It’s not the end, it’s the beginning
The ground is moist and it rained last night
Smells like smoke and it smells so clean
The sun is shining down like a friendly white light
Here we go again
Operation Ivy, “Here we go again.”
Although for many years Real Salt Lake has been tied to the musical stylings of Rancid it seemed appropriate on the day of this particular match-day to open up the musical library of Operation Ivy. A band that led the punk scene in the 1980s and early 1990s Operation Ivy helped pave the road for many artists not just in the field of punk but across all musical spectrums. This idea of going back to what works is something Real Salt Lake will certainly look to on Saturday night when they travel to Portland to take on the Timbers (10:30PM EST/7:30 EST Fox 12, KMYU, MLS Live).
There is a reason why this particular song resonates so much for this particular match: Real Salt Lake need a fresh go of it against the Timbers. RSL are win-less against the Timbers in five matches (0-2-3, 2 points) and have not scored a goal against Portland since Terry Mulholland’s strike in the 23rd minute in a June 2014 loss.
While punk may be the sound of Salt Lake it is Brit Pop and the musical stylings of Echobelly that Portland Timbers beat writer Matt Hoffman believes best describes the Portland Timbers-Real Salt Lake rivalry:
RSL was the team to beat in 2011 and Portland did it in their first encounter, a 1-0 win punctuated by Kenny Cooper’s triumphant hang-off-the-goal celebration. It would be a long time before the Timbers would have that second win. But now the Timbers are MLS Cup champs and have had the better run of form. The Timbers are current Kings of the Kerb, but RSL is always a formidable opponent.
So can the Timbers keep up their recent run of form against Salt Lake? Hoffman has some concerns:
Can they? Sure. Will they? Probably not. RSL has made wholesale changes in their offense and has scored four goals this season. Portland’s defense took a step back with Jorge Villafana catching on with Santos[Laguna of Liga MX]. Captain Liam Ridgewell is out with a hamstring issue as well. Zarek Valentin is growing into the left back role but it’s been an adjustment.
That instability in the Timbers’ back four is something that Salt Lake will likely look to prey upon. After scoring just 38 goals last season (second fewest in Major League Soccer in 2015) Salt Lake has already scored four goals in two matches. To put this in perspective the club scored just seven goals in ten matches at the start of last season.
A healthy Joao Plata appears to be the catalyst for this change in form. A knee injury early in 2015 limited him to just 19 matches and four goals last season. However, the Ecuadorian international has bounced back early in this 2016 season with two goals and two assists in two matches. His speed caused issues for both Orlando City SC and Seattle Sounders FC in successive weeks and will likely be a point of concern for Porter this evening.
The interesting battle to keep an eye on in this match will be Timbers forward Fanendo Adi versus Salt Lake’s Jamison Olave. Both players are very physical and like to use their bodies as tools to achieve their own particular ends. Adi may have a step on Olave given the age difference (Adi is 25; Olave is 34). However, Olave showed in week one against a very young Orlando side that veteran defenders can make up for the difference in speed with well-timed diagonal runs. His ability to create space between the ball and the attacker is what has made him such an exceptional center-back for years in MLS.
Portland’s attack has taken on some new interesting dimensions in recent weeks with the addition of Darren Mattocks from Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Despite Mattocks’ addition Hoffman does not expect Porter to change his philosophy up top:
Mattocks might mean a long-term alteration but for now, it’s Fanendo Adi. Adi, who recently signed a contract extension, is everything Porter likes in center-forward: he’s strong, has great ball control, and he’s as happy to distribute as he is to finish. Barring injuries to Adi, and possibly Jack McInerney, Mattocks will likely find his time on the wings possibly backing up or taking over for Lucas Melano or Dairon Asprilla.
Given the weapons that both Salt Lake and the Timbers side have one would expect that this match to be rather high-scoring. But much like the clash of pop and punk these two sides are never short on physical action. Although there may be points of perfect harmony, clashes in the air and on the ground should be expected.
