Sunday, July 7, 2013

Predictions: Crew (H) v. Timbers

Caleb Porter's Portland Timbers are in town today to take on the Columbus Crew. Game start is 5:00 PM EST and 2:00 PM Oregon time (but what is time, really).

GAME NOTES
-CLB: Played last Thursday in LA
-CLB: Have lost 3 straight
-CLB: Should have big home crowd today
-PDX: 15 match unbeaten run
-PDX: Only 2 wins on Road (7 Draws)
-PDX: W.Johnson, Piquionne, Wallace on Int'l Duty
-PDX: Caleb Porter

PREDICTIONS
We are halfway through the year now so I tabulated all picks year to date on Crew matches. List will be descending (most - least accurate)

1. CURRENT TABLE : TIMBERS
Just picking the team higher up on the table is a good place to start now that half the year is over. Portland are much higher up on the table.

2. WINDRAWWIN : TIMBERS
The 'your vote' sections here likes Portland 48% of the vote (Columbus at 22%) with a Large stake on a 0:1 Away win.

3. BET365.COM : TIMBERS
Had to break out the calculator on this one. Portland (fav) 8/5, Crew 17/10 and Draw at 9/4. This marks the first time all season the Crew have not been favored at home.

4. GOAL.COM : TIMBERS
This one is more loose. Not a lot of fan participation on the 'reader prediction' and only a one sentence summary to go on. That said, just a accurate as MLSsoccer.com's pick 'em team. Keith Hickey gives us his thoughts today; "The Crew can move into a playoff spot with some luck, but they'll need a lot of it when Porterball comes to town."

5. HOME TEAM : CREW
Just picking the home team gets you 5th on this list.

6. WV HOOLIGAN : TIMBERS
Drew Epperley thinks the Timbers have this one today. However, I think he thinks the Crew are on the road, "Tired legs of the Crew going against a rested Portland team on the road." He's picking Portland 2:0 Crew.

7. MLSSOCCER.COM : NO PICK
Taking the picks collectively at MLSsoccer.com is a bad way to go. You're better off going with one person there, or just none at all. That said, they didn't make weekend predictions this time. Bankers hours?

I don't officially track local newspaper Crew team beat writer Adam Jardy's leaning but I do record it. This week he feels that Portland is the better side and that Columbus needs three points to keep their '...flickering hopes of reaching the postseason,' alive. Pick up the Columbus Newspaper anywhere in town.

----------
MY THOUGHTS
MLS Fans: I am your Leader
You've really got to go back a ways to find a four straight loss Crew team. 2009 in fact (right at the end of the year) and this year's Crew team is about as far away from that team as you can get.

While we are looking at trends, the Crew generally play well through the summer months so this run is unusual. Does it mean they will pull out a win today? Not looking that way. However.

Portland is missing three key guys today. Will Johnson, Rodney Wallace and Frederic Piquionne which works out to be 11 of 27 team goals and 12 of 33 assists (btw, secondary assists!).

Piquionne has been more of a recent phenomenon for the Timbers but the absence of Johnson and Wallace will weaken them. Porter plays a solid soccerballing game though. Their subs will be able to fill in well.

Diego Valeri is with the team and will be pulling the strings here today and you still have Donovan Ricketts in goal.

Portland are just difficult to beat this year. I will be in attendance for this one because I like what Caleb Porter is doing in (to?) MLS with the Timbers.

I will gladly pay to see good soccer teams (or at least ones playing the game of soccer).

No comments: