Portland Timbers
New Hat? or Old Tricks? Portland Timbers 2017 Preview
Last years’ end state was horrible; the Portland Timbers, returning MLS Champions, missed the playoffs. Not good; especially when 60% of the teams in your Conference make the playoffs. Clearly changes needed to be made. Notable midfield additions include David Guzman, Sebastian Blanco, and the return of Dairon Asprilla. On the defensive side, where the Timbers had […]
Gluck – Making the Most of the Much Maligned Melano
For most, the hot topic/question for the Timbers is… What to do about Luca? For me, it’s certainly a short-term concern, but I’d submit there’s a longer term question that still needs to be answered that far outweighs what to do about Luca. To explain, if you will. The Timbers have seen the trees […]
Defense First ? Timbers to Ride the Rapids?
Portland Timbers travel to Colorado for the first time this year and the challenge for both teams is finding the right balance between attacking and defending. In their last league home game the Timbers struggled in the first half – not unlike their US Open Cup match as well. If not for an untimely hand-ball by David […]
Timbers Shake Quakes Again!
In perhaps their best team performance all year the Portland Timbers defeated the San Jose Earthquakes, in the fourth round of the US Open Cup, at Providence Park last night 2 – nil. I don’t offer that lightly – the Timbers have struggled on both sides of the ball this year – not only in finishing chances […]
Portland slow out of the gate again!
When week three of Major League Soccer closed the Portland Timbers were 14th worst in overall team performance – that has changed – but not for the better! Portland are now 16th worst in overall team performance – taking into account how well (and how well their opponent’s) possess, pass, penetrate, create, and score goals. […]
Dealing without Darlington
There’s no question the pain of losing Darlington Nagbe, for us supporters, is nowhere near the physical pain Nagbe experienced as a result of that brutal tackle by Nigel de Jong! I get it and the discipline handed out by MLS will come nowhere near what it should be – however long Darlington is out […]
Portland Timbers – Is it too early to worry?
Some pundits have offered that it’s probably to early to worry; I completely disagree. At no point in the last four years of tracking possession with purpose have the Timbers been so low on this Index: Some may scoff at the reference to my Index, so early in the season, but in my most recent […]
MLS Week 3 Recap and Power Rankings through Week 3
With three more points in a home win, against the early season nomads of Toronto (first eight games on the road), Sporting KC is solidifying an early season position as the team to beat. Not only in the Western Conference league table but in the MLS Composite PWP Index (through Week 3) at the end […]
Portland Timbers v Real Salt Lake – Match Preview
Like many other Timbers supporters I’m hoping the defensive mistakes made against San Jose last week don’t show themselves again this week. Caleb Porter is a team builder – not team destroyer – and I’m sure he’s had positive words with the lads to keep them looking forward while also reinforcing some finer issues about […]
MLS Week 2 Recap – Dynamo Decisively Dump Dallas
Five -nil and eight goals in two games – the Dynamo are Coyled to strike from anywhere with anyone, to include using the opponent to score for them! All told, Houston have two goals from Andrew Wenger, and one each from Will Bruin, Ricardo Clark, David Horst, Cristian Maidana, Giles Barnes, and Matt Hedges (FC […]