A Look At The Portland Timbers' Attacking Output

Eleven games into the 2015 season and there is plenty to be desired out of the Portland Timbers. Today let's take a look at the team's offensive output.

At the moment, the Timbers sit at ninth in the Western Conference. Their current record is three wins, four losses, and four draws. Luck has not been on the Timbers side so far,  starting with game one against Real Salt Lake. Nick Rimando single-handedly saved the game for the visitors in one of Portland's best performances this year. Since then, the Timbers' form has been up and down and the team has had issues with finishing.

Let's take a look at the stats.

This year to date the Timbers have 134 shots, 44 of which were on goal. The Timbers have allowed 142 shots, 38 on goal.

While the total shot differential is -8 with Timbers opponents pulling the trigger more often, the shots on goal differential is +6.

This will grant fans a bit of positivity in that the team is being relatively more efficient with their shots.

Looking deeper at the breakdown for wins, losses and draws is a bit surprising.

In the three wins, the Timbers have accumulated a shot differential of -9 and a shots on goal differential of +5.

In the four losses, the shot differential is 0, and the shots on goal differential is -3.

In the four draws, the shot differential is +1, and the shots on goal differential is +4.

Interestingly enough, in their wins the Timbers are most efficient in their accuracy. They may, as a team, allow more general shots but when they matter Portland is able to nullify pure quantity with quality. In the draws and losses, the team tends to shoot more in general and less accurately.

In only four of the eleven games played this season have the Timbers had both more shots, and more shots on goal. The record of those games was: one win, two losses, and one draw.

In games where Portland had more shots on goal but less overall shots, their record was one win and one draw.

As the Timbers end their three-game away stint this week in Toronto there might be some changes in the team formation-wise and with the re-entry of Diego Valeri. There are lots of options to revitalize the attacking players en route to the playoffs. Lets hope to see a little bit of experimentation that yields more efficiency in goal scoring opportunities.