Jack McInerney prevented the Timbers from being shut out against Orlando. Photo courtesy of Diego Diaz.
by Matt Hoffman (follow on Twitter @mhoff)
When the Portland Timbers visit Los Angeles on Sunday (6:30 pm, FS1 / FOX Deportes), many will be thinking back to the last time these teams met when things were very different. Portland had never beat the Galaxy at home and, following the first half of their match on October 18th, that looked unlikely to change.
What happened in the second half significantly changed the respective trajectories of both franchises: The Galaxy were the reigning cup champions and it was all but presumed they would be adding another MLS Cup to their trophy cabinet after the fall campaign. Of course, it was not to be as Portland’s second half explosion to win the match 5-2, propelled the Timbers to an unbeaten five game winning streak and Portland’s first MLS Cup.
Gyassi Zardes will be key. Photo courtesy of Debbie von Winkellman.
LA retooled in the off-season, doubling down on their strategy of bringing in seasoned (though some might say finished) high-profile veterans to complement the likes of Steven Gerrard. Ashley Cole, famous for derisive comments comparing playing in MLS to retiring on some beach, Nigel de Jong, Jelle Van Damme, and Emmanuel Boateng.
The early results are mixed as the Galaxy have seven points from four games but are winless on the road. The most recent setback being a 0-0 draw against a short-handed Whitecaps team in Vancouver last week.
In his remarks to the media following the match, Bruce Arena admitted his team’s pace could have been quicker, the crosses were poor, and, for the crosses that did get through, there weren’t enough Galaxy shirts in front of goal to make them count.
“Games like tonight, where teams are dropped back and playing with numbers, it’s not going to be perfect play. We’re looking for the last pass, walk the ball in the goal. We need to shoot more from distance. We’ve got to deliver balls in front of the goal a lot earlier. Just be better.” -Bruce Arena
Cups aren’t won in April as Arena is well aware. Arena is also aware that the several new pieces he has added to the squad will need take to get fully incorporated and is taking the long view.
That’s why he’s not betraying the angst that his squad are the only team in MLS which has failed to score a goal in the first half. With Robbie Keane out for what could be extended period, the Galaxy will need to rely on Giovanni Dos Santos, Gyassi Zardes and supersubs Mike Magee (two goals as a substitute) and Alan Gordon to pick up the scoring load.
In particular look for Zardes to be an irritant to the Timbers. Zardes began on the bench last week, because he had been, in the words of Arena, “run into the ground” during his international duty:
“Zardes played two international matches this last week, … The players are being run into the ground. Generally what happens with these players is that if you start them, they’re dead in the second half. The travel for the players internationally is way too much. Even though most of the league respects the international fixtures and the window, it’s still very demanding on players to come back to their team and play a club game a couple of days later. It’s very difficult.”
Definitely something to keep an eye on.
Adam Kwarasey has not had a clean sheet yet behind a battered Timbers back line. Photo courtesy of Mark Murray.
A week removed from getting scorched in the hot Orlando sun, the Timbers need to find a way to keep Diego Chara from being over worked. With Diego Valeri and Darlington Nagbe taking on holding/attacking hybrid roles, Kaka was able to exploit the area between the midfield and the back-line to foreshadow MLS Player of the Week honors.
Despite the lowly the record, The Timbers can take some solace that they have yet to be shutout this season, with Jack McInerney’s goal in the penultimate minute of play. The Timbers had earned a penalty toward the end of the first half but Joe Bendik was able to save Fanendo Adi’s penalty kick.
New signing Jack Barmby made his first start at fullback and his performance did not give the indication that the long term replacement replacement at left-back had been found.
Barmby joins Zarek Valentin and Jermaine Taylor as the players to get a crack at the spot presumably before Chris Klute inherits the role. Klute, who played for T2 last weekend, was not with T2 during their loss on Friday.
Taylor remains in the center-back pairing with Nat Borchers as Liam Ridgewell continues to recover from a hamstring injury. There is not much depth at the position: joining Ridgewell on the IR are potential centerbacks Andy Thoma, and Ben Zemanski.
It’s not a good time for the Timbers to be struggling for health on the back-line as Caleb Porter laments, “It seems like every chance the opponent gets is in the back of the net.”
Indeed, for three consecutive games, all without Ridgewell captaining the squad, the Timbers have found themselves down 2-0.
