Timbers Grab Bag 06.16.08

By: Bob Kellett | June 16th, 2008

Through 14 games…
2008: 4-4-6, 18pts, 12GF, 13GA
2007: 9-2-3, 30pts, 22GF, 9GA
2006: 5-4-5, 20pts, 16GF, 15GA
2005: 5-5-4, 19pts, 18GF, 22GA
2004: 9-5-0, 27pts, 31GF, 17GA
2003: 7-7-0, 21pts, 16GF, 18GA
2002: 4-7-3, 15pts, 13GF, 18GA
2001: 8-4-2, 26pts, 20GF, 17GA

By my calculations the Timbers are off to their second worst start in the modern era in terms of points through 14 games. They’ve also scored the fewest goals of any team at this stage of the season. The team did not make the playoffs in 2002 and y’all probably remember 2006 all too well. I’m not saying we’re going to see the same thing happen this year, but unless they make a bit of a run during the second half of the season we might be biting our nails in the final few weeks.

Friendly Fatigue?
The only reason for the Portland Timbers to schedule a match against Juventus’ youth team and other international teams is to draw a big crowd to PGE Park. I was a bit surprised that only 8,135 showed up on a beautiful Saturday night to watch them take on Juventus Primavera. I’m part of the problem, of course. I didn’t attend. The luster of watching the Timbers scrimmage against teams from other countries has worn off for me. I think it has for some other fans too. Let’s take a look at the attendance numbers for the international friendlies:

Sunderland (2005) – 15,376
AC Milan’s U-21 (2007) – 11,092
Coventry City (2006) – 10,985
Preston North End (2007) – 8,238
Juventus Primavera (2008) – 8,135
Club Necaxa (2007) – 7,761

None of these are terrible attendance numbers, mind you, but with the way the Timbers are attracting 7,000-9,000 crowds for regular season games it makes me wonder if the extra money spent to promote and host the friendlies is money well spent, if it all pencils out. My guess is that it does, since the club is playing four of them this season, but a part of me thinks that too many of these things take away from some of the excitement.

Which lineup is stronger?
Gavin Wilkinson’s lineup choices against Hollywood United:
GK James, D Bolkan, D J. Thompson (Guante 66), D Griffin, D Karalexis, M Oka, M Lara, M Dombrowski, M Little, F Brown (Suzuki, 45), F Bagley

Gavin Wilkinson’s lineup choices against Juventus Primavera:
GK James, D Griffin, D Karalexis, D J. Thompson, D Knowles, M Dombrowski, M Guante (Lara, 73), M Little (Oka, 59), M Brown, F Bagley (Adzemian, 89), F Suzuki

Looking at the backup keepers
Ray Burse was on FC Dallas’ bench on Sunday as he continues to jet set between Texas and Oregon. Josh Wicks was not on the bench for the LA Galaxy on Saturday for the first time all season. Wicks, who has played zero first-team minutes for LA this season, is out with a left knee injury. How about a possible rehab stint in Portland? The more I look at the Burse situation in Dallas the more I think the Timbers are going to need to find another keeper for the second half of the season. If Bryan Jordan can be brought back on loan, how about Wicks too? [Update: Forget it. Wicks is out 4-6 weeks. ]