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By Will Conwell
GAME 18: Portland Timbers (5W-9L-3T) vs Chicago Fire (2W-5L-12T)
Saturday, July 16, 5:30 p.m. FOX12
Previous match-up(s): 4/14/11 4-2 Timbers Win

In the midst of a seven game win-less streak and with the playoffs already looking less and less of a possibility the Timbers need to start getting points both at home and on the road if they wish to avoid finishing near the bottom of the table.

If the Timbers can perform with the discipline that they exhibited in the first half of last week's Cascadia Cup match against the Sounders there is a real possibility of leaving Chicago with all three points, however, if they are not able to hold their shape and maintain possession then the Fire are more than capable of punishing them.

The Timbers line-up will once again look like the 4-5-1 that saw duty last weekend with James Marcelin lining up in front of the Timbers back line as a defensive midfielder and Jorge Perlaza working as a lone striker up top. Kenny Cooper, who has been the center of recent trade rumors, will start on the bench for the third game in a row. The one change from last week will be at the back where Kevin Goldthwaite will slot in for the suspended Eric Brunner. Goldthwaite marked his return to the first team three weeks ago against the New York Red Bulls, after last seeing action during the disastrous start of the season, with a solid showing highlighted by a skillful back-heel goal.

The Fire currently sit even with the Timbers on the league table, both teams just four points away from playoff contention, and would like nothing better than to get their second home win of the season. The Fire are currently well on their way to setting a Major League Soccer record for ties, having already picked up twelve and tying the previous record only halfway through the season. Until last weekend's loss to the LA Galaxy, Chicago were on a run of seven straight ties, looking dangerous in each game despite not being able to find the full three points. During that streak they took points off of teams near the top of the table including Seattle, New York, and Real Salt Lake.

STRATEGY
The Fire have so far been a very top heavy team, bringing numerous offensive threats into each game, and it will take a steady Timbers defense playing the whole ninety minutes to keep them off the scoreboard. On the wings Dominic Oduro and Patrick Nyarko and two players that are capable of springing an offsides trap with raw speed and scoring themselves or creating scoring opportunities for others with skillful dribbling; it will be important for the Timbers to be very mindful of containing them.

Rodney Wallace and Steve Purdy will need to be very heedful of their marks as both Goldthwaite and his central partner Futty Danso do not have the speed to run with Chicago's forwards. Additionally, it will fall to James Marcelin to neutralize Chicago's creative but inconsistent midfielder Marco Pappa who scored an excellent goal off a freekick when the two teams first met in the Timber's home opener.

At the other end of the pitch Perlaza will need some much improved chemistry with Khalif Alhassan and Darlington Nagbe out on the wings if the Timbers are going to generate any offense. It was clear in the Sounders game that all three were not on the same page as balls were all too often played into space that nobody was running into. The Timbers two goals came as the result of some well worked passes and, while both were deflected off Seattle players, they showed what can happen if the Timbers can work the ball and apply pressure to an opposing team's defense.

LEADING GOAL SCORERS
Jack Jewsbury – 4
Jorge Perlaza – 4
Kenny Cooper – 3
Rodney Wallace -2
Mamadu ¬Å“Futty¬Â Danso – 2
Darlington Nagbe – 1
Eric Brunner – 1
Kevin Goldthwaite – 1

NEXT 5 MATCHES
7/20 vs West Bromwich Albion
7/23 @ Columbus
7/26 vs Independiente
7/30 vs Toronto
8/3 vs Los Angeles

BOTTOM LINE
The Timbers kicked off a five game home winning streak with their match against the Fire in their home opener and now, at the start of the second half of the season, they will need to begin a new winning streak if they are to have any hope of reaching the playoffs. Only four points out of contention the Timbers need to keep hope alive if they want to avoid having their first MLS season written off as just another expansion team that could not quite get it together.

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Pipeline's Portland Timbers  coverage by:

Will Conwell

Will Conwell is an aspiring novelist who spends his free time unloading trucks in warehouses. His passions in life are soccer, beer, and writing, which he has found are best enjoyed in concert. Will can be contacted at william.conwell@gmail.com or on twitter at TimbersPipeline.