The Portland Timbers may have finished 2017 with plenty to feel good about, but there’s no looking back for a club with a new manager, Giovanni Savarese, and plenty of offseason roster jostling.
With a strong returning core that includes reigning MVP Diego Valeri, the perennially underrated Diego Chara and an always-dangerous Fanendo Adi, the biggest question mark comes from the man at the helm.
After Caleb Porter’s surprise departure in November, now it’s up to Savarese to get the most out of a team that is packed with attacking talent. Early on, he looks like the right fit: Savarese espouses a penchant for attacking, proactive soccer that will involve relentless pressure and always trying to win the ball.
The Timbers won’t have Darlington Nagbe – one of the league’s best in transition and at protecting the ball from multiple positions – since he was traded to Atlanta United in December. But they have depth that figures to make up for the loss, including the arrival of Andy Polo, who will be buoyed by the return of Sebastian Blanco on the other flank. The Timbers should score plenty of goals.
If Portland’s squad came into 2018 with an area of concern, it was central defense. A revolving door of injuries last season and a lack of quality depth made them vulnerable. They’ve added centerback Julio Cascante, who could take a starting spot away from Liam Ridgewell, Larrys Mabiala or Roy Miller, all of whom had their share of starts and injuries last year.
Timbers face Galaxy first in long road stretch to open 2018
When: March 4, 10:00 p.m. ET
Where: StubHub Center
Broadcast: TV – FS1
Live stream: Fox Sports Go
The buzz: Sure, the MLS season is a long one, but both teams will want to start off strong for very different reasons. The Timbers will want to continue the momentum of their first-place Western Conference finish last season, while the Galaxy will be desperate to show they’re a new team after a disastrous 2017.
It’s the MLS managerial debut of coach Giovanni Savarese, who joined the Timbers after a five-year stint with the New York Cosmos. He has some questions he has to answer quickly, including what formation makes the most sense for the plethora of attacking talent he has. Will he go with the lone striker formation that Caleb Porter favored as coach last year, or will he give Fanendo Adi a striking partner up top? Through preseason tinkering, a clear answer hasn’t emerged.
After hitting a league-low points-per-game last year, the LA Galaxy need to start strong and build some confidence. Following an aggressive offseason, they have the pieces to do it. They unloaded a struggling Gyasi Zardes in exchange for Ola Kamara, who has looked like a serious scoring threat in preseason. Perry Kitchen, who joined the Galaxy from Denmark, will shore up a midfield that struggled last year. How quickly can a rebuilt roster come together, though?
Other key matches
April 14 vs. Minnesota United – The Timbers will play their first five games on the road due to ongoing construction at Providence Park. By the time their home opener rolls around on April 14, the Timbers Army will surely be ready to go all out.
May 13 vs. Seattle Sounders – There’s no better rivalry in the MLS than this one and the Timbers get to host their most-hated competition for the first time on May 13. Traditionally, these matches involve lots of goals on the field and stunning tifo displays in the stands.
June 24 at Atlanta United – There certainly don’t seem to be any hard feelings between Darlington Nagbe and his former club, but Nagbe’s history in green-and-gold will add something extra when the Timbers go to face his new team in June. Plus, Atlanta plays the kind of fun, attacking soccer the Timbers play so it should be an exciting match-up.
Aug. 29 vs. Toronto FC – The Timbers will only face the reigning MLS Cup champions once, and it’ll be a home game at Providence Park.
Check out the full 2018 schedule here.
Quotes & Notes
• The Timbers head into their season opener with a couple injuries to likely starters. Neither goalkeeper Jeff Attinella (quad) nor defender Vytas (hamstring) will travel to LA but Savarese says they will return soon. Diego Chara, who broke his foot during last season’s playoffs, will be a game-time decision.
• The Timbers captain, at least for the first match of the season, will be Liam Ridgewell.
• Savarese on facing a Galaxy team that struggled last year: “I think the team this year is not going to struggle. I think they have brought in very good players and they are going to be a very tough match, playing at home.”
• Savarese on what fans can expect from his tactical style: “I’m a coach that likes to have the dominant team on the field, to be the team that has the ball and control the flow of the game. It’s offensive-minded and we take risks sometimes.”
Biggest offseason moves
• Darlington Nagbe to Atlanta United. The Timbers were the only professional club Nagbe had ever known, but after seven seasons in Portland, he joined Atlanta in exchange for a bunch of allocation money they used for multiple signings.
• Andy Polo from Liga MX side Monarcas Morelia. He’ll fill in the right winger role that Nagbe has left behind but he’ll bring something different, using speed and direct attacking play to pummel defenses in a way Nagbe rarely did.
• Julio Cascante from Saprissa. Another Costa Rican joined the Timbers ranks during the offseason, adding some much-needed depth in central defense.
Roster breakdown
Forwards – Fanendo Adi, 27; Samuel Armenteros, 27; Jeremy Ebobisse, 21; Foster Langsdorf, 22
Midfielders – Diego Valeri, 31; Andres Flores, 27; Diego Chara, 31; Eryk Williamson, 21; Sebastian Blanco, 29; Andy Polo, 23; Jack Barmby, 23; Victor Arboleda, 21; Dairon Asprilla, 25; David Guzman, 28; Cristhian Paredes; 19
Defenders – Vytas, 27; Marco Farfan, 19; Bill Tuiloma, 22; Modou Jadama, 23; Larrys Mabiala, 30; Julio Cascante, 24; Lawrence Olum, 33; Alvas Powell, 23; Zarek Valentin, 26; Liam Ridgewell, 33
Goalkeepers – Jeff Attinella, 29; Jake Gleeson, 27; Kendall McIntosh, 24