Postgame Match Ratings - You Rate the Players

Timbers win 3-0. Full match report coming soon.

While you wait, go here to assign match ratings for the Timbers. This is a brand new feature, so please email us at droppingtimber@gmail.com if you have any problems. We have some really cool ideas for what we can do with this. We'll release data on average player ratings for each player as well as Dropping Timber's own player ratings for the game soon.

Pre-Game Fix

• Timbers take on AC St. Louis tonight at PGE Park - Timbers Front Office
  
• GAME PREVIEW: Timbers Host AC St Louis For First Time
• Portland Timbers: Coach, stranded by volcano, is on his way back from Europe for game. - you knew this season was going to be special.
• Preview: AC St. Louis Takes on the Portland Timbers - AC St Louis Fanatic blog
• AC St. Louis makes first of two visits tonight at PGE Park - The Timber Mill
• Game 2 – Portland Timbers v. AC St. Louis - Portland Timbers Offside

An awesome video from the last game

Help us Rate the Players

After each match, Dropping Timber would like you to help us assign ratings for the Portland Timbers.  Ratings are based on a 0-10 score depending upon how each player performed in the match.  You do not have to rate every player who appeared, just the ones you feel comfortable assigning a rating to.  You may optionally add comments to explain your ratings.

Two days after each game, Dropping Timber will post our match ratings, as well as a summary of the community ratings.

Go here after the match to submit your ratings

Know Your Chants - Oh, Rose City! Soccer City,

Chants come and go, some evolve, some multiply, and some are ingrained into the team and its supporters. Below is a chant that should grow and cover the entire stadium, and infect the Rose City like some strange virus. The awesome video below was posted on the soccer city boards and gives you an idea about the tempo and rhythm.

Ohhhh, Rose City!
Soccer City
Score a goooooal
Whenever you are playing we will always follow you.
We are the Timbers Army and forever we'll be true.
(repeat 100x)

Timbers Army chant sheet - PDF, print it out or pick one up before the game at the Timbers Army table located in the concourse near section 107. Welcome to the party pal!

GAME PREVIEW: Timbers Host AC St Louis For First Time

Portland Timbers
(1-0-0)

VS
AC St Louis

(0-2-0)

Thursday April 22nd @ 7pm
TV on FSN
Online @ PortlandTimbers.com

The Portland Timbers will play AC St Louis for the first time in history this Thursday evening at PGE Park. With a season opening victory and a PGE sellout already under their belt, the team will now set its sights on the inexperienced, first-year St. Louis franchise.

Although only an expansion team, AC St Louis is in a city with a relatively rich soccer history. With organized leagues existing as far back as 1891, St. Louis soccer fans have supported all types of amateur teams, collegiate level teams, indoor teams, and even a team from the original NASL. So, perhaps it isn't too surprising that even though only in its inaugural season, AC St Louis has found a small, but supportive fan base already burgeoning at its home games. The team plays in modest Anheuser-Busch Stadium, which sits just over 6,000 fans, and the team nearly sold out the place for its home opener this past Saturday. St. Louis soccer fans have shown a great collective spirit and passion for soccer thus far - singing songs, waving flags, and lighting off smoke bombs in the stands. The city has also expressed desires to join the MLS at some point, so don't be surprised to see big things from this franchise in the near future.

However, the future certainly isn't now. AC St Louis has lost both of their USSF regular season games so far, dropping their opener 2-0 against Carolina and losing 2-1 in their home debut against Austin. They have a handful of players with local ties to the city (an essential strategy for any new team), as well as former USL players like one-time Portland Timber Luke Kreamalmeyer. To sum up quickly, they're a jumbled roster full of journeymen players, young prospects, and aging veterans and are lead by a coach in Claude Anelka, with minimal experience and credentials. They'll have to work hard, come together quickly, and find a little magic in a bottle in order to be competitive this year.

With 4 days off since their emotional home opener, the Timbers should have had a lot of time to settle down and take a quick step back from everything. The team should be looking to improve on its offensive cohesiveness, such as player spacing, controlling possession, and taking better care of the ball. Of course, Mandjou Keita will most likely be back in the lineup and that will help. With the jitters of opening night gone and Thursday's attendance likely to be much smaller (especially with the Blazers playoff game scheduled for the same start time), don't be surprised to see the Timbers get off to a much quicker start and look more comfortable in general out on the field. All things considering, this is a game Portland should win if the team play well and stays focused.

Random notes: The first official AC St Louis goal in franchise history was scored by defender Anthony O’Garro in their 2nd game against Austin.... In that same game, former NY Red Bulls keeper Alec Duffy played the role of "dodgy keeper" as he let two preventable goals slip by him, including this game winner, take a look......



Players to Watch
Manuel Kante - The 23 year old midfielder has played for 7 different clubs all over the European, but may be most famous for missing the first thirty minutes of the 2-nil season opening loss to Miami, in which he had to go back to the team's hotel to pick up his ID, oops.

Luke Kreamalmeyer - A Timber midfielder in the 2006 & 2007 campaigns, rang up 50 appearances and 10 goals in those two seasons. He saw solid minutes for the Rhinos in 2008 and last year season for Carolina.

Anthony O’Garro #8- In his professional debut, O'Garro scored the first goal in the AC St. Louis history. At only 22-years of age, the defender may become a bright spot for AC this season.

Alec Duffy - Duffy will have a lot to prove after his poor performance this past weekend. Timbers fire away.

Steve Ralston - The 14 year MLS veteran is now a player-assistant coach for AC St Louis. Ralston is currently out nursing an injury, but will try and make his impact from the sidelines.

*** Checkout this site by an AC St Louis Fanatic, its great. And also checkout Paul's AC St Louis write-up from earlier this year.

MLS Power Rankings Week 4

MLS power rankings are brought to you by our east coast correspondent Max.

Ranking	Team	Change	Result	Notes
1	Los Angeles Galaxy	-	W 2 - 1 v RSL	Edson is playing like he wants a free ticket to South Africa - and Bob Bradley has to give him a shot in next month's friendlies. Tricky road game at KC this week.
2	Columbus Crew	-	DNP	The Crew now had two byes in three weeks - none the rest of the way. Worked out though as they had 5 defenders injured. Now its home against RSL in 2009 Semi-Finals rematch.
3	Seattle Sounders	+2	W 1 - 0 v KC	Injury time winner and save allow Sounders to keep pace with conference rivals. Fredy Montero must start producing goals. He will have his chances in two road games this week.
4	Red Bull New York	+2	W 2 - 1 v DAL	Juan Pablo Angel scored two for the comeback team of the year so far. Must continue to make the Arena a fortress. Should win again at home to Philly.
5	Real Salt Lake	-1	L 1 - 2 @ LAG	The Galaxy, especially Buddle, atoned for 2009 Cup mistakes. There were long stretches where RSL looked good, unlucky on a few occasions. 2nd straight tough road game at C-Bus.
6	Houston Dynamo	+2	W 3 - 0 v CHV	No Ching. No Landin… no problem. Completely dominated the match in all areas. The Dynamo must now travel to Chicago, another team that found their legs last week.
7	New England Revolution	-4	L 0 - 2 @ SJE	It looks like it will be an inconsistent year for Nicols and Company. The whole season depends on Shalrie Joseph's injury status. Back to Gillette to face Colorado
8	Chicago Fire	+2	W 2 - 0 @ DCU	Only road team to win last week, but it was DC, not sure that counts as a legitimate road win. Need production from Collins John against visiting Dynamo.
9	Colorado Rapids	-	W 3 - 1 v TFC	Beat Toronto with 2 PKs from Casey. Three goals flatter their offense as TFC looked completely lifeless most of the match. Will Lopez be available for trip to New England?
10	Kansas City Wizards	-3	L 0 - 1 @ SEA	Definitely had their chances to stay undefeated, will feel gutted for allowing an injury time goal. They will need a result against red-hot Galaxy to prove the belong higher in poll.
11	San Jose Earthquakes	+2	W 2 - 0 v NER	Good effort by the Quakes and Ike Opara is an early Rookie of the Year candidate scoring his second goal (as a defender, no less). Good chance to get three more points at Chivas
12	Toronto	+3	W 2 - 1 v PHL, L 1 - 3 @ COL	DeRo does it again. Scores a brace to beat 10-man Philly, but then their own lack of discipline haunts them against Rapids, giving up two PK goals. Host Seattle next.
13	Dallas	-2	L 1 - 2 @ RBNY	No last second heroics (or referee blunders) to get Dallas a draw at NY. Giving Angel two PK chances is always unwise. Host Seattle on Thursday Night Football.
14	Philidelphia Union	-	L 1 - 2 @ TOR	Califf's roller derby move led to an early red, the second sending off for the Union in their two road games. They must be more disciplined when they visit the Red Bulls this week.
15	Chivas USA	-3	L 0 - 3 @ HOU	The American Goats are a total mystery - their talent does not equal the lifeless team on display again last week. Desperately need points from home game against Quakes.
16	DC United	-	L 0 - 2 v CHI	Pitiful. Just pitiful. Get a bye this week to spare them the embarrassment of losing another game this month.

Timber Bits - Postgame Fix

Portland Timbers 1 - Rochester Rhinos 0

• Timbers open 2010 season with win over Rochester - PortlandTimbers.com
• Portland Timber's Photos 2010 Game Action - Portland Timbers Facebook
• 15,416 see Rhinos hand Timbers a 1-0 win - Timber Mill Match Report
• Portland vs. Rochester Rhinos, April 17th Match Pictures - The Timber Mill and more
  
• Portland 1, Rochester 0: Timbers send 15,418 fans home happy - The Oregonian
• Timbers v. Rhinos April 17, 2010 match recap - The Oregonian
  
• My first ever Timbers media day!! - The Oregonian
  
• Match Report: Timbers 1-0 Rochester, April 17 - Strong at Night
  
• Game 1: Timbers 1 – Rochester 0 - The Offsides
  
• The Woodwork is hard at work, interviews, pictures and video oh my! - The Woodwork
• Those damn Rowdies - Rowdies
• We face AC St. Louis this Thursday - AC St. Louis Fanatic blog
• Is your favorite link not on the list, send us an Email or leave us a comment and tell us what we missed.
  

Torrent link of the Match
Watch the full match online at Portland Timbers.com