Before I get into anything serious I’d like to posit that Sunday’s game was a hell of a time. Dallas enters this game on a bittersweet high from their victory last Sunday versus New York. Fabian Castillo left the game in the 31st minute with a knee knock that could potentially sideline him for Saturday’s game. David Ferreira is still not quite 100% and is more than likely going to be on the sidelines as well. Brek Shea will be out due to U-23 Olympic duty. Other than that, the boys in red will have a full, healthy squad coming in on the high of toppling New York and gaining some much needed vengeance.
Portland looked, well, improved last Monday night. Kris Boyd is the seasoned finisher that Kenny Cooper wasn’t. Kalif Alhassan and Eric Alexander both looked great on the wings, Alhassan being the better of the two and the provider for Boyd’s first goal in the MLS (despite his rice-paddy, Hellraiser-styled ‘do). Yet, the Timbers looked uninspired in the first half versus the Union (who looked equally as uninspired). With a force like the Timbers Army at your back it’d be tough to see how one couldn’t be amped up for every, single home match. That did all change, however, in the second half. John Spencer more than likely rolled out every curse in the Scottish dictionary to get his boys moving, and they acted in kind. Alhassan and Boyd were certainly the two most dangerous threats from Portland, with Perlaza playing a lesser role, but having occasional moments of brilliance. Darlington Nagbe came on late in the match and looked like much more of a threat in the middle of the park than any of his compatriots. It makes you wonder why he stayed on the bench for so long. Still, Portland did come out with a solid win from an opponent (Philadelphia) in flux and without its star keeper or its former star striker (well done, Novak!).
Possible Lineups
With Dallas’ lack of depth on the wings the health of Fabian Castillo will be crucial for Saturday’s match. The absence of Shea on the left will more than likely allow Rodriguez, or potentially Wiedeman, to fill that role. Ferreira will be out. Villar will hopefully be buoyed by his opening-day goal to fill the trequartista void in the center of the midfield. Benitez and Loyd (both outside backs) will need to have a stellar match in reducing the amount of services that are sent into Boyd, as he has already proven to be a class above inside the 18. Neutralizing Alhassan would be a good start. Positioning Wiedeman versus Alexander will be easier than pairing him against Alhassan. Rodriguez, a defensive-minded winger, will fill that role well (a shrewd move by Hyndman). The holes in the back for Portland (who were really unchallenged by Philly) still remain from last season, when FCD outscored Portland 7-3 over the course of two games (going 1-1 in the process). Portland’s center backs were exposed more than anyone else, and starting center back Jean-Baptiste was responsible for the own goal that glanced off his head from a Philly set piece in the first half (he won’t start this match). Winning the wings will give Dallas a massive edge on Saturday, and the combinations made by Blas Perez and Ricardo Villar will set Dallas apart from the Timbers – let’s hope the boys are healthy and up for it.
Odds and Ends:
- Luis Perea (a 6’2” Columbian striker, age: 25) and Scott Sealy (a trialist and MLS veteran) have been signed as of 3/13. Perea has played professionally in Columbia, Peru, and Chile since leaving the US after high school (he lived here from ages 12 to 18). His signing is a product of Clavijo’s new role as FCD technical director, who knew Perea’s family.
- The FCD reserves beat RSL’s reserves 3-1 on Tuesday (3/13) after going down 1-0 before the half. Goals from Jonathan Top (who also had an assist), Luis Perea (who had literally just landed in Dallas after flying in from Peru, also had an assist), and Bryan Leyva lifted Dallas during the second half and towards victory.
(image courtesy of fcdallas.com)
