Who are ya? - Atlanta Silverbacks

By: Bob Kellett | June 11th, 2008

The Details: Portland Timbers v Atlanta Silverbacks, Thursday, June 12, 7pm, PGE Park. Web audio broadcast, Video webcast, Spanish radio on La X 1040AM

How they doin’?: After making it all the way to the USL First Division final in 2007, the Atlanta Silverbacks (3-3-3) have struggled to gain consistent form this year. Currently holding the seventh spot in the table, the Silverbacks enter Thursday’s contest having not won a league game away from home this season. On Tuesday night they defeated the PDL’s Austin Aztex in penalties to advance to the second round of the US Open Cup. And then they flew back to Atlanta before flying to Portland because they already had already booked a flight from Georgia. Lower division soccer is always an adventure.

Familiar faces:
As far as I have been able to ascertain, the Silverbacks do not have a player on their roster who has ever suited up for the Portland Timbers. Last year they had Dizzy Antoniuk but he bolted for Carolina during the offseason.

Keep an eye on:

* Jason McLaughlin - The Silberbacks striker/outside midfielder leads the team in goals with four tallies and two assists on the season. He was traded last year to Montreal for Antoniuk and then was dealt to Vancouver where he played 19 games for the Whitecaps. Always beware of players that are traded in this league. They often have talent if put in the right system.

* David Hayes - The 2007 USL First Division defender of the year, Hayes is a threat on the offensive end too. He scored seven goals and dished out five assists last year. He has two goals this year. After bouncing from DC United to Milwaukee to Rochester to Richmond, Hayes has settled in nicely as a mainstay in Atlanta’s backline.

* Tony McManus - A tidy midfielder who has played in Atlanta since 2005. He does the dirty work in the center of the pitch.

* Macoumba Kandji - He might be the only player from Senegal we see all year at PGE Park (unless one of those unannounced friendlies is against a Senegalese side). At 6′4″ he has the size to give defenders trouble. He has two league goals and scored against Austin on Tuesday.

The series: These two clubs have met seven times with the series split at 3-3-1. At PGE Park, things are even at 1-1-1. In 2007, the Timbers defeated Atlanta on the road and played to a scoreless draw at home. You might also have those painful images of the Silverbacks knocking the Timbers out of the playoffs on penalties in the semifinals in Portland in your mind. Or if you are like me you have had enough booze by now to forget that game even happened. I’m consuming paint thinner as I type to erase the term “Hollywood United” from my memory.

Final random thoughts: Neither team enters this game playing like world beaters. The Silverbacks have been up and down all season The Timbers have one win in their past 10 league games and haven’t won at home since April 26. Both teams played in the US Open Cup on Tuesday night. Atlanta went with a lineup that was made up primarily of their starters. The Timbers played a largely reserve lineup. Gavin Wilkinson is on record as saying that he didn’t pay much attention to the US Open Cup. Evidently that means he is paying attention to the regular season and that this game gets priority. It is the last league game for the Timbers until June 27. I suspect the players will be eager to put the Hollywood United debacle behind them and to head to the break on a high note, but will they have the legs and ability to do so? Portland has played four more games than the Silverbacks. Atlanta has conceded the most goals in the league and they do like to play a wide open style of soccer so we might see some goals in this one. It has been hard to keep the faith this season, but faith keeping we must. Perhaps this will be the game when it comes all together for boys in green. If not, there is always beer.

Game Previews (I’ll post them when I see them)

Silverbacks Face Portland in 200 [sic] Semifinal Rematch Thursday (Atlanta Silverbacks)

Atlanta soccer team wanted Suzuki, too (Portland Tribune)

Wilkinson: No one stepped up for Timbers (Portland Tribune)

Timbers battle with Atlanta tonight at PGE Park (Portland Timbers)