Imagine if the Portland Timbers had won Wednesday's game in Colorado. At 30 points, with seven games, left, there might actually have been some considerable excitement about the team maybe squeezing into the playoffs, especially with one game left against Vancouver - the team in fifth place.
And, the winless streak on the road would have been history.
All gone.
So the Timbers are back to where they've been all season on the road - seemingly somewhere else.
General Manager Gavin Wilkinson had some momentum on his side entering the game with those eight points in August, having named an incoming head coach, and sending an inspired line-up onto the field game after game, regardless of the status of Kris Boyd.
All the grumbling about GW being replaceable, just like anyone else, seemed like an early pounce on the team's savior. Calm down, Armed ones!
What now?
What's all that momentum matter without a win?
So, the GW Out crew has reason to show up in force Sept. 15 when the team returns to Jeld-Wen Field for a crucial Cascadia Cup match against Seattle, a win that would wrap up the Cup for Soccer City USA.
That's going to be a challenging game for the GW Out crew. On one hand, a Timbers win would be fantastic because it would secure the Cup. On the other hand, a loss would be great fodder for sending GW to another post in the organization, or, perhaps, another organization.
That's going to be an entertaining game on and off the field, more than usual.
It's two months into the Portland Timbers second MLS season and the
first eight games have left much to be desired. Portland is currently
last in the MLS’s Western Conference and is the only team in the West
with fewer points (7) than games (8).
Here are five reasons why the Timbers have struggled, and how they might be able to turn their season around.
1. Injuries Every
team gets injured, but the Timbers have dealt with the injury bug early
and often. This season has seen injuries at every position, from
players that have never played in Portland (Jose Adolfo Valencia) to
some of last year’s stalwarts (Futty Danso, Kalif Alhassan, Rodney
Wallace, David Horst, etc). So far, the Timbers haven’t been able to
catch a break.
There isn't much solution to staying injury-free
other than making sure players aren’t rushed back too early and sustain
more long-term damage.
2. Where is Nagbe?
While
second-year player Darlington Nagbe showed glimpses of his immense
talent last season, his rookie year was marred by injuries and a slow
start to the year. This season, Nagbe has already bested his scoring
mark from last season with three goals. All three goals came from when
Nagbe was playing in the center of the field. Despite Nagbe’s success in
the middle, he has started three games at outside midfielder.
Ten
minutes into the Timbers match vs Real Salt Lake, John Spencer moved
Nagbe off the wing and into an attacking center-mid role. All Nagbe did
was score two first-rate goals and play his best soccer as a
professional. Despite this, Nagbe hasn’t played in the central of the
midfield since.The best solution would be to stick Nagbe underneath the
strikers and let him create. This would also make it easier on either
Jack Jewsbury or Lovel Palmer, as they are better when playing a holding
midfield position.
3. The play of the backline
The
Timbers ended the 2011 season with some very stout defensive
performances and gave up just eight goals in their final ten matches.
However, the beginning of 2012 bodes no resemblance to the end of 2011
having conceded 13 goals in the first eight matches. Consistently poor
positioning, lack of marking near the end of matches, and ball-watching
have led to numerous goals that could have been prevented.
While
the fullback position has been justifiably criticized by media and fans
alike, the centerbacks have also been at fault on multiple goals this
year. Eric Brunner has shown outstanding leadership and has had to cover
for poor play on the outside, but he has also not shown the domination
in the aerial game that he had last season. The budding partnership
between Brunner and Hanyer Mosquera looks promising, but only clean
sheets will prove the pair’s worth.
4. Late game debacles
In
all but one game this season, the Portland Timbers have entered the
75th minute with a tie or a lead. Despite this, Portland has only been
able to get positive results in three of those seven matches. Portland
has given up six goals in the final 15 minutes, which leads the league.
One reason for the late-game struggles, seems to from needless late-game
substitutions. On multiple occasions this season, a second half sub has
been at fault for an opponent’s goal. One of those players, James
Marcelin, was waived last week to make room for Steven Smith.
One
way to fix the problem is to make sure players understand their late
game roles. Players such as Diego Chara have seemed to be unsure of what
position they are meant to be playing in at the end of matches. Another
problem, which might be harder to overcome, is changing the belief of
the team at the end of the matches. It's hard to hold a lead when
everything in your brain is telling you that you are going to concede a
late goal. It might be easier for attacking players to continue their
attacking ways instead of trying to overload the defensive half. In
fact, Portland is one of just three MLS squads without a goal in the
final 15 minutes of a match.
5. The Timbers just aren’t as good as their opponents
The
300-pound elephant staring the Timbers in the face is a scary one.
Despite the acquisitions of Kris Boyd and Mosquera, Portland is simply
not playing as well as it did in the second half of last season. It's
completely possible that the majority of MLS teams have gotten better,
while the Timbers have stayed the same or gotten worse.
Since
opening night, only Nagbe and Boyd have scored goals. The midfield has
provided little in the attack and hasn’t been able to close down on
opponent midfielders away from the ball.
In almost every match,
the opponents have gotten production from their bench, while the Timbers
haven’t gotten much (other than Nagbe’s goal).
The lack of depth
in the bench has been easy to see while teams such as Chivas USA, Real
Salt Lake and even expansion Montreal have had subs be key parts of
goals. In-season acquisitions of Mike Fucito and Smith might provide
some much-needed support for Portland, but it still waits to be seen if
the Timbers face a “talent issue.”
One positive for the club is
the season is only a quarter of the way through. However, if the Timbers
can’t turn their early season woes around soon, it will be a long
season at Jeld-Wen Field.
That
was the question on the minds of the Timbers players, fans, and anyone
else who watched the Timbers give up two goals in the final five minutes
in a 3-2 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. What just happened?
After
the final whistle, almost everyone associated with Timbers had the same
glazed over, look of shock on their face. Whether it was Merritt
Paulson with head-in-hand in front of his office computer or Kris Boyd
slumped over with both hands on his chin in the locker room, no member
of the Timbers organization could seem to make sense of what had just
happened.
Just 30 minutes before
the final whistle, the only question running through the minds of the
Timbers Army was, “did that just happen?” As Darlington Nagbe blasted a
volley over Nick Rimando giving his 2011 MLS Goal of the Year a fitting
sequel and the Timbers a 2-1 lead 65 minutes into the match.
But,
Nagbe’s golazzo was not the question on everyone’s mind after the
match. John Spencer faced the media with the same look of confusion that
was being worn by most at Jeld-Wen. What just happened?
“I
don’t think at any one time Real Salt Lake stopped fighting,” Spencer
said. “We knew we had to match them for 90 minutes, and we matched them
for 84 minutes.”
As to what
actually happened on the two goals that were scored late by RSL, the
replays tell some of the story. On the tying goal by Jonny Steele, the
usually reliable James Marcelin gave the ball away softly to Javier
Morales. Then Steele easily sidestepped Eric Brunner, who looked to be
running on fumes.
The game winner
by Kyle Beckerman is even easier to diagnose after multiple viewings. At
least seven Timbers defenders were ball-watching and none of the
players on the pitch saw Beckerman waving both his arms in the air to
notify Fabian Espindola that no one was marking him.
And
if Beckerman’s face looked familiar during his post-goal celebration,
it was because it was the same one that Troy Perkins had as he sat down
on the field staring at his defense. What just happened?
The
Timbers aren’t the first MLS team to lose a game they were winning
after 85 minutes. And they won’t be the last. It is how they come back
this April Fool’s Day-like stomach punch that will define the early part
of their 2012 season.
Will the
memories of Saturday lead to sluggish performances in upcoming games vs
Chivas USA, LA Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City? Or will the
disappointment provide motivation going forward?
While
those questions will be answered in the coming weeks, one direct
question remains as Jeld-Wen Field employees cleaned up a deserted,
dimly-lit stadium.
Going into halftime Saturday in Frisco, Texas, the Portland Timbers were behind 1-0 on the scoreboard and Darlington Nagbe was not on the pitch for the second consecutive first half.
Five minutes into the second half, Nagbe was in and the Timbers were no longer losing.
A Nagbe goal four minutes into the second half earned the Timbers a 1-1 draw in their first away match of the season. Unlike the Timbers home opener on Monday at Jeld-Wen, Nagbe entered the game as a striker and not a midfielder.
While his goal was only set up after a disastrous screw-up by FC Dallas midfielder Daniel Hernandez, his finishing ability and presence of mind to turn and fire on net had zero to do with an opponent’s mistakes.
According to head coach John Spencer last season following the New England home game, Nagbe prefers to play up top paired with another striker. With newly acquired striker Kris Boyd a ready-and-willing presence in the box, Nagbe might have found his perfect match.
It was not just the goal that earned Nagbe the right to start at striker for the Timbers in upcoming matches. It was his touch and passing ability. His first touch is clearly far above any other potential starting forward on the club, while his ability to pass in tight spaces is a notch above Jorge Perlaza.
Nagbe’s ascent to striker would also clear up Perlaza to be used as a speedy, change-of-pace forward in the final 20 or so minutes of a match. Perlaza would have a game changing ability going against defenders that had been on the pitch for the entire game.
Another plus of Nagbe starting as a striker is how it clears up the jumbled outside midfielder position. Assuming Franck Songo’o eventually starts, the Timbers will have two defined starters (Kalif Alhassan and Songo’o) and two defined backups (Sal Zizzo and Eric Alexander) on the wings.
While Nagbe does not have the height of most starting MLS forwards, his excellent jumping ability and sheer soccer IQ make up for his lack of inches. Nagbe displayed his ability to beat much taller defenders in last year’s 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthwaukes at Jeld-Wen.
Using his brain and leverage, the 21-year-old beat 6-foot-5 defender Bobby Burling to a ball and then slotted in a cross to Cooper, who found the back of the net. Plays like that demonstrate Nagbe’s ability to play against much taller central defenders.
Sometimes in sports, players lose their spot not due to their inability, but simply because another player gives his team a better chance to win. And that is exactly what is happening to Jorge Perlaza. His demotion paired with Nagbe’s promotion would simply make the Timbers better.
At 30 points, with seven games, left, there might actually have been some considerable excitement about the team maybe squeezing into the playoffs, especially with one game left against Vancouver - the team in fifth place.
