Scouting Report On Portland Timbers (Home 2011)

Here at The Front Men I've decided to add a new segment to shift away from the generic match-preview that a lot of bloggers out there do. I call it "Scouting Report". It's basically a lighter run down of the opposing team and where their weakest link is on the field and what kind of football they play, etc. I'll still have score predictions though. 

Scouting Report

Portland Timbers are currently 1-7-3 on the road heading into the Wednesday night clash at LSP. The newest MLS expansion side has seen a decent string of performances in the past couple of weeks and could give Sporting Kc a real run for their money. 

Most Dangerous Player

Jack Jewsbury. The former Kansas City man has been the best player in a Portland shirt the entire season and has netted 7 times and assisted 6 times for the Timbers. 

Weakest Link

Forward line. The front two pairing of Cooper and Perlaza has only scored 9 goals this season. One of the worst forward lines in the league. 

Football Style

Using their traditional 4-4-2 Portland like to use the pace they have on the wings to cause havoc up and down the sides of the pitch. If Sporting Kc have a hope at defending Portland's style of play they will need their fullbacks to be on their game. Which they have been as of late.

Key Match-Up

Portland's Strikers vs. Sporting's Center Backs

Sporting Kc's center backs have been on somewhat of a hiatus in the past weeks with Collin and Cyrus falling to injury. Leaving Cesar and Besler as the two starters ahead of Shavar Thomas. While Portland's strike-force has been dull. Something will have to give for either side.

Prediction

Sporting - 2 (Kamara x2)

Portland - 0

The travel-weary Portland will find it tough to beat a rested Sporting Kc side in the blazing August heat. Don't think for a moment that Sporting will let last week's defeat get to their head. 

Sporting Kc Face a Disheartened Portland Timbers Side

Sporting Kc will travel to the pacific northwest on Saturday night to take on the Portland Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field. Sporting will have to make the long trip to Portland without "Mr.Captain Fantastic" Davy Arnaud, who has a hernia injury and will likely miss 6 weeks. Despite their captain being injured Sporting Kc will enter the match with high hopes, going undefeated in the past 8 league games. While Portland haven't won a game since May 21st. Both teams are 7th place in their respective conferences, but Sporting Kc seem to be the more dominant side heading in to the match.

Should Sporting Kc win their match on Saturday it could push them up to 4th  place, depending on the other results around the league on Friday and Saturday.

Projected Lineup

Key Match-Ups


Sapong vs. Brunner/Danso
Sapong will have to come up against two of the biggest center backs in all of MLS. However Sapong himself will impose a threat to Portland's back line. Whoever can win most of the aerial challenges should be able to control the ball.

Myers vs. Alhassan 
The speedy Ghanaian will look to go at Sporting's back line all night. Myers will have the difficult task of marking him, but Alhassan will have to be mindful Myers runs down the flank. 

Collin vs. Cooper
It seems as if Collin is in the key match-ups every week, but yet again he will have to mark another strong CF in Kenny Cooper. Both players are quite strong but Cooper likes to play with the ball at his feet instead of getting flicks on to other players like Hassli or Lenhart. Collin will have to be careful when diving in to tackle the ball away from Cooper, he's a skillful player.


Prediction
Sporting Kc - 2 (Sapong, Bravo)
Portland Timbers - 2 (Jewsbury, Cooper)

Who Should Mark Who? (Portland Timbers Version 3.0)

I know I haven't updated "Who Should Mark Who?" in quite a few weeks but today I just wanna do a quick post. This time however it will be pre-game. As opposed to post-game. 

If you've never read this segment of the blog yet it's basically just a list of Sporting players along with who I think they should mark on the opposing team, mainly off of set-pieces. I generally match players up according to height and aerial ability. 

Obviously I won't list all the players. Just the ones that pose the biggest threat in the air for Sporting Kc.

The List

(KC Player) Name - Height - *Position*/(Portland Player) Name - Height - *Position*

*If you're new to soccer and don't understand what certain positions stand for look over on the left hand side, there's a list.*

Birahim Diop - 6'3 - CDM/Kenny Cooper - 6'3 - ST

CJ Sapong - 6'2 - ST/Mamadou Danso - 6'3 - CB

Aurelien Collin - 6'2 - CB/Eric Brunner - 6'4 - CB