Portland Timbers Training Quotes and Notes: A Select Few

The Portland Timbers held an open training session this morning, two days after the team's 0-0 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps and just one after an almost entirely first team lineup lost a T2 match to the Orange County Blues 2-0.

With most of the players on the Timbers and T2 going through their regeneration programs today, practice today was spare, seeing a mass exodus of players after the initial warmup period for some combination of yoga, gym, and massage sessions.

Remaining on the field were Fanendo Adi, Nick Besler, Danny O'Rourke, Schillo Tshuma, Dairon Asprilla, and Daniel Withrow. The small group's drills focused on working the ball up the pitch and combining with Adi in and around the box. Given the Timbers' scoring woes this year, the emphasis on getting Adi in on goal is hardly surprising.

Holding off assistant Pablo Moreira, who acted as the drill's lone defender in front of Withrow at keeper, while receiving one on one coaching from Sean McAuley, Adi looked up for either creating chances for himself or laying the ball off for others.

When asked about what it will take to get the Timbers' strikers into scoring form, Caleb Porter emphasized the need to put them in front of goal, shooting on target.

Injuries and Absences

Dairon Asprilla fully participated in training today, although the whole training was unopposed. When asked about the winger's status, Porter told the press, "We'll see," and that "hopefully he will be available," against the Montreal Impact this Saturday.

Asked about the possibility of Diego Valeri starting this weekend as his progression continues, Porter told the press that it was possible, but clearly was not commenting on the likelihood of such a move.