Portland Timbers v
Vancouver WhitecapsPortland Timbers v
Minnesota ThunderWhere:
PGE ParkWhen:
Friday May 5th, KO 7pm and
Saturday May 6th, KO 7pm
Timbers game notes
avaliable here, from portlandtimbers.com [PDF]
Tickets: Tickets start at
$10 general admission and can be purchased on game day or in advance at the PGE Park box offices or from ticketmaster.
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From the
Official Preview at portlandtimbers.comAgnello - "
Obviously, I'd like to get the points, but more importantly, I'd like to see us settling in and establishing roles within the team. I want to see our players putting everything on the line and claiming spots."
Alvarez and
Brown both fit and available.
Iñiguez out with strained hamstring.
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Preview:Friday will be the first time most will have seen the
new look 2006 Timbers in a USL game and the first time even more will have seen
any of the new players signed by coach Chris Agnello.
The questions posed during the off-season are
slowly being answered, but this first home game and the quick follow-up on Saturday will go a long way to giving pointers to how the Timbers season will progress. A team that can
compete with the traditional USL Div 1 leaders, a team that will
struggle to find it's feet or a team that will do well enough to forge a mid-table respectability as a foundation for the coming years?
What we do know is that Coach Agnello has assembled a group of players that
on paper can certainly challenge to better the Timbers best seasons so far. The
backbone of the team, running from keeper
Josh Saunders, through
Scot Thompson, into midfield via the likes of
Edwin Miranda and
Hugo Alcaraz up to the head of
Byron Alvarez returns, and that was better than any fan could have hoped during the long winter months.
Chris Agnello has added some players with MLS or MLS reserve experience -
Michael Nsien and
Luke Kreamalmeyer for example- who have already shown that they
could be key players this year.
The unknowns are still many. Players like
Salim Bullen and
Mubarike Chisoni have yet to arrive in town [
update: As I understand it, neither Chisoni nor Salim Bullen will be playing this weekend. Bullen won't be in town and neither will have trained with the team...obviously!] and the other players who have made their way to the Rose City via college careers or through coach Agnello's Utah Blitzz days are
unknown quantities in the USL Div 1.
Add in a few roster spots yet to be filled including a
forward or 2 and at least 1 defender (the MPFTUK* who we can assume has
more than a little experience) and there is much to revealed.
There are a few
key things to look out for this weekend. First the
formation. Much has been made of Agnello's team's
flexibility, with players maybe being asked to play a multitude of roles. As recently as today in the Trib, Agnello is quoted as saying that he can play a "
...3-5-2 to a 4-4-2 or even a 4-3-3". If that kind of flexibility comes off it's a boon, especially in a league with long road trips and back-to-back games. The downside may come if players are being constantly shifted around, never feeling comfortable in a single role. Add that uncertainty into a team who are playing together for the first time and things could go sour.
Team chemistry is another thing to look out for. This team could easily resemble the 2001 team, which Jim Taylor talked about in the recent 107Report. That team was a collection of individuals assembled at double-quick time for the inaugural season, who pulled out some nice results, but were inconsistent and many players ended up leaving after that first year. The Timbers mix of experience, from MLS to former Timbers to college to players-as-yet-unknown, has to be pulled, kneaded and knitted together by Agnello to form that perfect Mozzrella ball and this may be his biggest test this year.
A couple of players need their own mentions: Scot Thompson will be key this year. Scot will be fully in charge of the Timbers' defense this year after, what was by his own admission, "a transition" last year from a Gavin Wilkinson led back line to a Thompson regime. Pulling together the back 3 or 4 will be a big task and hopefully any new additions at the back (in the form of a MPFTUK for example) will be just that, an addition rather than a distraction.
Luke Kreamalmeyer has shown speed and skill so far and everyone who has seen him play has had their excitement meter stuck in the red. The only question is where he will play. So many times, gifted one-on-one players require time, patience and nurturing to reap the benefits. By all reports Luke is a quiet and shy individual. Agnello has to find a system to get the most out of his talents...another big test this year.
Byron Alvarez. It's probably an easy thing to say, but the maxim: "When Byron is having a good game, the Timbers are having a good game" stands true in my opinion. Extend that to a whole season and Byron's contribution this year is another key element in the Timbers success or otherwise. When Byron's teasing and taunting an opposition's defense the team seems to get a lift. When his head is down the whole team loses impetus. Let's hope for an amazing year from Byron.
Just 3 players pulled out from the melange before the home opener and as surely as the Toronto Lynx will be bringing up the rear this year, others will emerge as being lynchpins as the season goes on. Turn, turn, turn.
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The opposition:
Vancouver, already buoyed by their opening day win in B.C. will try and come to PGE Park to repeat the result. Everyone and I mean everyone will be alerted to the goal scorer that night, Joey Gjertsen, but as we've seen with Vancouver teams over the years it's the team chemistry that sets them up with the top USL teams. The names on the Whitecaps roster are impressive and well known: Sebrango, Testo, Valente, Woolfolk, Klein etc. and that kind of roster meant that the Timber's didn't beat Vancouver last season home or away (2 away loses, 2 home draws. Neither did they beat Minnesota either - 4 draws there), but on Friday lifted by the crowd surely that run can be broken.
[Vancouver Roster]
Minnesota are another team that got off with a nice win and like the Timbers have a new coach (former player Amos Magee). The Thunder have 3 Liberians (No! I said Liberians, not...) in the team, Melvin Tarley, Leo Gibson and Aaron Paye, carrying on the line of succession from former star Johnny Menyongar, and a shored up defense courtesy of former Kansas City Wizards player Dustin Branan.
[Minnesota Roster] NB: Turn your sound down on the main page. That thunder sound effect freaked me out at first...now it's kinda soothing.!
[Minnesota Fan Site-Blue Sky Soccer]
Whatever happens this weekend you can be sure of one thing. It ain't gonna be dull.
[*Mystery Player From The U.K.]