Portland Timbers @ D.C. United Preview and Match Thread
by Geoff Gibson on Oct 19, 2011 1:04 PM PDT
Email
Print
Unfortunately, due to midweek craziness of school and work I have been unable to do my usual interview previews with other bloggers. I know, I know... we all love them so much. So I do apologize for that. Still, at this point, I think we should all have a fairly good grasp on the team the Timbers will be facing tonight. If you don't, well, feel free to scroll on down...
Anyway, as I mentioned in today's TTB, tonight's game is huge for the Timbers. Without a win tonight, the task set before the Timbers getting into the play-offs becomes all the more grim, doubly so if New York defeats Philly tomorrow night. In fact, if the Timbers lose to DC United tonight and New York wins tomorrow night I think it might be over.
Enough of hat though, let's just focus on tonight's match:
Assessing Our Team
The Timbers are in a small slump right now. Despite the away win against the Vancouver Whitecaps, we haven't really seen the Timbers dominate a match since the New England Revolution came to town. That's something you don't want to see, especially when the players are at home as they were against the San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo, each of whom put together a more dominant side at Jeld-Wen Field (so much for that fortress).
Still heading into tonight;s game it's going to be very important that the Timbers go out with every intention of being the upset. Essentially they need to play like Houston played in Portland (although tonight's ref might not be nearly as "forgiving').
Of course, that all starts in the midfield. We can, once again, expect to see Jack Jewsbury and Diego Chara take the center positions. Both players have had their ups and downs lately, but we need both of them to be up tonight. They need to show that sort of aggressiveness we say back in August-September. Jewsbury, especially, needs to get back into the game and driving the attack. His last goal came way back in August against the Houston Dynamo. I'm not saying he needs another one, but I think it's indicative of his performance lately that he's not getting as many shots, or assists as he was in the first half of the season.
The big news tonight is that both Darlington Nagbe and Sal Zizzo are listed on the OUT section of the injury list which means that the team will have to do without both tonight. That means we'll probably see Jorge Perlaza take his starting position up top once again., something I'm fine with as I think we missed his speed these last couple matches. As for the right wing position, with Zizzo and Nagbe out we could see Eric Alexander take a starting position.
Finally, please bring David Horst back into the center back position with Eric Brunner. Not that Futty isn't capable of delivering solid games, but David Horst was playing phenomenally back during the August-September upswing and I think some of his defensive plays are a bit smarter that Futty's even if he's less experienced.
Here's my projected starting line up:
Troy Perkins; Mike Chabala, Futty Danso, Eric Brunner, Lovel Palmer; Kalif Alhassan, Diego Chara, Jack Jewsbury (c), Eric Alexander; Jorge Perlaza, Kenny Cooper
Assessing the Enemy
D.C. United has just as much to play for tonight as the Timbers. In fact, DC is actually in a worse off spot that the Timbers as they're currently sitting at 42 points. I'm not sure how it breaks down for them, but I think they might need to win both against the Timbers tonight and against their next opponents this weekend to earn their play off spot. Essentially they need a win just as much as the Timbers do tonight.
Of course the big news is that Dwayne De Rosario is expected to take the field against the Timbers, once again. This will be the third team DeRo has played for this seasn against the Timbers so it'll be interesting to see what kind of an impact he has. My guess is, as with New York, he'll play a pivotal role tonight.
DeRo is, of course, backed up by two very important D.C. United played: Charlie Davies who has 11 goals to his name so far this year and homegrown player Andy Najar, of which the latter is having a great season. Again I expect both players to be out there tonight as neither are listed on the injury list. Davies usual partner, however, Chis Pontius is listed as being OUT with an injury. I don't know who will replace him. We could see De Rosario come up top to pair with Charlie Davies.
Final Thoughts
There's not much more to say about the match itself. The guys need to go out and show some conviction in their game. Even if they lose, at least it'll be in a blaze of glory.
--
Tonight's match kicks off at 5:00pm on ROOT SPORTS.
215 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
SBN needs to update their app for iOS 5
Not having Nagbe or Zizzo in the team could be a plus or a negative. It could hurt continuity and what guys are used to. But sometimes challenging the normalcy bias is a good thing. Lately Timbers have seemed one-dimensional and Spencer has always been predictable with his substitutions. Part of that is squad depth, but another reason is the Timbers have lacked artistic play and intuition on the attack all season. As we saw against Houston, when the normalcy bias is broken in the run of play the Timbers get frustrated and nervy. But today we’ll see some new subs and different faces on the pitch. Like it or not this affects change and that could be what the team needs to get going again. On the other hand, it could be ugly. I’m just going to kick back and enjoy it while there is still a little bit of season to play.
I was being sarcastic
Tired of people talking about JW turf like it’s awful.
by yepyou'reright on Oct 19, 2011 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions
I guess he changed for mations... just seems like an odd time of hte year to make this many changes
I get that you have two injuries, but why make 4-5 changes to the line up in a must win game
I'k ok with it
It’s not like we’ve had a winning side lately.
by yepyou'reright on Oct 19, 2011 5:22 PM PDT up reply actions
before the last game we were actually playing pretty well
But hey i guess we can wait to see if it works or not
True
Either Perlaza is not 100% fit or he’s not impressing Spencer in training.
by yepyou'reright on Oct 19, 2011 5:28 PM PDT up reply actions
That was a great ball by marcelin... glad someone else caught that besides me
He cut inside to open up the alley to find him on the run
Excellent job with posession
looks like we learned a thing or two about getting dirty in the last game. We needed that Houston type game weeks ago, honestly. Excellent wake-up call.
I remember heraing chara is the player with the most fouls this year... even though he came to hte league late
got to love that from a small guy
I dunno
@Chicago was pretty nice too, but I’m loving this.
Lineup changes were needed. I posted the all-goons squad the other day and it looks remarkably similar to this. I don’t care if we have to play ugly football the rest of the way as long as we WIN.
But it's not ugly
I’ll take pretty goons if they play like this.
by yepyou'reright on Oct 19, 2011 6:02 PM PDT up reply actions
I mean dudes like
Marcelin and Alexander who play gritty footy in the middle. They’re not super offensive minded but they kill it on the defensive side and its nice and refreshing. Also nice to see Good Rodney Wallace show up. Him and Lovel Palmer work really well together
Wouldn't have done anything
RFK capacity is 46,000. If it was Fed-Ex Field you might have something to challenge the record.
Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.
I was just trying to crack at how sparse the attendance looks tonight
I guess there is a side I can’t see, hopefully that’s packed. But if they’re trying to get a new stadium…
volatilelyle.com
by almost awesome on Oct 19, 2011 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Nats draw little
And DC bent over backwards to get them a stadium.
by yepyou'reright on Oct 19, 2011 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions
Attendance was 14,317
That’s not bad for a midweek game in most MLS cities, especially in the rain and in a town that is notoriously full of people that work late.
Writer on SB Nation's DC United blog Black and Red United | @ChestRockwell14
by ChestRockwell on Oct 19, 2011 9:19 PM PDT up reply actions
impressed
Very deliberate play in the first half, not trying to do too much, applying the right kind of pressure, and taking high percentage shots on goal.
Cooper is still offside way too much. Palmer has looked really vulnerable all of a sudden. But the Rodney Wallace has been excellent on the left (so much that he’s made alexander look invisible) and Marcelin has played very well holding the middle.
Need a little more from Alhassan and Alexander, and I’m worried about our whole right side…
When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy
by Andrew Wheeler on Oct 19, 2011 6:04 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I think Kalif and Alexander have been okay
Need to tighten up defense on our right wing, especially when Najar is over there.
by yepyou'reright on Oct 19, 2011 6:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Timbers would be wise to avoid it I think
by yepyou'reright on Oct 19, 2011 6:20 PM PDT up reply actions
I just thought of this since i was watching barcalona play today
wouldn’t it be fun to watch chara play with that team? seams to fit his style well
This game
is quite nerve wracking.
Get some possession again, dang it!
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:32 PM PDT reply actions
well we have officially gone into bunker mode... only problem is there are to many holes in our bunker
and too much time left in the game
Yep.
You are right.
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:34 PM PDT up reply actions
I just got home from work...
Is that Taylor on the bench? When was the last time that happened?
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:35 PM PDT reply actions
Also,
did they say what happened to Chabala?
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:36 PM PDT reply actions
Agreed.
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:38 PM PDT up reply actions
you could see this coming
YOU CAN’T PLAY A BUNKER GAME FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR OF A GAME.. YOUR ASKING FOR A GOAL AGAINST
Palmer has looked pretty shaky at times today.
Got torched a bunch of times by Najar in the first half. Now this…
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:40 PM PDT up reply actions
I did not like that last long range attempt from cooper
he had a chance to advance instead kicks it off a defender and they get to attack us…
why can't they run anymore?
Why can’t they play defense at all?
When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy
by Andrew Wheeler on Oct 19, 2011 6:42 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
No matter how the rest of the game is turning out
Perkins remains a beast.
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:43 PM PDT reply actions
yeah... ive noticed hes amazing and snap saves
but his biggest weakness seems to be since hes not a big guy, long range shots
Jewsbury fades late in the game
and it really effects his service.
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions
"Let's go Bright!"
I predict Dike is coming on.
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:46 PM PDT reply actions
Holy Moly.
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:49 PM PDT reply actions
Holy Moly!
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:50 PM PDT reply actions
Nobody wants to give the ball to Dike today.
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:53 PM PDT reply actions
unless you are Kalif
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Thank you, Mr. Brunner!
Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
by William Conwell on Oct 19, 2011 6:57 PM PDT reply actions
this is why there should be no ties in MLS
it wouldnt be quite this crazy, but much better…. especially for American viewers.
What a fantasticly exciting finish
The whistle at 4:01 was cruel on a couple levels.
volatilelyle.com
Still need NY to lose
Then we would really have a must win. Good new for CHI I think? Insane finish.
Congrats from a DCU fan...
I feel like being a troll, but we threw away the last four games so it’s hard to be bitter. Better you guys than the Pink Cows from Jersey.
Whoever thinks soccer is boring didn't watch that one
Not a thing of beauty but wild fun nonetheless.
We went to a 3-5-2/3-4-3 early second half; so that would explain part of it, but Dike was a big spark for you guys off the bench.
by Karlito Vargas on Oct 19, 2011 7:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Dike was crazy
was DCU’s left side not ready for him, or has he regularly been a sparkplug off the bench?
He's been a bowling ball off the bench
No one is left standing.
volatilelyle.com
by almost awesome on Oct 19, 2011 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Not so much "wasn't ready" as much as "didn't care much"
We were going all-out for the win, and that meant playing even numbers or worse in the back. In those circumstances, it was worth the risk of him scoring, because a tie was basically a loss for us.
Dike’s fast and was smartly playing wide, so he got to dictate to the United defender with his run rather than get funneled into a blind alley. Spencer likely told him to do that, and it nearly worked. Good coaching.
Writer on SB Nation's DC United blog Black and Red United | @ChestRockwell14
by ChestRockwell on Oct 19, 2011 9:25 PM PDT up reply actions
I volunteer at United games
For the first half, I was giving out box lunches for our Kicks For Kids program. At halftime, a Timbers fan came up to me. I was already stewing, being down 1-0. And then he said, “Man, this place is a dump, huh?”
Now, RFK is a dump. But it’s OUR dump! You’re a guest here, man, and you’re talking shit while my team is losing. I started fuming. I told him now wasn’t the time. I liked his team, but I don’t like losing to them. It really put me off. Then after cheering my absolute heart out with the Barra Brava in the second half, every time I saw a Timbers jersey (and there were an admirable number of them), it made me want to puke.
Yet another heartbreaking game.
Hope you had a chance to BS with some cool Timbers, but doesn't sound like the case
too bad. Of all the games this year, this might have been the best chance for co-commiseration—from our end at least.
volatilelyle.com
by almost awesome on Oct 19, 2011 9:05 PM PDT up reply actions
It probably wasn't a good night for me to be commiserating with anyone
There were a good half a dozen times when it seemed like we’d win that game and just got denied again and again. Of course, the Timbers had just as many chances, but it was really only Bill Hamid who kept denying them. Like I said, I like you guys, but I don’t want to hear about how great your team or stadium is in the most important match of the year for my team.
Grr.
by Brendanukkah on Oct 19, 2011 9:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Have you seen the width of Jeld-Wen concourses?
We have wooden benches for almost half the seats.
A roof built in the 1960s.
Supports that obstruct your view.
Built on an old Chinese Shanty town.
Not enough urinals.
Feral cat population.
Shoe-horned suites.
Timbers can sympathize with the best.
Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.
y'all ran into the buzzsaw that is Troy Perkins
At this point, if the Timbers manage to get into the playoffs, Perkins is pretty much the MVP for me, because without him this team wouldn’t stand a chance – and not just last night. Perkins has been huge on many occasions when the team as a whole needed to be huge but wasn’t.
My condolences on the playoff elimination..
Timbers will be en route to SLC when NY plays Philly.
Best that they don’t watch it to get their nerves strung up. Get the yeah or nay result after they touch down.
Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.
It's on ESPN, though
So it’ll almost certainly be viewable on the plane if they’re still on it by that point. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t watch.
When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy
by Andrew Wheeler on Oct 20, 2011 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions
Watching the game will be difficult
unless that plane internet connection is great. Or just get text updates.
Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.
I guess it depends on which airline they're flying
but on cross country flights I’ve usually been able to watch ESPN on the little screen on the back of the seat in front of me.
When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy
by Andrew Wheeler on Oct 20, 2011 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions
Unless they're flying out of Dulles or BWI [which I think they are not]
the flight will be on Delta in all likelihood. SouthWest and Alaska do not fly out of Reagan. So, based on that they would have greater chances for in flight screens.
Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.
I just want to point out
what a couple of nerds we are that we’re getting to this level of analysis with regard to whether the Timbers players will be able to watch the game on the plane today.
When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy
by Andrew Wheeler on Oct 20, 2011 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions
Of course this is coming from
The High School Science teacher who still watches cartoons, plays video games and bridwatches (Life list of 450 birds!!!)
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Stumptown Footy
Related FanShots on Stumptown Footy
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
