What to Watch For (WTWF) this Sunday against Seattle

1. Win the battle of corners and free kicks – set pieces win games and are the best way to create opportunities to score goals – instead of playing to the 18 yard box maybe the wingers or overlapping defenders should play for corner kicks. 🙂

2. Stay compact in the back – this will be a HUGE challenge – pretty much an agreement so far in all I have read from many folks we need to get better at fullback – those guys gotta stay on their feet and remain tight at the back – this means our wingers need to be very quick to get behind the ball.

3. Score a bloody goal – this will be a HUGE challenge in the normal run of play – I am hoping we get some good set pieces in dangerous areas around the box or lots of corners to take advantage of our height – if KAH, DN, and Mwanga can work magic in and around and above the 18 yard box then maybe our short ball passing skills will get us a goal in the normal run of play. As usual Boyd needs to focus on poaching and playing with his back to the goal if we go ‘via direct’. 🙂

4. Do something different — 🙂 lots of great ideas and discussion of late on different systems of play to run – after reflecting a bit more I would be just as happy to see Spencer trot the team out in a 3-4-3 as much as a 3-5-2. Many thoughts and opinions out there on whether or not we have the capacity or capability to run either of those systems; and look forward to more as time passes. Maybe this isn’t the time – or – maybe this is the time. IDK… but geez… it is far too easy to prepare for Portland if they continue to try and relentlessly play overlapping ball all the time; we do have short ball playing skills and with those, playing middle ball with a 4-4-2, (pinching in and not overlapping) is also a different approach..

IMHO this is great time for a ‘brilliant’ winning goal if there ever was one!

Here’s hoping Spencer sits down to “manage” the game instead of “coach it” from the sidelines – sorry – can’t help myself 😉

Best wishes on winning this Sunday Timbers!