Hi folks, I’m filling in for CR today as he’s having some logistical issues this weekend. As such, please forgive this very quick-and-dirty approach to a prediction thread. Last week the Timbers came from behind twice to draw the Montreal Impact at home, 2-2. Goals were scored by Saphir Taider (Alejandro Silva), Samuel Armenteros, Matteo Mancosu (Ignacio Piatti), and Diego Valeri. The only yellow card of the match went to Samuel Piette, so under on cards would have been correct. No standings or points-based updates as I’ll leave that to CR when he returns next week. This week, the Timbers take on the Houston Dynamo in another home match. Houston is coming fresh off a 3-1 Wednesday loss to the Philadelphia Union and will be missing Darwin Ceren and Alejandro Fuenmayor due to yellow card accumulation. Will the Timbers be able to take three points at home, or will the Dynamo send Timbers fans into uncomfortable remembrances of last November? Total Cards O/U: 2.5 The Scoring Format: Correct score: 5 points Correct result (draw/win/loss): 3 points Each clean sheet: 2 points Each goal-scorer: 1 point Each FK/PK/assist/lack of assist: 1 point Goal/assist bonus: 1 point Player with the first yellow card of the match: 1 point Each player with a red card: 1 point (Can not earn points for predicting 0 red cards, but you may predict up to 3 players with a red.) earn points for predicting 0 red cards, but you may predict up to 3 players with a red.) Over/under on total cards: 1 point Most outrageous(ly accurate) prediction: 2 points Some ground rules and explanations/clarifications (the fine print): You may amend your prediction at any point up to kick off to account for game day 18 announcements. I recommend at least getting an initial prediction sooner, just in case you forget to come back in that hour or two before the game. Keep your scoreline predictions realistic. Basically, if you’re predicting lots of goals all the time to just earn points on goals and assists and ignoring the score, I feel that goes against the spirit of this thread. This hasn’t been at all a problem in the last two years, so let’s keep it that way! The goal/assist bonus is an additional point if you correctly get the correct scorer and assistant on the same goal. (e.g., if Nagbe scores, assisted by Valeri, and you predicted that exact combination you get a total of three points - 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 bonus. However, if you predicted Nagbe scores assisted by Adi and Adi scores assisted by Valeri, you would get two points from the Nagbe/Valeri prediction - 1 goal, 1 assist) Please be clear whether you think a goal will be unassisted, assisted, or from a PK/FK. Unassisted = no assist, run of play; Assisted = player who got the assist; PK/FK = directly from a free kick. For the purposes of this thread, a PK counts as a FK, and a FK as a PK. If you just leave the assist section blank, I will assume you’re declining to make an assist prediction. Even though a player can be awarded a secondary assist by OPTA, I will award a maximum of one assist point per goal. But that point can come from either the primary or secondary assist in the box score. However, please keep your predictions to one assist per goal. For the over/under on cards, a second yellow leading to a red counts as two cards, not three. You may predict more than one red card if you’re expecting a chippy match, but only up to three total. For the most outrageous(ly accurate) prediction, I will be trying to toe a line between completely absurd and mundane in my choices. As I see it, the goal here is to add even more fun without going too over-the-top ridiculous. So, in my mind, the best predictions will be something that could conceivably happen, but don’t happen often, like amusing coaching spats or goals that bounce off the crossbar, then off the keeper’s back, and then in. Things like that. If you’re looking for where I set the over/under on total cards, check the end of the preview paragraph after the standings. Format: In the comment title, post your predicted score with the winners, eg: 4-2 Timbers In the body of your comment, start with the goals and assists, like so: Nagbe (Valeri) Valeri (Free kick) Adi (PK) Blanco (Unassisted) Beckham (Free kick) Donovan (Beckham) Next, choose your first yellow card, and that means picking only one person. First yellow to Nigel De Jong Then reds, if any. (NOTE: no points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.) Nigel De Jong gets a red card for stomping Blanco. Clearly note whether you’re predicting over or under on total cards. Don’t leave me to try and figure it out! And lastly, make your fun prediction.<doc-sep>Filed under: Game Threads Houston Dynamo vs the Portland Timbers: How to watch, lineups, and more The Dynamo are on the road to take on the Portland Timbers<doc-sep>The Story So Far The Timbers are fresh off a come-from-behind draw with the Montreal Impact to extend their MLS unbeaten streak to 13 matches and are now working on the longest home stand in the MLS era era. With two dropped points at home last week, the Timbers need to put it to the Dynamo and secure all three points. The Dynamo are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night, and tied with FC Dallas on the weekend in the Texas Derby. The Dynamo have a less-than-impressive 1-4-4 record when on the road. Will Houston picked up a much-needed win on the road? Or will the Timbers continue their eight-match unbeaten run at home? Orange Slices When the Dynamo roll into town they will be without two starters, Darwin Ceren and Alejandro Fuenmayor, both due to yellow card accumulations after cautions picked up in Wednesday’s match against the Union. Tomas Martinez was given a red in that match, but appealed the ruling and had it rescinded, so he will be available for selection. While Wilmer Cabrera likes to rotate his side often, I’m not sure he expected to have three starters out, coming into Providence Park to take on a Western Conference opponent. The Houston Dynamo are two spots outside the playoffs with 15 matches remaining. Currently they average 1.42 points per game, which lands them just one spot out of a playoff spot, in seventh. For contrast, the Timbers are at 1.72 ppg, which puts them in second place in the Western Conference. Currently the Timbers sit on 31 point in fifth place, and the fewest games played of any team in the west. Chalkboard Wilmer Cabrera’s Dynamo have played five matches in the last two weeks and are starting to run on fumes. The scoreline from Wednesday’s match against the Union is really misleading. Even when Houston went down to ten men with a half hour to go, they didn’t pack it in defensively, but pressed for an equalizer. A penalty late into stoppage time dashed their hopes of a draw. The Dynamo run a 4-3-3 and run with the throttle wide open, but come this weekend Cabrera might have to play it a bit different. I’m sure it’ll be the same formation, but like I mentioned above, they’ll be without the services of their number 10, a defensive midfielder, and one of their young center-backs. Houston’s defense is for the most part young, if you take DaMarcus Beasley out of the equation (I’m amazed he’s still around—I think they put him in a cryogenic sleep when he’s not playing!). He should be back this weekend with the captain’s armband patrolling from the left back spot. With a center back missing because of yellow card accumulation, they’ll have to reach into their limited depth. I say limited because they have some injuries in the center back department, so they’re a tad thin in that position. Houston are definitely less organized than what the Timbers faced last week in the Montreal Impact. With the center backs being pretty young, you might be able to press them into mistakes, and they are known to give up the first goal of the match on a regular occasion. The Dynamo have, however, scored nine goals in the opening 15 minutes of games, which is something that should be looked out for. Their front three are three of the most under-hyped players in the league, and maybe that’s because they’re in the West and the East is all the rage right now. The man that needs to be contained is Mauro Manotas. He’s scored seven goals in his last nine games, bumping up his total to 11 and breaking his season total from last year. After being in the shadow of Erick “Cubo” Torres (who is now playing for Tijuana in Liga MX) in past seasons, he’s been able to shine and is putting up some of the best numbers of his career. While the Timbers need to contain Manotas, they still need to keep another eye on Alberth Elis, who has nine goals and six assists. On the other side is Romell Quioto, who has three goals but leads the team with eight assists. They’ve got plenty of firepower up front that will keep Portland’s defense busy. For what would be the first time this season (I think) there is not a single player on the injury list for the Timbers, which is some sort of minor miracle. That gives coach Giovanni Savarese a lot of clubs in his bag. While Houston has a dismal road record, the Timbers can’t cruise through this match on autopilot—not that they have this season, but I’m always leery, especially with a fast squad like the Dynamo. This is no time for switching of,f that’s for sure. This will be my second week abstaining from trying to guess exactly what formation Gio will roll out on Saturday. In his short time here, I’ve already learned to trust Gio and so far that’s lead to 13 straight MLS matches without a loss. All in all, trust the system. The one thing that the Timbers really need to work on is finishing off matches. For once I’d like not to be nervy in the last 15 minutes holding on to a slim lead. Stayin’ Alive The longest streak without a loss came back in 2013, when the Timbers rattled off 15 straight, and they’re making a strong case they could meet or even exceed that record. While I love this streak, the draws, especially at home, are unacceptable. Saturday’s match, to me, felt closer to a loss than a draw. The Timbers cannot drop any more points at home, seeing as this is the longest home stand in the MLS era for the Timbers. Of course a lot of the talk this week has been about Fanendo Adi and his request to leave the club for another MLS side. The Timbers are currently shopping him around, though the fact he’s a DP could pose a problem. With his absence, it seems that everyone below Samuel Armenteros has moved up a peg in the order—though it seems like Dairon Asprilla has slipped into that secondary striker spot, which I’m not sure I’m totally down with. Below Asprilla are Foster Langsdorf, who has been tearing it up for T2, and Jeremy Ebobisse—so we could see some changes, especially if the Timbers snag an attacker after the sale of Adi.<doc-sep>
The Portland Timbers will take on the Houston Dynamo tonight as they continue the four game home stand that could either catapult the Timbers up the standings or see them fall back into the pack in the Western Conference. The Timbers will be facing an 8th place Dynamo side who are without two players due to suspension and weary from playing four games over the course of the last two weeks, so there is no excuse for dropped points in tonight’s match. Of course, the Dynamo are packing plenty of attacking talent, so it will be up to the Timbers to shut down the likes of Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto. Of particular interest for the home side will be the striker position, where Fanendo Adi is the subject of intense trade rumors, Samuel Armenteros was recently added to the injury report as questionable, and both Foster Langsdorf and Jeremy Ebobisse were on the road with Portland Timbers 2 today, notching a brace and a goal and an assist respectively. Previews Storylines: “Wilmer Cabrera’s Dynamo have played five matches in the last two weeks and are starting to run on fumes. The scoreline from Wednesday’s match against the Union is really misleading. Even when Houston went down to ten men with a half hour to go, they didn’t pack it in defensively, but pressed for an equalizer. A penalty late into stoppage time dashed their hopes of a draw.” And stop by the Rose City Forecast to make your predictions for today’s match. Match Information Watch it on: FOX 12 Plus (KPDX) Where: Providence Park in Portland, OR When: Saturday, July 28th at 8:00 p.m. PT Portland Timbers: 8-3-7, 5th place in the Western Conference, 2-2 draw to Montreal Impact Houston Dynamo: 7-7-6, 8th place in the Western Conference, 3-1 loss to Philadelphia Union