Stumptown Footy - Portland Timbers @ DC United Story Stream: Capital Wasteland
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
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2013-05-27T13:02:02-07:00
http://www.stumptownfooty.com/rss/stream/4124547
2013-05-27T13:02:02-07:00
2013-05-27T13:02:02-07:00
Portland Timbers @ DC United Player Ratings
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<figcaption>Paul Frederiksen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Portland Timbers travelled to the nation's capital where they successfully won 3 points from DC United.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Portland Timbers</a> have no had an easy season so far. While their 11 game unbeaten streak is impressive, they've had to deal with a number of injuries that would set most teams way back in their run for the playoffs. So when the Timbers took to the field against <a href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">D.C. United</a> without their creative midfielder <span>Diego Valeri</span>, and without a veteran, experienced Timbers defender such as <span>Futty Danso</span> it was a bit of a worry. In truth, the team didn't play as well as we've grown accustom to, but that didn't stop them from scoring twice on the road and bringing home three points.</p>
<p>Here's their individual player ratings:</p>
<h3>Starting XI</h3>
<p><b><span>Donovan Ricketts</span>: 5</b></p>
<p>Ryan: There was not a lot to judge him on as DC failed to get most of their 17 shots on frame. His distribution, however, has improved since he has elected to throw the ball rather than kick it.</p>
<p><b><span>Jack Jewsbury</span>: 3</b></p>
<p>Andy: Jewsbury did not have his best game on Saturday. With yet another CB pairing in the lineup, Jewsbury should have focused on his role as a leader on the back line. Instead, it looked like he was trying to do too much.</p>
<p><b><span>Pa Modou Kah</span>: 5</b></p>
<p>Will: Kah had a few early slip ups and several blown assignments, but on the whole it was an uneventful debut for the veteran defender, even if that was as much thanks to the play of DC as it was to Ka's contributions. What Ka did show, particularly as the game went on was leadership and a level head, exactly what he was brought in to provide.</p>
<p><b><span>Andrew Jean-Baptiste</span> - 5</b></p>
<p>Stacey: Jean-Baptiste and Kah looked a little scattered in the back at times, especially on the counterattack. That was somewhat to be expected from the new pairing, but AJB and the rest of the Timbers defense certainly had to make a few last ditch defensive plays (and were probably thanking their lucky stars for a couple of missed shots by DC United)<br><br><b><span>Michael Harrington</span> - 5</b></p>
<p>Stacey: He had a lot of errant passes Saturday night and those overlapping runs just didn't seem to create space as effectively as they usually do, but he did well enough on the defensive side of things.</p>
<p><b><span>Darlington Nagbe</span>: 8</b></p>
<p>Andy: I keep remembering all the problems Nagbe used to have with his game -- not being able to handle the physicality of the league, not contributing on defense, not taking his shots well. On Saturday he seemed to have it all figured out -- I'd say he was the best player on the field.</p>
<p><b><span>Will Johnson</span>: 7</b></p>
<p>Will: The smaller Johnson covered a lot of ground on Saturday, breaking up plays all over the pitch and making several dangerous runs into the DC box. It was only a few errant passes from <span>Ryan Johnson</span> that kept him from some excellent scoring chances.</p>
<p><b><span>Diego Chara</span>: 6</b></p>
<p>Geoff: Chara was actually a bit more muted on the offense than we've grown accustom to recently. While he certainly had a part to play in Nagbe's goal, he made less of an impact overall up top. That said, with the now-unusual 4-4-2 formation and the weaker defensive backline, it probably should be too big of a surprise.</p>
<p><b>Rodney Wallace: 8</b></p>
<p>Will: Wallace was a constant danger to the United back line and, when he was given some space he made excellent use of it. However, while his goal was the highlight of his performance against DC, his constant pressure and defensive work made him an invaluable part of the night's win.</p>
<p><b>Ryan Johnson: 6</b></p>
<p>Ryan: In this game we saw a different role for RJ and it was one he filled admirably. Between Piquionne and RJ they completed three key passes, and 5 layoffs which lead to shots.</p>
<p><b><span>Frederic Piquionne</span>: 6</b></p>
<p>Andy: Few Timbers players are quite as effective off the ball as Piquionne, and he showed that most impressively in assisting <span>Rodney Wallace's</span> goal. But dang, he does need to figure out a way not to let the physical play of the average MLS defender get to him.</p>
<h3>Subs</h3>
<p><b><span>Ben Zemanski</span>: 5</b></p>
<p>Geoff: Zemanski came on in the middle of the second half and pretty much just helped kill the game off. He wasn't terrible active, but had no major gaffes.</p>
<p><b><span>Jose Adolfo Valencia</span>: N/A</b></p>
<p>Geoff: He had a really solid 5 minutes, but it simply wasn't enough to grade him. I do like that Porter is playing him more. There's a lot to this guy.</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/27/4370684/portland-timbers-dc-united-player-ratings-in-the-bag
Geoff Gibson
2013-05-26T11:00:03-07:00
2013-05-26T11:00:03-07:00
Man of the Match: Away Wins
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<figcaption>No photos from the DC game yet? Use a random group picture! | USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Timbers grabbed their second away win of the season today with a 2-0 win over DC. We look at the team's performance and pick out our Man of the Match.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Portland Timbers</a> continued their undefeated record on the road yesterday after putting together a handy 2-0 victory against <a href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">D.C. United</a>. While the defense looked, at times, to be lucky to have kept the clean sheet, the Timbers' possession game and free flowing attack were both as overwhelming as ever.</p>
<p id="paragraph1" class="pgh-paragraph" style="opacity: 1; transition-property: all; transition-duration: 0s; transition-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.1, 0.25, 1);">Here are our picks for the Timbers Man of the Match. Be sure to vote in the poll below and let us know your pick in the comments.</p>
<p><i>Andy: </i><b><span>Darlington Nagbe</span></b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Easy call. Without Valeri in the lineup, it was up to Nagbe to take the reins of the offense and create scoring opportunities. Even playing nominally as a winger, Nagbe was up to the task. He also showed more confidence with his shots than he's had all season, launching a scorcher from outside the area before slipping one through <span>Bill Hamid's</span> legs for the team's second goal.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><i>Ryan: </i><b><span>Rodney Wallace</span></b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>He was a terror on the wings. DC United could not account for him on numerous occasions and by the end of the game his presence caused United to compensate too far towards his side. His goal was one you rarely see, a near post shot, and it takes a lot of power to get it past a keeper on the short side. Without <span>Diego Valeri</span> multiple players needed to step up and Wallace, as well as Darlington Nagbe, did enough to earn three road points.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><i>Will:<b> </b></i><b>Darlington Nagbe</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Last year Timbers fans saw the team lean on Darlington Nagbe as a playmaker and were disappointed more often than not. Yesterday, however, when Nagbe was called upon to step up and pull the strings in the absence of Diego Valeri, he more than responded to the challenge, he excelled. Nagbe looked tough, aggressive, and completely comfortable in his role as he drove the Timbers' attack forward.</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="paragraph10" class="pgh-paragraph" style="opacity: 1; transition-property: all; transition-duration: 0s; transition-timing-function: cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.1, 0.25, 1);"><i>There are our picks, but what are yours? Vote in the poll below and let us know why in the comments.</i></p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/26/4367138/portland-timbers-man-of-the-match-away-wins
William Conwell
2013-05-26T10:00:07-07:00
2013-05-26T10:00:07-07:00
Postscript: Keep 'em Coming
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The good times continue to roll for the Portland Timbers, as they recorded their first road clean sheet of the year and extended their road unbeaten streak to eight, dating back to the end of the 2012 season.</p> <h3>By the Numbers</h3>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">4</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;">Number of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a> players who have scored at least four goals in 2013</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">2</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;">The MLS' next best team in number of players with at least four goals</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">1</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;">Prior to Saturday's match, the Timbers' largest road win goal differential in the MLS era</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">28</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;">Difference between the Timbers' 2012 road goal differential and this year's</p>
<h3>Moment of the Match</h3>
<p>With Diego Valeri out of the lineup, <span>Caleb Porter</span> had to switch up the formation and tactics a bit. Porter went with with a 4-4-2, set aside the usual possession game, and took a more direct approach.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/">D.C. United</a> was just the right kind of awful in response.</p>
<p>The DC back line spent all 90 minutes jostling, tugging, pulling and yanking Piquionne, RJ, and Valencia, but in doing so they abandoned a huge swath of space in the midfield and gave <span>Darlington Nagbe</span>, <span>Rodney Wallace</span> and <span>Will Johnson</span> all the time and space they needed to set up their shots.</p>
<p>Indeed, the team's strikers -- <span>Frederic Piquionne</span>, <span>Ryan Johnson</span>, and <span>Jose Adolfo Valencia</span> -- combined for just two shots. By contrast, the Timbers' midfield combined for eight shots, four on target.</p>
<p>There were plenty of moments highlighting this point, but let's go with Nagbe's shot from distance in the first half as our moment of the match. From the Timbers' defensive half, <span>Pa Modou Kah</span> played the ball into the center circle to Nagbe, who found acres of space ahead of himself. He dribbled the ball forward to about 25 yards from the goal and let loose a powerful shot that had to be parried over the frame.</p>
<p>The shot was made possible by the DC defense, obsessed as they were with Piquionne and RJ, who were driving them deep early in the play, creating a chasm of space between their midfield and defensive lines. Those two strikers were somehow able to draw all four defenders away from Nagbe and the ball, opening up the space he needed.</p>
<p>It happened again and again, including in the run-up to Wallace's goal just a few minutes later. It was a simple play, really -- <span>Jack Jewsbury</span> threw the ball in to Piquionne, who once again drew four DC players towards him as he glided into the center outside the penalty area. He then passed outside to Wallace, who, just like Nagbe before him, had all day to get the ball on his preferred foot and fire a rocket to the near post.</p>
<p>The Timbers won't be able to win like this again.</p>
<h3>Injuries and Bookings</h3>
<p><span>Diego Valeri's</span> hamstring injury took a lot of Portland fans by surprise, although it was foreshadowed early in the week -- Will Conwell reported on Tuesday that he had picked up a tight hamstring in Vancouver.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Pah Modou Kah and Jose Adolfo Valencia both opened their 2013 yellow card accounts, and still the Timbers are no closer to a card accumulation suspension than they were last week.</p>
<h3>Around the League</h3>
<h5>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.burgundywave.com/">Colorado Rapids</a> 2:0 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://delete.sbnprivate.com/">Chivas USA</a>
</h5>
<p>The Colorado injury curse is now well into its third year, and this time it was Argentine playmaker <span>Martin Rivero</span> going down with a foot injury. Fortunately for the Rapids, they were playing Chivas USA at the time and so still won the match.</p>
<h5>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigdsoccer.com/">FC Dallas</a> 1:0 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.centerlinesoccer.com/">San Jose Earthquakes</a>
</h5>
<p>If your plan is to bunker for an entire half against the Quakes, you'd better have a fantastic keeper. As such, Dallas' win belonged to <span>Raul Fernandez</span>, who made six saves, several from point-blank range, to extend Dallas' home unbeaten streak to eight matches.</p>
<h5>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.rslsoapbox.com/">Real Salt Lake</a> 1:1 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/">Chicago Fire</a>
</h5>
<p>The Fire traveled to Utah with every intention to play for a draw, conceding the lion's share of possession and relying on repeated heroics from <span>Sean Johnson</span>, who made eight saves. After RSL went ahead in the 78th, <span>Quincy Amarikwa</span> volleyed a goal of the week contender to equalize in the 84th.</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/26/4367064/portland-timbers-postscript-dc-united
Andrew Wheeler
2013-05-26T09:00:03-07:00
2013-05-26T09:00:03-07:00
Portland Prolongs United's Woes
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<figcaption>Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Portland Timbers continue their unbeaten streak with a win on the road over DC United. With the win Portland extends their unbeaten streak to 11 games. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a> and DC United both came into the game with streaks, but the teams were going in opposite directions. Portland was riding a league high 10 game unbeaten streak, while DC had not won a game in nine tries. Despite that fact DC United out-possessed Portland and created more shots it was all for naught as Portland still recorded the win and the shutout.</p>
<p>Despite the result, this was arguably Portland's worst road performance of the year, but good teams win even though they don't play well. Part of the reason for the poor showing had to do with the absence of <span>Diego Valeri</span>, out with a hamstring strain. Without Valeri, Portland had to play a little more direct and by doing so Portland gives the ball up a little more often than we are used to seeing.</p>
<p>You also have to credit DC United for closing down passing lanes and forcing Portland to play over the midfield to their two strikers. However if you are going to force Portland to play that way you have to be able to win the first and then the second ball. DC failed to do so on numerous occasions and in the 21st minute Portland punished them.</p>
<p>Portland won a throw in off of a long ball towards <span>Ryan Johnson</span>, which <span>Jack Jewsbury</span> took and ultimately threw to <span>Frederic Piquionne</span>. Piquionne turned his defender and attacked the top of the box and this drew four defenders to him. As he was making his run, <span>Rodney Wallace</span> was also making a run unmarked down the left side of the field. Piquionne slipped the ball out wide to the wide open Wallace.</p>
<p>Wallace took a touch, looked up and saw <span>Bill Hamid</span> cheating to the far post, and decided to hit the #@% out of the ball with his left foot towards the near post. The ball was hit with such force that Hamid had no chance to save it and could only pick the ball out of the net.</p>
<p>Credit to DC for not giving up after the early goal and continuing to put Portland's 6th different CB pairing of the year under pressure. There were a few shaky moments for the defense, especially on the right side as Jewsbury had a difficult time with <span>Kyle Porter</span>, but none of DC's rare chances proved dangerous.</p>
<p>In the second half those shaky moments started occurring with regularity as DC came out with a lot of energy and confidence. DC slowly gained confidence with each minute, looking for the equalizer.</p>
<p>In the 57th minute, against the run of play, Portland destroyed DC's hopes and dreams like a bad high school guidance counselor. Pa Madou Kah won a header (completely destroying <span>Carlos Ruiz</span> in the process) which went straight to <span>Will Johnson</span>. A pinball game ensued and the ball bounced around in the air until <span>Darlington Nagbe</span> headed back to Ryan Johnson.</p>
<p>Johnson hit a looping first time ball over the defense ahead of Nagbe's run. Surrounded by three DC defenders, Nagbe steadied the ball and took a shot right between Bill Hamid's wickets.</p>
<p>The second goal deflated a few of the DC United players. Even though they would have a few chances to score in the final 30 minutes, they had mentally conceded the game to Portland. Apparently the referee checked out after the second goal, too. Or maybe he just had dinner plans -- he missed an obvious penalty call on an <span>Andrew Jean-Baptiste</span> handball and gave two yellow card for time wasting.</p>
<p>Portland was able to hold on for the shutout and the win on the road for their first win over DC United in 4 tries.</p>
<h3>Observations</h3>
<ul>
<li>DC is in a terrible slump. If they keep up the pace they are on they will set records for the lowest Points Per game(.42 with the record being .52 by the Mutiny in 2001) and the lowest goals per game for an entire season (.5 goals with the record being .7 and that was set by them in 2010). </li>
<li>Portland has scored 22 goals in 13 games. Last year they scored 24 in 34 games.</li>
<li>I have to say I am a happy Fantasy MLS Manager, as I set Wallace as my captain and switched <span>Donovan Ricketts</span> in for <span>Jimmy Nielsen</span>.</li>
<li>I think Valencia gets the mid-week start; I can't wait to see what he can do. </li>
<li>At this pace Portland is set to earn 57.49 points which should be plenty to earn a playoff spot. </li>
<li>The last two years Portland would have lost this game. Amazing how a change of coach makes a huge difference. </li>
<li>I would tend to agree with MP -- it feels like Portland has yet to play to their potential consistently. </li>
<li>Not really an observation, but you have to check this video out, it is hilarious: <a target="_blank" href="http://youtu.be/K2_o_XndV8Y">Jay Heaps answers a reporter's cell phone during his post game conference.</a> </li>
</ul>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/26/4367080/full-recap-portland-timbers-at-dc-united
Ryan Gates
2013-05-25T18:07:28-07:00
2013-05-25T18:07:28-07:00
Portland Timbers Triumph 2-nil Over D.C. United
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<figcaption>Ned Dishman</figcaption>
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<p>The Portland Timbers earned 3 well deserved points on the road over a clearly struggling DC United squad.</p> <p>I'm still not sure what to make of the game as a whole, but the <a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Portland Timbers</a>, for their part, were able to earn three needed points on the road. Really, though, that should be too surprising given just how awful this <a href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">D.C. United</a> team is. I don't know what happened between last year's playoffs and this season, but clearly something is amiss for them.</p>
<p><span>Rodney Wallace</span> opened up the scoring sheet in the first half off a great cross by <span>Frederic Piquionne</span>. Wallace is certainly having his best season of his career so far and could well be in the running for Comeback Player of the Year if he keeps it up throughout the remainder of the season.</p>
<p>For the second goal, <span>Darlington Nagbe</span> managed to fight his way through three DCU defenders to drive it low and to the left of <span>Bill Hamid</span>. Nagbe's goal should come as no surprise to those watching the game as h was hammering shots throughout.</p>
<p>Tonight's result brings the Timbers to 22 points.</p>
<p><i>What did you think of the Timbers' performance?</i></p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/25/4366482/portland-timbers-triumph-2-nil-over-d-c-united
Geoff Gibson
2013-05-25T13:00:05-07:00
2013-05-25T13:00:05-07:00
Portland Timbers @ DC United Match Thread
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<figcaption>Ned Dishman</figcaption>
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<p>The Portland Timbers take on DC United in the nation's capital in an effort to bring 3 needed points back home.</p> <p>The Portland Timbers have hit a bit of a road game lull. While the tam as a whole is undefeated in 10 games, most of those are draws, particularly when playing away from home. Their last and only road game win came by way of Sporting Kansas City five matches ago. Since then they've tied FC Dallas and the Vancouver Whitecaps on the road. Luckily today they have a chance to reverse their fortunes somewhat against a struggling D.C. United team. We all know what this team is capable of. Let's hope they can prove it once again.</p>
<p>Here are all the details you need:</p>
<h3>General Information</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Watch it on: </b>ROOT SPORTS</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Kick off: </b>4:00 pm at RFK Stadium, Washington DC.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Portland Timbers: </b>19 points in the Western Conference.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>D.C. United: </b>5 points in the Eastern Conference.</p>
<h3>Starting Lineups</h3>
<p><b>Portland Timbers: </b>Ricketts, Jewsbury, Jean-Baptiste, Kah, Harrington, Nagbe, Chara, W. Johnson ©, Wallace, Piquionne, R. Johnson </p>
<p><b>D.C. United: </b>Hamid; Riley, McDonald, White, Korb; Sanchez, DeLeon, Kitchen, Porter; Ruiz, Pontius</p>
<p>
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<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>
<p>The draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps hurt more than I think most people were expecting. While the Timbers are still right there in playoff contention, and FC Dallas' loss certainly helped, Real Salt Lake, the Colorado Rapids and the Seattle Sounders all made significant gains in the Western Conference. As such, the Timbers will definitely need three points today if they have any hope of hanging on to their current third position, or if they want to potentially leap Real Salt Lake for 2nd place again.</p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/25/4365296/portland-timbers-dc-united-match-thread-4-00-pm
Geoff Gibson
2013-05-24T09:00:03-07:00
2013-05-24T09:00:03-07:00
Portland Timbers @ DC United Prediction Thread
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<img alt="Sad Ben Olsen is sad." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/U9gt_kohHLwjNNn-MegoAXZDf3c=/68x62:951x651/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/13598453/129686634.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Sad Ben Olsen is sad. | Ned Dishman</figcaption>
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<p>The Portland Timbers take on bottom-of-the-league DC United in their second road game in a row.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a> are off on another road game, this time against the league bottom-dwellers <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/">D.C. United</a>. As such, expectations are probably flying high for Timbers fans. After all, DC Untied has one just a single game all season, why should they start tomorrow? </p>
<p>But, as usual, before we tackle tomorrow's game, let's see how everybody did last week:</p>
<p>Overall, most of you guys were predicting a win. Not necessarily a bad prediction given the Timbers' history at BC Place, but certainly not what ended up playing out. Only two guessed the correct score of 2 - 2, as such they're our winners for the week:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<b>RCTIDnomatterwhat</b>: 2 - 2 with <span>Diego Valeri</span> in the 12th, <span>Nigel Reo-Coker</span> in the 24th, Camilo in the 45th, and Valeri in the 78th.</li>
<li>
<b>alanytll</b>: 2 - 2 with Reo-Coker in the 17th, <span>Ryan Johnson</span> in the 54th, <span>Rodney Wallace</span> in the 83rd, and <span>Darren Mattocks</span> in the 91st.</li>
</ol>
<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, nobody guessed that <span>Jose Adolfo Valencia</span> (El Trencito) was going to score. Anyway, congratulations to both!</p>
<p>Looking ahead to tomorrow' game, I would like to remind everybody that DC is expected to start two of their usual starters who have been out for a while: <span>Chris Pontius</span> and <span>Nick DeLeon</span>. As such, don't expect this team to be quite the pushover they've been out to be. Sporting KC was only able to muster a draw last weekend (though it should have been a win).</p>
<p><i>What's your game day prediction for the Timbers against DC United?</i></p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/24/4362628/portland-timbers-dc-united-prediction-thread
Geoff Gibson
2013-05-23T15:00:05-07:00
2013-05-23T15:00:05-07:00
Portland Timbers vs. DC United Match Preview
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2JHbTArx-V8ipQoZmWGLvcPeCs4=/0x68:4000x2735/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/13568421/153103353.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jonathan Ferrey</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Portland Timbers take flight to the capital of the United States to take on struggling DC United.</p> <p>Two very different teams will play each other Saturday night. One from the West coast, the other from the East. One undefeated in 10 games, the other winless in 9 games. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a>, for their part however, aren't necessarily the powerhouse team that they appear. Against the Vancouver Whitecaps they were visibly struggling to contain a team that was thought to be worse than they.</p>
<p>Here's the breakdown:</p>
<h3>Portland Timbers</h3>
<p>The big news heading into Saturday's game is, once again, focused on the defensive backline. <span>Futty Danso</span>, the club's mainstay in that area has been suspended due to accumulation of a red card against the Vancouver Whitecaps. While many thought it was an unfair card, it does not appear that it will be reversed. I'm not even sure if the Timbers tried to get it reversed.</p>
<p>In any case, due to Futty's absence, we'll most certainly see at least one new face in the backline, possibly two. As we know <span>Pa Modou Kah</span> was signed a couple weeks ago. There's nothing from Will's recent training reports to suggest that he shouldn't be playing this weekend. Additionally, the recent signing of <span>Rauwshan McKenzie</span> should add further depth. Whether he starts ahead of <span>Andrew Jean-Baptiste</span> or not remains to be seen. My hunch tells me, however, that Porter will want at least one Timbers-experienced player in one of those two positions.</p>
<p>The only other bit of news is <span>Darlington Nagbe</span> quasi-injury he picked up against the Whitecaps. I am happy to report that it does not appear to be an issue. Nagbe is not listed on the injury report, nor has he been mentioned in Will's most recent training report. Expect to see him start in his usual right winger position.</p>
<p>Nothing else is really jumping out at me as being as issue ahead of Saturday's game. Here's my predicted starting line up:</p>
<p><span>Donovan Ricketts</span>; <span>Jack Jewsbury</span>, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Pa Modou Kah, <span>Michael Harrington</span>; <span>Will Johnson</span>, <span>Diego Valeri</span>, <span>Diego Chara</span>; Darlington Nagbe, <span>Ryan Johnson</span>, <span>Rodney Wallace</span></p>
<h3>DC United</h3>
<p>As usual, before I begin, I recommend reading my<a href="http://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/23/4359188/portland-timbers-dc-united-preview-interview" target="_blank"> preview interview with Adam Taylor of SB Nation's DC United site Black and Red United</a>. In it he gives up some insider information on just what's happening with the capital's MLS team.</p>
<p>Looking at the team itself, DC United is something of an enigma right now. Everything about them heading into the season made it appear as if they would at least be a mid-table club. However, 11 games in (for them) and it would appear that everybody was way off. Some of this could boil down to injuries, but it still seems like there's a bigger problem at the root to all this.</p>
<p>But first, let's talk a bit about Dwayne DeRosario, the league MVP a couple seasons ago. DeRo is an impact player for DC who hasn't been making much of an impact at all so far this season. Still, according to Adam, DeRo took a while last season to really start making the kind of impact we all expect. Could Saturday be his coming out party for the season? I don't know, but I certainly wouldn't underestimate him.</p>
<p>On that note, DC does have two other prominent players returning from injury: Nick DeLeon and Chris Pontius. Both should feature prominently in a squad that could be righting the ship after a home draw against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebluetestament.com/">Sporting Kansas City</a>.</p>
<p>Here's Adam's expected starting line up:</p>
<p><span>Bill Hamid</span>; <span>Chris Korb</span>, <span>Ethan White</span>, <span>Dejan Jakovic</span>, <span>Taylor Kemp</span> (R); <span>Perry Kitchen</span>,<span>Nick DeLeon</span>; <span>Kyle Porter</span>, <span>Dwayne De Rosario</span> (C), <span>Chris Pontius</span>; <span>Casey Townsend</span></p>
<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>
<p>It would be very easy for the Timbers to expect three points out of this match. It would be equally as easy to underestimate DC United. Most fans around Portland probably have these expectations. I am, however, a bit more conservative. DC United, as bad as they have been this season, are playing below their talent. Expect them to be desperate for a home victory and play with a renewed sense of determination after the return of two key players. If the Timbers team think they can slack off and run circles around a squad perceived to be weaker, they could end up losing or getting another draw, neither of which sounds like a desirably scenario at the moment.</p>
<p>I would also like to remind everybody that the Timbers in 2012 pulled off a similar feat against a league leading Sporting Kansas City at home.</p>
<p><i> What do you think about Saturday's away game against DC United?</i></p>
https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/5/23/4360374/portland-timbers-vs-dc-united-match-preview-beware-the-underdog
Geoff Gibson