All of a sudden, the
Portland Timbers amazing start of the campaign is hitting a snag, as injuries
are taking a toll on several of its top of the line play makers.
With Diego Valeri, Darlington
Nagbe and Jake Gleeson sideline with injuries, for Timbers Manager Caleb Porter,
his options are becoming one tough challenge and puzzling in his game scheme.
One thing the PTFC
found out this past Saturday is that it will not come easy for them in this
campaign and especially with its Western Conference foes, as their last two
matches on the road showed off a lot of weakness.
Still the way this
squad was built during the preseason- to add some depth in its bench whenever they
had some of their notable player’s absent due to national squad duties and in
the always-hated disabled list.
Unfortunately the bench
is not being consistent.
As last week in
Dallas some blinks in its defense, the Timbers gave away the win and today in
San Jose what many thought this would been and easy affair, at the end became a
total nightmare for the Rose City squad.
Labeled as a
horrendous lost, as even their Boss stated that his squad was not present in
the first half and hence the results, with two early goals and especially its main
killer and executioner- Chris Wondolowski who had a double score in this match.
When the Timbers
surrendered that first goal in the 8 minute, it looked like the squad-disintegrated
completely with no game scheme or ambition to mount a counter offensive and
look for the equalizer as well the go-ahead goals.
As the combination of
Wondo and Jahmir became lethal for the Timbers defensive backfield to open up
the score, no later in the 31 when another Quakes 1-2 punch of Florian Jungworth and
again Chris Wondolowski who sealed the fate of this match with a 3-0.
As the tale of the tape
shows off a dominant San Jose Quakes with an edge in possession with 54% over Portland,
but in shoots they just edge the Timbers by just two with 17 to 15 attempts.
Also the lineup of Mattocks
starting as a wing instead of forward, here manager Porter should attempted a
4-4-2 instead of his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, as Sebastian Blanco could not
ignite a serious attack with him and non-existent Dairon Aspirilla.
With a campaign long,
to be over, the Portland squad needs to capitalize in many ways to get on top
of their foes when the going is not on their side.
Another negative was
the three yellow cards and the insurmountable number of fouls with 21 the same
number they exhibited in that loss at home against SKC; another match where they failed to put
a display of their dynamic football.
Still there is light
at the end of the tunnel as this campaign Caleb Porter has given the opportunity
to his young guns in Victor Arboleda and their top pick Jeremy Ebobisse as both
showed a lot of potential.
Nevertheless, there
is no time for experiments but to be bold and adventurous.
For Jack Barmby
he needs to be given more minute’s in this campaign if not given a shoot to become
a starter in the initial eleven.
These three are in
need of an opportunity to show off their potential as Marco Farfan shined in his
debut in the first matches, still he needs a little of experience as T2 is
delivering it, but one day he and the latter ones can be in the starting eleven
for good.
At the end, this loss
will be a lesson learned by Manager Caleb Porter and his squad, as he needs to
correct some of his flaws in its defensive scheme as well inject more ambition to
his starting eleven.
With or without their
top play makers, this squad needs to adapt itself to improvisations in its starting
eleven and play without any inhibitions, but with courage and not let their guard
down throughout the match, if they open the score the Timbers needs to seal the
deal.
Pity for the loss, but
this is a lesson well learned by the PTFC and to be corrected in the course of
this campaign, this is a team effort and with eleven players in the field
contributing all and not just one and be dependent on one only.
Post Contents and Property of Fern
Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Crest Credit and Property of Portland
Timbers Football Club 2017
Photos Credit and Property of © 2017
Major League Soccer
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