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By Will Conwell

GAME 19: Portland Timbers (6W-9L-3T) vs Columbus Crew (7W-6L-7T)
Saturday, July 23, 5:00 p.m. FOX12
Previous match-up(s): 5/21/11 1-0 Timbers Win
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With a win last Saturday against Chicago, the Timbers finally put an end to their losing streak and gained their first victory on the road. With the two teams' first match up in Major League Soccer being decided by an Eric Brunner header from a free kick, the Crew will certainly be looking for revenge against the Timbers. Columbus is noted for their excellent home record and will be a much stiffer road test than struggling Chicago.

The line-up that the Timbers will field tonight is perhaps the most uncertain of the season so far. Adam Moffat, a former Crew player, was traded to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for fullback Mike Chabala and center back/defensive midfielder Lovel Palmer. Both players will be familiar with Coach Spencer from his time with Houston as an assistant coach. Both players could conceivably start in tonight's game as well, although it seems likely that we will see a back line of Rodney Wallace, Eric Brunner, Futty Danso, and Lovel Palmer. Palmer has slotted in to the right back position for the Jamaican national team but his versatility has seen him play all over the field for Houston. Additional questions have be to raised about where Darlington Nagbe will be played in the 4-5-1 that the Timbers have been favoring for the last two games. Against West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday, Nagbe contributed two assists and dictated the flow of the game while positioned in the center of the pitch rather than his usual wide position. Additionally, Kenny Cooper looked much more effective when used as a wide player against West Brom than as an out and out center forward, which could effect how Spencer uses him off the bench.

Columbus, who currently sit in third place in the eastern conference, have been struggling as of late, losing three of their last five games. However, the Crew have only lost once so far at home in ten matches this season. In what has been the story of the season so far throughout much of Major League Soccer, the Crew have struggled offensively while playing lock-down defense that has allowed only twenty goals so far this year. Designated player Andres Mendoza, after a rough start to the year that included taking a penalty from MLS all time leading scorer Jeff Cunningham and subsequently being ¬Å“booed¬Â by the Columbus fans, has stepped his game up and provided an offensive spark to this Crew team. After a brief injury scare against Los Angeles last week, Mendoza will make an appearance and provide a serious scoring threat for Columbus.

STRATEGY
The Timbers first game against Columbus was a rough and physical match and the Timbers will have to bring that same intensity to their defending if they want to shut down a dangerous Crew attack that has had serious issues getting in gear so far this season. On the wings Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven are both creative players that can score or assist if given the chance to do so. The Timbers fullbacks will need to mark them effectively if they want to keep them off the scoreboard. Both players, like Darlington Nagbe and Khalif Alhassan on the Timbers, tend to cut inside and are given license to move about the field, necessitating that the Timbers hold their shape effectively and not get drawn out of position by the movement of Columbus.

On the attack, the Timbers will need to look to play the ball into space or to the feet of Jorge Perlaza. Columbus's central defense, anchored by two time MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall, can be dominant in the air and have excellent positioning and instincts. The Timbers will need to take advantage of their speed in the attack to break down the stalwart Crew defense. While breaking with speed is essential to scoring, it is also necessary for the Timbers to hold possession. As amply demonstrated against West Brom, when the Timbers are able to hold the ball and keep the possession they are able to keep pressure off their defense and find opportunities to break down the defense, but without that pressure all the opportunities go in their opponents direction.

LEADING GOAL SCORERS
Jack Jewsbury – 5
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
7/26 vs Independiente
7/30 vs Toronto
8/3 vs Los Angeles
8/6 @ San Jose
8/14 @ Houston

MLS ALL-STAR GAME
7/27 MLS All-Stars vs Manchester United

BOTTOM LINE
The Crew are a tough team and the Timbers will need to be ready to scrap to come away with any points. With the arrival of defensive reinforcements the Timbers will look to turn their season around by playing tough on the road. Any drive for the playoffs will need to start with points on the road and the Crew, although no pushovers, are a team that the Timbers can take points from.

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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 atwilliam.conwell@gmail.com or on twitter at TimbersPipeline.