Stumptown Footy - Coverage Hub: FC Cincinnati vs Portland TimbersYou are my sunshine, my only sunshine.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/31537/stumptown-fave.jpg2019-03-20T12:01:00-07:00http://www.stumptownfooty.com/rss/stream/180338392019-03-20T12:01:00-07:002019-03-20T12:01:00-07:00Six Degrees: It’s Official. We Suck.
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<img alt="Portland Timbers v FC Cincinnati" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wTJkEsE5XZFIfPZDUoPRhqmIXn4=/0x0:2035x1357/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63270351/1131288737.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="o1CdBM">Is my headline too harsh? Do we really suck? Let’s break it down.</p>
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<p id="7p514u"><strong>1) </strong>The arguments against suckage: our first game was in the snow, at elevation. Our second game was against a Supporter’s Shield candidate. Our third game was against a team all geeked up for their first home game ever.</p>
<p id="wi58L8">The arguments <em>for</em> suckage: we gave up two goals to a 10-man Colorado team. We didn’t just lose to LAFC, we got blown out. We didn’t just lose to Cincinnati, we got blown out <em>and</em> shut out.</p>
<p id="XD1BRH">Our defense? It isn’t just bad, it’s historically bad. We’re the first team in MLS history to give up <a href="https://twitter.com/MattDoyle76/status/1107449016571387904">3+ goals in each of its first 3 games</a>. Not enough for you? How’s this: last year’s Orlando team set the MLS record for defensive futility by allowing 74 goals. This year’s Timbers are on pace to allow 113.</p>
<p id="ziUOQl">Our offense? They’ve scored exactly one goal against a full-sided team. And the guy who scored it, <span><strong>Jeremy Ebobisse</strong></span>, was benched for the next game.</p>
<p id="waMTH7">So, yeah, we suck. I don’t think we’ll suck forever. We might even become good. But for right now, yes, my headline is fair. We suck.</p>
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<p id="IMmgmC"><strong>2) </strong>Why do we suck? Well, it’s hard to tell. One of my main thoughts during Sunday’s first half was that the team’s chemistry seemed off. Everything was choppy and clumsy, passes were being sprayed all over the place, balls were clanging off feet and shins. All in all, the Timbers looked like a bunch of guys getting to know each other.</p>
<p id="EZq2nI">Which made sense, since Gio made five changes to the Starting XI. Changes were understandable, but five? Personally, I think Gio went a bit too far. Two players too far, actually.</p>
<p id="XmlKiC">The automatic change was <span><strong>Bill Tuiloma</strong></span> for <span><strong>Diego Chara</strong></span>, who was out because of a red card. The non-automatic changes were <strong>Cristhian Paredes</strong> for <span><strong>David Guzman</strong></span><strong> </strong>and<strong> </strong><span><strong>Claude Dielna</strong></span> for <strong>Julio Cascante</strong>. Three changes out of six defenders? As bad as our defense was those first two games, replacing half the defense seemed appropriate.</p>
<p id="zy96EC">What I don’t entirely understand are the changes in the attack. Specifically, replacing effective striker Jeremy Ebobisse with chronically ineffective striker <span><strong>Lucas Melano</strong></span>, and replacing fairly-decent-and-showing-improvement <strong>Andy Polo</strong> with known-commodity-and-really-only-good-in-the-preseason-and-playoffs <span><strong>Dairon Asprilla</strong></span>. These seemed like two replacements too many.</p>
<p id="sgBWD7">I’ll agree, the offense hasn’t been great, and yes, I remember the stat from earlier that we’ve only scored one goal against a full-sided team, but still, I didn’t like the Melano and Asprilla starts. There was a long stretch from maybe the 20<sup>th</sup> minute to halftime when the Timbers dominated play, and I can’t help thinking that if we’d had Jebo at striker, maybe we’d have scored during that stretch, and maybe the entire game would have played out differently.</p>
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<p id="teJwcQ"><strong>3) </strong>Let’s look at some gifs and see if we can figure out what the hell’s going on with our defense.</p>
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<div id="o96pNF"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%; padding-top: 44px;"><iframe src="https://gfycat.com/ifr/chillysociableichthyosaurs" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
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<p id="gBmvFe">The main thing to see here is Claude Dielna getting absolutely roasted by Kendall Waston. To be fair, Waston’s beaten a lot of center backs before Dielna, but still, this is ugly. I’m kind of fascinated/appalled by what Dielna’s doing with his foot. Is this his usual strategy on free kicks? Or did he realize he’d been roasted, knew he couldn’t get to the ball with his head, so he kicked out, hopefully getting ball and not face? All in all, a bad first impression for our newest center back. Let’s hope this isn’t the norm for him.</p>
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<div id="jHDqHq"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%; padding-top: 44px;"><iframe src="https://gfycat.com/ifr/polishedfirmcrocodile" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
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<p id="oiGBe0">There are so many things to see here, none of them good. I see Dielna getting pulled out of the box. I see <span><strong>Larrys Mabiala</strong></span> looking utterly flat-footed and <em>not </em>stepping to the guy in front of him<em>.</em> I see Bill Tuiloma blocking a pass, which, unfortunately, continues into the box. I see<strong> </strong><span><strong>Zarek Valentin</strong></span> racing to cover the guy who’s charging into the box, who probably should have had a d-mid following him, or perhaps Dairon Asprilla. I see the guy Valentin left behind standing wide open in front of net. I see Asprilla guarding grass.</p>
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<div id="m792Yl"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%; padding-top: 44px;"><iframe src="https://gfycat.com/ifr/latefavorablehammerkop" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
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<p id="6pdejC">Once again, there is so much to see, and so little of it is worth seeing. I see Asprilla, yet again, doing nothing. I see Mabiala and Dielna covering the same guy. I see the center mids sort of covering a guy, then letting him go, then doing nothing. I see <span><strong>Jeff Attinella</strong></span> being hung out to dry. I see very little energy and drive. And in the end, I see a bunch of players who look defeated.</p>
<p id="Vdczwe">Do I know what should be done to fix this defense? No. That’s for the coaching staff to figure out. They’re a lot smarter than me. But whatever they come up with, I think it might involve communication. I think it might involve players holding their position. I think it might involve our d-mids stopping those runs into the box. I think it might involve Dairon Asprilla not being allowed on the field again. Like, ever.</p>
<p id="FKVjrV">What do you think? If you were Gio, how would you fix this?</p>
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<p id="rA08Np"><strong>4) </strong>Let’s talk about personnel.</p>
<p id="oI6taA">I don’t know what to think about Dielna’s performance. He had some good moments, but he had some bad ones, too. I’ve heard he’s a big talker on the practice field, but I didn’t see a lot of communication during the game. Maybe what we saw Sunday was the real Dielna, or maybe it was just a guy playing his first game with a new team. Maybe he deserves more chances.</p>
<p id="uA2yOi">As with Dielna, I found Tuiloma’s shift a mixed bag, with some good and some bad. I’ll say this for him, he’s versatile, he’s athletic, and he seems like he <em>could </em>be a smart and steady player. As with Dielna, I wouldn’t mind him getting more playing time, either as a CB or a CDM. I wonder if he’ll fill in for the suspended Mabiala in our next game?</p>
<p id="ahCW3f">I generally liked Paredes. He was playing more of a box-to-box role, and seemed aggressive moving forward, without having too many problems defensively. I could live with him starting our next game instead of David Guzman, but I’m willing to be talked out of this.</p>
<p id="CfJeSz">Elsewhere in our defense, it hurts me to say this, since he was so damn good back in 2015, but <span><strong>Jorge Villafana</strong></span>’s no longer reliable. I think it may be time to bench him. I think we should consider <strong>Jorge Moreira</strong> at right back and Zarek Valentin at left. Valentin may not be flashy or much of a threat in the attack, but he’s consistent and reliable, and that’s something the team could use right now. As for Moreira, I think it’s time to see what he brings to the table.</p>
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<p id="sAAWZk"><strong>5) </strong>I haven’t talked much about our offense, since, let’s be honest, not much happened up there, but let’s go a little more in depth on our two surprise starters. Gio thought playing Melano and Asprilla would be a good idea. It was not. At all.</p>
<p id="OHeeOf">In the gifs up above, we saw Asprilla’s ineptitude on defense. On offense, he was his usual regular-season self; always right on the verge of doing something awesome, then losing the ball.</p>
<p id="VeEar6">As for Melano and his iron feet, check out this cool/horrifying thing Chris Rifer found.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gadzooks. Here’s every shot (0), take-on (0), and pass Lucas Melano — the Timbers’ highest TAM-eligible player — attempted in 66 minutes in Cincinnati. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCTID?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCTID</a> <a href="https://t.co/tTWKMmSXOs">pic.twitter.com/tTWKMmSXOs</a></p>— Chris Rifer (@ChrisRifer) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisRifer/status/1108106635514265600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2019</a>
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<p id="cZ1W7L">Melano completed six passes. One of them was sideways, two of them were backwards, and three of them were on kickoffs.</p>
<p id="ogotN7">In case you missed that, let me scream it for you: HALF OF MELANO’S COMPLETED PASSES WERE ON KICKOFFS.</p>
<p id="a6cS8G">So, anyway, I think I’m done with Melano and Asprilla. They aren’t cutting it, either as starters or as subs. The front office messed up keeping them on the roster this offseason, but there’s nothing we can do about it now except exile them to T2 and give their minutes to some kids. I want Jebo and Polo starting again, and I want <strong>Marvin Loria</strong> and <strong>Foster Langsdorf</strong> on the bench. Sorry, Luca, sorry, Dairon, I like you just fine as people, but as soccer players, it’s time to move on.</p>
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<p id="CM9I0j"><strong>6) </strong>I’ve said pretty much everything I want to say, so let’s finish with some random shit.</p>
<ul>
<li id="wzwPor">In 2015, we made MLS Cup. In 2016, we didn’t win a single road game. In 2018, we made MLS Cup. In 2019...</li>
<li id="PAmf1C">Portland’s played three games, and none of those games have finished with 22 players on the field. Can we make it 34 for 34? Can we have a red card in every game this season? I think it’s worth trying.</li>
<li id="komL1V">Six of the 10 goals we’ve allowed this season have come in the 2<sup>nd</sup> half. Four goals have been allowed between the 61<sup>st</sup> and 68<sup>th</sup> minutes. Does this mean something? I have no idea.</li>
<li id="YpeOCi">There were <em>way</em> too many guys on the field Sunday with dyed blonde hair. I couldn’t tell them apart, and I think the team needs to do something to help me. I have two suggestions: 1) have each guy pick a different color, maybe blonde, pink, and light blue, or 2) they can all go with blonde, but they have to spray paint their jersey numbers onto the top of their heads. This seems completely reasonable.</li>
<li id="QqbdzV">Because of the international break, our next game’s not for awhile, but I’ve already got a crazy idea for how we should play it. What do you think of a 3-5-2 with Dielna, Tuiloma, and Cascante as center backs, then Moreira and Valentin as wingbacks? That do anything for you? Chara, Paredes, and <span><strong>Sebastian Blanco</strong></span> could run the middle, while <span><strong>Diego Valeri</strong></span> and Ebobisse could be up top. What do you think? Too crazy? Or just crazy enough?</li>
<li id="FVbYJX">And as long as I’m throwing out crazy ideas, here’s my craziest yet: is it possible that the guy on the sideline Sunday wasn’t actually Gio? Is it possible it was Gio’s evil twin? You saw that he was working on a beard, right? Beards are the classic sign of an evil twin. And he wasn’t wearing a blue suit, either. The beard alone? The fleece vest alone? I’d dismiss it as coincidence. But the beard <em>and </em>the fleece vest? No. That’s no coincidence. That’s an evil twin. Somebody needs to investigate this.</li>
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https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/3/20/18274461/six-degrees-its-official-we-suckC.I. DeMann2019-03-18T17:50:23-07:002019-03-18T17:50:23-07:00Bit by Bit: Haven’t we been here before?
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<img alt="MLS: Portland Timbers at FC Cincinnati" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2oRFY7yw8-6PSyOxX0HDYFv7saY=/0x0:4464x2976/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63260364/usa_today_12370787.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="4sI7pO">For two weeks in a row, the Timbers have played matches that have followed the same script: They concede via set piece in the first 15 minutes, falter, but then look to have a resurgence in the middle of the first half. One way or another, they keep the game competitive until around the 60th minute, after which they collapse, giving up two goals and having a key defender sent off in quick succession. In these two games, the Timbers have been outscored by seven to one; their lone goal coming from a set piece.</p>
<p id="WHj033">That the Timbers have now played two matches in a row that played out in basically the same way against two very different opponents speaks volumes more about the boys in green than it does about the quality of those opponents. This PTFC team clearly has some immediate, pressing issues that need to be resolved before we can expect them to put up any positive results, regardless of who or where they’re playing. What exactly are those issues? Well, let’s take a look, bit by bit.</p>
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<h2 id="9wiJE3">The Defense</h2>
<p id="WDLgtY">Easily the biggest and most obvious problem with the 2019 Timbers is that they are the <a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/03/17/armchair-analyst-all-24-teams-review-week-3-analysis">first team in MLS history to concede 3+ goals</a> in each of their first three games. It is not an exaggeration to say that it’s impossible to be a winning soccer team while giving up more than three goals per game. It simply cannot be done. The worst goals-against from an MLS playoff team in recent years was San Jose in 2017, who snuck into the sixth seed in the West with a lousy 60 goals scored against them, averaging 1.76 per game. Comparatively, the 2019 Timbers are so far almost twice as leaky (3.33 goals against per game) and have given up 1/6th of the total goals against in 1/11th of the matches.</p>
<p id="SuAPNm">Obviously it’s still very early in the year, and the Timbers are historically awful in March, so to say the whole season is blown would be far too reactionary of a take. However, this is about as dire as team stats get (especially when you consider the average goal differential is at an equally dire -2 per game), and a solution to patch up the defensive leaks must be found as soon as possible.</p>
<p id="q94i7h">What that solution may be, however, is less readily apparent. The back line has shown little that Timbers fans can be pleased with — both individually and as a unit — and while one new defensive signing has yet to play (Jorge Moreira), the other debuted this weekend in what can only be described as a thoroughly unconvincing outing.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bertone to Waston to put <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCCincy?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCCincy</a> ahead!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CINvPOR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CINvPOR</a> | 1-0 <a href="https://t.co/a26B8np5Vv">pic.twitter.com/a26B8np5Vv</a></p>— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) <a href="https://twitter.com/fccincinnati/status/1107396925266059264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2019</a>
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<p id="yzxP8v"><span>Claude Dielna</span>’s path here leaves him with essentially zero chance to get a head on the ball — and attempting to get a foot on it is an idea that could only possibly make sense if he had no idea where <span>Kendall Waston</span>, his mark, was. </p>
<p id="JDq1a6">As mentioned previously, Jorge Moreira, the Timbers other new defensive signing, still hasn’t played competitive minutes, but <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamiebgoldberg/status/1107376359532167168">word on the tweet</a> is that he could start in the Timbers’ next match facing the Galaxy. While it’s definitely reasonable to expect Moreira to be an overall improvement on the Timbers’ back line, it’s hard to imagine any one player having an impact large enough to totally right the ship. </p>
<p id="98foTo">To make matters worse, whatever the defense looks like two weeks from now in Los Angeles, it will be without the Timbers’ defensive stalwart Larrys Mabiala, who received the team’s second consecutive red card following Chara’s example set at Banc of California Stadium.</p>
<h2 id="vf6x54">The Attack</h2>
<p id="mLTZJc">After a solid attacking performance in Colorado, the Timbers looked generally lethargic and out of ideas on the ball for large stretches of the previous two matches. Yes, there was that sequence in which <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/fc-cincinnati">FC Cincinnati</a> goalkeeper <span>Spencer Richey</span> made two really good saves in the 32nd minute, but at the end of the day, that was the most dangerous the Timbers looked all day in a match where they only put three shots on target.</p>
<p id="bBq26o">Ultimately, the Timbers struggled to create meaningful chances, and a quick glance at <span>Diego Valeri</span> and <span>Sebastian Blanco</span>’s pass map both provides insight as to why that might have been and gives plenty of cause for concern.</p>
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<p id="uPnAB5">The Timbers’ two best and most creative attackers combined for only ten successful passes (not counting corners) in or around the final third. Simply put, this team needs more from their two designated players, especially with Chara out. On the other hand, the Timbers’ other two attackers for the day, <span>Lucas Melano</span> and <span>Dairon Asprilla</span>, combined for two successful passes in and around the final third. I’ll spare you the map for that one.</p>
<p id="qPkwgW">Worse, the Timbers seem to have lost their clinical ability in the counter-attack. Yes, they are undoubtedly attempting to play a more positive, possession-oriented style this year, but it’s bizarre to see a team go from scary-deadly on the counter to having their attacking transition play be a significant issue.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Goinf back further, this also caused LAFC’s fourth goal — so in total, three of the last four PTFC has conceded.<br><br>You can’t really pinpoint a thing PTFC is doing wrong in these moments, but it’s fair to say their transition work is a major liability right now. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCTID?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCTID</a></p>— Chris Rifer (@ChrisRifer) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisRifer/status/1107767170442752000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2019</a>
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<p id="2AOrnV">At the end of the day, the Timbers have to figure out where their chances are going to come from. Even in Colorado, the goals scored were: an own goal, a penalty, and a little flick from a corner. At LAFC, PTFC scored from a set piece. In Cincinnati, PTFC’s best chance was Asprilla’s point-blank shot which came from a set piece. </p>
<h2 id="BXgFcc">Looking Forward</h2>
<p id="vrUqLC">It’s tough to say exactly what the Timbers need to be doing differently to fix these issues, but watching the game, <em>Stumptown Footy’s</em> Will Conwell and I both got the sense that the Timbers as a whole seem to just be a bit slower than the other team. A little lethargic on the ball, a little late with their runs, and a little slow to react to anything. Whether it’s a lack of on-field leadership, a systemic misfit tactically, or maybe just a symptom of the short offseason, there’s this undeniable intangible malaise that’s affecting the entire team. For the Timbers to start winning again, they need to look sharper and hungrier. </p>
<p id="DaUpUm">As Gio bluntly said in his post-game comments, “We also have to be realistic in the sense that it was not good enough. It’s not good enough from the sense that we gave up too many goals, and we need to be better. We need to continue to work. We need to continue to have a belief. This is not what we want to represent for our fans and we are not happy and we cannot live on what we did last year.”</p>
<p id="NKlEnf">Last year, after the Timbers were on the receiving end of an embarrassing 4-0 shellacking at the hands of a <a href="https://www.onceametro.com/">New York Red Bulls</a> B team, they used a bye week to regroup and earn a difficult point away against a very good <a href="https://www.bigdsoccer.com/">FC Dallas</a> team. Now, the Timbers have a bye week to regroup before facing a not-quite-as-difficult match visiting a not-quite-as-good <a href="https://www.lagconfidential.com/">LA Galaxy</a> team. Will they be able to at least begin to turn things around and put up a much-needed positive result in match four of twelve straight away from home? I’m not sure, but we’ll find out in two weeks.</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/3/18/18271496/bit-by-bit-havent-we-been-here-beforeZach Kay2019-03-17T16:16:03-07:002019-03-17T16:16:03-07:00Portland Timbers still looking dire in 3-0 loss to FC Cincinnati
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<img alt="MLS: Portland Timbers at FC Cincinnati" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3bsINVtrUjXzMnvipWC7S6TOGwQ=/0x0:4263x2842/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63253679/usa_today_12370209.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="NHhhEN">One week after a demoralizing and comprehensive loss to Los Angeles FC, the <a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a> posted another demoralizing and comprehensive loss; this time a 3-0 defeat at the hands of expansion side <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/fc-cincinnati">FC Cincinnati</a>.</p>
<p id="6Nsjvj">Things started off in an unfortunately familiar fashion when, in the 15th minute, Cincy opened the scoring off a free kick. After Cristhian Paredes took down <span>Kekuta Manneh</span> in the Timbers’ half, Leonardo Bertone stepped up and served in a perfectly placed free kick toward Jeff Atinella’s back post. The service dropped into the path of hulking center back <span>Kendall Waston</span> who leaned forward and powered a header back across the face of goal, skipping the ball off the turf and into the back of the net.</p>
<p id="ZSykGb">From there, the Timbers were able to find their place in the match, mustering several forays forward, but repeatedly getting foiled by a bad touch or a strange bounce on the obviously worn* Nippert Stadium turf.</p>
<p id="CXC6aV"><em>*Update: apparently the turf was laid recently and was therefore too new to be a good playing surface.</em></p>
<p id="gd1Ref">As the second half of play wore on, however, the Timbers began looking more and more for the quick break down the pitch, ceding possession to the home side. It was after one such attempted Timbers break in the 61st minute that Cincy struck for their second goal of the night. After pinging the ball around the Timbers box, Cincinnati found <span>Roland Lamah</span> in space for a shot from distance. Lamah’s shot was blocked before it could trouble Attinella, but the deflection spun forward and fell to the feet of winger Allen Cruz. Facing away from goal, Cruz quickly hit a back-heeled shot that gave Attinella no time to react before it hit the back of the net.</p>
<p id="kagGfm">Two minutes later. Cincinnati struck again. After another abortive Timbers attacking move, Cincy once again won the ball and pushed forward, this time finding <span>Darren Mattocks</span> in space outside the Timbers box. Mattocks played a looping cross into the box that curled behind the recovery runs of the Timbers’ back line before connecting with left back Mathieu Deplagne at the back post for the first-time tap-in goal to give the home side a 3-0 lead. </p>
<p id="nDrVxm">Then, for the second match in a row, the Timbers went down a man. In the 70th minute, Manneh broke forward, cutting around Dielna before being taken down by a collision with Larrys Mabiala. Already on a yellow card, Mabiala was show his second caution of the night and sent packing.</p>
<p id="Lp6te3">The Timbers have a bye next week before returning to action on March 31st when they will the <a href="https://www.lagconfidential.com/">LA Galaxy</a> on the road. In the mean time, T2 will have their home opener on Saturday, March 23rd, and the Thorns will host the first game of their preseason tournament on Sunday the 24th. Both matches will be played at Merlo Field at the University of Portland.</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/3/17/18269937/portland-timbers-still-looking-dire-in-3-0-loss-to-fc-cincinnatiWilliam Conwell2019-03-17T11:30:00-07:002019-03-17T11:30:00-07:00Portland Timbers at FC Cincinnati: How to watch, preview, match chat [2:00]
<figure>
<img alt="MLS: New England Revolution at Portland Timbers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-A47Nscw1sdawtweliCLUHUdwog=/192x0:2811x1746/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63252418/usa_today_8600722.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Half soccer game, half reunion — all winnable</p> <p id="K8yWtx">The 2019 <a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a> head to Ohio, where they will face <s>the 2017 Portland Timbers</s> <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/fc-cincinnati">FC Cincinnati</a> in the expansion side’s first home match since joining Major League Soccer this year. After several seasons of Cincy setting attendance records in USL, the Timbers should expect a raucous crowd and an energized home side in today’s match.</p>
<p id="vuxSsf">The historic occasion will also mark the first time that the Timbers face off against a pair of their former players: <span>Fanendo Adi</span> and Alvas Powell, <span>Darren Mattocks</span>, who the Timbers faced during his stint with <a href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/">D.C. United</a> in 2018, and <span>Eric Alexander</span>, who has been bouncing around the league since being traded away from Portland back in 2012. During their time with the Timbers, Adi and Powell combined for 247 regular season appearances and rose to numbers 11 and 13 respectively on the side’s all-time appearances list.</p>
<p id="n4c5af">There are plenty of other familiar faces to be found on the pitch for Cincinnati as well. We’ll see a pair of former <a href="https://www.eightysixforever.com/">Vancouver Whitecaps</a> in Kendal Waston and <span>Kekuta Manneh;</span> a pair of former <a href="https://www.bigdsoccer.com/">FC Dallas</a> players in <span>Victor Ulloa</span> and <span>Roland Lamah;</span> and even former <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/atlanta-united">Atlanta United</a> fullback <span>Greg Garza</span> could make an appearance after helping his former side take down the Timbers in the MLS Cup Final last year.</p>
<p id="tTZcvF">Despite — or maybe because of — all of those familiar names, the Timbers still have a strong chance at coming out of today’s match with a point or three in hand. <span>Diego Valeri</span> and <span>Sebastian Blanco</span> will be the best players on the field today, and if the rest of the Timbers can step up in the dreaded absence of <span>Diego Chara</span> due to his ear-flicking incident last week, then the Timbers could certainly find the cracks in Cincinnati’s system.</p>
<h2 id="MZUQiT">Preview</h2>
<p id="3UIuUY"><a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/portland-timbers/2019/3/15/18267399/storylines-fc-cincinnati-vs-portland-timbers"><strong>Storylines</strong></a><strong>:</strong> “Look for FCC to attack through the middle of the pitch, when they’re not launching long balls down the field. In the first two matches, they’ve grown accustomed to playing in their own half due to not being able to hold on to the ball that long. Also, look for them to try and play a number of through balls trying to split the center backs.”</p>
<p id="bUJhR6"><em>And check out the </em><a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/3/16/18267805/prediction-thread-rose-city-forecast-3-cincinnati-fc-vs-portland-timbers"><em>Rose City Forecast</em></a><em> to make your predictions about today’s match.</em></p>
<h4 id="difC7E">Match Information</h4>
<p id="UHPXUf"><strong>Watch it on:</strong> FOX Sports 1</p>
<p id="nyN6ZZ"><strong>Where:</strong> Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, OH</p>
<p id="TzZx0v"><strong>When:</strong> Sunday, March 17th at 2:00 p.m. (PT)</p>
<p id="cbHcnY"><strong>Portland Timbers:</strong> 0-1-1, lost 4-1 at Los Angeles FC</p>
<p id="I2iFGB"><strong>FC Cincinnati:</strong> 0-1-1, drew 1-1 at Atlanta United</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/3/17/18269387/portland-timbers-at-fc-cincinnati-how-to-watch-preview-match-chat-2-00William Conwell2019-03-16T11:49:18-07:002019-03-16T11:49:18-07:00Rose City Forecast 3: FC Cincinnati vs Portland Timbers
<figure>
<img alt="MLS: FC Cincinnati at Seattle Sounders FC" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oYh8L9RbpREqPlKSVyh8E5N05VM=/0x885:2840x2778/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63249994/usa_today_12275674.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="rJYp9d">Welcome back to the Forecast! Sorry about the late post and any confusion last week. Sometimes life happens.</p>
<p id="OFr6Yi">As far as the game last weekend, ouch. Not much else to say, except it looked like it was going okay until suddenly it wasn’t. A couple minutes before halftime, it was 1-1. By the 70th minute, it was 4-1 and <span>Diego Chara</span> had been sent off with a second yellow for the first time in his MLS career. Game over.</p>
<p id="7t1JPW">No standings yet.</p>
<p id="QfmXC7">For the third game of the season, the Timbers are headed to Ohio, but instead of playing the familiar Columbus Crew, it’s new side <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/fc-cincinnati">FC Cincinnati</a> they’ll be facing on the pitch. New team or not, Portland will find many familiar faces. There are four former Timbers on the roster; in addition to recent departures <span>Fanendo Adi</span> and Alvas Powell, FC Cincinnati features <span>Darren Mattocks</span> and Eric Alexander. Cincinnati also has two familiar faces in <span>Kendall Waston</span> and <span>Kekuta Manneh</span>, both of whom spent several years with Cascadian rivals the <a href="https://www.eightysixforever.com/">Vancouver Whitecaps</a>. Fans and analysts alike have pegged this as one of the matches where the Timbers might earn 3 points during this 12-game road trip, but it’s still not going to be easy. It’s FC Cincinnati’s first home game, and expansion sides often punch above their weight in such a match. In addition, they’ll likely be riding high after stealing a point in Atlanta last weekend. Meanwhile, the Timbers have been rather leaky in defense, and with Diego Chara out due to his red card, that seems unlikely to improve without completely hamstringing the offense. What do you think? Can the Timbers get their first win without Diego Chara in recent memory?</p>
<p id="MIojsi"><strong>Total Cards O/U:</strong> 3.5</p>
<p id="CHLal8"><strong>The Scoring Format:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="0NrGoq">Correct score: 5 points</li>
<li id="2Q1WmB">Correct result (draw/win/loss): 3 points</li>
<li id="JggUF9">Each clean sheet: 2 points</li>
<li id="2NHVpf">Each goal-scorer: 1 point</li>
<li id="4wRTnr">Each FK/PK/assist/lack of assist: 1 point</li>
<li id="v5Q9rc">Goal/assist bonus: 1 point</li>
<li id="xz51E2">Player with the first yellow card of the match: 1 point</li>
<li id="m49TBn">Each player with a red card: 1 point (Can<strong>not</strong> earn points for predicting 0 red cards, but you may predict up to 3 players with a red.)</li>
<li id="AGYUNc">Over/under on total cards: 1 point</li>
</ul>
<p id="fHfMEd"><strong>Some ground rules and explanations/clarifications (the fine print):</strong></p>
<p id="mA9ASM"><small>You may amend your prediction at any point up to kickoff to account for game day 18 announcements. I recommend at least getting an initial prediction sooner, just in case you forget to come back in that hour or two before the game.</small></p>
<p id="JuiHQw"><small><em>Keep your scoreline predictions realistic.</em></small><small> Basically, if you’re predicting lots of goals all the time to just earn points on goals and assists and ignoring the score, I feel that goes against the spirit of this thread. This hasn’t been at all a problem in the last few years, so let’s keep it that way!</small></p>
<p id="Hgeopn"><small>The goal/assist bonus is an additional point if you correctly get the correct scorer and assistant on the same goal. (For example, if Blanco scores, assisted by Valeri, and you predicted that exact combination, you get a total of three points: 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 bonus.)</small></p>
<p id="PKRZ71"><small>Please be clear whether you think a goal will be unassisted, assisted, or from a PK/FK: Unassisted = no assist, run of play; Assisted = player who got the assist; PK/FK = directly from a free kick. For the purposes of this thread, a PK counts as an FK, and an FK as a PK. Just like predicting a player assist, you earn an assist point if you correctly predict an unassisted or free kick goal. If you just leave the assist section blank, I will assume you’re declining to make an assist prediction.</small></p>
<p id="nv6l3o"><small>Even though a player can be awarded a secondary assist by OPTA, I will award a maximum of one assist point per goal. But that point can come from either the primary or secondary assist in the box score. </small><small><strong>However, please keep your predictions to one assist per goal.</strong></small></p>
<p id="2MvDEH"><small>For the over/under on cards, a second yellow leading to a red counts as two cards, not three.</small></p>
<p id="5ZHl6l"><small>You may predict more than one red card if you’re expecting a chippy match, but only up to three total.</small></p>
<p id="VfLDUG"><small>If you’re looking for where I set the over/under on total cards, check the end of the preview paragraph after the standings.</small></p>
<p id="ojZx8f"><small><strong>Format:</strong></small></p>
<p id="osEYgb"><small>In the comment title, post your predicted score with the winners; for example, 4-2 Timbers</small></p>
<p id="MDqtMe"><small>In the body of your comment, start with the goals and assists, like so:</small></p>
<p id="uMIHCL"><small>Blanco (Valeri)</small></p>
<p id="VmlDiF"><small>Valeri (Free kick)</small></p>
<p id="MnWKja"><small>Ebo (PK)</small></p>
<p id="ycmK1t"><small>Blanco (Unassisted)</small></p>
<p id="ucjHJ3"><span><small><strong>Graham Zusi</strong></small></span><small> (Free kick)</small></p>
<p id="Pvq8aR"><span><small><strong>Krisztian Nemeth</strong></small></span><small> (Johnny Russel)</small></p>
<p id="O0A6mG"><small>Next, choose your first yellow card, and that means picking only one person:</small></p>
<p id="7uccbX"><small>First yellow to </small><span><small><strong>Matt Besler</strong></small></span></p>
<p id="O18L0j"><small>Then reds, if any. (NOTE: No points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.):</small></p>
<p id="ONlSak"><span><small><strong>Roger Espinoza</strong></small></span><small> gets a red card for stomping Blanco.</small></p>
<p id="3IfGg1"><small>Clearly note whether you’re predicting over or under on total cards. Don’t leave me to try and figure it out!</small></p>
<p id="JJmORx"></p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/3/16/18267805/prediction-thread-rose-city-forecast-3-cincinnati-fc-vs-portland-timbersCR McNeil2019-03-15T18:54:38-07:002019-03-15T18:54:38-07:00Storylines: FC Cincinnati vs Portland Timbers
<figure>
<img alt="MLS: Portland Timbers at Los Angeles FC" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rvConlR-jD7V7P56XGMcZCuoXpg=/0x0:4500x3000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63248206/usa_today_12325123.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Timbers road show continues with a stop at the home of Skyline Chili</p> <h2 id="97lnVM">The Story So Far</h2>
<p id="NDIfJJ">The Timbers are coming off a four goal drubbing by LAFC; they played poorly and the results showed. Now, the Portland Timbers are headed into match three of a 12-match road trip and maybe there’s a reprieve on the horizon? The Timbers take a trip to Cincinnati to take on MLS’ newest club <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/fc-cincinnati">FC Cincinnati</a>, in what will be FCC’s home opener. </p>
<p id="oD8cyb">FCC is coming off their first MLS point as they drew defending MLS champs <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/atlanta-united">Atlanta United</a> 1-1. With the confidence of being able to hang with the best, they’ll be looking to notch three points at home in front of what should be a sell out crowd at Nippert Stadium. Also be on the lookout for some familiar faces in the Orange and Blue. </p>
<p id="PDQ6i5">Both teams are looking for their first win of the season; one ready to do it in front of a home crowd, the other looking to pick up more than a point on a long road trip.</p>
<p id="XCiQ88"></p>
<h2 id="cJOPLe">What To Watch For</h2>
<h4 id="E7cbNn">FC Cincinnati (0-1-1, 1pt)</h4>
<div class="c-float-right"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0xqLDk2QA2zHrgVpmp-5VrqcLBU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/15964588/FCC_ATL.png">
<figcaption>FC Cincinnati vs Atlanta United</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p id="q2VXaE">So far in two matches, expansion side FC Cincinnati have used two different formations, a 4-4-2 against Atlanta United which seemed to do the trick and a 4-2-3-1 which didn’t work as well when they got drubbed in Seattle in their first match of the season.</p>
<p id="yRGtYa">There will be three familiar faces on the other side of the ball on Sunday: right-back Alvas Powell and strikers <span>Fanendo Adi</span> and <span>Darren Mattocks</span>. The big man has yet to score a goal and after two matches has only managed a 0.50 shots on goal per game average. Powell is Powell and we know how he plays and he’s already had a couple Powell moments where he seems to just check out of the match for a second or two, long enough for the opposing team to smoke him. If I’m the Timbers, I go after Powell and not left-back <span>Greg Garza</span>.</p>
<p id="3UIuUY">Look for FCC to attack through the middle of the pitch, when they’re not launching long balls down the field. In the first two matches, they’ve grown accustomed to playing in their own half due to not being able to hold on to the ball that long. Also, look for them to try and play a number of through balls trying to split the center-backs. </p>
<p id="DAAiOZ">I know it’s just two matches so small sample size ahead: FCC averages just 38.6% possession, and just over five shots per game. Even though it’s early, this team seems ripe for the taking. Though, it will be interesting to see how they play in front of their home crowd.</p>
<p id="ZqTysS"></p>
<h4 id="f3NBJ0">
<a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a> (0-1-1, 1pt)</h4>
<div class="c-float-right"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SEezhIAWENHQwzO4lvBqBNVEh2U=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/15964672/Timbers_LAFC.png">
<figcaption> Timbers vs LAFC</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p id="P9oYdV">As I mentioned in the opening, Gio Savarese and the Portland Timbers suffered a four goal loss to an LAFC team that has been picked by experts to have a shot at the Supporters Shield. But hey, we’re only headed into the third match of the season, so I’m in the, “when I see it, I’ll believe it” camp. It’s time to put LAFC in the rear-view and look ahead to expansion side FC Cincinnati. </p>
<p id="WgdNLj">In MLS, we already know that winning on the road is a tough task for any team; just ask <a href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/">D.C. United</a> how their season went until they spent the last half of the season playing in their new home and managed to get into the playoffs. Same goes for the Timbers, two down and only 10 more road matches to go before the they get 12 of their last 13 at home.</p>
<p id="ZRd7Ff">Just going by the player ratings on <a href="http://whoscored.com">whoscored.com</a> there were three Timbers that had way below average matches: Julio Cascante (5.8), <span>Larrys Mabiala</span> (5.6), and <span>Diego Chara</span> (4.8), though most of that low rating for Chara is because of the stupid red card. Which means that the Timbers will be without their longest tenured player. A player that the Timbers can’t seem to win without. </p>
<p id="p6OMdw">It’s a mystery to me who Gio will start alongside <span>David Guzman</span>, will it be Andres Flores or Cristhian Paredes? For both it would be their first starts of the season. Paredes has yet to play even a single minute, while Flores has played a grand total of four minutes coming off the bench. </p>
<p id="gYf2Mq">From what I’ve seen with my own eyes, and the player ratings of Cascante and Mabiala, neither defender has gotten off on the right foot. There seems to be a Ridgewell-sized hole in the center of defense (I can’t believe I just wrote that). One has to wonder how much of a leash Cascante has before Gio gives a shot to either <span>Bill Tuiloma</span> or newly acquired <span>Claude Dielna</span>?</p>
<p id="Coltd6"></p>
<h2 id="e1FHBn">Log Slices</h2>
<p id="lkpR6b">Portland has posted a record of 5-3-2 against expansion clubs in their inaugural MLS seasons. When playing an MLS expansion team for the first time, the Timbers have notched a 4-2-1 record, outscoring their opponents 11-8 in those seven matches. Sunday’s match will mark the first MLS match between Portland and Cincinnati.</p>
<p id="wmqMTA">One of the things that the Timbers need to work on is holding a lead late in the half and at the end of the final minutes of the match. I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating, the Timbers concede the most goals in the dying minutes of half and the game. It plagued them all last season; this team needs to come together to close out winnable matches.</p>
<p id="QrR8KO">Sunday’s match will be televised nationally on FS1.</p>
<p id="8rkMem">While Adi hasn’t yet scored against his former team (helps he hasn’t played them yet) Darren Mattocks is a different story: Mattocks scored his first professional goal against Portland on May 27, 2012... Mattocks also scored a goal the last time he faced Portland on Aug. 18, 2018.</p>
<p id="t6JLLM">FC Cincinnati was awarded an MLS expansion club on May 29, 2018 - just 277 days before the Orange and Blue opened league play last Saturday. That is the third-fastest time in league history between the announcement of a club’s expansion team to when it officially started play.</p>
<p id="t0f1D3">Referees for this match are: Ismail Elfath, AR: Kathryn Nesbitt, Jeffrey Greeson</p>
<div id="t2GMqK"><div data-anthem-component="poll:6010107"></div></div>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/portland-timbers/2019/3/15/18267399/storylines-fc-cincinnati-vs-portland-timbersTimm Higgins