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Marvin Loria

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Portland Timbers

Portland’s goalless streak continues with dismal loss at 10-man Rapids

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

Two goals conceded in three matches? Not terrible.

Zero goals scored in three matches? Disastrous.

This result was bound to peg consecutive scoreless draws as positive or negative for the Portland Timbers, who fell to the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on the road Saturday evening.

Diego Rubio’s first-half free kick and a smooth stoppage-time finish from Mark-Anthony Kaye gave the Rapids a well-earned win.

Despite going down a man, Colorado maintained control of the match. Aljaz Ivacic saved a 1-v-1 chance from Jonathan Lewis and Portland never gained any sort of momentum, even after using all five substitutions.

The Timbers’ best chances were all wasted:

  • Marvin Loria had a decent shot go right to Yarborough. Loria also skied a shot from close distance into the parking lot.
  • Zac McGraw’s header was saved comfortably by William Yarbrough.
  • Dairon Asprilla skipped a left-footed shot wide from the top of the 18.
  • Even a beautiful one-two between Yimmi Chara and Bill Tuiloma failed to hit target.

Ivacic had a standout performance in goal, making four difficult saves. He also went face-to-face with Auston Trusty in the 66′ after Trusty invaded his space during a high claim. Both players received cautions.

Those were two of the 11 total cautions in Commerce City Saturday night.

Match summary

The Rapids hadn’t lost a regular season* home game in over a year — with the asterisk being Larrys Mabiala’s 90th-minute playoff winner on Thanksgiving 2021, of course. He wouldn’t be as fortunate this time.

A sleepy first half woke up with a Diego Rubio free kick in the 30′. Mabiala received a yellow card for the hard foul leading to the free kick, and Rubio hit it right over the center back’s head for the opening goal.

Rubio’s fortunes turned in the second half, though. His slide tackle on Justin Rasmussen earned him a second yellow, bringing Colorado down to 10 men for the remaining half-hour.

Colorado had a goal called back by VAR in the 22′. Lewis blocked Ivacic in a narrow offside decision, denying Lalas Abubakar the opener.

Portland had a few key injuries in this one:

  • Marvin Loria replaced Sebastian Blanco in the starting XI.
  • Eryk Williamson made his second consecutive start for Diego Chara.
  • Justin Rasmussen started in place of Claudio Bravo at left back. 

Blanco and Chara were listed as out on this week’s injury report, but Bravo wasn’t.

Colorado’s newest player, Gyasi Zardes, missed a golden opportunity to open his Rapids account in the 55th minute. Zardes, who’s fallen out of favor with Caleb Porter in Columbus, started and played 80 minutes in his Rapids debut after signing on April 22nd.

Next up

Portland has a tough stretch ahead, with a trip to New Jersey next weekend and a midweek cup match at LAFC.

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Portland Timbers

Timbers sign Marvin Loria to contract extension

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

The Portland Timbers announced their re-signing of winger Marvin Loria today. His new extension will run through 2024, with a club option year for 2025.

From the Timbers.com press release:

Loría, 24, enters his fourth season with Portland after playing a season with T2 in 2018. The San José,
Costa Rica native has started in 31 of 65 appearances for the Timbers, tallying four goals and nine
assists. In his 2021 campaign, Loría scored two goals and tallied a career-high of six assists. Notably,
Loría scored the game-winning goal for Portland in a 2-1 win against Sporting Kansas City on June 19,
2021.
Loría has made several appearances for Costa Rica at the youth and senior level, including three
appearances (one start) at the 2017 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Costa Rica. Loría received his first
call-up to the senior men’s national team on Feb. 2, 2019, earning a start in his first appearance for Costa
Rica.

Loria has been a key rotation player for the Timbers, making a key start in Portland’s win over Real Salt Lake in the 2021 Western Conference Final.

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Portland Timbers

Timbers announce initial roster updates

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

Major League Soccer never stops, even right after the MLS Cup final. The Expansion Draft will take place Tuesday, Dec. 14th and free agency opens Wednesday, Dec. 15th.

The Timbers announced a bevy of roster decisions Monday, including the list of unprotected players for tomorrow’s Expansion Draft.

No matter how you feel about general manager Gavin Wilkinson and owner Merritt Paulson, they have a lot of important decisions to make in the coming weeks.

Who’s gone?

Jorge Gonzalez, Ismaila Jome, Manny Perez, and Renzo Zambrano are all not re-signing. We know they’re gone. Gonzalez and Perez never saw action for the first team and Jome barely did. All four of these guys are unprotected for Charlotte FC’s expansion draft.

Who’s staying?

Portland left 10 of its 21 players on the current roster (so, not including the four names above) unprotected. The 11 protected players which Portland will definitely have next season are:

  • Goalkeepers – Hunter Sulte
  • Defenders – Dario Župarić, Bill Tuiloma, Claudio Bravo
  • Midfielders – Blake Bodily, Diego Chará, Yimmi Chará, Marvin Loría, Santiago Moreno, Cristhian Paredes, Eryk Williamson, Dairon Asprilla
  • Forwards – Felipe Mora, Jarosław Niezgoda

Who’s in limbo?

The ones we don’t know about yet:

  • Goalkeepers – Steve Clark, Jeff Attinella, Aljaz Ivacic
  • Defenders – Larrys Mabiala, Zac McGraw, Josecarlos Van Rankin, Pablo Bonilla
  • Midfielders – Sebastian Blanco, Diego Valeri, Andy Polo, George Fochive
  • Forwards – N/A

The Timbers are looking to re-sign Sebastian Blanco, Steve Clark, Aljaz Ivacic, and Josecarlos Van Rankin. I’d be shocked if Blanco didn’t re-sign. Not so sure about the other three. Briefly, here’s why:

  • Van Rankin was on loan from Chivas Guadalajara this season. There have been rumors of him both re-signing in Portland and re-joining Chivas. I could see this one going either way.
  • Clark is 35. He’s had some great moments for Portland, but he’s certainly more replaceable because of his age.
  • Ivacic has barely played for the Timbers. He conceded 12 goals in four starts this season and is clearly the third-best Portland ‘keeper when healthy. The Timbers also have both Hunter Sulte and Jeff Attinella still under contract. I’d say Ivacic re-signing is unlikely.

What should the priorities be?

Priority #1 for Gavin Wilkinson has to be to re-sign Sebastián Blanco. This should be obvious. Getting him on a non-Designated Player deal (like Valeri signed a few years ago) would be ideal, but might not be feasible. Either way, keep him in the club.

Diego Valeri’s future might not affect the team on the field much, but it’s crucial for fan buy-in (which has obviously been waning lately).

Beyond that, decisions on Van Rankin and Clark will be most important. If those two are gone, that’s two starting spots to fill. I doubt Charlotte takes anyone from Portland tomorrow.

Portland are not one of the top-five spenders in MLS, but they are consistently near the top. The front office has showed its willingness to spend in the right places and take full advantage of MLS’ wonky roster rules (using the U-22 initiative to sign Moreno, for example).

We’ll see how they approach a pivotal offseason.

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Portland Timbers

Sin Seba: How will the Timbers compete without Blanco?

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda


Image by Jared Martinez, Matt Stith & Devin L'Amoreaux via MLS

Image by Jared Martinez, Matt Stith & Devin L’Amoreaux via MLS

Portland’s hard-fought 2-1 win in Seattle last Sunday came at a huge cost. In just the second minute of action, Sebastián Blanco went down with a knee injury while providing high pressure. He stayed down for a few minutes, needing a stretcher to carry him off. As we later learned, this was far more devastating than anyone was hoping for.

Paulson’s tweet says it all. Blanco was certainly in contention for MLS MVP this season, especially after nabbing MLS is Back Tournament MVP honors already.

At 32 years old, this will be a significant setback for a player who has been Portland’s best player as of late. Arguments could be made for an aging Diego Valeri, uber-consistent Diego Chará, or goalkeeper Steve Clark as the Timbers’ best; but it’s been magic moments from Blanco that have saved Portland’s rear in recent seasons.

Think about this: Without Blanco’s goals in Seattle and Kansas City from the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, we might be talking about a team that’s been trending in the wrong direction since hiring Giovanni Savarese. But we’re not. So let’s be grateful.

Fortunately, the Timbers do have one of the deepest rosters in MLS. The front office has been building this squad with depth in mind for years now. In terms of how lineups will change, I think Savarese will put his 11 best players on the field, whatever that means to him.


Portland’s starting XI for last Sunday’s match against Seattle

Portland’s starting XI for last Sunday’s match against Seattle

Let’s take a look at who could replace Blanco in the starting XI and beyond.

Replacement Options

Marvin Loría

When Blanco went down against Seattle, Marvin Loría was his replacement before coming off for Yimmi Chará in the second half. In my opinion, Loría is still a step behind MLS play, but he’s only getting better with more and more playing time.

Loría still has growing to do. He hasn’t produced much this season (0.16 expected goals plus assists per 90 isn’t horrible, but he has 0 real goals or assists) in just over 300 minutes. While he’s been solid as a filler, Loría is not a viable long-term replacement. I still wouldn’t be too irked to see his playing time rise while Blanco is out, though.


If Loría is a straight swap for Blanco

If Loría is a straight swap for Blanco

Also, Loría is a bonafide winger. Blanco liked to drift in and out of the center, picking up possession wherever he could and finding space on either wing to get the attack going.

Yimmi Chará

Like Loría, Yimmi Chará is usually thought as more of a winger than a playmaking #10. However, this is something I could see changing now that Blanco’s out. In the past, Portland had two guys who could always fill the role as a 10 in Blanco and Valeri. Now, with Blanco out and Valeri aging, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Yimmi get a start as a central attacking mid during some midweek games.


If Yimmi is a straight swap for Blanco

If Yimmi is a straight swap for Blanco

Another option is for Gio to scrap JeboOnTheWing™ for the time being and insert both Loría and Yimmi into the starting XI. I think this is unlikely, because Gio has indicated many times that he believes Jebo can play either forward or winger, but I see him having a hard time keeping either Ebobisse or Jarosław Niezgoda off the field.

Personally, I believe Yimmi and Jarek should both definitely start in important matches. Despite Ebobisse’s hot streak in the MLSiBT, I do think Niezgoda is realistically a better option as the lone forward. For that matter, Felipe Mora might be, too.

  • There were reports linking Jebo overseas recently, and frankly, I don’t think it would be too detrimental for him to go. I love everything Jeremy has done on and off the pitch, and it would be extremely hard to let him go, but the Timbers have three starting-caliber forwards and a system of play with only one forward spot.

  • It’s also worth remembering that Mora is only here on loan. He might not return if Jebo ends up staying and producing.

Eryk Williamson

One of the most pleasant surprises under Savarese has been the development of Eryk Williamson over the past two seasons. I remember asking Gio about Williamson after his first full 90 late last season; now he’s scored his first MLS goal and made the MLS Team of the Week.


Williamson could move into a more attacking role if Diego Valeri is unavailable

Williamson could move into a more attacking role if Diego Valeri is unavailable

With T2, Williamson actually played more of an attacking role than his current one as a stopper/holding midfielder. If duty calls (say Valeri is out), I could definitely see Gio bumping Eryk up to the playmaking role while bringing in Paredes, Flores, or Zambrano as the extra mid.

Tomas Conechny

Conechny often gets labeled as the backup or third-string central attacking mid, but that’s more accurate in FIFA than real life. Under Gio, Conechny has been almost exclusively a B-team guy. I wouldn’t expect to see him in a starting XI unless Gio was resting players.

My Ideal Lineup

If I were Gio, this is how I would do things. Keep in mind that Gio is much smarter and more capable of assessing his team than I am.


lineup (4).png

I know this looks stupid, but hear me out:

  • Condense into a 4-4-1-1 when defending, with Jebo and Yimmi out wide on either side and Williamson next to Diego Chará in holding midfield

  • Duvall or Jorge pushes up to overload one side when in possession

  • Jebo and Jarek both stretching the back line at different points, taking turns dropping in to create space for one another

    • Valeri popping up to create triangles and slip through balls between the lines when this happens

  • Attacking crosses to either post are met with a forward and runs into the box by everyone else

  • Diego Chará plays like Diego Chará

Sounds good, right? Nope, didn’t think so. This is why I’m a writer and not a manager.

So, now what?

Often times, there is pressure from fans to see a consistent starting XI when the true goal is consistent results. It is the nature of Savarese’s lineups to be constantly shuffling players; moving guys in and out of the lineup. That’s a good thing. It means he’s willing to embrace competition within his squad.

With Seba out for the rest of the season, the pressure for creativity falls more on the shoulders of not just Diego Valeri, but the rest of the XI as well.

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Portland Timbers

Timbers vs Real Salt Lake Preview: 8/31/19

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
Fanendo_Adi_Portland_Timbers_vs_RSL_2016-09-10_29613806605.jpg

The Portland Timbers (11-4D-11, 37 pts, 8th in West) and Real Salt Lake (13-4D-10, 43 pts, 2nd in West) will meet in a classic late-season Saturday night showdown at Providence Park. 

Match Info

  • Time: Saturday, August 31st @ 7:30pm PT
  • Location: Providence Park, Portland, OR
  • TV: FOX 12 Plus (channel 49)

As you probably know, this match has huge implications beyond simply extending a mini unbeaten streak or avenging the legendary 2013 squad. A quick look at the Western Conference standings reveal 8th place Portland trails 2nd place RSL by only six points. I feel like a broken record when I mention Portland’s game in hand, but it only means something if they can capitalize on it. Two straight home defeats on national television and an injuries to both starting center backs didn’t do much to help that cause. 

Standings provided by Sofascore LiveScore

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A couple weeks ago, I looked at FiveThirtyEight’s MLS predictions for the Timbers, which gave them a 90% chance to make the playoffs. While that number is down, 83% is still a pretty good shot. The bigger question lies in what position the Timbers will finish. An expanded playoff format guarantees home field advantage for the top four teams in each conference, but Portland still has work to do:

Timbers final position in Western Conference standings FiveThirtyEight Probability (%)
2nd* 13%
3rd* 16%
4th* 15%
5th** 14%
6th** 12%
7th** 12%
8th or less (missing playoffs) 18%

  • *=home playoff match guaranteed
  • **=away match in 1st round

This only adds to the stress of the match for the Timbers, who already need this win badly.

On the Iron Front front

As you also probably know, there has been a much bigger issue raging in the background of these last few matches: while the Iron Front ban protest was certainly noticed, neither the league nor the Timbers Army seem keen to give up their side. Owner Merritt Paulson mildly evaded a question about fan safety to re-hash the issue of the flag’s political nature during a Portland Thorns Q&A, while the TA has stated they are in “ongoing talks” with the Timbers front office. This writer stands with the Timbers Army and hopes that the ban is rescinded soon.

Other Noteworthy Matches

Before we get to the match at hand, there are a couple of other critical matches you might want to be aware of before the Timbers kick off at 7:30. If college football isn’t your thing (and you have ESPN+), definitely check out these first two:

  • Cincinnati @ Dallas, 4:00 PT
    • FC Dallas is currently sitting on 40 points (three ahead of the Timbers), but they have also played two more matches. This should be an easy win for Dallas at home against the worst team in MLS, but we’ve seen crazier things happen in MLS. Root for Cincy!
  • Houston @ Kansas City, 4:30 PT
    • Don’t look now, but if Portland slips up in the remaining matches, these two sides will be nipping at their heels, especially Kansas City. SKC is within three points of the Timbers, and although Portland does have a game in hand, two remaining meetings with KC could make the playoff race trickier than expected. Root for a draw or Houston win!
  • Orlando City @ San Jose, 7:30 PT
    • This match will start at the same time as Portland’s, but keep an eye on San Jose, who are one of the teams Portland are chasing in the Western Conference standings. Root for Orlando!
  • LA Galaxy @ Seattle, 2:30 PT Sunday
    • Take a look at this matchup if you find time Sunday. The performances of both these teams will be critical to Portland’s playoff position. Root for a draw, although seeing either of these teams lose will surely bring a wry smile.

Match Primer

Ok, onto the match itself. In order to win this match, Portland will need to stop Albert Rusnák. The Slovak #11 pulls the strings for RSL’s attack, and if RSL sits deep to absorb pressure (more on that later), his creativity is deadly on the counter-attack. Luckily, the Timbers have Diego Chará, who is more than capable. Who they won’t have, though, is Larrys Mabiala and Julio Cascante. During the bulk of the regular season, this duo was the preferred starting center back pairing for head coach Giovanni Savarese—although I still prefer Tuiloma over Cascante when both are healthy.

Replacement Claude Dielna has had his fair share of mistakes, but he has also had some solid matches, most notably against NYCFC, Orlando City, and Colorado. It should be noted that Dielna’s weakness, though, is his lack of pace. This was exploited quite easily by Mason Toye and Minnesota United earlier this month. If RSL does end up finding space on the counter, things will be a lot more nervy for Portland’s back line. 

Lineups

What curveball will Gio throw us this week? Last week we had Marvin Loría starting over Jeremy Ebobisse and Zarek Valentin getting the nod over an injured Jorge Moreira. Now, Valentin is questionable with a hamstring injury and the Timbers find themselves with four healthy players on the back line (at least it makes my prediction easier). In the midfield, Cristhian Paredes should get the start next to Chará, but there have been rumblings of a leg injury that would undoubtedly see Renzo Zambrano get the start. In the attack, there have been some proponents of seeing Brian Fernández play out on the wing, but these pipe dreams were mostly dismissed by Gio’s comments in training. With rest no longer a factor (for now), I expect the lineup to look like this:

There have been suggestions of moving Fernández out to the wing, but Savarese does not seem too keen about the idea

Keys

  • Scoring against a low block: It’s no secret that Portland has had their fair share of trouble against defenses that stay compact and look to counter-attack. It’s how the Timbers made it to MLS Cup last year, and it’s how teams have been grabbing points from them this year. Hopefully getting Moreira back will help attack wide areas and exploit a back line that has given up only 34 goals this season.
  • Scoring the first goal: I know, duh. You want your team to score all the goals, not just the first one. But conceding the first goal buried the Timbers in their last two losses. I guess this key should read: Score before the other team, or if you don’t, don’t let yourself keep playing poorly.
  • Keeping things tidy on the back line: The last (and only) time Dielna and Tuiloma started together, it was part of a 5-man back line designed to stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic that went…poorly. This will be a big experiment, and I wouldn’t be that surprised to see a—dare I say it—back three at some point on Saturday. Salt Lake will be licking their chops at the thought of attacking this back four, and it could be a massive game for Steve Clark between the sticks.

RSL’s strategy should be to sit back and take what the Timbers give them on the counter. They are facing a pair of questionable center backs in Cascante and Dielna, and suddenly Sam Johnson’s nine goals in 20 appearances look even more impressive. HOWEVER, I think Portland wins this match because Real Salt Lake comes out of their shell and tries to compete. As long as the back line avoids any egregious errors, I think this should be a classic home win for the Timbers. 

And finally…

After a lengthy delay, my friend Reece and I have finally released the first episode of the Double Post Podcast! Check us out on Soundcloud and Twitter to keep up with all the hottest takes in the Timbers community.

As always, thanks for reading and go Timbers!

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Portland Timbers

Timbers vs Fire Preview: 8/14/19

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
1024px-Diego_Valeri_Portland_Timbers_vs_RSL_2016-09-10_28990002203.jpg

The Portland Timbers (10-4D-9, 34 pts) will host the Chicago Fire (7-9D-10, 30 pts) at Providence Park on Wednesday night. It will be the second home match in a row for the Timbers, who find themselves perfectly poised to make a late-season run for a playoff spot thanks to a massive home stretch of matches.

The Big Picture

Take a deep breath. The Timbers find themselves at the penalty spot, with a chance to send themselves to the playoffs. All they have to do is execute. Portland exhales and approaches the ball. Will they rise to the occasion or Abdul-Salaam it off the posts?

Since that dreadful run of form to start the season, Portland has made all the right moves—signing Brian Fernández wasn’t a bad place to start, nor was defeating both Cascadia rivals. A hiccup in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals can’t cancel the phenomenal run of form that included beating Seattle in Seattle, shellacking the LA Galaxy twice (rare!) and defeating LAFC away (super rare!!). Portland are now undefeated in seven of their last eight MLS matches and ready to shake up the West:

Standings provided by Sofascore LiveScore

FiveThirtyEight’s MLS predictions give Portland a 90% chance to make the playoffs (second only to LAFC in the West) and 53 points for the season (on par with Seattle and Real Salt Lake). Despite trailing these teams in the standings, Portland has a game in hand and play 10 out of their 11 remaining matches at home. But how realistic is this prediction?

In order to hit a 53-point total, the Timbers would have to earn 19 points from their remaining 11 matches. This is certainly feasible, but it won’t be easy. After Wednesday’s match, only two remaining matches will be against a team currently outside playoff position—Sporting Kansas City—who will likely be fighting for a spot anyway.

History

Not to jinx it, but the Chicago Fire are the only team the Portland Timbers have never lost to in Major League Soccer. This match should be no exception. Portland are coming off a strong showing and are undefeated at home since the opener against LAFC. Chicago struggled mightily in July, dropping points to three playoff outsiders, but their last three matches have garnered seven points, all from teams they trail in the table. Still, the Fire have earned only six points from 12 away matches this season. 

Portland and Chicago have a peculiar history, including Portland’s inaugural home MLS match at Jeld-Wen field (this was also the first MLS win in the club’s history). Other notable matchups include a pair of four-goal draws and a dramatic home draw in 2014.

Lineups: who sits, who stays?

Timbers Head Coach Giovanni Savarese may elect to rest some players, alt5hough many already got that rest Saturday: Jorge Moreira, Brian Fernández, Cristhian Paredes, and Larrys Mabiala were all regular starters that sat, but their replacements performed well regardless.

Portland’s lineup vs Vancouver last Saturday

Earlier in the season, the lineup questions were about who was capable of starting for the Timbers. Now, it seems they can’t find enough spots on the field. Guys like Jeremy Ebobisse, Marvin Loría, and Tomás Conechny—who all scored or assisted last match—are in danger of sitting to start the next match, with Fernández coming back from thigh stiffness and the whole team playing well. 

My prediction is that Valeri gets some rest against a non-playoff, non-conference opponent, while Ebobisse retains his spot on the left wing. This could be a great time to get Tomás Conechny some starting experience, although it’s hard to leave out Loría after his glorious game-winner against the Whitecaps.

Projected lineup vs Chicago

Tactics and Keys

Similar to the Timbers, Chicago run a 4-2-3-1, with Nico Gaitan as their creative attacking spark, Nemanja Nikolić up top, and Aleksandar Katai and C.J. Sapong on the wings. Dax McCarty and Brandt Bronico are the holding midfielders, while Francisco Calvo and Bastian Schweinsteiger shore up the back line.

Despite the lackluster record, Chicago has managed an impressive average of 14.2 shots per game, as well as a TSR of .580 that trails only Atlanta in the East (American Soccer Analysis). Portland can not afford to make stupid mistakes against a guy who’s scored 47 times in three years.

Keys

  1. Set pieces—Portland has had their fair share of struggles defending set pieces lately. Chicago will use Nikolić to cause disruption off of Gaitan’s deliveries. Whether it be Cascante, Mabiala, or Tuiloma defending, clearances will be absolutely necessary. This is exactly what went wrong on last week’s goal, while the Fire scored two of their three goals against Montréal off corner kicks. 
  2. Defending the right wing—Moreira has been an attacking and tackling power for Portland this season, but it has come at a cost. He is constantly caught out of position, leaving the opponent’s left wing exposed and forcing the Timbers into a back three. Sapong gets a lot of action down the left side, with Chicago using the left wing on 40% of their attacks (whoscored). The ability of Moreira and Mabiala to stop C.J. Sapong and close gaps in the back line will be paramount to Portland’s success.
  3. Counterattacking—it’s no secret that the Timbers like to counter—and with some of the most talented attackers in the league, they have the skills to get it done. Bastian Schweinsteiger has been a defensive presence since moving to center back, but there’s no reason Fernández, Blanco, & Co. can’t crack Chicago.

Prediction: 2-0 Timbers

Overall, this is Portland’s game to lose. A win is expected and anything less will be disappointing. We have seen the Timbers falter in this same position a few weeks ago, drawing both Colorado and Orlando at home, so it’s now time to atone for past mistakes and hit the mark.

Match Info

  • Kickoff: Wednesday, August 14th, 2019 at 8:00p Pacific
  • Location: Providence Park, Portland, OR
  • TV: Root Sports (Local, Comcast 34/DirecTV 687), Streaming on ESPN+

P.S.: Some personal news—this will be my first match in the press box! Big thanks to Doug, Kevin, and everyone else who’s helped me get here. Go Timbers!

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Portland Timbers

Timbers gear up for Orlando, Seattle, and beyond

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
timbers-army.jpg

After a wacky home draw against Colorado, the Portland Timbers (7-3D-8, 24 pts) will host Orlando City SC (7-4D-9, 25 pts) on Thursday (??) night at Providence Park. The Timbers will be hoping they can replicate the Thorns’ dramatic win against the Orlando Pride from last Sunday.

The Timbers are expected to roll out a weaker starting lineup for a number of reasons: First, the first MLS matchup against Seattle is looming on Sunday. While the Timbers and Sounders met in the U.S. Open Cup in June, this installment will be the first time both managers put out their best squads—and while they may meet in an American football stadium, it’s certainly a step up from a minor league baseball venue.

Therefore, there’s a very slim chance head coach Giovanni Savarese will risk starting the likes of Diego Chará, Sebastián Blanco, or Diego Valeri against Orlando. Savarese has made it clear that he is not afraid to rest starters during busy weeks, especially against Eastern Conference opponents. This constant squad rotation is a trend Timbers fans will come to expect from Savarese (if they haven’t already). The following is a list of Portland’s remaining matches until Decision Day, along with how many full days separate each match:

Date/Opponent Days of rest before each match
July 18th vs Orlando 4
July 21st @ Seattle 2
July 27th vs LA Galaxy 5
August 4th @ Minnesota 7
August 7th @ Minnesota* 2
August 10th vs Vancouver 2
August 14th vs Chicago 3
August 18th vs Atlanta 3
August 23rd vs Seattle 4
August 27th or 28th** 3 or 4
August 31st vs Salt Lake 2, 3, or 7
September 7th vs Kansas City 6
September 15th vs DC 7
September 18th vs NYRB 2
September 22nd vs Minnesota 3
September 25th vs New England 2
September 29th @ KC 3
October 6th vs San Jose*** 6

  • * U.S. Open Cup Semifinal
  • ** U.S. Open Cup Final (if necessary)
  • *** MLS Decision Day

While Portland’s final three months or so are loaded with home matches, they will rarely have more than a few days’ rest, especially if they beat Minnesota to make the U.S. Open Cup Final (which the Timbers will not be hosting, regardless of their opponent).

Now to the starting lineups. Predicting Gio’s starting XI is always a daunting task, but this is who I think will start based on how the Timbers lined up in the last few matches:

GK: Steve Clark—Clark stood on his head against Colorado, and will likely be called upon again. He is the clear starter over Jeff Attinella, who is nursing a bit of a right shoulder injury.

LB: Jorge Villafaña—This might be the toughest position to predict. Although he has been absent from lineups since the match against FC Dallas a couple weeks ago with a minor left thigh injury, Villafaña may be called upon because of Marco Farfán going down with a more serious knee injury last match.

CB: Bill Tuiloma and Claude Dielna—Tuiloma logged one half of play for T2 against Sacramento last Saturday, meaning he will probably continue to get reacquainted with the squad. Dielna has been one of the most improved players for the Timbers this season, and Larrys Mabiala will likely sit out before the Seattle match. Cascante is suspended from his straight red card as well, so he won’t be an option either.

RB: Zarek Valentin—It’s more than likely that Moreira will be rested before the Seattle match. Unless Gio brings someone up from T2 to start at outside back, it will probably be Valentin and Villafaña holding down the defensive wings. Also note: Modou Jadama, who was brought up from T2 to start at right back in Montréal, will be questionable with a right lower leg injury.

DM: Renzo Zambrano and Andrés Flores–Chará and Zambrano both went the full 90 against Colorado, the former doing the same at LAFC midweek as well. Flores is the likely replacement, although it will largely depend upon Cristhian Paredes‘ status—don’t be surprised to see him out there Thursday night, but he still seems to be the preferred partner to Chará in that holding midfield area.

LM: Marvin Loría—Although appearing almost exclusively as a right winger for the first team, Loría is perfectly capable on the left. Unless Gio prefers Loría over Jeremy Ebobisse against Seattle, Loría will likely start over Blanco, if not replace him early in the second half.

AM: Tomás Conechny—Gio loves the idea of getting the Argentine youngster more meaningful minutes, and this match against Orlando is the perfect opportunity to do so. Blanco and Valeri split time against LAFC and Blanco played the whole match against the Rapids, with Valeri playing 78 minutes. Also, if the Timbers aren’t starting an Argentine in central attacking midfield, are they really even the Timbers?

https://twitter.com/ChrisRifer/status/1151547610886373377

RM: Andy Polo—Polo has yet to return to the pitch for Portland after playing in five out of Peru’s six Copa America matches. Asprilla looked—shall we say, inadequate—last Saturday and he or Loría are the only other players I could see starting here for this match.

FW: Brian Fernández—Fernández was subbed on for Asprilla two-thirds of the way into the Colorado match, but only managed 12 touches and two blocked shots, as Portland were pinned in their own half with 10 men after the Cascante red card. I do not expect Fernández to play the full match, either as a starter or a substitute, and Ebobisse starting up top certainly makes sense as well considering the circumstances.

In review, my best crack at a Timbers starting lineup looks this:

In other news, known deviant Dom Dwyer will not be on the pitch at Providence Park Thursday after receiving a straight red card for this ill-advised elbow in the 93rd minute against Columbus. This is both great and mediocre news for the Timbers Army; Dwyer is a taunting character to say the least, but it’s always fun to see a Timbers win wipe a smile off his face.

https://twitter.com/folkestad3/status/1150508565372628992

Overall, Thursday’s match will be an interesting one. Gio will almost certainly put out a B or C-level lineup, and Orlando also have an important Sunday match coming up against the Red Bulls. Gio’s substitutions will be the X-factor; we’ll see if he can make the adjustments to take all three points in the second half.

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