For all the drama taking place elsewhere in Major League Soccer this weekend, Saturday's match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Toronto FC will be completely devoid of tension. Both sides have been eliminated from postseason consideration, and are already adopting the old Brooklyn Dodgers' mantra of "Wait 'til next year."
With so little at stake in the game, motivation would appear to be in short supply. But according to San Jose manager Frank Yallop, it's one last chance to reward the supporters for reconnecting with the team following a two-season hiatus.
"It's for the home fans," said Yallop of Saturday's encounter. "You don't want to go out with a poor performance. It leaves a sour taste in your mouth for the rest of the offseason really. ... Whoever is on the field, let's give 100 percent and make sure we get a good result."
In an effort to spice things up, Yallop acknowledged that he'll make a few changes to the team that fell 3-2 last weekend in Kansas City.
After missing the last eight matches with a sprained left knee, midfielder Ramiro Corrales is expected to play some part in the proceedings. Corrales got through Tuesday's reserve match against Chivas USA unscathed, and while his return comes too late to salvage the Quakes' campaign, Yallop is keen to have his midfielder back, especially since it was his central partnership with Francisco Lima that helped spark San Jose's midseason revival.
"Ramiro is a big part of what we are doing, so I want to get him back out on the field," said Yallop.
Ryan Johnson could start up top after beginning the Wizards match in midfield, and Yallop also said he might make some changes in the back, although he wouldn't elaborate. After being rested in Kansas City, Ronnie O'Brien will reprise his usual role on the right side of midfield.
"I won't change much up, because we want to win the game," said Yallop. "But I told the guys this morning that anybody could play and just expect to."
As for intensity level, that is another matter. Goalkeeper Joe Cannon certainly doesn't expect the tackles to be flying in for 90 minutes, but given the Quakes' struggles at home this year, he feels that his side owes it to the fans to put in a professional performance.
"I think the initial effort is always going to be there from the guys," said Cannon. "When there is nothing on the line, it's that second and third effort that you see maybe lacks a little bit in the game.
"They'll come in hard for the first tackle, and then think, 'Maybe I don't need to come in for the next one.' That's a problem. To be honest, I think we've already played enough games at home where it looked like we didn't care."
For Cannon, that begins with a return to the defensive effort that was a hallmark of San Jose earlier in the season. In each of the last three games, the Quakes have gone down a goal inside the first 20 minutes, something you wouldn't expect from a team fighting for their playoff lives.
"That's an alarming trend," said Cannon of his team's early-game struggles. "For so long this season, in the first half our defense was just nails. We need to be more consistent."
Being able to summon that intensity on Saturday could have an impact beyond just the result. Yallop admitted that he and general manager John Doyle have already begun making plans for next year's squad, meaning that this weekend's match is one last opportunity for players to impress not just the fans, but the coaches as well.
"I think a lot more guys are going to be playing for their jobs than they think," said Cannon. "We're an expansion team ... and I'm sure our standards are going to be higher in the coming years."
Jeff Carlisle is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
