Part III
Nothing spectacular coming in the signings, but let’s go to the offensive side of this team. Among one of the minuses, the club no longer will count on the magic of club legend Diego Valeri, moving on to his formative club Lanus in Argentina.
Don’t get alarmed, after all, the return of Sebastian Blanco is now inked in black and white, but with a few doubts as his knee is amongst one of my worries and hopefully the man can stay healthy. If you recall on the NYCFC game on the final, he wasn’t on top of his game and couldn’t deliver until his substitution.
With Seba back, many good things can happen, don’t get me wrong but the dependence on one player cannot rely on the Timbers’ game as this is the work of eleven players in the field and teamwork must rule.
Another highlight of last season was Dairon Aspirilla as a comeback player and with the season the man had. Many will bet to see a continuance of his game improving more in this season. Very well seeing him taking a bigger role and taking the pressure out of the back of Sebastian Blanco. In addition, Yimmy Chara is another amazing playmaker and becomes the terrible threesome for the opposing defenses in the whole course of the season.
If we analyze last season, Santiago Moreno arrived and really made an impact in such a short time and hopefully, Gio can make some adjustments in his starting eleven as Santi deserves to be an all-around starter.
What if Blanco didn’t sign, my starting midfield would be Yimmy Chara in the middle, Santiago Moreno on the right, and Dairon Aspirilla on the left with Felipe Mora leading the attack. Blanco, I foresee not playing in all games and maybe seeing more of Moreno in the starting lineup.
Marvin Loria, the man that in his time with Portland, this is it for him to rescue his career and move on as a player that can become the club difference maker and take advantage of any opportunity given to him. The same goes for Blake Bodily if he’s put on the offensive attack the man must be productive if he wants his career to move on.
Still with forward and near MLS Cup hero Felipe Mora out for the start of the season with a knee injury and out for six weeks but I can see Mora being a possible contender for the league Golden Boot.
In the frontal attack, Felipe Mora and Jaroslaw Niezgoda will headline the team attack. However, with rookie Tega Ikoba and at times if Gio decides to go with a 4-4-2 formation maybe we can see a combination of Aspirilla and Niezgoda or Mora. For now, Ikoba will be learning from Mora and Niezgoda two solid attackers that can be the game difference makers.
In the end, my conclusion is that this team will make it into the postseason, as manager Giovanni Savarese can really move the pieces in his lineups as he was involved in the most important game of chess. this season, Gio needs to step up his act and be attentive to the number of prospects that will be developing in the formative league.
Also, give more minutes to players and not leave them on the bench, for Duran, Ferguson, Haugli, McCartney, Shanl, Wray, Bravo, and Gutierrez, lads hang on as your time is about to come sooner than later.
Once again, the Portland Timbers look ready and defiant to deliver us another amazing season and make it all the way to the promised land of the postseason and who knows, maybe to the league grand finale.
Giovanni Savarese will rely on this formation as well use on the course of the season, using his traditional 4-2-3-1:
David Bingham-1
Josecarlos Van Rankin- 4 Larrys Mabiala- 2 Dario Zuparic- 6 Claudio Bravo- 3
Diego Chara-5 Eryck Williamson-7
Yimmy Chara- 8 Sebastian Blanco-10 Dairon Aspirilla-11
Jaroslaw Niezgoda- 9
