press box in American soccer.) I think, though, the view from afar wasn't much better than it was on the field. It certainly was among the worst performances this team has had in years, inexplicably.
</p>
The Quakes were down 2-0 in the first 13 minutes, 4-0 in the first 40 minutes, and lost 4-1 to the New York Red Bulls. While there is certainly some value in dissection, coach Frank Yallop thinks it's time to get ready for another game.
</p>
"After a game like this, you want to be playing games quickly," he said. "We want to be winning matches."
</p>
Problem is, the Quakes have to wait until May 23 to get back on the field, in Houston against the Dynamo.
</p>
Winning has been an elusive lover this year; fickle and rarely available: one win and two ties in eight games, five of them played at home.
</p>
You can bet this 'off week' won't be a week off, not for a team that hasn't won a game since the second week of the season; not for a team that has scored one goal in the last three games; not for a team that has allowed a league high 16 goals in eight games.
</p>
Yallop will spend the coming days finding out who are the best choices to help the team crawl out of this 1-5-2 hole. And when they see daylight - in Houston or somewhere else - they'll be a stronger bunch.
</p>
It doesn't take much of a run in MLS to get back in the hunt. Yallop and General Manager John Doyle will make sure they have the players to go on the hunt.
John Shrader is the voice of the Earthquakes on Comcast SportsNet.
