John Cunliffe's first few months with the San Jose Earthquakes couldn't have been easy. As the Quakes attack struggled for goals game after game, he watched a slew of forwards get an opportunity to prove that they were the answer to the team's offensive woes. The Englishman, it appeared, was a mere afterthought.
Yet Cunliffe, who was acquired from Chivas USA back on March 28, simply bided his time, and his patience was rewarded last Saturday when he came of the bench to score San Jose's only goal in a 3-1 loss to Real Salt Lake. It marked the first time that the Quakes had scored on the road in more than a month.
"Obviously you want to be on the field from the start, but you just have to come off the bench and show the manager you should be playing," said Cunliffe. "Getting a goal is always nice, so maybe that will help my case."
That appears to be exactly what has happened, as Cunliffe now looks set to start alongside Ryan Johnson in this weekend's match against Columbus. The Fort Lewis College product has no doubt benefited from the absence of Kei Kamara, who is away on international duty with Sierra Leone, but Cunliffe is determined to make the most of his continued opportunities.
"Whenever I can get on the field, I've got to show that I want to play, I want to win, and I can help the team," he said.
Based on his performance against RSL, the biggest contribution Cunliffe has made is just being aggressive towards goal. The Quakes are ranked dead last in nearly every offensive category, with their shots and shots on goal totals lagging well behind the rest of the league.
And against Real Salt Lake, Cunliffe showed no hesitation in pulling the trigger. Not only did his laser from 18 yards beat goalkeeper Nick Rimando in the 84th minute, but he nearly duplicated the feat from even further out a few minutes later, with his shot flashing just wide. It was the kind of performance that definitely caught the eye of manager Frank Yallop.
"[Cunliffe] has looked good, and he's looked good again in training," said Yallop. "It's amazing what a goal or a little bit of confidence does for anybody."
Given that San Jose has dropped three games in a row on the road, that self-belief is a quality that has been in short supply. But Cunliffe's other attributes are benefiting the Quakes as well. A career spent mostly in midfield allowed the Bolton, England native to develop the more creative aspects of his game, and given the lack of precision San Jose has shown in attack, Cunliffe feels he can add some new wrinkles to the Quakes' offense.
"[The other forwards] are big, strong, quick, and a bit of a nuisance for the other teams," said Cunliffe. "I play more off of the other forward, a little bit more in the hole, and I find the gaps a little bit easier than those guys. We all bring different things. It's just finding the right mix."
Yallop and the rest of the Quakes will be desperate to find that winning recipe this weekend against the Crew. If they do, chances are Cunliffe will be the primary ingredient.
Jeff Carlisle is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
