With the 2017 season officially in the books, the San Jose Earthquakes have plenty to be proud of on and off the field. A trip to the postseason for the first time in five years and a spot in the U.S. Open Cup semis for the first time since 2004 highlight the calendar year.
Let’s takes a look at how individuals on the team fared this year and how they impacted the club.
Shea Salinas
Shea Salinas had a very, very unique season in 2017. By all accounts, Salinas considers himself an attack-minded player. After all, he tallied at least five assists every year from 2012-16, leading the team in the category in 2013, 2014 and 2016. However, his season took a slightly different course than recent history would suggest.
After largely being displaced in the starting lineup by guys such as Jahmir Hyka, Danny Hoesen, Vako, Tommy Thompson, etc., Salinas returned to his role off the bench and never played more than 45 minutes in a match until July 19.
Once the coaching change took place in June, there too came a change in tactics. Salinas was leaned on to play a left wingback role in a 3-5-2, a position he held for several games during the summer months. The team then reverted to 4-2-3-1.
A door later opened for Salinas. Absences by Shaun Francis, who was traded to Montreal, and Nick Lima, who went down with a hamstring injury, tested the team’s depth at fullback. The left back position opposite Kofi Sarkodie was there for the taking.
Salinas was asked to play the position, temporarily, one day while in training. Apparently he did well enough to earn a start at StubHub against the rival LA Galaxy on Aug. 27 – a game that finished in a 3-0 win for San Jose. He remained entrenched in the role the remainder of the season and did quite well at it. To read more about this transition,
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Salinas’ high-point of the season is pretty obvious. Entering as a 65th-minute substitute against the LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium on July 1, Salinas scored a beautiful goal in the three minutes into stoppage time to give the Quakes a 2-1 win. If you ask him, it may not only go down as one of his favorite memories of the season, but his career as a whole. Who could blame him?
