The San Jose Earthquakes have been a dominant defensive club in 2016, allowing 30 goals in 27 games to date, third fewest in Major League Soccer. Even more impressive, the club has done so without having the luxury of trotting out the same starting back-line every week, or even most weeks.
In fact, due to injuries, suspensions or simply coach’s decision, the Quakes have used 13 different back-line combinations already this season and have maintained great defensive success regardless. Head coach Dominic Kinnear has shuffled the lineup out of necessity, in order to spread around minutes or to exploit a matchup as he sees fit.