May 23, 2015; Toronto, ON, Canada; Portland Timbers defender Nat Borchers (7) during the first half at BMO Field. Photo: Craig Mitchelldyer-Portland Timbers
By Matt Hoffman
The Portland Timbers are starting to resemble a Toad The Wet Sprocket song: Something’s Always Wrong.
Last season’s slow start was blamed on the absence of a penetrating winger like Rodney Wallace. This season the team began without its stalwarts in midfield in Diego Valeri and Will Johnson. Valeri returned, earning an assist and an goal in his first two games before being subbed off today against Toronto in what is believed–and hoped–to be only a rolled-ankle.
Valeri’s injury in the 25th minute may have affected whether or not Will Johnson returned to the field today. But having put in some solid shifts with T2, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Johnson return in the mid-week fixture against DC United.
Regardless, the Timbers are quickly moving to the midpoint of the season; the point where you are what your record says you are. Which is, in the Timbers case, in last place in the West tied with Colorado who has a game in hand.
A week ago Caleb Porter said there were no more excuses. It’s time to do away with the fantasy that merely placing Valeri and Johnson back in the midfield will be the elixir that turns the tide, let’s remember the team who took the field today did not necessarily play poorly, but neither did they play well enough to earn a point and nowhere near earning the full three.
Adam Kwarasey: 6
I can’t fault Kwarasey for Sebastian Giovinco’s brilliant strike. Kwarasey had a good game and rebounded well after surrendering what would be the game-winning goal in the fifth minute. He misread a few crosses but came up big several times including making five saves in the box.
Alvas Powell: 4
He created early and was particularly aggressive trying to get the equalizer over the first fifteen minutes but was really more of a non-factor afterwards. He made two interceptions in the 4th and 12th minute respectively, then really fell back. As the team continues its impressive passing performance (eclipsing 80% today), Powell completed fewer than 60% of his passes. On one hand, he was taking chances. On the other, they were poorly gambled and the few times the team lost possession, Powell was involved.
Nat Borchers: 5
Borchers played his 300th game in much the manner he got to this milestone: grittiness, guts, and guile. Borchers could have stepped up to prevent Giovinco’s goal but he quite rightly went with his instincts to back up and and watch for runners. It was the right play, and most players would either squander possession or made a bad shot. Unfortunately for the Timbers, Giovinco is unlike most players.
Liam Ridgwell: 4
It’s not always a bad thing when you’re center-back is anonymous. For the first sixty minutes, Ridgy made the best of his limited opportunities. The last thirty minutes however, Toronto was able to counter-attack as Portland held the ball and it was often Ridgewell who was out of position.
Jorge Villafana: 6
Villafana created two chances for the team’s sputtering offense. He twice beat Colleen Warner twice in the first half which may have caused Toronto to reach to its bench with a halftime substitute. Villafana completed nearly 90% of his passes and had a nice shot on goal to boot.
Jack Jewsbury: 6
May 23, 2015; Toronto, ON, Canada; Portland Timbers midfielder Jack Jewsbury (13) controls the ball in the second half at BMO Field. Photo: Craig Mitchelldyer-Portland Timbers
When you consider that he’s third on the depth chart (Behind Will Johnson and Ben Zemanski) Jewsbury’s play has been that much more exceptional. Jewsbury did what a good holding mid does: keeps the ball, makes good passes, drew two fouls while breaking up opponents attacks. Jewsbury made the run at Giovinco from behind but was a moment too late.
Diego Chara: 5
The big knock on Chara’s performance is going to be the yellow card. It was probably a bad call (the two players were shoulder to shoulder and seemed 50/50 on replays). Chara however collected four (of the Timbers seven) fouls. Chara did the dirty work as he often does but it’s clear that his game is raised when he can play a pure destroyer role.
Darlington Nabge: 6
A slow start–that fourth minute breakout not withstanding–Nagbe came on strong and contributed mightily to the sustained possession-oriented attack in the second half all while completing 94% of his passes, much of which took place in the Toronto half. It wasn’t for lack of trying, Toronto proved difficult to break down and Chris Konopka made five saves.
Diego Valeri: 4
Is it any surprise that Valeri has an assist and a goal in the only two games he was able to go the full 90? Valeri didn’t get to go the full match much to the consternation of everyone. He did make some dangerous runs and nearly put the Timbers on the board in the 4th minute. We’ll hope that it’s only a minor setback.
Rodney Wallace: 3
The buzz this preseason was all about the chemistry between Villafana and RodWal on the left channel. Wallace didn’t see much of the ball and didn’t do much when he had it. Two of his three crosses were blocked and the sort of deflections and rebounds that Wallace thrives on just weren’t there. It might be time to redefine Wallace’s role. His athleticism is off the charts but the Timbers would do well if he had a reliable Plan B when playing within his game is not yielding the results.
Fanendo Adi: 3
Adi stayed up top, he chewed up the space in front of the box and provided the target in the box for his teammates. The “fox in the box” is there to convert crosses into goals. Adi was close, but his touch was off on Saturday. He only got two shots, neither of which were on frame. He made a great pass in the 47th minute but that would be Adi’s contribution.
Substitutes
Dairon Asprilla: 2
Asprilla attemped a shot. Good on him!
Maxamiliano Urruti: 5
Referee Jorge Gonzalez blew a clear penalty that Urruti drew. Regardless, Urruti was the drink-stirring straw in his limited time on the field.
Yes, it was a penalty. Referees are human and they miss calls. Penalties are no guarantee of a goal and to think a game was won or lost on an incorrectly assessed penalty invites a dangerous way of thinking.
Perhaps it was desperation, or taking advantage of a weary opponent (is Urruti the beneficiary of Adi’s prolonged periods of physical play?), but the ten minutes Urruti got in pushed the Timbers closest to getting on the scoreboard.
The backline has been set. Only health is preventing the midfield of Nagbe, Valeri, Johnson, and Chara. Porter’s dalliances with the 4-4-2 are either hit-or-miss. It’s unmistakeable that when Porter paired Urruti atop with Adi, goals poured in. A rethink might be in the works. Urruti and Adi were a bit of an odd pairing but that leaves ..
Gaston Fernandez: 3
Fernandez came back to the Timbers after exploring options overseas and mayber he regrets it. Where did it all go wrong? Perhaps he is more fox than hedgehog (kinda good at lots, but very good at little). But he seems like a player with his guile and technical skills would have no problems finding a home on a goal-starved team that wants to play attacking, dynamic, [insert another flowery adjective here]like Portland.
El Gato has played a handful of games this season, but mostly as a sub.
Portland is not a top ten team, but they are a top ten spender. Fernandez, for the money he’s getting paid (sixth on the team’s payroll according to last year’s figures), is worse than he was a year ago.
See Also: Timbers seek to climb Wuthering Heights – the legendary Kate Bush themed Timbers article
