Timbers get another crack at the Carolina RailHawks

By: Bob Kellett | May 1st, 2009

After a day off to rest our weary voices, nurse our hangovers, and re-watch 90 minutes of scoreless soccer on USL Live (hooray), it is time to get things going again. Same teams, same stadium, same result? Perhaps. The Portland Timbers and Carolina RailHawks (3-0-1, 10pts) have played three times at PGE Park. We’re still waiting to see a goal. We’re also waiting for the 2009 Timbers (0-1-1, 1pt) to get on the scoreboard. We’re waiting with a degree of patience, while telling ourselves that it is a long season and this is a new team and it will take time and there is no reason to hit the panic button quite yet. Saturday’s game is only the third of 30 and it certainly is not a must-win in the grand scheme of things, but a win would help assuage some of the worry. A goal or two, especially from any of the forwards, would provide some hope. Another nil-nil draw or a loss? Let’s not even think about it.

Five belated thoughts about Thursday’s game

The Timbers were awfully lucky to withstand the initial 20 minutes. The team came out surprisingly flat. On-loan keeper Chris Seitz didn’t look like someone with youth international experience. Fortunately the team settled down and so did Seitz. Another start like that and an early goal by Carolina could spell doom on Saturday.
Mandjou Keita scored 36 goals in 42 games in Malaysia. Even if the Malaysian league is garbage and from what I saw of it while I was there last year it smells of decomposing methane, it is hard to believe that he could score that many goals and not have talent. The first two games he has looked like the anti-striker. If this guy finishes, the Timbers might be sitting on six points right now. If this guy doesn’t finish, he might as well be sitting next to the Kiwi.
This year’s squad appears to be the least physical in Gavin Wilkinson’s three years at the helm. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was critical of the unnecessary physical play displayed last year. Remember all those red cards? I don’t see that being a problem with this cast of characters — and I say this after a game that saw the team pick up five cautions.
One thing that hasn’t changed is a lack of overall team speed. I’d be curious to see Brian Farber up front. His athleticism could stretch the field. He doesn’t have Bryan Jordan speed but he (well, Nimo too) might be the closest guys to having it.
The possession in the second half was encouraging. It will be wonderful to see the ball rolled around while they are in the lead.

Some fireworks, some of the usual quotes, and some other stuff

Being Gavin Wilkinson
How about that defense on Thursday? Zero goals. Did Carolina even touch the ball in the second half? Reminds me of that time I teamed up with Beni, Brent, and Keith to shut down that vaunted Calgary Mustangs attack. I still have the turf burns from that one. Here are the guys who I will challenge to lay skin to turf against Carolina.

Seitz
Nishimura Knowles Keel Hayes
Farber Claesson McManus Pore
Suzuki Keita

No reason to tinker too much. This lineup trumps Roy, Blake, Fernandez, Aldridge, and Przybilla any day of the week.

Predict the attendance, win no prize
There is usually a drop off between the home opener and the second game. Last year there was a 6,056 drop off between game one (10,977) and game two (4,921). This year there will be a drop off (perhaps weather-related), but it won’t be much. Let’s go with an announced attendance of 6,789.

Pregame festivities
There’s some tailgate action going on in the parking lot across from the stadium at SW 18th and Salmon starting at 4pm. All are welcome.

Match previews