If you’ve been watching the table this season, you know that San Jose has had a major resurgence in 2026. After winning nine of their first 10, they shot to the upper echelons of the Western Conference, and despite their recent slump in form, they remain in fourth place, firmly in playoff contention and touching the conference title race as well. But how have they done it? I’m glad you asked, because it’s been quite the combo of attacking forces coalescing at the perfect time. Take a talented name, add some players taking the next step in their development, and you’ve got a killer attack on your hands.
Turbo Timo
Oftentimes, MLS clubs sign big-name players from European leagues in an attempt to revitalize a stagnant team, make headlines, and squeeze some quality out of these established stars of the game. While that hasn’t traditionally been San Jose’s approach to roster building, Bruce Arena’s side felt that it was the right time to try their hand at this classic MLS strategy — and it’s paid off.
Enter Timo Werner, striker-extraordinaire. The 30-year-old German has experience with some of the world’s biggest clubs, having worn the colors for the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham in the English Premier League and RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga. His finest hour came during his first stint with the German outfit, when he scored 78 goals in 127 games to earn himself a big-money move to Chelsea in 2020. That move didn’t turn out the way many had hoped, but he was part of the Chelsea squad that won the 2021 UEFA Champions League trophy, putting him in elite company among players who have won the prestigious title.
As you can imagine, the nickname “Turbo Timo,” was earned due to his impressive pace, with his best moments in games coming from his ability to sit on the back shoulder of opposing defenses, then springing forward to get on long balls. His finishing ability and general quality in the attacking third make him a counter-attacking nightmare, and we’ve already seen that pay off in San Jose.
Despite playing just 844 of an available 1,800 minutes in 2026, Werner is second on the Quakes in goal contributions, hitting the back of the net five times and setting his teammates up on seven different occasions. That means he’s directly contributing to a goal every 70 minutes. Not a bad rate, no matter how you slice it.
Emerging Talents
Another common approach to improving your squad in MLS is simply improving the players already at your club. Young players who are ready to take the next step, experienced players finding their groove in the right environment, and guys who know the club extremely well. San Jose is a bit more familiar with this approach, as there’s no shortage of talent to pull from in California. This season, though, we’ve seen some serious strides taken across the front line.
Former SuperDraftees Ousseni Bouda, Beau Leroux, and Preston Judd (originally drafted by LA Galaxy) have all shown that development is nonlinear, stepping into bigger roles this season in major ways. 26-year-old Bouda has already had a career year, scoring five goals and adding four assists in 20 games. Leroux has established himself as Arena’s go-to guy in the midfield, adding three goals and five assists of his own from the middle of the park. Most notably, though, Judd has exploded onto the scene with 11 goals and three assists, beating his best-ever season by five goal contributions — in 10 less games.
Whenever you have multiple goal threats, they’re going to help one another thrive. For the Quakes, we’ve already seen evidence that all of the ingredients are there. The question is, can the Loons’ notoriously stubborn defensive approach slow them down? I reckon they just might be able to
For a club that prioritizes strong defending, the Loons have found a few emerging talents of their own. With Morris Duggan and Jefferson Diaz stepping into leading roles this season, MNUFC might be the perfect foil to San Jose’s attacking resurgence, but it’s going to take a near-perfect performance. IF they can hold the Quakes to a goal or less, they’ll give the likes of Joaquín Pereyra, Tomás Chancalay, and company a chance to take it to the hosts at the other end.
