The Impact finishes its trip out West this Wednesday night at 10:30pm with a game at Providence Park against the Portland Timbers (TVA Sports & TSN Radio 690). Here are 10 things to know on the reigning MLS Cup Champions.
Context
The Impact is unbeaten in five, and the Timbers are on a streak, too; Caleb Porter’s men haven’t lost in MLS since May 15, making it seven games with at least a point – three wins and four draws. The schedule is demanding of late for the Timbers, as they played in New York on Sunday night (0-0 against the Red Bulls), flew back to Portland by night and only get two days off before this Wednesday’s game against the visiting Bleu-blanc-noir, which has been in Oregon since Sunday afternoon.
Current form (MLS)
D-W-D-W-D-D
Head coach
Caleb Porter (47-31-43 all-time as Portland Timbers head coach) became Timbers head coach in December of 2012. A midfielder for Indiana University in the mid-90s, Porter went to the San Jose Clash with the 27th overall pick of the 1998 MLS College Draft. His career with the Clash and, later, with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, came to a premature end in 2000 due to a knee injury. Named assistant coach of his alma mater that same year, he then took over at the University of Akron in 2006. Porter’s possession- and pressing-based game led the team to a 123-18-17 record during his time at there. Together, Akron and Porter won the institution’s first-ever national championship. In his first MLS season, in 2013, Porter picked up the Coach of the Year award. His Timbers missed out on the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2014, however, leading him to a more pragmatic approach. With added flexibility from a strategic standpoint, Porter led the Timbers to the first MLS Cup in club history in 2015.
Current top scorer
Fanendo Adi (9)
Players to watch
1. Lucas Melano (#26) – The Argentine is in superb form and drives the Timbers forward when it comes to speeding up play.
2. Liam Ridgewell (#24) – The third-ever DP defender in league history, Ridgewell can break the opposition’s lines with his passing range.
3. Darlington Nagbe (#6) – A protégé of Caleb Porter’s at Akron and beyond, Nagbe is a trustworthy asset for his coach. His technical skill was crucial to the Timbers’ run to a championship last fall.
Team profile
Porterball. That term was used over and over during Caleb Porter’s first two MLS seasons. This approach, which was similar to Porter’s system at Akron, has made way for more pragmatism. The Timbers don’t go out of their way to win the possession battle anymore – according to Opta’s data, their percentage has dropped under 50 percent, even at home, and they don’t shy away from using their speed to unbalance their opponents. Technical efficiency remains vital, however, and the Timbers can rely on a solid spine in the attacking phase. Led by Diego Valeri – who has been ruled out for this Wednesday –, the Timbers score a lot of goals in combinations through the middle, and their wingers don’t mind cutting into the penalty area and looking for the goal. Fanendo Adi’s presence creates space for his teammates, and his nine goals are proof of his effectiveness. But the Timbers haven’t quite found their aerial game, and yet they’re still efficient on set plays – although they do concede their fair share of set-piece goals. Portland’s defence struggled early on with Ridgewell injured, but it has kept three clean sheets in the last five games. Screened by the unrelenting Diego Chará – suspended this Wednesday –, this defence relishes duels.
Tactical formation
The Timbers have mostly gone for one-striker formations this season. Lineup v. New York Red Bulls (July 10): Gleeson; Powell, Borchers, Ridgewell, Valentin; Chará, Zemanski; Mattocks, Nagbe, Melano; Adi.
Against the Impact last season
The only game between the two teams in 2015 wasn’t kind to the Impact. On May 9, the Timbers scored twice in seven minutes through Nat Borchers and Diego Valeri for a 2-1 win. Dominic Oduro scored the Bleu-blanc-noir’s lone goal.
Injuries, absences and call-ups (as of July 12)
GK Adam Kwarasey (torn ligament)
M Diego Valeri (ankle)
M Diego Chará (suspended)
F Darren Mattocks (hamstring)
Next games
Portland Timbers v. Seattle Sounders FC (MLS, July 17)
Portland Timbers v. LA Galaxy (MLS, July 23)
Sporting Kansas City v. Portland Timbers (MLS, July 31)
