Portland Timbers: Three Takeaways Against Atlanta
By Scott Behler
The Portland Timbers returned home to face off against Atlanta United but had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
After a pair of tough road games, the Portland Timbers must have thought that Sunday evening was an excellent chance to get themselves back on track against Atlanta. Unfortunately for Portland, that chance was scuppered by some subpar defending and their continuing offensive funk.
Defensively Different, but Still Not Good Enough
Caleb Porter let Liam Ridgewell and Roy Miller start together for the first time, and while it wasn’t necessarily worse, it’s hard to argue that it was better.
While the Portland Timbers only conceded once, part of that comes from the team playing better on the whole. The lapses and gaps are still there, though and potentially worse with Miller in the starting eleven. Atlanta only had two big chances, but both saw Roy Miller making school age defensive errors.
In the 44’, Miller dove in against Miguel Almiron, who easily pushed the ball around him and skipped past the 6’2” Costa Rican. Almiron managed to dish the ball off, but a Chara tackle and Gleeson save prevented Julian Gressel from converting just before the halftime whistle.
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Less than a minute after the break, however, Miller stepped up in an attempt to either tackle or intercept a pass from Atlanta Midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, where he found himself blocked by the comparatively diminutive Almiron. The ball found its way to Gressel, who scored by firing low to Gleeson’s right.
Miller also found himself booked in the 84′ when he once again dove in on an attacker, getting all man and no ball. While some could argue that this was a tactical foul, not getting any of the ball allowed it to run on to Almiron, who slid it to Gressel for a shot.
In every instance, Miller took himself out of the play and hung the rest of the defense out to dry. On the goal, Gleeson probably should have done better with a near-post shot from outside the 18, and Ridgewell shouldn’t have stood off the ball as he did, but few if any of those things happen if Miller maintains composure. While Lawrence Olum may not be the long-term answer to the issues at the back, Miller certainly isn’t either.
Any chance that the Timbers have at silverware this season will hinge heavily on the ability to simply outscore opponents. Despite how popular some of the defenders are in the community, some of them just don’t cut it.
Blanco Bedding In
One of the biggest complaints about Lucas Melano was that he never seemed interested when games were on the line. It was almost as if he needed someone to remind him that a draw was better than a loss, and a win was worth more than a draw.
No one can level those same criticisms at Sebastian Blanco in the slightest. After this performance, he will have greatly endeared himself to the supporters. Blanco appears to have boundless energy, and his willingness to press and harry defenders was no doubt one of the things that caught the eye of the Portland scouting team.
Tied at 1-1 in the dying minutes of the game, the new addition zipped around the field with the energy of a substitute, despite having started the game.
More beneficial than his hustle, however, is the connection he has with the fans after just eleven games. After winning a late corner, he urged on the already raucous fans in Providence Park bringing them to a frenzied crescendo.
It’s that kind of attitude that fans love to see from their players, especially when they couple it with hustle, technique, and intelligence—all things which his predecessor lacked. It’s safe to say that Sebastian Blanco is loving Portland, and they, in turn, are loving him.
Many Happy Returns
Diego Valeri returned to action for the Portland Timbers for the first time since he left the Cascadia clash at home against Vancouver on April 22nd. Despite only completing 10 of 20 passes in Atlanta’s half, the team looked much more cohesive with Valeri’s return. Valeri’s mere presence made his teammates more dangerous, despite having a limited impact on the game in terms of numbers. The Argentine only requires a momentary lapse from a defender to punish teams, and that gives space to his fellow Timbers.
Regardless of his impact in this match, Valeri has proven time and again that he’s one of the most important pieces for the Timbers. Players will have an off game every now and then, so for Valeri’s to come on the back of a hip flexor injury that kept him out of action for two games is unsurprising. A crucial cog for his side, Valeri and Timbers fans alike will hope that he can quickly recapture his pre-injury form.
Next: Sebastian Blanco: The Player Portland Wanted in Lucas Melano
With some precious minutes under his belt to regain sharpness, Valeri and the Timbers head to Montreal next Saturday, who have already conceded 17 goals in 10 games and sit bottom of the Eastern Conference. With the possible to probable return of Darlington Nagbe, the Timbers offense may just be able to paper over the cracks in the defense long enough for their new center back to arrive.