The Portland Timbers are in the postseason thanks to a remarkable pair of wins over RSL. The Timbers are getting ready for a new adventure in the Western Conference playoffs. Suddenly for a squad that was having some troubles in netting positive results things are all rosy.
Everything started with a win at Rio Tinto Stadium on a match considered difficult. After a series of losses on the road, suddenly the Timbers shook off with a one of kind win back in Sandy, Utah. Despite the time off due to international play, still for the Rose City squad their win at home was an encore of their earlier win back in Utah.
So far, in the campaign manager Giovanni Savarese the man we can state has the right moves. In his first year, he has taken a bold approach in every match his Timbers played. I dubbed him the man with the thousand formations. Well I think I overdid a little with my exaggeration.
In the campaign, by using his trademark 4-3-2-1 formation with alone forward but in the end was lacking an offensive push. The one that many wanted to see was that 4-4-2 with Ebobisse and Armenteros in the attack, still this can happen in Sunday’s match against Vancouver. The formations that they have used in the past were 5-3-2 or 4-1-4-1.
However, the one that hit the spot was that familiar 4-2-3-1 used in both matches against RSL. This formation sure brought the best game out of these Timbers, netting two consecutive wins over one of their toughest arch-rival. Very well, scoring seven goals with one against a goalkeeper considered the tops in all MLS, Nick Rimando. As you recall Rimando prevented the Timbers back in 2013 of winning the Supporters Shield, when both squads were tied at zero goals.
Still the system and football implemented manager Savarese era we can say it was notable. Among one of them is the defensive game. By seeing the levels of confidence increase, this area saw a lot of improvement and with a lot of promise going to next campaign. The boost the defensive backfield got was the arrival of Jorge Villafaña escalating the Timbers game for the better.
The way lately the lethal combination to opposing offenses of Diego Chara and David Guzman, as the international Costa Rican has seen his game step up thanks to Chara’s leadership and influencer. For Diego Chara being a valuable inspiration to Portland’s both defense and offense.
The other was the offense, as the league with the TAM Portland used these monies to get some important players to reinforce its ranks. Still the squad by seeing a departing Adi to FC Cincinnati, in the end Jeremy Ebobisse came to the rescue. Despite of him not getting as many goals, his participation in the field seen as valuable.
Still we have man of the hour with Sebastian Blanco who has become the foundation of this club offense. So far, his contributions are somehow valuable along with its other influencer in the offense with Diego Valeri. This team does not need to get a big name player from across the Atlantic.
This squad will do and is one competitive one as the way Gio has molded each one of its members. By seeing the way, its future looks very bright with Ebobisse, Conechny, Farfan, Paredes, Polo, Williamson, Arboleda, Zambrano and Loria.
In the end, these Portland Timbers are heading into the right direction under Giovanni Savarese. His references to come to Portland were his multiple achievements in the helm of the disappeared New York Cosmos. Now the aim is to build a contender and a total winner in the Portland Timbers.
This 2018 the man has delivered another amazing campaign, looking forward to many more memorable and exciting ones.
MLS Western
Portland
