Let’s Start the Season, Eh?

By: Bob Kellett | April 23rd, 2009

A queasy, excited stomach. That is a sure sign that the Portland Timbers are almost ready to kick off their season. It happens every year. Forty-eight hours before the first match I get really, really nervous. Silly, really. I will have nothing to do with the outcome of Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Whitecaps. I’ll be watching it from the bat cave on USL Live (free this year, so you have no excuse not to squint at your computer for 90 minutes — public showings at Beulahland, 118 NE 28th). Still, I am nervous. My nerves mainly stem from uncertainty. This year’s bunch is probably the most unfamiliar cast of characters since the Agnello year. Add the fact that life has prevented me from seeing the heroes in person, and I can honestly say I have no clue how things are going to turn out this season. That could be a good thing. Expectations were too high last year and the results…well, you know the results. This year there are no expectations. The team looks better on paper, but let’s face it, it is hard to look worse than the team that tanked in 2008.

Swangard Saga
Opening up on the road against the defending league champions is less than an easy task. Throw in the fact that the Timbers have never had success in Vancouver and it makes the season opener even less appealing. Portland is 1-13-1 on the road against the Whitecaps. They’ve been outscored 33-11 in Burnaby. Not good. What is good is that the vast majority of this year’s squad has not been part of that dismal past. New season, new optimism, and all that.

Speaking of struggling
Because of the oddity that is the USL-1 schedule, Vancouver has already played three games. The Caps are off to a slow start with a pair of draws and a loss. It is hard to imagine a team with the talent that they have continuing on that pace. Come playoff time I fully expect that they’ll be one of the favorites.

Better than Napoleon?
Preseason quote: “Steve is the best goalkeeper the Timbers have had while I’ve been here,” says coach/ General Manager Gavin Wilkinson, who has been with Portland since it joined the USL in 2001.

Ten games into the season: “We need to have better goalkeeping. I expect more from a guy with Steve’s experience,” says Gavin Wilkinson, who has never met a player who he hasn’t called out in the media.

JT
One familiar face on the Caps roster is Justin Thompson. After spending two seasons in Portland’s backline, JT is back playing in his home province. He’s only played in one game thus far, logging the full 90 minutes. Remember the maple syrup/Canadian bacon shape he was in at the start of last season? Let’s hope his offseason regime was the same this past winter.

Also worth noting that former Timbers’ nemesis Jeff Clarke is no longer playing for Vancouver. That guys always seemed to play beyond his ability when he faced Portland.

Being Gavin Wilkinson
Crap, my psychic connection to the boss is out of service. Not having watched a minute of preseason action, I can hardly speculate about his starting XI. Here goes nothing:

Cronin
Thompson Keel Knowles Hayes
Nimo McManus Claesson Pore
Suzuki Keita

Please correct me on this.

A message from Blog Central
I can’t say no. That is my downfall in life. As a result I remain overscheduled and overextended. That means this blog will probably continue to suffer at least until early June. I’ll do my best, but in this case my best won’t be very good. For other people doing better, check out these resources. You’ll also want to add this one to your daily soccer reading.