Player Ratings: Portland Timbers vs New England

by Ryan Gates on Sep 17, 2011 12:25 PM PDT

Once again based on a ten point scale with 1 being epic Fail, 10 being "godlike" and five meaning they didn't help but they didn't hurt.

Eric Brunner- 7 - He did everything we needed him to do to secure a clean sheet and when he wasn't able to clean up the other defenders did.
Futty Danso - 6 - Looked a little rusty out there but he made enough plays to keep the clean sheet, pulled a Cooper by being called offside twice on goal scoring opportunities.

Mike Chabala - 8 - Really helped get that ball moving around the pitch and his assist to Cooper was picture perfect. I also love the leadership he shows to get Kalif Alhassan to play better defense.

Diego Chara - 8 - He just gets better and more comfortable every game. Not only did he score but he completely shut down Shalrie Joseph and Benny Feilhaber (with the help of Captain Jack).

Jack Jewsbury - 7 - He didn't join the attack as much as we have seen in previous games but he really worked well with Chara to win the balls off of the New England Revolution players.

Kalif Alhassan - 7 - This is the Kalif we remember seeing at the beginning of the year and even last year. He was great in distribution and hit a beautiful assist to Nagbe.

Sal Zizzo - 6.5 - Worked really well with Palmer on the right side and showed some dangerous attacking skills but sometimes just took it 1v1 or 1v2 too often

Darlington Nagbe - 9 - I don't think you can get any better than Nagbe in that game but I just couldn't give him a 10. His passing and hold up play are exactly what we have been missing up top and he worked so well with Cooper.

Kenny Cooper - 7 - Things seemed to have turned a corner with KFC. His good games keep going and the frustrating ones are becoming a thing of the past. He even seems to be staying up more often. Great to see him get a goal.

Troy Perkins - 7 - Made two great saves and kept the clean sheet, just needs a little better distribution and he would be the best keeper in the MLS

John Spencer - 7 - Had the team prepared and ready to play tonight and it showed in the final score. Great job putting Nagbe up top, now just keep him there.

What do you think? Give me your ratings and tell us why.

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Comments

Pulled a Cooper?

I think perlazza has been called offiside way more…

by portlandpadre on Sep 17, 2011 12:43 PM PDT reply actions

But Perlaza's have been close

Cooper has had a tendency to just hang out in an offside position, like Futty did in last night’s game.

When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy

by Andrew Wheeler on Sep 17, 2011 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Perkins

must have read our criticism last week, because his distribution was vastly improved in my opinion.

When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy

by Andrew Wheeler on Sep 17, 2011 12:45 PM PDT reply actions

Futty...

I’d rank him a little higher, he was really good in the air on defense.

by ledjom on Sep 17, 2011 1:13 PM PDT reply actions

I was wondering about this before

but I think that was the first game where both starting mids scored in the same match.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Sep 17, 2011 1:36 PM PDT reply actions

You mean Forwards

Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.

by Ryan Gates on Sep 17, 2011 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions

doh

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Sep 17, 2011 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions

Query

Here is my question for everyone. Was Cooper made better by playing along side Nagbe – better match up front? Or was Cooper better because Cooper was just better last night? Or a combination.

Obviously, the whole team was much more fluid last night, with many players moving up the flanks, but it seemed like, even if he did not finish all his shots, that the ball got into Cooper a lot more last night, and that the defence had to pay far more attention to Cooper.

It was truly a fantastic game from front to back.

by Dharmabum on Sep 17, 2011 2:19 PM PDT reply actions

2 cents

I think the team is jjust gelling. Chara’s been huge as he’s adjusted, Palmer and Chewey have really stabilized the back line, Nagbe is getting fit, etc. I think KFC is benefiting from that.

by ledjom on Sep 17, 2011 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Exactly

I really think we are now playing a game more suited to Kenny Cooper. Not the long ball and hope he beats 2 or 3 players but the pass it around possess it kind of game.

Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.

by Ryan Gates on Sep 17, 2011 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions

A little better score for Zizzo

I think that Sal did just what he should have; took the game right to the Revs. He really didn’t get dispossessed as much as he has in the past. (In past games, he’d run into a cul-de-sac and usually lose the ball.)

He, Nagbe and Chara have the highest energy task on the team. Repeated pedal to the metal sprints from start to finish, while maintaining full ball control. So, I’d nudge him up to a 7.

Now if only he and Alhassan could accurately shoot at goal!

by buckyball on Sep 17, 2011 3:29 PM PDT reply actions

I think the score for Zizzo is fair

He got a little too cute sometimes. I don’t know if anyone else who caught it, but while dribbling about Zizzo missed a streaking Jewsbury at one point that would have led to a great chance. Plenty of great moments for him as well, though.

Kalif was our wing of the match last night. He played really well, better than we’ve seen in months, as suggested above.

volatilelyle.com

by almost awesome on Sep 17, 2011 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Lovel Palmer was in the house!

Lovel didn’t make your list but was just flat out awesome on the pitch. I haven’t re-watched the match but from 103 it was clear that Lovel and Zizzo had a dynamic offensive partnership going. He took some shots from outside (the east post must have a serious bruise today as he hit that one HARD!). Not sure about a rating but if Chabala was an 8 then Lovel was at least an 8 last night. RCTID!

by Ranch Boy on Sep 17, 2011 4:05 PM PDT reply actions

Oh yeah, where's Palmer?

I mean, he had a whiff and three misses from distance, but he also had an assist and played really well at both ends of the pitch.

When I write, I write for the Timbers. Contributing Editor of Stumptown Footy

by Andrew Wheeler on Sep 17, 2011 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions

DOH!

I totally missed Palmer…. Well I would say Palmer earned a 7. He was active all night and really helped in the possession game.

Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.

by Ryan Gates on Sep 17, 2011 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Palmer's hustle led to our first goal. His play coming forward was excellent.

volatilelyle.com

by almost awesome on Sep 17, 2011 5:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Nagbe certainly impressed

That goalie kick from Perkins he stopped on a dime at the top of New Englands 18 yard box was amazing. You don’t see that kind of touch with the ball much anywhere. Those ball skills are incredible.

And when he took the high ball from his chest to his foot for a shot all in one motion…Man the end of this season should be interesting. Next year will be fantastically exciting watching this kid develop into a star….

"What and how much had I lost by trying to do only what was expected of me instead of what I myself had wished to do?"
— Ralph Ellison (Invisible Man)

by PDXBuckeye on Sep 20, 2011 12:04 AM PDT reply actions