SAN JOSE — New year, revamped team, same old Quakes.

The Earthquakes kicked off the post-Chris Wondolowski era with a clunker on Saturday at PayPal Park – a 3-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls in the season-opener that displayed that leaky defense Quakes fans have come to know and curse under head coach Matias Almeyda.

The franchise that has made the playoffs just three times in the past 10 seasons hoped to start quickly with a fast attacking style, but the physical Red Bulls outshot San Jose 18-12. Even though the Quakes had 70 percent of the possession, New York bided its time and attacked with lethal intention.

San Jose has a new look this season with the legendary Wondolowski, the MLS all-time leading scorer with 171 goals, now helping new GM Chris Leitch in the front office.

Transitions, as the Quakes will learn, take time.

“It’s the first match without Wondo and the other seven guys that left,” Almeyda said, using a translator. “It’s a big change. But we’re all here to present the team in a different way, and to improve as well.”

The team rolled out three new established MLS veterans in Francisco Calvo, Jamiro Monteiro and Jan Gregus in the starting lineup, but the newcomers didn’t immediately gel. Monteiro absorbed a lot of punishment in his Quakes debut.

“I hate to lose, but when I lose, I learn from it and take it to the next game,” said Monteiro, a playmaker and designated player traded to the Quakes from the Philadelphia Union. “It’s motivation for the next game, and I will do everything for the next game not to lose.”

Trailing 1-0 in the second half, San Jose catalyst Javier “Chofis” Lopez nodded in a shot off a laser-like free kick by Cristian Espinoza to equalize in the 69th minute. Lopez led the Quakes in scoring with 12 goals last season.

Three minutes later, the Red Bulls quickly retook the lead when Omir Fernandez shot in between the legs of stubborn goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. Tom Barlow added insult to injury with a tap-in two minutes into stoppage time.

The Quakes did show potential, but the fan base has seen this storyline far too often.

San Jose won its first two home games in 2021 but managed only three wins in its final 15 home matches (3-7-5) while averaging just one goal a contest and being outscored 54-to-46 on the season.

Will the franchise figure it out this time after missing the playoffs in 2021, now with a restless head coach seemingly eyeing the exit ramp in the final season of his contract?

In the run-up to Saturday’s game, the Argentine coach said he was “thankful” for the chance to coach San Jose but added that he has 10 months before his contract is up and “there’s personal interest and there’s interest from other people,” that he may pursue.

After a lively start on Saturday, San Jose began to struggle after right back Nathan of Brazil exited the match with an injury in the 21st minute, and what had been a promising back-and-forth battle turned decidedly in New York’s favor. The Red Bulls finally broke the scoreless stalemate in the 45th minute when Patryk Klimala beat Marcinkowski from the near post off a cross from Lewis Morgan on the right.

New York outshot the Quakes 12-5 in the first half.

Overall, it was shades of last season when the Quakes’ defense ranked near the bottom of the league.

Monteiro was shaken up early on after a tangle in the middle and briefly left the field. The Cape Verde International had 21 assists in 75 regular season games in Philly (70 starts). Now he needs to find a way to make cleaner connections with his current team.

“I feel comfortable with the guys – I’m happy to make my first game for San Jose. Disappointed that we didn’t get the three points, but we have a long season,” Monteiro said. “This game we learn a lot, we will move on make it better.”

Calvo, a defender, is a former Chicago Fire captain and Costa Rica international. He gives the team an option on defense along with the backline tandem of Tanner Beason and Nathan.

“Surely it will take some time,” Almeyda said of the new players. “There are some people who pick up new systems faster than others… I think the new guys looked good today. Surely as time goes on, they will look just as well as the rest of the team.”