ESPN MLS Playoffs Update

2009 MLS Playoffs

The first round of the MLS playoffs begins tonight in Shittle. The Flounders face the potent Houston Dynamo at 7pm tonight. ESPN2 will carry the game live so at halftime of the Blazer game flip on over. A total of eight teams will face off in search of the MLS Cup. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches will determine the winners. We will keep you updated.

Eastern Conference

• Columbus Crew vs. Real Salt lake - Saturday 3pm
• Chicago Fire vs. New England Revolution - Sunday 11pm Live Fox Soccer Channel
  

Western Conference

• Los Angles Galaxy vs. Chivas USA - Sunday - 2pm Live ESPN 2
• Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders - Thursday 7pm Live ESPN2
  

Vancouver and Montreal are out of USL

Montreal the 2009 USL Champions, and Vancouver the 2009 runner up are out of the USL for next year according to the new owners of the USL.

In an interview with Montreal radio station CKAC, Papadakis confirmed that neither of the Canadian based clubs would be part of the USL for the 2010 season after the two sides failed to reach an agreement for continuing play next season and that the T.O.A (Team Owner's Association) was ready to move in another direction.

"The negotiations are finished," Papadakis told CKAC. "We decided to continue our preparation for the season 2010 with the teams which wished to remain with us."
Papadakis also stated that there were no hard feelings on either side.

"I would like to thank the two Canadian teams, the WhiteCaps and the Impact, for all that contributed to the USL for the past few years," Papadakis told CKAC. "They were excellent for our league and I have much admiration for them. Now, I wish them good luck in their future plans. "

This could be just hardball tactics coming from Papadakis, as there is no additional information as of yet. We will keep you posted.

SMU Freshman Hits 95 yard soccer goal

Portland Loves Its Grass

With the rennovations to PGE Park looming on the horizon, many fans have begun to wonder if the 2011 Portland Timbers will be playing on natural grass or will they be forced to continue on the artificial turf? The new MLS field will mark the first-ever soccer specific stadium built for a professional team in Portland's history, quite a significant moment for local soccer enthusiasts. Natural grass is best and it's natural for the best soccer fans in the world to want the best for their team. I think many of us are familiar with the cliched pros & cons in the grass/turf debate, but up in Toronto there's been some interesting developments to their stadium that we in Portland could possibly learn from.

In 2010 the Toronto FC will play their first ever Major League Soccer match on a grass pitch at the new-look BMO Field. The ownership group in Toronto has decided to tear out the "top of the line" artificial turf or "FieldTurf" at the end of this MLS season. After just three years, Toronto has decided fake grass was just not suitable for soccer and will replace the FieldTurf with plain, old, natural grass.

The reasons Toronto made the change are important to look at. First, attracting top talent was becoming a challenge for them. The best players, who have the ability to play long carers in football, don't want to put themselves in situations that could threaten the stability or health of their careers. It's been a long-time criticism of FieldTurf that the artificial surface is less forgiving and rougher on the body. The statistics and studies backing up player claims is hazy at best, but the stats don't matter if there is a player perception that fake turf is worse than grass. Professional sports is a business, that's THE bottom-line. Don't believe me - take a look at Beckham and the LA Galaxy.

Being on the same playing field as everyone else was another motivation for Toronto's change of heart. The Summer of 2009 saw many of the world's top clubs visit North America in well attended exhibition matches against MLS squads. The visiting clubs requested the games be played on natural grass and at great expense, many stadiums took out the turf and replaced it with real grass. So, why wait? The revenue generated from these international games was a great financial gain to the clubs and the owners of the stadiums. Attracting top clubs, international friendlies, and World Cup Qualifiers will be a much easier task for Portland if we're running around on the same surface preferred by the rest of the world.

So far, the Timbers have been pretty tight-lipped over the rennovation plans, as their probably still finalizing many of the details themselves. We are in the process of researching and discussing the rennovation with the Portand Timber's organization. We'll see what information they can provide soon, but here at DroppingTimber, we want to make sure that they know that anything besides grass in the new PGE Park is simply unnacceptable. What do you think? If you agree then....

A Call to Action!
Grab your pitchforks and lets storm the castle!
*** Join the campaign now and bring grass to PGE Park. ***

Dicks Sporting Goods Park - Stadium Profile

Dick's Sporting Goods Park is the home of the Colorado Rapids. It opened on April 7, 2007 for a team scrimmage for season ticket holders and the residents of Commerce City, where the stadium is located. The stadium is located on the outskirts of Denver near the large international airport. It holds around 19,600 people for a football match and can accommodate 26,000 plus for a concert.
The stadium wraps the field on three sides with stands and two large roofs to cover fans on both sides of the field. It also features an open concourse design which allows people to watch the action while getting a beer or finding their way back to their seats. The playing surface is good ole natural Kentucky bluegrass.
Dick's is part of a sprawling outdoor sports complex that features 22 natural grass fields and 2 synthetic fields all of which have lighting. The stadium itself is a great venue to see a match, but I would much rather have my stadium downtown, so I can celebrate the victory.

Kid gives a right cross

Steve Cronin goes international in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals

DC united was in Mexico today playing in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals against Toluca at the Estadio Nemesio Diez. Cronin had some big saves and the only goal he gave up came off a PK in a 1-1 draw. Steve was also instrumental in DC's only goal DC, which he helped setup with a monster goal kick. No Major League Soccer team has ever won a game on Mexican soil. United's fate in this cup now resides with Marathon of Honduras, if they lose or tie on Thursday will decide who advances. Video highlights and a killer soundtrack below...

Toronto FC Stadium Profile - BMO Field

The excitment is building over what the final plans of the new PGE Park soccer stadium will look like. There are few definte details and no substainal renderings of what owner Merrit Paulson has in mind. The offical Portland MLS 2011 website has very few specifics but promises fans closer seats to the field, a super awesome video sound system that will blow your mind, new team store, more places to drain the main vein and more places to stuff your face and get your drink on. We will keep you up to date when any Timber stadium news breaks, but until then we will be profiling some of the better stadiums in the MLS.
The city of Toronto built and owns BMO Field the home of Toronto FC. It was built at a cost around $58 million and took a year to build. The opening game was played on April 28th, 2007 to a sold out crowd, the official capacity at BMO is 20,500. The playing surface is turf, but the Toronto City Council voted to install natural grass after this 2009 MLS season. As you can see in the picture above, it has a little European flare with Toronto spelled out in the seats. Toronto has sold over 16,000 season tickets and claims to have over 15,000 people on season ticket waiting lists. The calls for expansion of the stadium have already begun, as they look to build a second deck to the east side of the stadium that would add around 8000 seats. I have never been to BMO, but the reason I like it is the simplicty of the stadium itself. The fans are right on top of the action on three sides of the field. On the one end with no stands is a large beer garden. The atomsphere is great as just about every seat in the house is taken, which make for a great atomsphere and more watchable on TV. Also, Toronto has learned from the mistake of putting in truf, and is now going foward with ripping it out and replacing it with what God intended, beautiful green grass. Portland has plenty of great green grass around and it should only be natural that we bring it to the new stadium. Portland can learn a lot from looking at what the other stadiums in the league have done.

Liverpool Vs. Sunderland Beach ball Goal

A Liverpool beach ball was batted unto the field by a young fan and minutes later the beach ball deflects a shot on goal. Needless to say the keeper was right there to make the save until it hit the beach ball and went the other way. This is one the craziest goals I have ever seen.

Fan Loses Game For Home Team - Watch more Funny Videos

Steve Cronin Stops the Columbus Crew

In a must win, in bad conditions Steve Cronin held the line in goal. It was his first game for DC United, who signed him on loan from the Timbers. He had a total of six saves against the defending champions and the league's best record Columbus Crew. Cronin only had a few days to get ready for this big match, but as you already know Cronin is a machine.

Here is what blog The DCenters had to say about him

Let me just start by saying that Steve Cronin impressed the hell out of me last night. He played confidently, and he did not hesitate to come off of his line or even out of the box. At one point last night, he ran almost to the corner flag to shield a Crew player off the ball until it ran out for a goal kick. He was completely alone in the corner, the goal mouth was empty and the wet conditions at RFK meant that if the ball had not rolled out, he would have been in a position needing to play the ball with his feet 1 v 1 against the attacking player. I wouldn't say that it was a nervous moment, because it worked out fine, but I mention it because it was the type of heads up, proactive goalkeeping that you don't see very often and with it, he made things a lot easier for himself. The score line shows him earning a 6 save shutout and he earned Man of the Match honors as a result of a text-message poll of fans there at RFK.

Check out the highlights below. At the 2 minute mark the Crew's keeper takes out his own defender. Whoops. The second video are some post game questions for Cronin, who is keeping his Ptown roots by not shaving.

Dropping Timber Forums

We just launched the Dropping Timber Forums. We are keeping it simple with two forums- one for Timbers and USL talk and another for general soccer discussion. Our plan is to keep things tightly focused on soccer with intelligent analysis and in-depth discussion of anything related to the Timbers. Registration is really quick, so we encourage everyone to head on over and register.

Since it is off-season, we are experimenting and testing a few ideas out. If you have any suggestions on how we can take these forums to the next level, leave us a note at droppingtimber@gmail.com.

Wilkinson Wins 2nd Coach of the Year Award - Keita Passed Over for MVP

"Mr. Timber" Gavin Wilkinson was named the 2009 USL-1 Coach of the Year this afternoon at the league's media banquet. With the honor, Coach Wilkinson becomes the first coach in league history to win the Coach of the Year award twice - Wilkinson previously won in 2007.

It's been a great few days for Gavin. Earlier in the week signing on for another year as the Timber's Head Coach and now being recognized for leading Portland to another Commissioner's Cup winning season. Should Wilkinson be the Timber's Head Coach in 2011? Is there anybody else that should get the job? Who deserves it more than Mr. Timber?

Keita Loses MVP

This is a mild outrage. I know that Cristian Arrieta is very valuable to Puerto Rico's attack. A defender that brings so much skill to the offensive side of the game, Arrieta scored 10 goals on the year and finished tied for 2nd on the points table. That's great, we can all agree, but the Timbers shattered the USL's unbeaten streak record and Keita was the leading scoring on the team. He also was the league's points champion and he did it in his first ever season in the USL. Certianly, I'm biased, but what would you have done if you had a vote for MVP?

Read more here...

Portland Timbers Love

MLS Talk ran a piece on the Timbers today titled "What the Portland Timbers Mean to the Credibility of MLS."

Yet despite the attention surrounding the Sounders, Portland’s 2011 entrance into the American top-flight will raise the bar once more. Simply stated, Portland has the best set of supporters in American soccer. Before the backlash begins, allow me to explain. Working in the Pacific Northwest soccer scene has given me a unique insight into the Interstate 5 corridor. From Portland to Vancouver, this part of North America is rife with football support that stems from large expatriate communities and local ties to the defunct North American Soccer League. Carrying the self-proclaimed title of “Soccer City USA”, Portland can bear this label because no other city rallies behind a second tier club in the same manner as Timbers fans.

As if you didn't already know this.

2010 World Cup Qualifying Nations

3 More for 2010 Argentina, Slovakia and HondurasThis is a list of the 22 teams that have now qualified for the next years World Cup hosted by South Africa. A total of 32 nations will play in the WC, and we will keep you updated as this list grows.

• South Africa
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
  
• Netherlands
• North Korea
  
• Brazil
• Ghana
• England
• Spain
• Paraguay
• Ivory Coast
  
• Germany
• Denmark
• Serbia
• Italy
• Chile
• Mexico
• United States
• Slovakia
• Argentina
• Honduras
  

Red Bull Arena Right Now

Check out the construction web cam at Red Bull Arena. The sod is being added now to the future home of the New York Red Bulls. The stadium will be ready for the 2010 MLS Season.

Gavin Signs One Year Deal

Gavin Wilkinson will return as the club's general manger and head coach of the Timbers next year. he has been the general manger of the Timbers since the 2006 season, and previously he played as a defender for the Timbers from 2001-2006.

Charlie Davies Injured in Car Crash

From the US Soccer Federation

U.S. National Soccer Team forward Charlie Davies is in serious but stable condition and resting following several hours of surgery at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. to treat injuries suffered in a one-car accident on the George Washington Parkway early Tuesday morning in Northern Virginia.

Davies suffered a lacerated bladder and fractures to the tibia and femur bones in his right leg. He also suffered facial fractures and a left elbow fracture. Davies was air-lifted to the hospital where a team of doctors first repaired a ruptured bladder and then inserted titanium rods in both the tibia, the bone in the lower leg, and the femur, which is the thigh bone, with no complications. Davies will be hospitalized for at least a week and additional surgeries will be required to stabilize his left elbow fracture and possibly the facial fractures.

Charlie Davies traveled to the DC area in preparation for Wednesday's final WC qualifier game against Costa Rica. The accident occurred around 3:15AM, Davies was riding with two females, one who died at the scene. A park police spokesman told reporters that the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle and struck a metal railing. Ashley J. Roberta, 22, from Phoenix, Md., died at the scene. Davies is in serious but stable condition.

World Cup Great Goals

1998 World Cup Quarterfinals Netherlands and Argentina are tied at 1 with minutes left in the game. A great long ball from Frank De Boer finds Dennis Bergkamp in the box and three touches later it was a 2-1 victory for the Dutch. The first video is how US viewers saw it and the second how Holland saw it.

2010 World Cup Qualifying

This is a list of the 19 teams that have now qualified for the next years World Cup hosted by South Africa. A total of 32 nations will play in the WC, and we will keep you updated as this list grows.

• South Africa
• Japan
• Australia
• Korea Republic (south)
• Netherlands
• Korea DPR (north)
  
• Brazil
• Ghana
• England
• Spain
• Paraguay
• Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
  
• Germany
• Denmark
• Serbia
• Italy
• Chile
• Mexico
• United States

Timber Gym?

Timber Gym from Jamon Van Den Hoek on Vimeo.

USA Qualifies for its Sixth Straight World Cup

USA defeated Honduras 3-2 in World Cup qualifying on Saturday and has now qualifyied for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Third Times a Charm?

Steve Cronin is heading back to the MLS. The Portland Timbers have agreed to loan Cronin to DC United for the remainder of the MLS season. DC United is still battling to make the playoffs with 2 league games left to play (vs Columbus 10/17, vs Kansas City 10/24). They'll also play Toluca FC in the CONCACAF Champions league match in Mexico on the 20th.

For a team that's allowed more goals than they've scored perhaps a new look in front of the net wouldn't be the worst idea. Cronin has certainly earned his opportunity, winning USL's Goal-Keeper of the Year and being a strong and dominating presence behind Portland's backline all season. Good for Cronin, hope he gets an opportunity to play major minues and show what he can really do.

Here's more from uslsoccer.com.

KEITA FOR MVP!!!
Mandjou Keita is one of 2 finalists of the USL's 2009 MVP. Puerto Rico's Cristian Arrieta, 2008 Defender of the Year, is nominated along side Keita for this year's Player of the Year honors. The winner will be announced this upcoming Friday. Read more here.

AND Some BIG Soccer matches to watch today. ..
If you can stomach it - USL Championship, Game 1, Montreal vs Vancouver, 6:30pm

And if you can find a place to watch it - USA vs Honduras, 7:00pm

*great photo by Cronin's better half, Laura Kristi, check out her site.

Minnesota, Miami and Carolina Players Released

As we reported earlier (Will The Timbers be Playing in the USL Next Season?) several teams called the TOA are going to be splitting off from the USL. The league president sent an email to all players on Minnesota, Miami and Carolina letting them know that they were released from their contracts. The links on the official USL Soccer Page to these three teams no longer work as well. Brian Wellman, president of the Railhawks, has a different viewpoint on whether the players are actually released:

It’s a little unfortunate, it may have been a bit of a posturing, scare tactic technique on the part of the league due to the nature of the negotiation. It was unnecessary and unfortunate. We met with our players today [Saturday, Oct. 3] for about an hour and a half to explain the entire situation. Our players are under contract with us, and they’re under registration to the federation whether we play in the USL, in a new league or partnering with the MLS, wherever we play next year, our players are under contract with us.

This could soon affect the teams playing in the final:

First of all, Vancouver and Montreal, they can’t be contacted at all because they’re still playing [in the USL playoffs]—even though they’re in the TOA, they’re in our situation. The day they stop playing, they’re going to receive everything we received because they’ve not renewed.That’s the only reason why [they didn't receive the same email as Miami, Minnesota and Carolina], because they’re still playing.

(Full interview with Wellman)

For the Timbers, this is an opportunity for Gavin Wilkinson to begin to scour those rosters and look for prospects. Of course that is only the silver lining. The downside is that the TOA currently has more teams than USL-1, so something is going to have to give.

Miami FC Fans Look to Becks

Miami FC averaged the lowest attendance in 2009 with just around 1000 peeps deciding to show up. An end of the season plea to the fans that one player would shave his head for every 500 fans who showed up, only cost 1.5 Miami FC players their locks, because only 860 Floridians showed up. So what are such die hard fans to do when they need a boost for an MLS club, pray to the great messiah, David Beckham. It has been widely reported that Beckham is interested in ownership of a club, he at one point said "I have the right to own an MLS franchise, which I will action immediately after I have stopped playing." David's contract with the Galaxy will end in 2012, and that time his contract gives him an option to buy a MLS franchise.

We reported rumors a few months ago about Beckham being interested in Montreal, which has a huge loyal fan base that averaged around 12k a game this year, but could you see Beckham and the spice girl really living in cold Montreal? I think not, but the MLS is expanding the next few years, with the Union next year and Vancouver and Ptown in 2011. Beckham and Montreal in 2012 could be the perfect little fit just imagine the providence being renamed to QueBecks. This rumor of Beckham and Montreal has been refuted by the Beckham people and really is only tabloid bs.

British newspaper the Sunday Mirror and Miami FC blogs report that Miami has caught the eye of Beckham and that there is interest in bringing a new Team Beckham MLS outfit to South Florida. Hey the second time might be the charm right? A new stadium and a team that galvanizes the huge Latino population could be a success for the MLS and Miami. The city is one of the largest US cities without an MLS side and some of the strongest Latino roots. Sources say that Beckham is now looking for the right financial partners and sponsors to make this Miami bid a reality. Besides Posh Spice likes to get her tan on.

Brian Farber's first goal for the Timbers

Brian Farber scores a header off a great cross from Ryan Pore on May 2nd at PGE Park against the Carolina RailHawks. The play started with a quickly taken free kick, which caught the complaining RailHawks off guard. The final result was 2-0 first win of the season. Here are a few angles from fans in the stands.

Burnley remains unbeaten at home

A 2-1 victory over Birmingham has extended a 4 game unbeaten streak at home. Burnley remains in the ninth spot in the EPL with a 4-4 record for thus season thus far. Video highlights below.

Watch Burnley v Birmingham MotD Highlights in Sports Online | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Timbers Roster for 2010?

For the upcoming 2010 season, the Timbers only have 3 players that are currently under contract. Ryan Pore, Jason Mclaughlin, and Tony Mcmanus were all signed to 2-year deals and will be entering the final year of their contracts. I'm not sure if any of the other players have extensions or options on their contracts. I've heard rumors that Cronin might have an extension, but either way I'm sure Paulson and management will be bringing him back for next season and maybe even for 2011 (maybe as a backup). And of course, Scott Thompson will be in Portland next year - I'm not sure if we could ever get rid of Scotty, even if we actually wanted to. So, who else needs to come back? Or who else would you like to see stay in Portland?

I'd say we need to make sure we keep Keita. I'm thinking he'll have a chance to go to a higher profile league and make bigger money after his successful 2009 season, but hopefully Paulson will be able to pay him. I'd say Knowles, Hayes, Keel are also big keys. We had a solid defense this year, so lets try and keep it that way. But I wouldn't mind seeing a few changes to our midfield and maybe even some small tweaks upfront. A little new blood is always good.

Who do you think is gone for sure? Nimo? Is there anyway Portland can borrow Nimo for a little longer? Taka or Nishi? I think we can use skill players like them, but does it seem likely that both of them will stay in Portland for another year? I'm not so sure. Should Portland try to make improvements or do you not mess with something that's already working?

*** As we get more information on the potential roster changes or new contract details, we'll let you know.

Oh, by the way, Steve Cronin's fiance is smokin' hot. It looks like she's an aspiring actress. Support her and go check out her blog, plus she's really hot, did i mention that?

POSTGAME: A Great Season Ends Too Soon

As the refs blew the final whistle on the Timber's season a heavy silence fell over the 14,283 fans in attendance at PGE Park on Sunday. Some fans quickly shuffled out in disappointment, but many decided to hang around in the stands for a bit longer. They stuck around and watched as the Timbers hung their heads in heartbreak, some players dropping to the ground instantly, the final whistle like a sharp blow to the gut. They watched the players console each other, literally picking each other up from off the field. They watched the Timbers begrudgingly congratulate the winning team for a job well done, the players wandering around the field with dazed and saddened expressions. And then the crowd erupted. They applauded and cheered and gave a standing ovation. They broke out into song. Some had tears in their eyes. The fans were telling the Timbers that they had nothing to feel ashamed about; showing their appreciation for all the team's efforts and accomplishments. And as the players walked by the Timber's army for one last time this year, returning their fan's admiration with heavy faces, it became painfully obvious that nobody in the stadium wanted this special season to end.

"What the hell do I do with myself now?" said Paul Sepp, die-hard Timber's fan and true aficionado of finely made, blue-ribbon winning beer.

"I'll force myself into a drunken hibernation and wake up in April." Elliott Porter babbled, fighting through tears.

"I need to shoot somebody or punch another human being in the face," commented one greenly-clad fan, possibly influenced by the emotional trauma of defeat as well as the pitchers of beer that surrounded him.

The result might not have been ideal, but the game on Sunday was certainly an exciting one. Every fan in attendance should have left PGE feeling like they go their money's worth and then some. Portland and Vancouver battled to a thrilling 3-3 draw, but the Timbers will now watch from home as the Whitecaps will move on to meet Montreal in the USL finals. Dropping the first game 2-1 in Vancouver, the Timbers find themselves as losers in this 2-game aggregate goal format, the overall final score 5-4 in the Whitecaps favor.

A fast-paced and thrilling match, the Timbers poured it on late, getting many close scoring chances, but failing to find the series equalizer. The end of the match was sadly plagued by controversial calls, specifically, on a couple of hand-ball calls. One, a no call on the Whitecaps 3rd goal during the scramble in front of the Timber's box. And two, the hand-ball called on Suzuki, when the correct call should have been a foul or hand-ball on the Vancouver player, either decision resulting in a PK kick for the Timbers.

However, the loss can't be blamed on the officiating. The Whitecaps played a solid match and they're playing some great soccer right now. It's why they've pulled off two upset in the playoffs as the #7 seed and are headed to the finals to defend their championship. Momentum is very important heading into the postseason. And unfortunately, the Whitecaps were building confidence, playing well in their final 10 games, as the Timbers were still struggling to regain their form after the infamous unbeaten streak.

Also, the Timber's defense didn't get it done. Haber wasn't even touched as he slipped by Timber defenders into the box for the Whitecaps first score. For a team that's only allowed 10 goals all year at PGE, it was tough to see them giving up easy scores. Steve Cronin didn't have his best game. A few times during the match he was caught out of position, the "no call" on the Whitecaps 3rd goal would not an even be an issue if he doesn't misjudge the incoming corner kick. Cronin also found himself stuck behind the player-wall on the Caps 2nd score, which apparently blocked his view as Nash blasted a shot past him into the top-right corner.

"This one is going to stay with me for a long time," Cronin said after the match.

Effort has been an issue for this team in their last handful of games, some questioning their intensity and focus as they headed into the postseason. However, for their last match, the Timbers would outwork the Caps, setting the tone with their aggressive play, and even earning a few early yellow cards to send a statement. The chances were there - they outshot Vancouver 15-10 and at times seemed like they were ready to break the match open. In the end, the Whitecap's size and efficiency was just too much to overcome, the Timbers coming up a goal short. Vancouver got everything the Timbers had to give and the team truly left their hearts out on the field. It was a gutty and inspired performance, a showing of team unity, not just for the growing beards on their faces, but from the way they held each other up and fought together. Now that's something that should stay with the fans for a long, long time.

- BOXSCORE -

- Photo credit goes to Brent Wojahn over at Oregonlive.com - check out his gallery it's amazing.

One last drop...

What are your thoughts? How do you feel about the the way the Timber's season ended? Bitter? Frustrated? Hopeful? We'll all have some time to sort through our feelings now that the offseason is upon us. And it's shaping up to be a very interesting winter. Who will be playing for the Timbers next season and for that matter, where will the Timbers be playing in 2010? How will Merrit Paulson and the team's management begin to build a foundation and shape this team as it makes preparations for the MLS in 2011? Check in with Dropping Timber, we'll dig through the shit.

A night of disappointment

It was a good match. In the end, the teams ended up tied, and the Timbers lost the aggregate series.

We'd like to stay off our soap box this time and just hear people's thoughts on the game, the playoffs, the season and the future. You can complain about the refs too and we won't mind.

GAME PREVIEW: A Do or Die Sunday for the Timbers

.

2009 USL Playoffs

Semi-Final Round

Portland Timbers

VS

Vancouver Whitecaps

4:00pm @ PGE Park

Sunday, October 4th

Live on Fox Soccer Channel or

Watch on USLlive.com

It's all on the line this Sunday for the Portland Timbers. After losing the first match on Thursday 2-1 in this 2-game semi-final series, the team now faces a must win situation, as they'll head into the match already down a goal with the aggregate scoring format. For the # 1 seeded team in the playoffs, their historic 24 match unbeaten streak and their Commissioner's Cup victory will be soured or perhaps minimalized if they don't have some significant success this postseason. The Timbers must carry the weight of these expectation with them, as well as the ghosts of past playoff failures as they prepare for what could be their last home-stand at PGE Park. A couple things on their side? The Whitecaps haven't scored a goal all season at PGE and the stands should be packed to the brim with boisterous fans.

Forced to play up in the rain at Vancouver, the Timbers seemed off their games, never finding any real rhythm. Maybe they all caught colds heading up north. Either way their effort probably made Coach Wilkinson a bit ill. Portland was plagued by turnovers and sloppy play, seemingly a step slow as they slopped around on the pitch. Poor defense was another symptom. The prime example being the Caps' 2nd goal of the match - Gbeke moving in towards the box, the defense casually marking up, allowing him to loft a perfect ball to Haber on the far post for a goal. Tighter defense and more intensity is a must. Will we possibly see Danso get more action because of his size and defending capabilities? Or will Wilkinson again opt for more experience and offensive, giving Nishi the playing time?

One consistent fact in soccer is that most games are won in the midfield. Keita and Josten never had consistent chances to threaten Nolly at the goal, but a large part of that blame can be placed on the shoudlers of our midfielders who couldn't get them the ball. Pore wasn't able to break free or create for his teammates. Mcmanus couldn't impose his will on the game either, his aggression and tenacity kept in check by Vancouver's defense. And Taka didn't play enough to have an effect on the game. But for the most part, the Whitecaps simply outworked the Timbers. Vancouver committed twice as many fouls Thursday, only evidence of their more determined and dogged play. They took better and more shots on goal, while Portland was held to a measly 2 attempts in the 2nd half. Gbeke, Hirano, Steve Nash's little brother, and others seemed free to roam and find their way into dangerous open spaces. Portland will have to control possession and be the ones being chased down and not the ones doing the chasing.

Goals, goals, and more goals. Portland could use a few. Although the Timbers have had a lot of success scoring at home (27 gf), they've had some recent scoring woes. They'll probably need 2-3 goals on Sunday to ensure a victory and with an average of 1.8 goals a game at PGE, they'll certainly have a fighting chance.

Recent issues have arisen concerning playing time, depth, and the Timber's rotation. All year Wilkinson has tinkered with the rotation, sometimes forced by injuries, but other times trying to find chemistry. Still, the question needs to be asked - with all the different lineups and changes in playing time, have the players had trouble finding consistency? Can depth backfire or become a detriment in some ways? Regardless, it's indisputable that the Timbers have looked rusty and maybe even a bit worn down. Here's another possibility - after carrying around all the building expectations and burdens that comes with the unbeaten streak, did this team simply burnout? It's been a season full of very big highs and some sad lows (Knowles injury), an emotional roller coaster of a year. Although it's been a fun ride, it's also been an exhausting trip in some regards. We'll see how much everyone has left in the tank on Sunday. It's win or go fishing.

Note: In the aggregate scoring system, the scores of the 2 games are totaled as one overall score. So, the Timbers head into this Sunday's game down 2-1 on the scoreboard already. If they outscore the Caps by more than a goal, they win and advance to the finals. If they win by only 1 goal, then the overall series score will be tied and there will be two periods of overtime play. If the teams are still tied after overtime, then the game will be decided on PK kicks.

One last Drop:
Kickoff @ 4:00pm at PGE Park
Be there! It could be your last chance to watch the Timbers this year!

POSTGAME: A Downpour, Timbers Fall to Whitecaps 2-1

Vancouver rained all over Portland's playoff opener, putting in a pair of header-goals to defeat the Timbers 2-1 in the first match of their semi-final series. A supportive crowd of 4,516 endured water soaked conditions at Swangard stadium, but surely left with smiles on their faces as their Whitecaps will take a 1 goal lead into Sunday's game at Portland. The #1 seeded Timbers now face an uphill climb as they'll need multiple goals at PGE to avoid being upset by the postseason's lowest ranked team. The Whitecaps already upset Carolina to get into the semi's, the winner of this round advancing to face the winner of Montreal and Puerto Rico. After such a successful season, one full of milestones, records, and awards, such a brief appearance in the playoffs would certainly feel like a bitter beginning to a chilly fall.

The rain had a big factor on the outcome of the game. Although both teams were forced to slop through the puddles, it seemed to be the Timbers who were bogged down the most, something that we've seen before when the team's been caught in the rain. The Whitecaps struck first, Charles Gbeke receiving a lob pass in the box and blasting a bouncing header at the ground which somehow ricocheted off the top cross bar and into the goal. Gbeke finished the season as the USL's leading goal scorer and lived up to his dangerous billing, later in the 2nd half assisting on the game-winning header by forward Marcus Haber. Portland's only goal of the game came on a PK kick by Ryan Pore, a result of a controversial foul called on Whitecaps defender Lyle Martin minutes before halftime. The Vancouver bench and their faithful would erupt in disapproval, substitute Marco Reda confronting a referee and arguing his way into a red card. Reda will not play a single minute of the series, as he'll be forced to sit out the final match as well.

At times, the Timbers looked as sloppy as the field conditions they played on, failing to keep possession and not able to consistently put pressure on Vancouver's backline. The Timbers were outshot and outworked in both halves - the Whitecaps winning shot attempts 9-6 and earning more fouls 15-7 overall. For most of the match, Vancouver was the sharper squad and might of scored a couple more times if not for some invaluable saves by keeper Steve Cronin. The effects of a long layoff were apparent for Portland, players looking rusty and ineffective. Keita, specifically, getting locked down and not able to break loose for any threatening runs. Taka Suzuki and Jason Mclaughlin subbed in for the last ten minutes or so, however, perhaps the Timbers could have used their fresh legs and energy earlier in the match. We'll see if Coach Wilkinson is willing to reach into his bench more often on Sunday. Ironically, Marlon James was used very effectively in a back-up role for Vancouver, literally giving them a large threat on offense late in the match. If depth is one of Portland's strenghs shouldn't they use it? Or is it proper tradition to trim down the rotation for the playoffs?

Vancouver has proved once again that they're a team that shouldn't be taken lightly. Throughout the year they've given up their share of goals, but have shown the ability to tighten things up and clamp down on defense when it matters most. On the brightside, essentially all the Whitecaps did was hold serve. Vancouver's a much better team at home than on the road, plus Portland does own the season series 2-1 with the Whitecaps lone victory coming at Swangard Stadium. The Timbers will have to force the issue, perhaps the trick finding that balance between aggression and efficient play if they hope to comeback and win the series. They'll also need to score goals, possibly a few of them. Either way it should be a packed-house and a riotous atmosphere at PGE Park this Sunday, as eager fans will finally get to see their first playoff action of the year.........with the entire season on the line. No biggie.

One last drop:



Charles Gbeke - Greg Oden's long lost brother?




Click here 4 - BOXSCORE -
Also, check out these awesome photos over at SoccerCity

Live Updates: Puerto Rico @ Montreal

Live Game Post
Puerto Rico Islanders
vs.
Montreal Impact

@ Saputo Stadium (Montreal)
4:30 pm PST

Watch it online at USLLive.com


Updates:
Currently 43 degrees and cloudy, with a chance of showers over the next couple hours.


And we're off

Montreal Goal, #14 Tony Donatelli

Montreal up 2-0 just 20 minutes in after a goal by Brown.

Steele brings PR within a goal at 31 minutes. 2-1 Montreal at halftime.

FINAL SCORE: Montreal 2 Puerto Rico 1