(6) Portland Timbers (4-4-2, 14 points) vs (11) San Jose Earthquakes (2-4-4, 10 points)
Wednesday September 16, 2020 6:30 PM PST/ 9:30 PM EST
Earthquakes Stadium, San Jose, California
Week 12
Portland Timbers Briefly
How will the Portland Timbers fare in the upcoming matches they have on the road against a struggling San Jose Quakes and return to winning ways?
Manager Giovanni Savarese is searching for some answers as his team has been inconsistent in the games since winning the MLS is Back Tournament.
It’s not all negative for the Rose City side with two of its young guns in Jeremy Ebobisse being a player that it’s adapting easily to any position and Eryk Williamson not only being a tough defender but also a great scorer.
Squad rotation could be in play for Savarese given the short transition time from Sunday’s matches.
As Marco Farfan touted as a gem of the Timbers academy, the lad needs more minutes in the field as well for draftee Zac McGraw at 6’ 4”, maybe the man can make his breakthrough as a center back or at fullback.
The need to rotate more players in the starting eleven is a must. In the LA game Gio gambled with another formation in a 4-4-2 that almost delivered but in the end succumbed to the usual collapse of the Timbers’ defense and midfield.
In these circumstances, the need to evaluate the current crop of young players the Timbers have is a requirement of who can fit into the team’s future plans.
Whoever they put on the field in their remaining games, the Timbers need several of their players to shine if they are to salvage this season. With a commitment to play with some urgency and complete their games as Gio stated as the team did in Seattle.
This team needs to commit to prove the MLS is Back Tournament was not a fluke.
Probable Lineup:
GK Steve Clark, Pablo Bonilla, Julio Cascante, Dario Zuparic, Jorge Villafaña; Diego Chara, Eryk Williamson; Marvin Loria, Diego Valeri, Jeremy Ebobisse; Jaroslaw Niezgoda
Photo: Devin L’Amoreaux & Matt Stith
San Jose Earthquakes Briefly
For the Quakes manager Matias Almeyda, last weekend’s 0-0 draw against a streaking LA Galaxy felt like a win despite just sharing the spoils.
However, for the Quakes playing back-to-back games at home somehow it feels like a boost to their troubled campaign, and looking forward to turning it around with a couple of wins over the visiting Rose City side.
As the odds look difficult for the Bay Area team, it is still not impossible to pull the feat over what seems to be a difficult team as the Timbers are always full of surprises
Something tells me that this two-game series between the Green and Gold and the Boys from Silicon Valley will be somehow interesting and very contested between these two-sides who are looking to rectify their seasons.
The Quakes come with a boost in their game which might give them the edge that united with a couple of wins can be beneficial for Matias Almeyda’s side.
Probable Lineup:
GK Daniel Vega, Nick Lima, Guram Kashia, Oswaldo Alanis, Marcos Lopez; Florian Jungwirth; Cristian Espinoza, Tommy Thompson, Jackson Yueill, Shea Salinas; Chris Wondolowski
Meetings
October 6, 2019, Portland Timbers 3-1 San Jose Earthquakes
April 6, 2019, San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 Portland Timbers
Forecast
Even game, no favorites here, but the Timbers If they make it a commitment they can deliver
