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Know Your MLS Teams: Portland Timbers

Posted by Sean Maslin on June 18, 2013 at 12:55 pm Blogs/Media, MLS, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, United States

Jun 182013

timbers dallas 27 300x200 Know Your MLS Teams: Portland Timbers

The Timbers Supporters Showing Their Allegiance in Portland

Founded: 1975. There have been four different incarnations of the Portland Timbers. The first team played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1982. The second team played from 1985 to 1990 in various leagues on the West Coast. The third team played from 2001 to 2010 in the A-League, the USL First Division, and the American Professional Soccer League. The fourth team started play in 2007 Major League Soccer after owner Merritt Paulson bought the rights to the Timbers name.)

Where they Finished Last Season: 7-18-9- Eighth Place in the Western Conference.

Pedigree: 2012 Cascadia Cup Champion, Runners Up Soccer Bowl 1975 (NASL,) 2009 USL Western Division Champions, 2004 A-League Western Division Champions.

Rivals: Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps (Cascadia Cup)

Supporters: The Timbers Army

Head Coach: Caleb Porter (First Season.)

Top Returning Players: GK Donovan Ricketts, DEF Mamadou Danso, MF Diego Chara, DEF/MF Jack Jewsbury, MF Diego Valeri, MF Darlington Nagbe.

Key Additions: DEF Michael Harrington (Sporting Kansas City,) DEF Mikael Silvestre (SV Weder Bremen-Germany,) MF Diego Valeri (Club Atletico Lanus- on loan,) MF Will Johnson (Toronto F.C.,) MF Ben Zemanski (Chivas U.S.A.,) FWD Ryan Johnson (Toronto F.C.,) FWD Frederic Piqiuionne (West Ham United F.C.)

Key Departures: DEF Steve Purdy (Chivas U.S.A.,) DEF Eric Brunner (Houston Dynamo,) DEF Lovel Palmer (Real Salt Lake,) DEF Kosuke Kimura (New York Red Bulls,) MF Eric Alexander (New York Red Bulls,) FWD Mike Fucito (San Jose Earthquakes,) FWD Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock F.C.) FWD Danny Mwanga (Colorado Rapids.)

Young Player to Watch: Darlington Nagbe

Outlook

What is there not to like about the Portland Timbers? A team with a ravenous fanbase (their average attendance is 20,000 people per game,) and rivalries with the Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps that date back to the 1970s the Portland Timbers have helped this league grow immensely in the past three years. In a league that has struggled to make regular season matches noteworthy, anytime you go to a Timber’s match you are in for a show. The support that the Timbers Army shows to the players, even during the last two seasons, gives hope that American soccer can prosper in this country. Oh, and I am pretty sure Timber Joey, the Portland Timber’s mascot, can beat up any other mascot in professional sports.

No one can take anything away from what the Portland supporters have done off the field. But on the field the club has struggled in its first two years. It would seem that because was already this Portland Timbers structure existed before they entered the league that they were not an expansion team. The problem is that they were an expansion team, and with being an expansion team comes growing pains. Last season was very difficult for the Timbers. The club had the third worst record in the league last season , ahead of the disasters that are Toronto F.C. and Chivas U.S.A. The club also scored only 34 goals last season and allowed 56, which were both third worst in MLS behind the previously mentioned Toronto and Chivas. When your team cannot score and you cannot stop giving up goals, you will not win in any league.

This club may have had its growing pains the past two season, but seems to have gone past them. Unbeaten in their last matches, Portland currently sits in 3^rd place in the Western Conference. Credit for this turnaround begins with the hiring of Caleb Porter as their Head Coach. The former coach of the Akron Zips, the U.S. college soccer team that won the 2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, Porter has had a hand in developing some of the best young players in Major League Soccer. This list includes, among others, D.C. United Defender Perry Kitchen, Seattle Sounders Midfielder Steve Zakuani, Forward Darren Mattocks and current Portland Timbers midfielders Ben Zemanski and Darlington Nagbe. Porter may have had some difficulties coaching the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team, losing to El Salvador and missing out on the 2012 Olympics. But he is still one of the top American coaches and may have needed some more experience coaching in MLS before moving to the National Team.

There was also a complete overhaul of their roster starting with their defense. Adding a player like Michael Harrington to a line that includes Pah Modou Kah, Mamadou Danso, and Jack Jewsbury, who alternates between Midfield and Defense has given them some stability and some veteran leadership which they sorely needed last season. So far this season, the club has only allowed 16 goals, which is the third lowest in the Western Conference. While Donovan Ricketts is back in goal, he seems to be in better form than last season. It will benefit the Timbers down the stretch that Jamaica is essentially out of World Cup Qualifying and will probably be looking for a younger keeper other than Ricketts to start.

Though an improved defense is one of the reasons why this team has made many strides in their third season, this team’s strength is still their midfield. I rarely make public pleas to U.S. Men’s National Team Coach Jurgen Klinsmann, but this time I will make an exception. Jurgen: please figure out some way to expedite Darlington Nagbe’s Citizenship process because he is the most talented in MLS and probably the United States outside of Michael Bradley. Nagbe is a citizen of Liberia, but has lived in the United States since he was 11. Soccer is in his blood: his father Joe Nagbe was the captain of Liberia and played in Europe for PAOK Thessaloniki F.C. and A.S. Monaco. He is an excellent distributor, can blow past defenders like the wind, and has a knack for make impossible shots look easy. Watch this goal on Saturday against F.C. Dallas and be amazed. He is also the recipient of the 2011 MLS Goal of the Year, which may be one of the best goals I have ever seen.

Whereas Nagbe has always been a talent, it seems that the additions Will Johnson and Diego Valeri have eased the pressure on the 22 year old. Diego Valeri has thrived on the outside passes that he has received from his defenders, forcing crosses into the box for the likes of Will Johnson and Nagbe. Valeri, who is on loan from Lanus in the Argentine First Division, has thrived in his partnership with Jewsbury on the right side. His distribution skills help open the field for the Timbers attack. He also has a knack for the goal, scoring 4 goals in 12 matches this season. Will Johnson has also been a major asset on the attack, scoring five goals this season.

The other player in the midfield worth mentioning is Diego Chara. The little Colombian (he is 5’7’) has one of the prettiest step over moves in the league. The only problem is that he needs to work on his finishing: during the F.C. Dallas match he had at least 3 golden opportunities to score and just could not finish his shots. What makes the Timbers midfield so dangerous is that they have so many weapons going forward, which makes them nearly impossible to defend against.

The one area that has done well so far this season, but could be an issue as the season goes on is at forward. So far this season, they have looked fantastic. They currently lead the league in goals with 25 tallies, 9 of which have come from starting forwards Ryan Johnson (5) and Rodney Wallace (4). With a team of midfielders that love to shoot, it leaves a lot of extra opportunities for their forwards if there are deflections or missed opportunities.

The problem is that it seems that the team is only two forwards deep. Frederic Piquionne is not the solution. While he has been a good influence on the attack by being able to push the ball on the left hand side and cross it into the center of the box, he still has not scored a goal yet this season. At 34, it does not seem like there is much left in him. He has 18 shots this season, but only four on goal and only four assists. He was not much better during his tenure with West Ham United F.C. either. “He wasn’t a success at West Ham,” says ESPN FC writer, host of the always entertaining ESPN F.C. podcast and noted West Ham United supporter Dan Mason. “He originally signed from Portsmouth, where they suffered two relegations in two seasons. In the Championship he was rarely selected by [West Ham United F.C. coach Sam] Allardyce, who loaned him to Doncaster [Rovers.] He had almost a comic ability to arrive ever so slightly too late, or to only get a featherlight touch on the ball. A poor player.”

While they could replace him with one of their attacking midfielders, I am concerned that may disrupt the flow of their midfield which has been their source of their success this year. One player that may be a solution is by giving more minutes to Jose Adolfo Valencina. He has only played about 60 minutes this season, but I was impressed by his ability to control the ball in the May 18^th match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. He was able to trap the ball off of his chest, gain possesion and fire an excellent shot that evened the game up. He may not need to be their starting forward, but he should be an serviceable option off of the bench or for the occasional spot start.

The turnaround this team has had in under a year is phenomenal. It finally seems that the enthusasim that is shown in the stands is met on the pitch by a team that can impose their will on offense, and play lockdown defense. If they can find a decent third striker and avoid any cataclysmic injuries, they will certainly make the playoffs. Beyond that, it could be difficult. Clubs like the Houston Dynamo and the Los Angeles Galaxy have poached teams in the past who fit Portland’s bill. The Timbers success will depend on their veteran midfielders and whether or not Nagbe can continue his breakout season in the playoffs.

Beer of Choice: Green and Gold Kolsch, Widmer Beer Company

Normally I would not go with a beer that is sponsored by the team but as a fan of Widmer beers and a supporter of all things Kolsch (Except Grolsch, which is as my brother would say “Gross”) I have to give this beer my full endorsement for all Timbers matches. First, the brewer Abraham Goldman Armstrong actually won a beer making competition that was sponsored by the team. And the fellow gets to sell it during Timbers? While some teams may sell awful things like giant Bud Lights or Coronas (I am looking at you RFK Stadium,) it is good to see a team that understand what makes soccer great. German beers and chainsaws.

Three thoughts on the Portland Timbers 1-1 draw against DC United

Posted by Chris Singer on September 30, 2012 at 8:34 pm MLS, Portland Timbers

Sep 302012

The Portland Timbers (7-15-9, 30 pts) scrambled back from a dodgy penalty kick call thanks to a classy Bright Dike equalizer in the 80th minute to draw DC United (15-10-6, 51pts) 1-1 in a Saturday night sellout at Jeld Wen Field in Portland.

Three thoughts on the match…

* Clear PK or not?

In my opinion assistant referee Kermit Quisenberry blew it. Is it any surprise that there was a questionable call (or two or three) in an MLS match? The ball may have nicked the underside of David Horst’s arm/armpit, but it sure doesn’t look like the direction changed. Even if it does, I don’t know how Quisenberry can clearly be 100% sure of it. I will see this though, if Horst doesn’t jump like he’s trying to do his best Nic Tatum impression, I’m not sure that call even happens.

Watch the video above and be as objective as you possibly can. Do you think it’s a clear penalty? Watch the DC United players. Only Perry Kitchen even reacts to the non-call. To me, I just don’t see how an assistant referee in real time can be absolutely sure that ball hits Horst.

Regardless of the call, the point is, as some of us discussed on Twitter this morning, you need to create your own bit of luck in this league because the referees are simply a wildcard that you can’t control. The Timbers clearly don’t do enough of that.

Look at it this way. The San Jose Earthquakes had yet another come-from-behind goal to get a draw against FC Dallas. Again, it came from a late goal by Steven Lenhart. Are the Earthquakes simply lucky? Maybe, to a certain extent, but they create that luck by throwing everything they have into the final third to get that goal.

Moral to the story? The Timbers need to be more proactive on the pitch. Until that blown call, the Timbers were pretty much lifeless out there. For the first time ever, I nodded off for a few minutes here and there during the first half. Part of it was that I’ve been solo with my three year old since Friday, so I’ve basically been up at the crack of dawn. But part of it was there was a distinct lack of energy out there. It shouldn’t take a blown call to get a team pissed off and motivated.

Here’s what captain Jack Jewsbury had to say about the team’s play after the DC United goal:

“I thought our reaction after that was very good from the group. We continued to press, press and press until Bright [Dike] got the goal, and then had a few more chances. To not put our heads down and continue to fight was good tonight.”

Sorry, that’s all well and good, but it’s too little, too late. That emotion and reaction needs to happen the minute the team walks onto the pitch.

* Some Bright Dike stats…
Games Played: 9
Games Started: 6
Minutes Played: 641
Goals: 4
Shots: 22
Shots on Goal: 7
Game Winning Goals: 1 (tied for team lead)
Goals/90 minutes: 0.56 (leads team)
Scoring %: 18.2 %

Compare those with other players (Timbers and other random goalscorers in MLS):
- Kris Boyd: 1893 minutes, 7 goals (63 shots & 28 shots on goal), 1 game winning goal, goals/90 minutes = 0.33, scoring % = 11.1
- Alan Gordon: 1230 minutes, 13 goals (42 shots & 25 shots on goal), 4 game winning goals, goals/90 minutes = 0.95, scoring % = 31.0
- Steven Lenhart: 1379 minutes, 10 goals (56 shots & 30 shots on goal), 2 game winning goals, goals/90 minutes = 0.65, scoring % = 17.9
- CJ Sapong: 1940 minutes, 7 goals (51 shots & 20 shots on goal), 4 game winning goals, goals/90 minutes = 0.32, scoring % = 13.7
- Kenny Cooper: 2251 minutes, 16 goals (78 shots & 43 shots on goal), 6 game winning goals, goals/90 minutes = 0.64, scoring % = 20.5

I’m not sure this tells much of anything since statistics in soccer can be pretty ambiguous, but it tells me that Dike has earned a spot on this team. Remember, he’s played less than 750 minutes in his brief MLS career. I think he’s shown some improvement in many of the games he’s played and at the very least, can be a valuable 3rd striker who can come off the bench and provide some energy and goals. I get that Dike has his flaws (suspect 1st touch and shooting accuracy namely), but I’d hate to see the Timbers give up on him and get rid of him. I saw Columbus fans tweeting last night how they regretted losing Dike. For a team finding goals difficult to come by, I think losing Dike would be a mistake.

* A Cascadia Cup update

Here’s a look at the latest Cascadia Cup standings

Yesterday’s 0-0 draw between Seattle and Vancouver kept the Timbers in the driver’s seat for the Cascadia Cup. The draw eliminated Vancouver from any chance for the Cup but they can still play spoiler, especially if Seattle gets 3 points next Saturday against Portland.

Essentially, the Timbers win the Cup if they draw or win against Seattle. Because they have a game in hand, the Timbers could still win the Cup if they lose against Seattle, but they would need a win against Vancouver.

MLS 36 episode featuring Darlington Nagbe debuts 9/29

Posted by Chris Singer on September 29, 2012 at 2:53 am MLS, Portland Timbers

Sep 292012

NBC Sports Network gives the MLS 36 treatment to Timbers star Darlington Nagbe. Watch the premier on Sept. 29 at 4:30 pm PT.

MLS 36 is a documentary-style show that follows select MLS stars for 36 hours leading up to a match. MLS 36 followed Nagbe leading up to Portland’s Aug. 25 match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Nagbe scored in a third straight match to help the Timbers to a 2-1 win over Whitecaps FC, and MLS 36 captured the emotional win for both the club and Nagbe.

Previous episodes of MLS 36 have featured San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski, D.C. United’s Dwayne De Rosario and Seattle’s Fredy Montero.

Here’s a brief clip of Nagbe’s appearance on MLS 36:

Three quick thoughts on the Timbers 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake

Posted by Chris Singer on September 23, 2012 at 2:09 pm MLS, Portland Timbers

Sep 232012

The Portland Timbers (7-15-8, 29 points) couldn’t stop Real Salt Lake’s (15-11-4, 49 points) set piece offense as Javier Morales had a hand (one goal and one assist) in both goals to keep the Timbers winless on the road. After a poor first half display, the Timbers outplayed their opponent in the second half thanks to a spark off the bench from Bright Dike, whose goal in the 61st minute made it 2-1. Dike almost got the equalizer late but his header off of another beautiful Sal Zizzo cross clanged off the crossbar. Real Salt Lake closed out the match in style, keeping possession for almost the entire three minutes of stoppage time.

Three quick thoughts on the match:

1.) The Timbers defensive awareness is incredibly poor.

How many times have we seen a silly foul in the final third lead to a set piece goal for the Timbers opponents? At some point in the offseason, I’m going to attempt to answer that very question by viewing all the Timbers matches from this season. The Timbers once again gift-wrapped two goals for their opponent with a dumb foul in the final third and stupid mistakes in set piece defense. The first goal was a direct result of an error by the defensive wall. For the second, Javier Morales’ set piece goal was an absolute beauty, but the Timbers should be aware and know that if you commit a foul so deep in the final third, he’s capable of doing that every time he steps up to take a direct free kick. Once again an opponent was able to use the Timbers match as a springboard for ending their own struggles as goals for RSL have been difficult to come by from anyone other than the injured Alvaro Saborio.

2.) 2-20-10.

That’s the Timbers record on the road in MLS. There’s no way owner Merritt Paulson can sugarcoat that is there? I’m also a bit baffled by some of the post-match quotes from Gavin Wilkinson:

* “We are maturing as a team. The last time we were here we lost 3-0 and I don’t think we even had a shot. I think the performance tonight was a lot, lot better.”

* “I would like to do a little more in the final third. I think that comes with maturity. I think the possession stance of this team has changed dramatically from what they were. We look a lot more comfortable with the ball, but results are what it takes.”

I highlighted the words above because if that’s becoming the benchmark for success for this team rather than points, that’s a problem.

My question: if the other 18 teams in MLS had a similar streak would their coach and general manager survive such futility and still have a job?

3.) Some positives.

Franck Songo’o and Sal Zizzo had fantastic matches again for the Timbers and truly justify their starts and increased playing time. Bright Dike got his third goal of the season and was a fantastic spark off the bench. I’ve always fancied Dike coming off the bench for that exact reason and even if he’s not starting, I think Dike can be a positive contributor for the Timbers if used in that manner.

That’s it for now. Once I get to view the match again, I’ll have some more. I also hope to have a post up this week about Kris Boyd. Check out the match stats and highlights below.

Match stats:

Portland Timbers (7-15-8, 29pts) at Real Salt Lake (15-11-4, 49pts)
Sept. 22, 2012 – Rio Tinto Stadium

Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Timbers 0 1 1
Real Salt Lake 2 0 2

Scoring Summary
RSL: Espindola (Morales), 14
RSL: Morales, 36
POR: Dike (Zizzo), 61

Misconduct Summary
RSL: Olave (Caution), 81

Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Bendik, D Kimura (Alexander, 67), D Mosquera, D Horst, D Smith (Dike, 46), M Nagbe, M Jewsbury ©, M Wallace, F Zizzo, F Mwanga, F Songo’o (Alhassan, 82)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Angevine, D Brunner, D Danso, F Fucito

TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Dike, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Dike, Wallace, 2); FOULS: 8 (Jewsbury, 3); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 3

RSL: GK Rimando, D Beltran, D Olave, D Borchers, D Wingert, M Beckerman ©, M Grabavoy, M Johnson, M Morales (Gil, 90+2), F Espindola (Alvarez, 83), F Araujo (Bonfigli, 67)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Reynish, D Schuler, M Steele, F Mansally

TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Espindola, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Espindola, 4); FOULS: 9 (Johnson, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 4

Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referees: Corey Parker, Jason Cullum
4th Official: Allen Chapman
Attendance: 20,524
Time of Game: 1:49
Weather: Sunny, 86 degrees

Match Highlights:

Timbers still looking for their first road win against Real Salt Lake

Posted by Chris Singer on September 22, 2012 at 2:44 pm MLS, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake

Sep 222012

The Portland Timbers (7-14-8, 29 points) hit the road again on Saturday, this time heading to Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah to take on Real Salt Lake (14-11-4, 46 points) at 5 p.m. PST.

Some quick thoughts on today’s match:

* Is today the day for the Timbers?

On Wednesday night, the Timbers put in one of their best road performances in their brief MLS history against the San Jose Earthquakes. While it was disappointing to come away with only 1 point after having a 2-0 lead, it was still a strong effort against one of the hottest teams in MLS. Still, the Timbers road record stands at an abysmal 0-10-4 with only 8 goals scored in those matches.

Real Salt Lake, on the other hand, is struggling. Just 1-4-1 in their last 6 MLS matches, injuries to Jamison Olave, Chris Schuler and now Alvaro Saborio (a game-time decision due to a sprained shoulder) have contributed greatly to Real Salt Lakes’ struggles the past few months.

* Which team will be impacted more by their missing injured players?

The Timbers have several key players out with injuries: Donovan Ricketts, Diego Chara and now Kris Boyd, who is likely to miss the rest of the season with a groin injury. Timbers interim coach Gavin Wilkinson changed Wednesday’s lineup and formation as a result and will likely keep the same for Real Salt Lake match.

For Real Salt Lake, their struggles truly began when Jamison Olave was forced to miss action due to hamstring and other injuries. With Olave out, Real Salt Lake is simply not the same team, registering a 2-6-3 record. With the possibility that leading scorer, Alvaro Saborio (his 14 goals is second only to Chris Wondolowski in MLS), will likely have to sit due to pain from his shoulder strain injury, goals could be hard to come by. The Timbers will breathe a sigh of relief if Saborio sits out. Saborio scored a hat trick in his last match against Portland, which incidentally was John Spencer’s last match as Timbers manager.

* Probable Timbers lineup:

GK: Joe Bendik

DEF: Steven Smith, David Horst, Hanyer Mosquera, Lovel Palmer

MF: Franck Songo’o, Rodney Wallace, Jack Jewsbury, Darlington Nagbe

FW: Bright Dike, Danny Mwanga

* Prediction:

Rio Tinto Stadium, while not the usual stronghold it has been in past seasons, is still a difficult place to play and RSL is 10-4-1 on the season. RSL’s playoff chances are pretty secure regardless of the result today. With no chance for the playoffs, many of the Timbers players are definitely playing for their jobs and a place in next year’s squad under new coach Caleb Porter. I don’t see the Timbers getting three points today, but I am hoping that some Timbers desperation combined with RSL’s injury woes help the Timbers overachieve for a draw.

Pre-Match Stats:

REFEREE: Kevin Stott. AR1 (bench): Corey Parker; AR2 (opposite): Jason Cullum; 4th: Allen Chapman
MLS Career: 229 games; FC/gm: 25.6; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 59; pens: 48

INJURY REPORT:

REAL SALT LAKE – OUT: GK Lalo Fernandez (R wrist fracture); DF Kwame Watson-Siriboe (R adductor strain); PROBABLE: DF Jamison Olave (L hamstring strain); DF Chris Schuler (L foot bone bruise); DF Kenny Mansally (L knee MCL sprain) … PORTLAND TIMBERS – OUT: MF Diego Chara (L adductor strain); GK Donovan Ricketts (L shoulder separation); DF Chris Taylor (R hip surgery); QUESTIONABLE: GK Jake Gleeson (R hand contusion); PROBABLE: MF Freddie Braun (abdominal strain); DF Andrew Jean-Baptiste (L hamstring strain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

SUSPENDED: none

WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: RSL: Fabian Espindola, Javier Morales, Jamison Olave, Alvaro Saborio … POR: Jack Jewsbury
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: RSL: Will Johnson, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Jonny Steele … POR: Kris Boyd, Hanyer Mosquera, Lovel Palmer, Kosuke Kimura, Diego Chara, Steven Smith, Franck Songo’o

Timbers draw against San Jose is a roller coaster of emotions for fans

Posted by Chris Singer on September 20, 2012 at 2:34 pm MLS, Portland Timbers

Sep 202012

In my preview for last night’s match, I gave the Portland Timbers (7-14-8, 29 pts) no chance whatsoever to come away with points against the San Jose Earthquakes (17-6-6, 57 pts). Yet despite my pessimism and thanks to Danny Mwanga’s brace, the Timbers had a 2-0 lead after 62 minutes. While the headlines will praise another San Jose comeback (thanks to Chris Wondolowski’s brace), I can’t help think Gavin Wilkinson deserves a big assist for the part he played in the Earthquakes’ comeback. I’ll expand on this thought and more below in my takeaways from last night’s match:

* Danny Mwanga

Mwanga finally got the start last night, something I’ve been clamoring about for two months now. Apparently the reason Mwanga hasn’t been playing much has to do with his lack of confidence (see quote below):

“He was, for various reasons, very short on confidence coming out of Philadelphia, but he has worked hard in training and preformed very, very well off the bench the last few games. He deserved to start tonight, and his second goal was fantastic. He is a good finisher and he showed that tonight.”

Take that quote how you will, but for me, this seems to be Wilkinson’s way of giving himself a pass for having one of the teams most talented players sitting on the bench for the better part of two months.

Regardless of my bitterness about the quote, I’m happy to see Mwanga on the pitch and hope to see him start for the rest of the season.

* Joe Bendik

Bendik’s previous two appearances of the season were a result of injuries to mid-game injuries to Troy Perkins and Donovan Ricketts. I thought Bendik played very well in his very first MLS start. He made some excellent saves, was aggressive to react to balls in the box, showed some fire and heart on the pitch and his distribution was very good. He’s getting a shot to play due to Ricketts’ separated shoulder.

Just as a quick caveat, when Ricketts spent most of 2011 injured, it paved the way for Josh Saunders to take over as the Galaxy keeper. Ricketts became expendable after that. I’m not saying that is what is going to happen here, but I do look forward to seeing how Bendik takes advantage of this opportunity.

* Franck Songo’o

Here’s what Gavin Wilkinson had to say about Songo’o:

“Frank has really started to take on a leadership role and I am really happy with him. He controls the ball and tempo of the game well and is technically gifted. It’s a matter of keeping him fit and healthy and continuing to develop him. But again, he has done very well the last few games.”

Credit where credit is due. Wilkinson is spot on about Songo’o's form and leadership over the last several months and now that fans are seeing how a fit and healthy Songo’o plays, I think we can all agree he has been a good signing. It’s early still, but if Songo’o continues playing strong and showing improvement, this may play out as one of Wilkinson’s best MLS signings so far.

* 2nd Half Tactics

If there was a tipping point in last night’s match it was in the 62nd minute after Mwanga made it 2-0. Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop, who in a mid-match interview talked about resting Chris Wondolowski tonight, brought in Wondolowski (in the 58th minute) and Alan Gordon (in the 63rd minute).

So while Yallop made changes to proactively influence the match in the Earthquakes favor, Wilkinson did essentially nothing. The match was screaming for an adjustment (I was hoping to see an Eric Alexander substitution), but instead the Timbers bunkered down in the hope to go for 27 plus minutes unscathed.

We’ve all seen this story before right? The Timbers simply don’t have the quality players to bunker down for that long, especially against a team with as much offensive firepower as the Earthquakes.

For a very thorough look at why this is simply the wrong tactical move, please give Kevin Alexander’s post (aptly named “Bunked Off”) a read over at Slide Rule Pass.

MATCH STATS:

Portland Timbers (7-14-8, 29pts) at San Jose Earthquakes (17-6-6, 57pts)
Sept. 19, 2012 – Buck Shaw Stadium

Goals by Half                 1          2          F
Portland Timbers            1          1          2
San Jose Earthquakes   0          2          2

Scoring Summary
POR: Mwanga (Wallace), 45
POR: Mwanga (Songo’o), 62
SJ: Wondolowski (Lenhart, Gordon), 73
SJ: Wondolowski, 90+2

Misconduct Summary
SJ: Corrales (Caution), 38
POR: Smith (Caution), 54
SJ: Cronin (Caution), 68
POR: Songo’o (Caution), 71

Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Bendik, D Palmer (Kimura, 83), D Mosquera, D Horst, D Smith, M Nagbe, M Jewsbury ©, M Wallace, M Songo’o, F Boyd (Dike, 18), F Mwanga (Brunner, 85)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Angevine, M Alexander, M Alhassan, F Fucito

TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Mwanga, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Mwanga, 2); FOULS: 14 (Songo’o, 7); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 7 (Bendik, 5)

SJ: GK Busch, D Beitashour, D Bernardez, D Opara, D Morrow, M Ballouchy (Wondolowski, 58), M Cronin, M Baca (Gordon, 63), M Corrales ©, F Dawkins, F Lenhart

Substitutes Not Used: GK Bingham, D Hernandez, D Zayner, M Ring, M Stephenson

TOTAL SHOTS: 23 (Corrales, Dawkins, Wondolowski, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Wondolowski, 4); FOULS: 13 (Morrow, 5); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 0

Referee: Armando Villareal
Assistant Referees: Ian Anderson, Chris Strickland
4^th Official: Yadar Reyes
Attendance: 9,877
Time of Game: 1:55
Weather: Clear, 61 degrees

Preview: Portland on an impossible mission against San Jose

Posted by Chris Singer on September 19, 2012 at 12:48 am MLS, Portland Timbers

Sep 192012

The Portland Timbers (7-14-7, 28 points) and their season-long winless road streak travel to Buck Shaw Stadium to take on the San Jose Earthquakes (17-6-5, 56 points).

Quick thoughts on Wednesday’s matchup:

* Lineup changes:

While not saying definitively what the changes would be, Gavin Wilkinson did hint there would be some tweaks to the lineup on Wednesday:

You look at our road results and something has to change. We want to eliminate excuses. We’ve contemplated changing the line up and bringing in some fresh bodies. It is still in discussion and we will wait and see, but it has definitely been a big talking point.

Some injuries sustained during the weekend’s matches obviously will force Wilkinson’s hand a bit in making changes to the lineup. Diego Chara and Donovan Ricketts will not be available so the Timbers will have to fill their spots. Joe Bendik will take Ricketts spot in goal, but for Chara, Wilkinson could either go with Rodney Wallace or Eric Alexander. After Wallace’s excellent match on Saturday, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him in the lineup. Wilkinson likes to reward players who have put on good showings in matches with starts. That said, expect a few changes up top as well with Kris Boyd getting the nod over Bright Dike and Danny Mwanga getting the start over Sal Zizzo. Mwanga put in an excellent shift off the bench on Saturday and Boyd scored a very Rangers-like goal on Sunday.

One additional change I hope to see is a replacement at RB for Kosuke Kimura, who has failed to impress since joining the team in a trade from the Colorado Rapids. Unfortunately, his replacement will not be the player I would hope to see with only a few matches left in the season. I imagine Wilkinson will start Lovel Palmer instead of rookie Ryan Kawulok.

Here’s a look at what the Timbers starting XI could look like on Wednesday:

Franck Songo’o – Kris Boyd – Danny Mwanga

Rodney Wallace – Darlington Nagbe – Jack Jewsbury

Steven Smith – David Horst – Hanyer Mosquera – Lovel Palmer

* My prediction:

I think you could change this lineup however you want, but unfortunately you would still find the Timbers do not have enough quality to defeat the Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium. With the Quakes on a current run of 12 matches unbeaten at home, I just hope the Timbers can keep it close.

Pre-match stats:

REFEREE: Armando Villarreal. AR1 (bench): Ian Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Chris Strickland; 4th: Yader Reyes
MLS Career: 7 games; FC/gm: 22.3; Y/gm: 2.6; R: 5; pens: 3

INJURY REPORT:
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES – OUT: MF Cesar Diaz Pizarro (R groin strain); MF Marvin Chavez (L hamstring strain); MF Joey Gjertsen (R knee surgery); MF Sercan Guvenisik (L hamstring strain); DF Tim Ward (L nonspecific soft tissue injury)
PORTLAND TIMBERS – OUT: DF Chris Taylor (R hip surgery); PROBABLE: MF Freddie Braun (abdominal strain); DF Andrew Jean-Baptiste (L hamstring strain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

SUSPENDED: none

WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD:
SJ: Victor Bernardez, Rafael Baca
POR: Jack Jewsbury

SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS:
SJ: Mehdi Ballouchy. Marvin Chavez, Ramiro Corrales, Steven Lenhart, Steven Beitashour, Alan Gordon, Chris Wondolowski
POR: Kris Boyd, Jack Jewsbury, Hanyer Mosquera, Lovel Palmer, Kosuke Kimura, Diego Chara

Timbers come back to gain a draw with the Sounders

Posted by Chris Singer on September 15, 2012 at 9:33 pm MLS, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders

Sep 152012

Rodney Wallace’s equalizer in the 78th helped the Portland Timbers (7-14-7, 28 points) come back for a 1-1 draw against Cascadia-rival Seattle Sounders.

After a scoreless first half, Fredy Montero put the Sounders ahead in the 57th minute, merely 20 seconds after keeper Joe Bendik came off the bench to replace an injured Donovan Ricketts.

Here’s some quick takeaways from today’s match:

* Give the Timbers credit

Few people thought the Timbers would even be in this match, let alone get points out of it. Since losing to the Timbers on June 24th, the Sounders have been on a tear, going 6-1-4 in MLS and 10-1-5 in all competitions. I thought the Timbers played better than expected and gave the Sounders a good battle, even coming close in the 90th minute to steal three points when a set piece led to a Bright Dike shot off the far post.

* Still…

That said, the Sounders are not the same team without Mauro Rosales and Christian Tiffert on the pitch. While Fredy Montero and Eddie Johnson are having terrific seasons, Rosales seems to be the key guy for the Sounders.

* Rodney Wallace

I think that was the best match I’ve ever seen Wallace play in a Timbers uniform.

* Kosuke Kimura

Kimura’s performance once again left a lot to be desired. He just can’t seem to gel with his teammates, and he’s very tentative offensively. Too many giveaways and passes to nowhere. There’s not much season left, I’d like to see Ryan Kawulok get a shot at right back.

* More Danny Mwanga please

Mwanga was a nice spark off the bench for the Timbers and he immediately drew attention from the Sounders defense. I’d like to see Mwanga get big time minutes and have a chance to finish the season strong.

* Set pieces were key for the Timbers

It was good to see Jack Jewsbury taking corner kicks again and that switch led to some excellent opportunities in the box for the Timbers with Hanyer Mosquera, Rodney Wallace (with the goal) and Bright Dike all getting chances.

* Updated Cascadia Cup Standings

Game stats:

Portland Timbers (7-14-7, 28pts) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (13-6-9, 48pts)
Sept. 15, 2012 – JELD-WEN Field

Goals by Half 1 2 F
Seattle Sounders FC 0 1 1
Portland Timbers 0 1 1

Scoring Summary
SEA: Montero (Gspurning), 57
POR: Wallace (Jewsbury), 78

Misconduct Summary
SEA: Johnson (Caution), 26
SEA: Martinez (Caution), 79

Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Ricketts (Bendik, 57), D Kimura, D Mosquera, D Horst, D Smith, M Nagbe, M Jewsbury ©, M Chara, F Zizzo (Alhassan, 83), F Dike, F Songo’o (Mwanga, 72)

Substitutes Not Used: D Danso, M Alexander, F Boyd, F Fucito

TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Jewsbury, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Wallace, 2); FOULS: 12 (Chara, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 2 (Bendik, 2)

SEA: GK Gspurning, D Johansson, D Hurtado, D Parke, D Gonzalez, M Zakuani (Martinez, 70), M Alonso ©, M Rose, M Evans (Burch, 78) , F Montero, F Johnson

Substitutes Not Used: GK Ford, D Ianni, D Scott, M Caskey, F Ochoa

TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Montero, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Montero, 2); FOULS: 11 (Gonzalez, Johnson, 2); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 2

Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Assistant Referees: Peter Manikowski, Mike Kampmeinert
4th Official: Jesus Cisneros
Attendance: 20, 438
Time of Game: 1:53
Weather: Sunny, 74 degrees

Highlights:

Timbers loss puts them back where they belong; in last place

Posted by Chris Singer on September 6, 2012 at 4:01 am MLS, Portland Timbers

Sep 062012

It was not an easy night to be a Timbers supporter. After two victories in a row, it looked like Wednesday’s match would be an opportunity for the Timbers to get their first three match winning streak and their first road win of the season. It took one minute to see this was not going to be the Timbers night when Kosuke Kimura got absolutely torched on the wing by Tony Cascio, whose shot clanged off the post. Five minutes later, the Rapids scored when Andre Akpan got to a loose ball in the box and slammed the ball in the goal. The Rapids never looked back and the Timbers rarely threatened to even make a comeback in taking another 3-0 loss at Dick Sporting Goods Park.

Here’s a few thoughts on the match:

* Timbers defender Kosuke Kimura

This was Kimura’s worst game as a member of the Portland Timbers. To be honest, he’s played pretty poorly since joining the team and fans are getting quite a few looks at why the Colorado Rapids were willing to unload him. I’ve always liked Kimura’s pace and hustle, and I love his passion for the Timbers, but he makes too many mistakes to be an automatic write-in on the lineup card. Tonight those mistakes played a hand in all three Rapids goals. It’s time to give Ryan Kawulok at look at right back.

Check out the post-match comments from Kimura. I appreciate his candor, but am I wrong in thinking he wasn’t really mentally prepared to play tonight?

- On the return to Colorado: “The first 10 minutes I wasn’t on it. [Tony] Cascio had a chance to score a goal; he had an assist on one goal. It was an individual mistake I think. I thought we played good enough to create chances to get some points, but like I said an individual mistake let the team down. We played well in the second half; everyone came out with a really good mentality. I thought we kept the ball, and created good chances. When those chances come, we have to finish it. Otherwise, the momentum doesn’t go our way. It was a little emotional game for me. That’s how it is as a professional, so I’ve got to suck it up and I’ve got to keep moving forward.”

- On if there was any extra pressure on him tonight: “I wanted to play well. Coach told me not to be too emotional, but I got caught up in the moment a little bit. I can’t let that happen in a game. It’s just 90 minutes, but if for just one minute you lose focus, it’s just going to kill you at the professional level. I put pressure on my shoulders today, but it didn’t come out well. Like I said, it’s a professional game and you can’t fix the past, but you’ve got to try to fix the future. I think if we keep the ball like we did in the second half we can get more points the rest of the season.”

* Upgrades

I said it on Twitter earlier tonight, but I think it’s worth mentioning here as well:

Full disclosure: I was a big Troy Perkins guy. I know he wasn’t Petr Cech and sure, he had his faults (distribution mainly), but Perkins made huge saves for this club. In 2011, I’m convinced Perkins’ play, especially the save he made to preserve the win in Chicago, was the main reason there was any talk of making the playoffs.

All that said, it’s a business and trades happen, but Wilkinson saying what he said about the trade really set up Donovan Ricketts in a bad way. Has Ricketts performed well? At times, yes. Has he made fantastic saves? Yes to that well. Is his distribution better than Perkins? Probably. Ricketts did have that 50 yard throw against Vancouver. But he’s also booted the ball from his box to the other team’s box and kicked four balls out of bounds last Friday so color me unimpressed. Have some of the things we heard from Impact fans, such as poor hands and positioning, appear to be true? Yes, I definitely think so. Does all of this add up to an upgrade? Definitely not and because Gavin Wilkinson made the statement he made, this is something that’s going to come up again and again as long as Ricketts is with the team.

* Put away the optimism

It’s time to be honest with ourselves: the Timbers stink. Cue up the Jim Mora video. This is not a playoff team and hasn’t been even close to a playoff team this entire season. The Timbers got themselves out of the Western Conference basement for a grand total of five days, only to play a stinker on Wednesday night and drop right back down. The Timbers belong in last place. Everything that has plagued the team this season (poor first touch, easy giveaways, playing kickball, man-marking in the box, set piece defense… I can go on) happened tonight. It was a terrible performance. In a league with as much parity as MLS, it’s hard to believe that the Timbers can’t even get a fluke win on the road.

Game Stats:

Goals by Half                 1          2          F
Portland Timbers            0          0          0
Colorado Rapids            2          1          3

Scoring Summary
COL: Akpan (Cascio, Moor), 6
COL: Cascio (Castrillón), 27
COL: Castrillón (Moor, Hill), 86

Misconduct Summary
COL: Zapata (Caution), 14
POR: Chara (Caution), 42
COL: Thomas (Caution), 46
POR: Smith (Caution), 74
POR: Jewsbury (Caution), 83

Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Ricketts, D Kimura, D Mosquera, D Horst, D Smith, M Nagbe, M Jewsbury ©, M Chara, F Zizzo (Mwanga, 77), F Dike (Boyd, 67), F Songo’o (Fucito, 82)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Bendik, D Brunner, D Kawulok, M Alexander

TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Dike, Zizzo, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Chara, 1); FOULS: 14 (Horst, Jewsbury, 3) OFFSIDES: 7; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 3

COL: GK Pickens, D Moor ©, D Wynne, D Marshall, D Zapata, M Thomas, M Larentowicz (O’Neill, 86), M Castrillón, M Cascio (Mullan, 81), M Rivero (Hill, 73), F Akpan

Substitutes Not Used: GK Ceus, D Wahl, M Smith, F Casey

TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Cascio, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Cascio, 2); FOULS: 12 (Akpan, Castrillón, Rivero, Zapata, 2) OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 1

Checking off the next box: A win on the road

Posted by Chris Singer on September 5, 2012 at 1:42 am MLS, Portland Timbers

Sep 052012

No, this isn’t the Portland Timbers version of Groundhog Day. Thanks to the unbalanced schedule format, we get a third and thankfully final match of the season between the Portland Timbers (7-13-6, 27 points) and Colorado Rapids (8-17-2, 26 points).

The Timbers hope to extend their two game winning streak as well as “check off another box” by getting their first road win of the season on Wednesday against the Rapids.

Here’s a few thoughts on Wednesday’s match:

* Going with the hot hands

No matter what your feelings on Gavin Wilkinson are, there’s no denying the Timbers are playing much better over the last 3-4 weeks. Part of that improvement can definitely be attributed to some consistency in the Timbers starting XI. Sal Zizzo and Franck Songo’o have put their injury issues behind them and are playing their best soccer as a Timbers player. Bright Dike finally got a shot in the lineup and has rewarded Wilkinson’s trust with 2 goals in 3 matches. David Horst and Hanyer Mosquera played their best match as a centerback pairing on Saturday as well. Steven Smith has performed better as late as well and even won MLS Save of the Week. Most of all, Darlington Nagbe has begun to show signs of becoming an MLS star and one of the league’s most dominant players. His recent form even inspired an article on the MLS website about his potential as the #8 on the U.S Men’s National Team.

Because of all of this, I certainly expect we’ll see the same lineup again on Wednesday:

* A Tale of Two Teams

Usually a subtitle like the one above would indicate that I’m going to write about the Timbers road woes. However, while the Timbers are still the only team this season winless on the road, I’m actually thinking more about how the Timbers and the Rapids seem to be heading in different directions.

Since defeating the Timbers 3-0 on June 30th, the Colorado Rapids have gone 1-9-1. Over that same period, the Timbers have gone 3-6-2 and 2-4-2 under Gavin Wilkinson. While it’s not much better, the Timbers have shown improvement since going to a more possession style of play. This may be the Timbers best chance to win an away match this season. If recent form holds true, it may just happen.

Pre-match notes:

INJURY REPORT: COLORADO RAPIDS – OUT: DF Anthony Wallace (L Achilles tear); MF Pablo Mastroeni (headaches); FW Edu (R foot contusion); QUESTIONABLE: FW Kamani Hill (L quad strain); PROBABLE: FW Omar Cummings (R ankle soreness) … PORTLAND TIMBERS – OUT: DF Chris Taylor (R hip surgery); PROBABLE: MF Kalif Alhassan (L patellar tendinitis); GK Jake Gleeson (R groin strain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: COL: Omar Cummings (Jamaica) … POR: Lovel Palmer (Jamaica); Steve Purdy (El Salvador); Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica)

SUSPENDED: none

WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: COL: Tyson Wahl … POR: Steven Smith
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: POR: Kris Boyd, Jack Jewsbury, Hanyer Mosquera, Lovel Palmer, Kosuke Kimura … COL: Jaime Castrillon, Jeff Larentowicz, Tyrone Marshall, Drew Moor, Martin Rivero

Match Preview:

My prediction:

I think the Timbers check off more boxes on Wednesday night by getting their first road win and their first three match winning streak with a 2-1 victory over the Rapids.

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