—by Chris Rifer

Everybody knew the Portland Timbers were going to control possession and try to pass its way through the Montreal defense on Saturday night.  And everybody also knew the Impact were going to sit back, absorb the pressure, and look to break out and hit the Timbers on the break.

That’s exactly what happened, and the result was a 2-1 Montreal win that easily could have been more lopsided.

Montreal should have opened the scoring in the eighth minute, when Marco Di Vaio set up a wide-open Felipe at the top of the box, only to have the Brazilian roll his shot just wide of the far post.

The Timbers almost gifted Montreal again three minutes later after Ryan Miller and Andrew Jean-Baptiste thought it more important to hold down their spot on the turf than mark Di Vaio.  Not surprisingly, Di Vaio got a free head to a cross from the right wing only to be kept out by a magnificently reacting Donovan Ricketts.

Although they held plenty of possession in the attacking half, Portland didn’t create a real chance until the 27^th minute, when Ryan Johnson spun through the defense on the left side of the box, but rather than center to Darlington Nagbe, Johnson went at goal himself and was easily denied from a tight angle by Troy Perkins.

Montreal broke through three minutes later.  After the flat-footed Timbers failed to clear a modest Andrea Pisanu set piece and the ball popped up in the box, Hassoun Camara knocked it past a helpless Ricketts with an impressive overhead volley.

The Timbers initially struggled to respond to the goal before eventually settling back into their pattern of possession and, ultimately, frustration.  It was the referee, however, that likely sent Timbers PR staff scrambling to make sure Merritt Paulson’s phone was secured in the 40^th minute, when Edvin Jurisevic wrongfully denied the Timbers a penalty after Sanna Nyassi shoved a free-running Ryan Miller from behind in the box.[1]  Some more positive play from the Timbers before halftime, however, couldn’t find an equalizer.

Coming out of the break, Montreal reset the parking break in front of goal— often putting eight blue shirts in and around the box.  The result for Portland was plenty of possession, but tremendous difficulty making the final pass into a stuffed box.

The first real chance of the half came for Portland in the 57^th minute, when Michael Harrington found some space on the left wing and sent a pretty bending ball toward Ryan Johnson at the far post, but Perkins arrived just in time to punch away.

Montreal gave Portland a mountain to climb three minutes later, however, when, after a botched interchange between Will Johnson and Ben Zemanski, Montreal gained possession in the midfield.  Andres Romero slipped behind Will Johnson on the Timbers’ left flank and received a through ball, pulling Mikael Silvestre into a wider space where his defensing has been inconsistent.  After Romero beat Silvestre with a low cross, Felipe sat all alone at the near post for the cakewalk finish.

It was Romero again that almost put the game away in the 64^th minute when he easily beat a meek Timbers offside trap, but Michael Harrington cleared his Ricketts-beating chip at the face of goal to preserve the two-goal deficit.

Apparently frustrated by the defensive foibles, Andrew Jean-Baptiste tried to pull the Timbers back into the game two minutes later.  Valeri found AJB at the top of the box after a corner was initially cleared, and after a couple nice touches between he and Zemanski, the center back hit a low shot at goal, but Perkins saved to his right.

In the 80^th minute, Portland would finally pull a goal back.  After Diego Chara switched to Zemanski on the right wing, the newcomer sent a quick cross into the far post that fell perfectly for Ryan Johnson to finish.

Although back in business, the Timbers defense would threaten once more to make any kind of result unattainable.  After Romero breezed by Zemanski and got to the byline in the 87^th minute, Donovan Ricketts fell to take the ball off his foot.  The ball fell for Collen Warner, however, whose diving shot was saved by an outstretched, supine Ricketts.

From there, however, it was all about the Timbers’ desperate attempt to scratch out a draw.  Despite finding a few looks, the Timbers couldn’t find anything dangerous enough to pull level and scratch out an improbable point.

Match Observations

The Timbers were lucky to get away with a 2-1 loss.  Despite outshooting Montreal 19-9, holding 63% of the ball, and completing 566 passes, it was the Impact who had six of the eight truly threatening chances in the match.  These facts extend a trend for the Timbers at home early this season, and highlight how susceptible Portland is to having teams come into Jeld-Wen, park the bus, and leave with a result delivered by counterattacks and Timbers’ defensive mistakes.

That Montreal was well suited to sit behind the ball and counterattack does not make their strategy unviable for other teams to emulate.  As I discussed in The Morrison Report last week, the Timbers’ tactics make them especially susceptible to teams taking advantage of the considerable space in behind the Timbers’ very, very high fullbacks.  Look back at the second concession.  Although Johnson’s giveaway certainly wasn’t ideal, the Timbers were in real trouble because a moment before Michael Harrington had made a very premature, very aggressive run forward.  Johnson failed to recognize the vulnerability and stayed in his central midfield defensive position, allowing Romero to run behind him into the space where Harrington would normally be.  The result was Silvestre had to come out to try to cut off the cross, leaving nobody in front of goal to pick up a near post runner.

While Montreal may be better than most at lying deep and counterattacking, their tactics on Saturday weren’t rocket science.  Given the Timbers’ defensive vulnerability, it is reasonable to be concerned that other teams could similarly sit back, knowing the Timbers’ defense will yield a handful of quality chances.

Almost any MLS team, at this point, has every reason right now to think that they can come into Jeld-Wen, play conservatively, get one or two goals out of it, and leave with at least a point.  After all, including competitive first team preseason games, three of the last four teams to come into Jeld-Wen have scored multiple goals despite being significantly out-shot and out-possessed.  It’s far from nonsense to think that other teams could employ a Montreal-like gameplan to some measure of success in Portland.

Timbers Grades

Donovan Ricketts, 7 Boy, did the big fella ever show his old team!  Joking aside, Ricketts was fantastic, making not one, but two tremendous saves.  He still creates some nervous moments, but on Saturday they all turned out to be harmless.

Ryan Miller, 3 Ineffective in the attack and poor in defense.  What was he doing on that free Di Vaio header?  Clearly neither covering it nor warning AJB of the danger.

Andrew Jean-Baptiste, 5 Had some really nice moments of defending, but also was caught sleeping once or twice—including as noted above.

Mikael Silvestre, 4 Had a much better outing than against New York, but still had his perimeter defending exposed on the second concession.  Wasn’t entirely his fault, as his fullback was hanging out around midfield and nobody was covering, but he’s not exactly cleaning up others’ mistakes.

Michael Harrington, 3 Is being put in a tough spot tactically, as its clear Porter has told him and Miller to play very high.  But still, he needs to be a little bit more discerning about when he makes a run forward, or he’ll continue to hang his defensive partners out to dry.

Diego Chara, 6.5 Completed over 90% of his 96 passes, won tackles, and recoveries.  Typical day at the office for Diego Chara.

Will Johnson, 4 Rough day from Will.  Although he was his typical, solid self in the midfield, he fell asleep a little bit on the second concession and failed to cover for the absent Harrington on the left flank on the second concession.

Kalif Alhassan, 4.5 My initial thought was this was a pretty poor performance from Kalif, but as I looked back my view softened a little bit.  He had a couple wayward touches, and, as usual, didn’t contribute much defensively, but on the whole wasn’t awful—if a little more anonymous than we’ve seen him in his last few outings.

Diego Valeri, 6 This has more to do with Montreal than anything, but Valeri really had nowhere to go much of the night.  Always looking to make the final pass, Valeri more often than not looked up to see a wall of blue shirts in front of him.  Still the most dangerous Timber on the field, though.

Darlington Nagbe, 6 He didn’t make it on the scoresheet, but Nagbe had some periods of good work on the left side with Michael Harrington, and also contributed some handy defensive work.

Ryan Johnson, 5.5 A tough game until the 80^th minute.  Scoring really helps a forward’s grade.

Ben Zemanski, 5 Had some absolutely brutal moments,[2] but his cross to Johnson was high, high quality.

Jose Valencia, 5 Had a little bit of a quiet outing on Saturday.  He hits a little bit better ball on that shot in stoppage, however, and his grade would have skyrocketed.

Rodney Wallace, INC. Short, unspectacular spell for Rod.

Preseason Prediction: Timbers 2, Impact 1.  Johnson, Nagbe.

Actual Result: Impact 2, Timbers 1.  Johnson.

Onward, Rose City!

—By Garrett Dittfurth

What are we here for? We love our team, our town, our culture and everything about that. We are here to support our boys night in and night out despite their record. We were here in 2006 when Chris Agnello ruined everything. We were there in 2008 supporting when our overachieving club of 2007 shat the bed and finished dead last. We celebrated in 2009 when we won the regular season and crashed out of the playoffs. We underachieved in 2010 and we were still there. We changed the game in 2011 when we went to MLS and took everything to a new level. You don't need me to tell you that. Just look at quotes from every person affiliated with MLS on any level to confirm that.

There is nothing personal involved here. It's just something that needs to be said. This isn't Manchester United. This town will never be reveling in championship after championship as we're a small market and L.A. and N.Y.C. will always blow a ton of cash on players. That's not us. We're as close to St. Pauli in the U.S. as anyone is going to get. We get that and understand it. What we also get is passion for our club. What we connect with is players that understand that same passion. Troy Perkins got it and we also are well aware of how he was treated on his way out and want him to understand we appreciated him. I hate to make another sport reference but because there is a lack of other professional clubs here I have to do it. There is a reason every Blazers player from the 80s and 90s are idolized here. It is because of how involved they were personally. They made a connection here with the fans and many of them still live here despite being traded off or finishing their careers elsewhere.

Don't get me wrong. I understand soccer is a business and players are traded or sold and it happens. It's part of the game. What I want to be clear about is that players come and go but that connection between fans and players is really what is valued. We may not win a cup every year but the player who goes out of their way to make it clear how much they care will always be valued by every supporter. Especially here.

Byron Alvarez and Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar don't have a mural of them painted on the side of a building at a patio near the field because they were just some dudes collecting a paycheck. If you want to play here and collect a paycheck I guess that's cool. You'd better produce because I myself care about more things than collecting a paycheck. Whenever Scot Thompson shows up on the field he's going to get a big S-C-O-T Scot with One T chant because he was more than collecting a paycheck. Cameron Knowles earned his 6-6-6 chant for how he left his heart on the field and in our hearts. Ian Joy was here for one year and I can still sing his chant word for word as many others can do because he was the charismatic captain.

Those players got it. David Horst gets it. It may look like I am picking on him because he posted something but I'm not. He is a player that I know gets it. I'm just trying to make it clear why Troy Perkins got chanted off the field tonight. Remember the name on the front and they'll remember the name on the back. Troy was someone that did just that.

It's as simple as that. Remember the name on the front and we'll remember the name on the back. 90 minutes we supported our team with everything. At the end Perkins got clapped and chanted off because he remembered the name on the front when he was here. We'll remember the name on his back.

*My opinion is my opinion and does not reflect the 107ist board or anything of the sort*

You're the person who really likes going to games but doesn't have a season ticket or you're looking to grab a couple extras for friends. Maybe you're looking to sell an extra ticket because you're friend can't go. Hopefully this will be a good guide on how to do that without being scalped.

1. Don't go to a scalper. They are leeches. Ignore them both online and at the stadium.

2. Before the day of game check the Timbers Ticket Exchange page on Facebook. It is moderated and anyone trying to sell a ticket for over face value gets the boot. We know everyone doesn't have Facebook but this is really the only method out there that offers some way to moderate it so that fans aren't scalping to fans. Spread the love folks. So if you're looking to buy or looking to sell before the game that's the easiest place to go.

3. On the day of the game check out the Fanladen located just a block away from the stadium at 1633 SW Alder St. It is staffed by friendly volunteers who will try to connect those looking to sell a ticket with someone looking to buy a ticket. The Fanladen opens about 3 hours prior to the match and closes about an hour before the match so the volunteers can get to their seats in the stadium too.

4. Stop by the No Pity Van at Rack Attack just across the street from the stadium at 1737 SW Morrison. The No Pity Van accepts ticket donations only and sells them for face value with the proceeds going into the tifo fund (how we pay for those giant banners). Did you also know Rack Attack is awesome and also gives 107ist members 20% off MSRP on all racks and rack systems, excluding Sportrack products? Well now you do.

5. Do not feed the scalpers!

Thursday April 4; 7:00 pm

Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd

$12 in advance; $15 at the door

Join Operation Pitch Invasion, the 107 Independent Supporters Trust and 5 Minutes to Kickoff for an evening celebrating Soccer City USA's past and creating Soccer City USA's future.

To help build Bless Field in the New Columbia community, a field on which a future Timbers or Thorns (!) star will be born, we'll look back at the roots of major league soccer in Portland with some of the legends who played here, men who filled the stadium with fans and stayed on to help turn those fans into a true community of soccer players and supporters.

Come see highlights of the Timbers playing against Pele and his Cosmos in Portland in 1976; the Timbers playing the Chicago Sting at Wrigley Field in 1982; and, in an extended cut, the Timbers playing the Seattle Sounders in a playoff semifinal before a record crowd in Portland in 1975.

Commenting throughout the evening will be the players on the screen themselves, among them Willie Anderson, Bernie Fagan, Roger Goldingay, Mick Hoban, Bill Irwin, and Jimmy Kelly, along with “5MTKO” hosts Bob Kellett and Steven Lenhart.

Thanks to the Hollywood Theatre's generosity, every cent of admission goes directly toward building Bless Field at New Columbia.

Bless Field, scheduled to open later this year, will be an all-weather turf field serving kids from 22 countries who speak 11 languages -- plus, of course, the international language of soccer.

With the organizational support of the Regence Boys and Girls Club (immediately adjacent to the field) and instructional guidance from the Timbers Academy, 107ist volunteer coaches and mentors will institute a program of instruction and organized play on Bless Field (named for the late Timbers Army stalwart General Timber Howie Bless). The field will also support programming by AC Portland in concert with Rosa Parks Elementary School (also adjacent).

And someday -- not far long from now, either -- one of those kids who learns to play the game at Bless Field will score a meaningful goal for the Timbers or Thorns (!) at JeldWen Field, and the connection of Team-Town-Timbers Army will be complete.

Efforts are now underway to raise the approximately $200,000 needed to see the project through, and this event marks the launch of that fundraising drive. The Portland Timbers and 107ist are already committed to significant contributions to the campaign, but you can take part, too, by attending this evening.

“Beating Seattle Never Gets Old” promises to be one of those epic Soccer City USA events that you’ll brag about attending years from now. Only 350 tickets are available, so get yours now.

—by Andrew Brawley

Seriously.

Don't steal flags from the North End.

It's stealing.

—by Chris Rifer

Earlier today, Kelly McLain, my esteemed counterpart at NASN Portland, wrote an articulate and impassioned defense of the Timbers defense.  Although I strongly encourage you to give Kelly’s column a full read, his working thesis is essentially that the Timbers’ concessions are not yet cause for great alarm due to their flukey, once-in-a-blue-moon-mistake, nature.

Kelly is certainly correct that it would be imprudent to write the book on a defense one match into a 34-game season.  Nonetheless, I respectfully dissent from his conclusion that it is too soon to harbor concerns about Portland’s defense.

In the three serious first team games in 2013 – San Jose, AIK, and New York – the Timbers have conceded seven goals on 31 shots.  Hidden within this statistic is both good news and bad news.

Before we get to the good and bad news, keep this one caveat in mind: we’re dealing with a very small sample size with the 2013 Timbers right now.  Thus, it is likely these numbers will change – and perhaps normalize – as the Timbers add to the sample.  The point of this column, however is not undercut by this, as the only point I make here is that the Timbers’ current performance must improve dramatically if they want to compete for a spot in the playoffs.  My thesis, then, is this: If the Timbers want to compete, their defense must improve substantially.  That, by itself, is cause for concern.

Back to the news, starting with the good news.  Through these first three games, the Timbers are conceding 10.33 shots per game.  This is remarkable defensive efficiency.[1] In 2012, the team with the fewest shots in the league – Vancouver – averaged 10.44 shots per game.[2]  The team with the most shots, Sporting K.C., averaged 15.94.  The median Seattle Sounders averaged 12.91.[3]

From this, we can infer that the 10.33 shots per game conceded by Portland would be at or near the top of MLS if extended over the course of a season.

The bad news, however, is very troubling.  The Timbers have conceded goals on 22.58% of the shots they have allowed.  That is astronomically high.  In 2012, the team with the best shooting percentage (the percentage of shots that resulted in goals - which I will refer to as “offensive efficiency”) was New York with 14.47%; substantially lower than the Timbers’ 22.58% defensive inefficiency rating right now.   The median offensive efficiency was Chicago at a round 10%, with the mean just slightly higher at 10.27%.[4]  The Timbers’ defensive inefficiency rating, if you will, is more than 8% higher than the highest offensive efficiency rate in 2012, and more than double the mean and median offensive efficiency rates.[5]

Here’s why this is really cause for concern.  While the statistical correlation between the number of shots taken and the number of goals scored in 2012 was somewhat weaker than I thought it would be, the relationship between offensive efficiency and goals scored was very strong.  The top seven teams in goals scored were also the top seven teams – albeit in a slightly different order – in offensive efficiency.  If the defensive corollary holds true, and there is a strong relationship between defensive inefficiency and goals conceded – something that is a statistical likelihood, though not a certainty – it becomes clear the Timbers defense must improve significantly or the season’s success is in serious peril.

This by itself, however, does not altogether disprove Kelly’s thesis – that the Timbers’ concessions may be more fluke than trend.  What’s troubling, though, is that the Timbers’ manner of concession is consistent with what would be expected given their tactics.

Portland’s 4-2-3-1 plays a very narrow, very high midfield.  All five players in the middle levels of the Timbers’ formation – Diego Chara, Will Johnson, Darlington Nagbe, Kalif Alhassan, and Diego Valeri – play very centrally.  The width in the Timbers’ offense comes from fullbacks Michael Harrington and Ryan Miller, who both are pulled very high.

The theory behind this is essentially to force the Timbers’ opponents to devote massive numbers to the middle of the field.  In doing so, the opponents won’t be able to exploit the space on the Timbers’ flanks because all of their wide attacking players will have been sucked into a losing battle in the middle.

We saw this for extended periods against the Red Bulls.  From about the 30-minute mark on, the Red Bulls “offense” was essentially reduced to thumping long balls over the top to a stranded Thierry Henry.  Even though there were acres in which to run on the outside of Portland’s defense, New York couldn’t get there because the Timbers had pulled all of the Red Bulls’ wings inside.

This largely explains why the Timbers have conceded so few shots.  Because Portland’s opponents get mired in a central midfield battle, and because the Timbers are good at holding the ball for extended periods, the opponents’ opportunities to build offense and put together an organized attack are limited.

The problem, however, is that this is bound to break down on the Timbers a handful of times per game.  A pass is given away in the midfield.  An opposing fullback sends forward a good long ball.  If an opposing attacking player can get into that space on the flank, the defense is unlocked, essentially leaving two center backs to cover the width of the field.

This, then, is consistent with the Timbers tremendous shots allowed numbers, but very, very poor defensive inefficiency rate.  Simply put, Portland’s tactics limit the number of opportunities opponents have, but when an opportunity inevitably comes along, they are significantly more lethal than the average chance.

It is too simple, then, to explain the Timbers’ defensive struggles as coincidence.  New York’s second goal is the perfect anecdote.  Yes, it was proximately caused by a mistake when Mikael Silvestre whiffed in his attempt to cut out Kosuke Kimura’s long ball forward.  But that sort of mistake is made more likely by Portland’s tactics, which force central defenders to defend wide spaces they aren’t necessarily accustomed or well suited to defending.  Add in a central defense that appears to be mistake-prone under the best of circumstances,[6] and you have a perfect storm of defensive exploitation.

In sum, it is no coincidence that the Timbers first team has played three home games, crushed all three teams in the eyeball test, and yet failed to come away with a single maximal result.  The defense just hasn’t been good enough at putting out the inevitable fires to let the offense win games for them.

There is still plenty that can change.  The return of David Horst or Hanyer Mosquera could alleviate some of the struggles.  The improving health of Jack Jewsbury could permit the Timbers to go to a narrow a diamond 4-4-2, which would give the flanks a little bit more cover because Chara and Johnson could play a little bit wider.

So, I agree with Kelly that it is too soon to say that the poor defense will end the Timbers’ season.  But serious concern about the defense is perfectly justified at this point.  If the Timbers’ defense can’t start putting out more of these inevitable fires, the current short trend of dominant play and disappointing results will likely continue.

That is why the state of the Timbers’ defense is the single most important issue facing the team right now.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Chris Rifer

In the postgame press conference, Caleb Porter was asked if his defense was good enough to consistently earn three points.  His answer was “Yes. Yes.”  Whether he’s right or not will go a long way toward determining where the Timbers finish this season.

The defense was breathtakingly bad in the first half.

The comedy of errors began in the ninth minute.  After Will Johnson cleared a free kick from close in on the Red Bulls’ right wing, New York sent the ball back into the box, where it found the feet of Fabian Espindola.  The debutante was wrestled off the ball, but as Mikael Silvestre tapped back to Donovan Ricketts, the Jamaican bobbled the back pass, allowing Espindola to fire into an open net.

Just as they did against San Jose two weeks earlier, however, the Timbers came right back.  Silvestre almost found the equalizer a minute after the concession when a corner kick bounced around the box and found his foot, but his low shot bent just wide of the post.

The Red Bulls wouldn’t be so fortunate in the 14^th minute.  After Darlington Nagbe and Will Johnson worked the ball to Kalif Alhassan at the top of the box, the Ghanaian found an onrushing Diego Valeri on the left side of the box.  Valeri juggled magnificently past the Red Bulls defense, and slotted into the far post with the outside of his right foot.

The Timbers struggled to get in rhythm, however, and found themselves on the bad end of another embarrassing mishap again in the 24^th minute.  After Kosuke Kimura sent a barely hopeful long ball forward on the Red Bulls right wing, Silvestre took a swing and miss at the vertical pass.  As a result, it fell to Espindola with a one on one against Ricketts, who couldn’t muster the heroics to keep the scoreline even.

A bad situation got worse four minutes later, as Johnson again cleared a corner only to have it fall for Ruben Bover Izquierdo.  Bover found Heath Pearce on the byline, who sent the ball all the way across the face of goal where Jamison Olave easily tapped home.

The Timbers began to settle into their offense from there, and dominated the ball for much of the rest of the half, but couldn’t pull one back before the break.

Portland came out firing in the second half, however.  In the 47^th minute, Valeri got out on the break and found Darlington Nagbe in the middle of the field.  Nagbe found Ryan Johnson, who had beat Kimura on the left side of the box, but Johnson’s mouth-watering look at goal resulted only in a shot soaring over the bar.

In the 55^th minute, the Timbers continued their absurd tradition of being wrongfully denied penalties.  An out-swinging Valeri corner found the feet of Andrew Jean-Baptiste, but AJB’s stab was cleared after it was substantially hindered when Pearce took him down wrestling-style from behind.

The Valeri-Nagbe-Alhassan combination paid off again a minute later, however.  After Michael Harrington and Nagbe worked the ball centrally for Alhassan, he again found Valeri in the middle of the loose Red Bulls defense.  No New Yorker came to pick him up, so Valeri took a crack form the top of the box, but Luis Robles parried away.  Nagbe was right there to clean up, however, as he cued the bouncing rebound into the net.

In the 65^th minute Thierry Henry almost put an early end to the drama when he got loose off of a weak Jean-Baptiste clearance, but Ricketts was there this time to palm away and out of danger.

After having their way with New York in the second half, the Timbers finally drew level in the 83^rd minute.  Rodney Wallace did well to win a ball, and Nagbe took possession and ran into the dull, gapped teeth of the Red Bulls defense.  After Robles had to palm away Nagbe’s swerving shot, Jose Valencia gathered on the byline and sent a hard cross across the face of goal.  Trencito’s Will Johnson-bound cross was intercepted by Olave, but the Colombian could clear only as far as the back of the net.

From there, Ryan Johnson had two wonderful chances to send the Timbers home with three points, but couldn’t quite convert either.  In the 90^th minute Valeri gathered the ball at the top of the box and beautifully lobbed it to Johnson on the left side.  Johnson one-timed it with his left foot, but Robles made a tremendous save diving to his left to rob Johnson of a sure winner.

In the third minute of stoppage time Johnson almost made himself a legend again.  After Valeri got head to Silvestre’s cross and popped the ball into the air, Johnson, with his back toward goal, bicycled it toward the net, but it sailed just wide of the near post.

The fight back from the Timbers was tremendous, and something the Timbers Army haven’t seen at Jeld-Wen Field for quite some time.

The offense looks like it is going to be one of the best in MLS.  The combination of Diego Valeri, Ryan Johnson, Darlington Nagbe, and Kalif Alhassan is working impossibly well at times.  For the first time, the Timbers appear to have an offense that is both very well designed and coached.

But it won’t be the offense that decides the Timbers’ season.  They’ll score goals in bunches.  To date, however, they’re also conceding them in bunches.  The goals against count the same whether they’re off of discrete mistakes or a result of thorough domination.

Twice, now, in three Timbers first team home games, they’ve dominated the game, scored a trio of goals, but been denied the result the offense deserved by isolated, but serious, defensive mistakes.

The question to Porter, then, was not about “stirring the pot,” as the coach suggested during and after the press conference.  Rather, it is the question that will determine whether the Timbers are a 30 point team or a 50 point team.  In other words, it’s the question that will decide the season.  And, if the prickliness of Porter’s response is any indication, it may also be the question he goes to sleep asking himself.[1]

Timbers Grades

Donovan Ricketts, 3 Not much he could be expected to do on the second concession, but bears some culpability on the first and third.  On the first, while Silvestre didn’t help him by sending him an awkward back pass, Ricketts’s half-effort to bend down and pick it up rather than boot it is mind boggling considering it would have been a handball.  On the third, Ricketts was slow to go to ground, and let a dangerous ball come across his box two yards in front of goal.

Ryan Miller, 4.5 Sort of a quiet night from Miller.  Most of the worst defense was on the left side, but was a little bit off in the attack.

Andrew Jean-Baptiste, 6 Shares a good serving culpability for the third concession, as Olave was his mark and AJB lost him.  Nonetheless, he won a ton of balls on Sunday, and cleaned up a couple Silvestre messes in the first half.

Mikael Silvestre, 2 A disastrous first half that need not be rehashed here.  Brought his grade up a couple points with a solid second half, although he really didn’t have that much to do considering the Timbers’ dominance.

Michael Harrington, 5.5 A decent, if perhaps quiet, outing for Harrington.  Contributed a little bit more to the attack than Miller, and was decent defensively.  The big problems were caused when he got caught upfield a little bit, but that’s more a systemic issue than a Harrington issue.

Diego Chara, 6.5 Whereas Diego Valeri gets all the glamour work, Diego Chara does the dirty work.  Won any number of balls in the midfield—something that is absolutely vital to keeping pressure off the fledgling backline—and completed an absurd 69 of 73 passes.

Will Johnson, 6 Really solid night from Will.  Had a couple threatening shots, but made most of his impact in the midfield where he, along with Chara, put in a hardworking effort.

Darlington Nagbe, 6.5 A tale of two halves for Darlington.  Nagbe was a little bit passive in the first half, but came out in the second half a whole new man.  In some ways, was a little unlucky to only come away with one tally.

Diego Valeri, 8.5 Tremendous.  Simply tremendous.  Was the best player on the field, from his wonderful goal to the constant threat he posed to New York’s backline.

Kalif Alhassan, 6 Had some frustrating moments—as Kalif often has—but was an integral part of two vital moments of interchange between he, Nagbe, and Valeri.  That’s why Kalif has to stay on the field.

Ryan Johnson, 6 Active all night and unlucky not to score.  Robbed of the winner by Robles once, and almost found it in miraculous fashion with his stoppage time bicycle kick.

Sal Zizzo, 5.5 Nothing came directly of it, but Sal added a new element to the attack with his pace and ability on the wing that was missing with Miller.  Obviously not nearly the defender Miller is, but accomplished exactly what he was put on the field to do.

Jose Valencia, 6.5 Gets credit for the equalizer not only because he sent in a tough, dangerous cross, but also for gathering the rebound off of Nagbe’s saved shot.

Rodney Wallace, 6 I about lost it when Rodney came on.  And then he went and won the ball that set up the final goal.  Shows what I know.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Chris Rifer

The 2013 regular season is here.  Which means, as is tradition here at The Morrison Report,[1] its time to gaze into the crystal log and divulge what it reveals about all 34 of the Timbers’ League games.

If you want a good chuckle, look back at my 2012 predictions.***  Turns out crystal logs aren’t infallible, either.

As I’ve visited it periodically over the last week, it has shown me many divergent futures for 2013.  The crystal log itself appears unsure whether the new attack is special or specious.  It doesn’t quite know what to make of the team’s defensive foibles; are they a fatal flaw or merely a passing matter of preseason injuries?

Nonetheless, as I spent many long hours gazing into its misty revelations, one future emerged as that of this year’s Timbers.  It is a future of drama and disappointment.  Of feat and frustration.  Of hardship and hope.

In the end, the likeliest future does not hold the playoffs for the Timbers.  Although nothing is certain, the crystal log has made clear it thinks the concessions will be a few too many.  But it does envision leaving 2013 with a renewed sense that the team is close – perhaps one or two pieces – away from not only contending for the playoffs, but contending for trophies.  As such, the crystal log envisions a 2013 that will be a success, if, perhaps, one that requires patience.

3/3/13 v. New York Red Bulls

Timbers 2, Red Bulls 2.  The Timbers go up early, as Diego Valeri opens the scoring by flicking home Ryan Johnson’s cross. New York pulls level and goes ahead thanks to goals form Fabian Espindola and Thierry Henry on each side of halftime. The Timbers secure the draw, however, when Will Johnson’s strike from 25 yards finds the top corner.

3/9/13 v. Montreal Impact

Timbers 2, Impact 1.  Montreal’s Marco Di Vaio steals one early, but Montreal is quickly overrun by Portland’s midfield and the traffic largely flows one way.  Portland pulls even in the 35^th minute after Ryan Johnson slots home a Diego Valeri assist, but the story is Darlington Nagbe’s 53^rd minute put back.  Montreal is fortunate to even make that scoreline hold, as Troy Perkins is peppered late under the North End.

3/16/13 @ Seattle Sounders

Sounders 3, Timbers 1.  The enthusiasm from the opening homestand fades quickly, as Seattle jumps all over Portland with two quick ones.  The Timbers, by way of Kalif Alhassan, pull one back in the 64^th minute, but two minutes later David Estrada ends any hope of a comeback.

3/30/13 @ Colorado Rapids

Rapids 1, Timbers 1.  Portland earns its first road point, and controls much of the game in Colorado, as Ryan Johnson nets his second goal of the season on the break.  Portland holds the ball in the midfield for substantial portions, but a rare strike from distance from Hendry Thomas forces the draw.

4/6/13 v. Houston Dynamo

Dynamo 2, Timbers 0.  In a game that exposes how Caleb Porter’s system can go very wrong once in a while, the Timbers can’t finish a litany of chances.  Brad Davis’s sweet left foot finds Will Bruin twice against the run of play, and the Timbers leave wondering how they can look so good and be beat so badly.

4/14/13 v. San Jose Earthquakes

Timbers 1, Quakes 1.  San Jose knows what to expect against the Timbers at Jeld-Wen and floods the midfield in what becomes a borderline unwatchable match.  Wondolowski buries an early-second half penalty to put the Quakes up a goal, but the Timbers again don’t waste time pulling it back when Diego Valeri bends a free kick into the near upper corner.

4/21/13 @ San Jose Earthquakes

Quakes 3, Timbers 0.  The Quakes break through and do what they haven’t been able to in the Timbers’ MLS history – get three points against Portland.  And this one isn’t close, as the Timbers’ ugly effort leaves Caleb Porter simmering and supporters fearing another spring collapse.

4/27/13 @ Sporting Kansas City

SKC 2, Timbers 1.  The Timbers are officially in a slump, as they have two points from their last six after a strong homestand to start. Nagbe’s second goal of the season is largely academic as Claudio Bieler and C.J. Sapong put things away after a better, but still inadequate, road performance from the Timbers.

5/2/13 v. New England Revolution

Timbers 3, Revs 0.  Nothing remedies a bad slump like a visit from the Revolution.  Still struggling to rediscover competitiveness, the Revs come into Portland unprepared for the Timbers midfield flood and get punished as a result. Ryan Johnson bags two before halftime, and Diego Chara (!) adds a third for fun, as New England is never competitive.

5/8/13 @ FC Dallas

FCD 1,Timbers 0.  A rough start to the season for Dallas doesn’t help the Timbers overcome their own lethargy in a stadium that’s seen the two biggest embarrassments in Timbers’ MLS history.

5/12/13 v. Chivas USA

Timbers 2, Chivas 0.  The whispers around the League are about whether Chelis will survive the season, as the Goats have gotten off to a disastrous start.  The whispers around Jeld-Wen Field, however, are about Diego Valeri, who notches a goal and a set piece assist to Mikael Silvestre in the Timbers’ easy win.

5/18/13 @ Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps 2, Timbers 2.  The game of the season so far.  The Caps go up in the 33^rd minute when Young-Pyo Lee bends one in from 25 out.  The Timbers draw level in the 64^th minute, however, when Jay DeMerit takes down Ryan Johnson in the box and Valeri converts the penalty.  Vancouver nets the apparent winner in the 83^rd when Darren Mattocks volleys home in a manner eerily reminiscent of 2012 in Portland. The Timbers, however, claw back in second half stoppage, when Jack Jewsbury picks up a loose ball at the top of the box and fires into the upper corner.

5/25/13 @ D.C. United

D.C. United 2, Timbers 0.  First half goals from Daniel Woolard and Chris Pontius put D.C. irretrievably out in front.  After a lethargic first half, the Timbers dominate much of the second, but can’t break through a packed-in United defense to get back in the game.

6/8/13 @ Chicago Fire

Timbers 2, Fire 1.  Toyota Field is hospitable for the Timbers again. After Ryan Johnson opens the scoring in the 17^th minute, Darlington Nagbe doubles the lead in the 39^th with a magnificent crack from distance. The Fire try to make up the deficit in the second half, but can’t see enough of the ball to make much of a dent.  Patrick Nyarko pulls one back in the 87^th minute to briefly put a jolt of energy into Section 8, but the equalizer is nowhere to be found.

6/15/13 v. FC Dallas

Timbers 1, FCD 0.  In a mirror image of the game in Dallas, the Timbers squeak out a 1-0 win over FCD after the Hoops flood the midfield trying to counter the Timbers’ centrally based attack.  After the nip-tuck first half sends the Jeld-Wen crowd into a nervous halftime, Diego Valeri eases the tension with a beautiful 54^th minute bending free kick.

6/19/13 @ L.A. Galaxy

Galaxy 2, Timbers 0.  The Timbers have never won at the Home Depot Center, and that trend continues.  Mike Magee burns the Timbers on the edge in the 37^th minute to open the scoring, but after some strong Timbers play, the dagger comes in the 74^th as Juninho hits one from distance.

6/23/13 v. Colorado Rapids

Timbers 1, Colorado 1.  Will Johnson gets the Timbers on the board early, as he puts back a Matt Pickens save of Ryan Johnson, but Atiba Harris pulls Colorado back level before halftime.  The second half sees a tired Timbers team struggle to threaten to find a winner.

At the halfway point, the Timbers sit on 20 points, just outside the Western Conference playoff picture.

7/7/13 @ Columbus Crew

Timbers 2, Crew 1.  The Timbers win their second road match in three tries, as Ryan Johnson beats an offside trap and slots past Any Gruenebaum in the 43^rd minute.  The Crew’s Dominic Oduro outpaces the Timbers backline on a break to equalize just after halftime, but second half substitute Jose Valencia strikes the game winner for the Timbers.

7/13/13 v. Los Angeles Galaxy

Timbers 1, Galaxy 0.  In a surprisingly defensive match, the difference is David Horst’s 55^th minute header off of a Will Johnson corner kick.  The Galaxy knock on the door several times, but can’t find the final touch to equalize.

7/20/13 @ Philadelphia Union

Union 2, Timbers 0.  Newly confident on the road, the Timbers come to Philadelphia looking to put themselves in the thick of the playoff picture with a win in Philly.  Instead, they fall silently to a mediocre Union team.

7/27/13 @ San Jose Earthquakes

Quakes 1, Timbers 0.  The Timbers have suddenly lost their offensive mojo, as for a second straight game they can’t find the back of the net.  The Quakes do as they always do, and steal a level game in the 81^st minute by way of a Ramiro Corrales rebound.

8/3/13 v. Vancouver Whitecaps

Timbers 2, Whitecaps 1.  Vancouver draws first blood as Donovan Ricketts bobbles a stoppable Kenny Miller strike.  From there, though, it’s all Timbers as Kalif Alhassan – making a heretofore rare August appearance – makes Alain Rochat look silly, chalking up a goal and an assist to Ryan Johnson in a relatively comfortable Cascadia victory.

8/17/13 v. FC Dallas

Timbers 1, Dallas 1.  The Timbers show some early rust after a week off, and Dallas makes them pay for it after Kenny Cooper nods in a David Ferriera cross in the 22^nd minute.  The Timbers push hard, but can’t find the equalizer until Ryan Miller strikes a fluke deflection from distance in the 73^rd.

8/21/13 v. Real Salt Lake

RSL 2, Timbers 1.  After a rough start to the season, Jason Kreis’s team has come together in the summer.  Two first half goals put the Timbers in a big hole.  Diego Valeri’s strike from the top of the box brings Portland back into the game in the 66^th minute, but Portland can’t find the equalizer and fall to RSL at home for the second season in a row.

8/25/13 @ Seattle Sounders

Sounders 1, Timbers 0.  Having left points on the table in two home matches in a row, the Timbers head to Seattle increasingly desperate for points to stay in the playoff race.  They think they’ve taken the lead 31 minutes in, but Ryan Johnson’s strike is negated by offside.  Ozzie Alonso capitalizes on the Timbers disappointment three minutes later by blasting a strike from 30.  The Timbers control much of the rest of the match, but can’t scratch out the draw.

8/30/13 @ Real Salt Lake

RSL 3, Timbers 2.  The Timbers are heartbroken in a wild one.  They take the lead in the 28^th minute after Darlington Nagbe makes one of his signature runs through the middle, and finds Johnson in the box to tap home.  RSL come back, and eventually take the lead in the 64^th minute, when Robbie Findley gets through on the break and slots past Ricketts.  Portland have one more trick of their own, however, when Kalif Alhassan dances by several defenders and feeds Valeri for the volley into the net.  It isn’t to be for Portland, however, as RSL late-game substitute, Joao Plata, shows one of his dazzling runs past a tired Timbers’ defense and scores in second half stoppage time.

9/7/13 v. Toronto FC

Timbers 3, TFC 0.  After a rough two weeks in which the Timbers put their playoff hopes on the rocks, Portland takes out its frustrations on a hapless TFC team.  Ryan Johnson, Michael Harrington, and Frederic Piquionne all get in on the action in as lopsided a rout as Jeld-Wend Field as seen since the USL days.

9/14/13 @ Chivas USA

Timbers 1, Chivas 1.  The Timbers need points in a big way, and for most of seventy minutes it looks like they’re going to get them.  After Portland christened the game with a goal in the 6^th minute by Diego Valeri, Chivas finds a moment of magic against the run in the 73^rd, as Miller Bolanos bends a pretty ball into the corner.

9/20/13 v. Colorado Rapids

Timbers 0, Rapids 0.  Days like this happen, and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time for the Timbers.  A game long on possession, but short on serious chances, leaves the Timbers Army with an empty feeling and the Timbers looking at the schedule for desperately needed points.

9/29/13 v. L.A. Galaxy

Timbers 1, Galaxy 1.  For the third game in a row, the Timbers team looking for maximum points can’t get them.  Omar Gonzalez nods in a Galaxy corner in the 52^nd minute to give the Galaxy the momentary lead, but Jose Valencia pulls things level in the 63^rd.  The Timbers push for the equalizer, but can’t find the crucial three points.

10/6/13 @ Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps 2, Timbers 0.  Unlike previous late-season trips to the Great White North, the Timbers have all kinds of trouble against the ‘Caps.  Nigel Reo-Coker starts the scoring with a quick combo with Darren Mattocks, but Gershon Koffie puts it away with a strike from the top of the box in the 72^nd minute.

10/13/13 v. Seattle Sounders

Timbers 2, Sounders 0.  The Timbers return to Jeld-Wen Field desperately needing a result and, for the first time in more than a month, don’t leave it on the field.  The Timbers midfield dominates Seattle, keeping possession and knifing through the defense virtually at will.  The Timbers’ two goals come in the first half by way of a Diego Valeri penalty and a Ryan Johnson header from beautiful service from Will Johnson.

10/19/13 v. Real Salt Lake

Timbers 1, RSL 0.  Needing another three points, the Timbers scratch out a win against RSL.  The first half comes and goes with two nervous teams missing a couple chances to gain control.  Portland finally seizes the moment as Ryan Johnson – whose first year with the Timbers has been a tremendous success – takes a feed from Valeri to keep the Timbers’ playoff hopes alive.

10/26/13 @ Chivas USA

Timbers 1, Chivas 1.  The Timbers need three points to be in the playoffs.  They don’t get them.  Juan Agudelo opens the scoring in the 23^rd minute by tapping an Osvaldo Minda rebound home, but Portland bounces back in the 64^th when Will Johnson wills the team back into the hunt with a strike from 25 yards.  The Timbers push hard for the winner and their ticket to the playoffs, but desperate defending by Chivas sends Portland home disappointed.

The Timbers finish 2013 with 43 points – one off the playoff pace of 44.  Their 37 goals and 41 concessions mark a slight improvement in goals-for, and a significant improvement in the Timbers’ disastrous 2012 goals against.

In the end, such a season would be a big step in the right direction for Portland.  From the depths of the table to just missing out on the playoffs would be good progress for the Timbers in year one of the Porter Era.  Nonetheless, going down to the wire in the playoff race and just missing out – as the Timbers did in 2011 – always stings.

Hopefully this time, however, it will sting enough to push the club to greater heights.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Garrett Dittfurth

Get banned from the stadium...INNOVATE!

Who: Supporters’ Shield Foundation / Independent Supporters Council

What: Creation of new Supporters Shield and Foundation

Contact: Sean Dane: media@supportersshield.org

Tel: (816) 510-3812

The Supporters' Shield Foundation, in partnership with the Independent Supporters Council (ISC), is proud to announce the creation of a new Supporters' Shield trophy and the formation of the Supporters’ Shield Foundation. This new Supporters' Shield replaces the previous trophy at the start of the 2013 MLS season. Supporter groups across Major League Soccer via the ISC have worked together to fund, design, and deliver this stunning new shield. The new shield is built on the passions of today’s MLS supporters and encapsulates the history and work of the early MLS supporters. The Supporters' Shield represents the growth and accomplishments of all MLS supporters since the award’s introduction in 1999.

Starting in San Jose, the new Supporters' Shield will make the journey with supporters this entire year and will travel to visit all 19 MLS teams and their supporters. The ISC has organized the journey of the Supporters' Shield so each supporter group that helped fund it can see what their work has accomplished. The Shield will start with the winners of the 2012 Supporters' Shield and will be handed from supporter group to supporter group with the next landmark stop at the MLS All Star Game in Kansas City on July 31, 2013. It will end its journey with the winner of the 2013 Supporters' Shield. Every supporter who lifted it during the year will be hoping to see it again come November. The 2013 winner will be engraved on the new Supporters' Shield next to the previous seventeen winners’ names that are also engraved on the new trophy.

The new Supporters' Shield is made of sterling silver and stainless steel, weighing in at just over thirty-five pounds. When the Supporters' Shield was revealed to the ISC organizers in Kansas City, Fran Harrington, President of the Midnight Riders, declared, “It's gorgeous. The new shield is definitely something that properly reflects the growth and maturity of the league and its supporters!” The new Supporters’ Shield will provide 25 years of future winners with the option to add another ring for future winners beyond that. The new Supporters' Shield was designed by Kyle Stewart and made in Toronto by Award Co.

The Supporters' Shield is given to represent the team who has the most points at the end of the season. Brett Bird, Vice President of the Vancouver Southsiders, stated, “The Supporters’ Shield takes a greater commitment to high level play to earn, and represents the best team over 34 games. Too many times an MLS Cup winner plays well for 2 weeks and takes home a trophy.” This grand trophy recognizes the accomplishments of the winning team with that grand accomplishment. Greg Mockos, co-president of the Emerald City Supporters states, “The Supporters’ Shield is important as it crowns the champion over the course of the regular season. It represents the efforts of the team through a very long and arduous season on a path that is traveled in unison with the supporters - every match day, home and away. To win the Supporters’ Shield the team and supporters all need to have the same, unwavering commitment to the club and its crest."

Our original trophy was founded in 1999 and heavily supported by a Kansas City Wizards supporter named Sam Pierron. This was a big step for supporters in MLS at the time, as no trophy existed to represent the winner of the table at the end of the year. The trophy was funded through the efforts of leaders in the supporter community. A sculpture student at the University of Kansas then produced the chevron-shaped trophy we know today. The original Supporters’ Shield will be on display in the Members Club at Sporting Park until there is a National Soccer Hall of Fame to curate the trophy.

A major impetus in getting the new Supporters' Shield produced was Sean Dane, President of the Supporters' Shield Foundation and a leader in the Kansas City Cauldron. He urged that the Supporters' Shield is “an award created by the fans to recognize the single table winner. It is unique in the landscape of American sports. I think it highlights what makes the supporters culture in the league great. It also highlights the ability of Major League Soccer to work in partnership with its supporters in a way unseen in other sports. The efforts of the ISC and its members is commendable and it helps to further the growth of supporters culture in the country. That’s a win for all involved and I am proud to be associated with all of them.” To add to this, Section 8 Chicago’s representative to the ISC, Dan Martin says “It’s definitely special when fans of the sport can come together in a collaborative sense to express our shared passion for the game. Whenever people put aside fundamental differences to contribute to the greater good, you know the result is meaningful and worthy of note.”

The story of the original Supporters' Shield, its original creation story, and how the new Supporters' Shield was funded by the supporter groups of today is a monumental reality in the world of sports. The supporters carried the torch to honor the best MLS team each year with their own funds and will carry on that story for many years to come. The reality that so many supporter groups worked together to create this trophy isn’t found in many places within the world of our sport. “The collaboration on the new Supporters' Shield shows how far the supporters culture has grown and matured through the years. How so many supporters groups from around the league came together to create a new trophy that will exist for years to come! This trophy is one of the most unique trophies handed out in all of American sports since it’s delivered by the Supporters to the winning team!” exclaimed Donald Rickard, President of the San Jose Casbah.

To support the Shield, the ISC has created a great way to reimburse the groups that funded the creation of the new trophy. ISC member supporter groups will have limited edition, “I Support the Shield” scarves that they will be selling to fans of their teams. This is a way for all for the supporters and fans to participate and show their pride in the Supporters' Shield, as well as express the hope that their team hoists it at the end of the year.

The Supporters' Shield Foundation is tasked with raising awareness of the Shield’s history, protecting the commercialization of the shield, and ensuring its movement from team to team each season. Its officers are elected annually by the ISC.

More information can be found at supportersshield.org and independentsupporterscouncil.com.