There is little room for error in the Western Conference playoff race right now. String a couple of wins together and you're sitting pretty. Go on a bit of a slump and the chasing pack will soon swallow you up.
Despite taking just one point from their last three matches, the Vancouver Whitecaps have managed to keep their heads above water. Last weekend's battling point at Portland was huge in that regard and leaves them sitting in third place in the Western Conference standings.
With just three points separating the top six teams in the West, points picked up and dropped against Western opposition have become even more crucial, a fact not lost on the Whitecaps, who have 12 of their remaining 13 games against conference rivals.
"I don't think we [can] ignore it," admitted veteran defender Jordan Harvey. "We check it out frequently. We have it up in our lounge, so we see it every day. It's a reminder that it's really tight. Every game is huge, especially Western Conference battles.
"There's not a big disparency. I think the last place in the West could make the playoffs in the East. The Western Conference is very tough, so we need to take these next few games very seriously."
The San Jose Earthquakes are that next conference opposition for Vancouver and they will head to BC Place on Sunday (7:00 pm ET; TSN2 in Canada, MLS Live in US) boosted by a narrow 1-0 win over the Whitecaps in their only meeting of the season so far back in April.
San Jose may be currently sitting outside of the playoff places, eight points back of Vancouver, but with two games in hand on the Whitecaps, a Quakes win on Sunday would see them right back into the playoff mix. A 'Caps win, however, would give Vancouver a small cushion.
"[We're] aware of the gap," acknowledged Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted. "We always want to increase that gap. I don't think this will be a game now that will decide everything. It's going to be decided in the last couple of rounds because it's so tight.
"We're still trying to look upwards. We're still trying to get as high as possible and hopefully come October, when everything is on the line, we'll be in a good position. It's definitely an important game and we need to win these home games."
Eight of the Whitecaps remaining 13 matches will be in Vancouver, including five of their final seven games. Having already dropped 14 points at home this season, the 'Caps know that they need to quickly recover the form that made BC Place so much of fortress the past couple of years.
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Home troubles aside, the Whitecaps have also struggled to put breathing space between themselves and the chasing pack all season. But while the players and fans may be paying close attention to the standings, Robinson feels it's too early to be table watching.
"[Not] till it gets to nitty, gritty time at the back end of the season, then I'll look at it," Robinson said. "I know it's tight. The Western Conference is stacked with very, very good teams. We know that. If we can pick up results, then we should be ok.
"Every game's big. We know we're playing Western Conference rivals between now and the end of the season, barring one. We want to try and keep that gap between us and [San Jose]. It'll be a very intense game."
