Sacha Kljestan (16) and Bradley Wright-Phillips (99) will look to use the press to force turnovers and move the ball quickly.
By Matt Hoffman
“We take every game as it comes and every opponent is different. One of the things that I’m proud of on our team is that we are very tactically flexible, we do different things in different games.” -Caleb Porter
With Monday’s result behind them, a scoreless draw at Colorado, the Timbers are in the midst of a six game unbeaten run.
Portland became only the second club (the Union being the other) to escape Colorado with a point. More impressively, the point came without talisman Diego Valeri and without defensive anchor and captain Liam Ridgewell.
With those two out, the captain’s armband fell to Diego Chara for only the second time in his 163 game tenure with Portland that stretches back to April 2011.
Yet, the Timbers may well have been unlucky to leave Commerce City with only a point. Four good chances were spoiled by sheer bad luck and, on occasion, the woodwork.
“We put ourselves in a position to win the game, we got the chances, but the finishing was only thing missing today,” Portland coach Caleb Porter could only lament later.
Despite the better record, the Timbers will almost certainly face a sterner test in the New York Red Bulls (3 p.m. (Pacific) Sunday, July 10, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. ESPN2). The reigning Supporter’s Shield winners are not be off to the meteoric start they were off to year ago but remain a quality side with no shortage of motivation.
First, the Red Bulls exited the U.S. Open Cup in dramatic fashion. Coach Jesse Marsch memorably exited the game spiking the ball on the touchline. Days later the Red Bulls suffered their first ever loss to NYCFC in the Hudson River Derby. On the heels of that, the team jettisoned midfielder Lloyd Sam to regional rivals D.C. United.
Melano may have had his scoring streak halted in Colorado but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
The move, which Sam admitted drove him to tears, is presumably to open cap space for a big acquisition but may alter the perfect chemistry that enabled the team to saw far outpace expectations last season.
On top of all that, five of the Red Bulls last six games have been on the road.
Speaking at training this week on the eve of their friendly against Club America, Marsch waxed philosophically, “We’re all disappointed … in any of these tough moments and down times, we look at where we are at and try to get better.”
Porter expects a battle. “They are a good team New York. They are in a bit of a rut right now. They will be very motivated for sure. I think we will be as well and I look forward to another great game.”
Games between these two sides have seldom been great. Not from a Portland perspective anyways. Last year, the Red Bulls hung two goals in Providence Park and kept a clean sheet in the process.
NYCFC succeeded against the Red Bulls press by keeping the ball in their own end. Image courtesy of MLSsoccer.com
Keeping the ball against the Red Bulls frenetic press was a tough ask with Valeri in the midfield. Without him, that’s where the “tactical flexibility” comes in handy.
Under Porter, Portland has always preferred to take it to the enemy. Even against Colorado, Portland still attempted 214 (of 294 total) passes in Colorado’s half of the field.
In the chart above, you’ll notice that most of their passes were kept in their half of the field. NYCFC invited the Red Bulls into their half of the field and the result was a 2-0 win. Granted, NYCFC had an early goal. That sort of early lead will help embolden your play-makers to keep the ball deep.
If the Timbers can absorb the Red Bulls pressure and not break down then Porter’s strategy will work. However, any slips or miscues may result in another long ride home for the Timbers.
