Connect with us

Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Portland Timbers

Published

6 years ago

on

The Portland Timbers are trending upward, taking two points from their last two after being battered in their opening matches of 2018. But they travel across the continent to Central Florida to take on an Orlando City team that is also on the upswing after a wild 4-3 victory over the New York Red Bulls.

There’s a new boss at the helm in the Rose City and, while the bulk of the roster has remained intact, the team that topped last year’s Western Conference has struggled to get results this time around.

For what to expect of this year’s Timbers, we’ve asked Will Conwell from Portland’s SB Nation blog Stumptown Footy to give us some insight. I also answered some questions about our side and you can find them over at their place.

How has life been after Caleb Porter and how has Giovanni Savarese left his mark on this team?

Will Conwell: Saravese has certainly had an impact on the Timbers through four games this season, changing up the side’s tactical approach after five years of playing under Porter. In those four games there have been definite struggles as the team looks to adjust to their new look, but as the team has adapted to Saravese and Saravese has adapted to the team, the results have gone from disappointing to encouraging over the course of the Timbers’ season-opening road trip.

Under Porter, the Timbers developed an identity as a team that was capable of holding the ball and would wear down teams with their possession, as well as being a side capable of picking their moments and striking out on the break after dropping deep and welcoming their opposition forward.

In many ways, Saravese’s preferred approach to the game is the opposite of this. Given the right personnel, Saravese would love to be a team that actively presses high up the pitch, turning over the opposing team deep in their own end and creating the sort of high value chances that come when the defense is out of its shape. Unfortunately, while the Timbers’ attacking trio of Fanendo Adi, Diego Valeri, and Sebastian Blanco are all capable of being quite active on the defensive front, none seem particularly inclined toward the sort of high energy performance it takes to press all game.

That is not to say that the Timbers have abandoned the high press. In last weekend’s 2-2 road draw against the Chicago Fire, the Timbers were able to put the home side on the back foot for much of the match, getting the opening goal early in the match after turning over the Fire and taking advantage on the break. Saravese is still determining how best to make use of his players, but the seeds that he has planted with the side are showing definite signs of growth.

Portland’s defense struggled through March, allowing nine goals in four matches. Liam Ridgewell’s exclusion from the side has been a major talking point; are the two things related?

WC: Ridgewell was on the field for six of the Timbers’ nine goals allowed so far this season and as the team captain, his lack of effort in the side’s 4-0 week two loss to the New York Red Bulls was particularly galling.

In the first two matches that the Timbers — and Ridgewell — played, the side were disorganized and disheartened. The back line was out of sync, the midfield was disconnected, and the forwards were stranded on an island by themselves. Not all of that can be pinned on Ridgewell, but as a veteran and the team captain, it is on him to rally the side through words or deeds and it appeared that he went for neither.

What’s more, Ridgewell’s game has long been built around his ability to take a timely step up and break up a play with a headed ball away, an interception, or a timely foul. Without a dedicated defensive midfielder in front of him, dropping back onto the back line as David Guzman or Diego Chara did so often in 2017, Ridgewell has struggled to keep from opening up holes on the back line through his play. In the right situation and the right formation, Ridgewell’s instincts could still serve him well, but with the changes that Saravese has looked to implement this year he has often been the odd man out.

Recent word from the Timbers camp is that Ridgewell has taken the benching like a professional and is training well. Ridgewell is training so well, according to word from this week’s training sessions, he is in consideration for a return to the 18 this weekend. This is all, of course, exactly what the Timbers should be saying and after two weeks in exile, it seems as likely as not that the Timbers will continue to turn to Larrys Mabiala and Bill Tuiloma, the self-proclaimed “French Connection,” to be their starting center backs.

How has the team dealt with Darlington Nagbe’s high-priced departure over the off-season?

WC: The loss of Nagbe to Atlanta United, the Timbers’ first draft pick and a staple of the side since they joined Major League Soccer in 2011, has been difficult for the Timbers to deal with as they adjust to life without him.

Nagbe brings a number of things to the pitch, but first and foremost is an absolute inability to lose the ball. A pass anywhere near Nagbe at any speed is as good as received. Getting the ball on Nagbe’s foot means that he will get off a pass to another player on his team just about every time. Losing that remarkable knack for possession makes things difficult for the Timbers. Without Nagbe, the Timbers have lost one of their most effective pressure release valves. They no longer have a player that they can just pass the ball near and expect good things to happen.

At the same time, the loss of Nagbe has been freeing for the Timbers.

Nagbe’s unwillingness or inability to get involved in the attack in a regularly effective manner has long been a source of frustration for anyone who watches him play. Without Nabge on the pitch, the Timbers have looked to Sebastian Blanco to provide many of the same services in transition that Nagbe once did and they have profited from it. While Blanco is far from the possession machine that Nagbe was for the Timbers, his creativity, flair, and attacking mindset have already paid dividends this year with three goals and an assist through four games.

In Nagbe’s absence and with teams unable to ignore the dual attacking threats of Diego Valeri and Fanendo Adi, Blanco should continue to flourish this year. 

What injuries/suspensions will keep players out this weekend and what is your projected lineup and predicted final score?

WC: (4-3-2-1) Jake Gleeson; Vytautas Andriuškevičius, Bill Tuiloma, Larrys Mabiala, Zarek Valentin; Christhian Paredes, Diego Chara, Andres Flores; Sebastian Blanco, Diego Valeri; Fanendo Adi

2-1 Orlando, with a Will Johnson goal and a Dom Dwyer red card.

Thanks again to Will for taking the time to provide some information on this weekend’s visitors.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati

Get all the inside information you need ahead of Orlando’s match with FC Cincinnati.

Published

15 hours ago

on

May 3, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Another Orlando City matchday looms large this weekend, as the Lions will try to put Saturday’s thoroughly dispiriting loss behind them. They’ll have a tough task ahead of them though, as they welcome an FC Cincinnati team to town that currently sits second in the Eastern Conference.

A match against FCC means I spoke with Justin Blair of the always excellent Cincinnati Soccer Talk. As always, Justin was very helpful in getting us all caught up on Cincy before tomorrow’s match.

The nine goals conceded by FC Cincinnati are tied for the fewest given up by any team in the league. What’s been working so well for FCC defensively so far?

Justin Blair:  In 2023, FC Cincinnati was tied for fourth in goals conceded with 39 allowed (Orlando, NYCFC, and RBNY). This season is continuing that impressive trajectory. The addition of Miles Robinson, arguably the best MLS center back, was a home run signing for FCC. Robinson joins 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Matt Miazga as the feature center back duo. But Pat Noonan’s system asks for three in the back and has been plugged with a rotation of players that have kept the defense stout. I have to mention that central defensive midfielder Obinna Nwobodo is arguably the most underrated player in all of MLS. He is an extremely skilled player that flies around and acts as a catch-all in front of the back line. 

Brandon Vazquez departed in the off-season for Monterrey. In his absence, who has Cincy turned to for goal scoring?

JB: Brandon Vazquez is a tremendous striker for FCC and has been solid for Rayados with 10 goals in 22 appearances. But his form never hit stride in 2023. He had nine goals across all MLS competitions, which was down from a career high of 18 goals in 2022. FCC had to find goals in other places last season, so they aren’t exactly in uncharted waters. So far in 2024, reigning MLS MVP Lucho Acosta has been carrying the load with four goals and five assists. Yuya Kubo, who I affectionately call FCC’s Swiss Army knife, has seen recent minutes at the forward position. Kubo’s confidence on the ball and chemistry with Acosta has seen him score three goals in a short amount of time. Surprisingly, FCC’s star Designated Player striker Aaron Boupendza has fallen in the graces of the squad and hasn’t hit consistent minutes this season.

Run me through some of the other arrivals and departures that took place during the off-season. Who are a few names to watch out for?

JB: Well FCC’s off-season was a doozy to say the least. Several departures include the previously mentioned Vazquez, along with Sanitago Arias, Yerson Mosquera (loan), Alvaro Barreal, Dominique Badji, Junior Moreno, and Ray Gaddis — all of whom played significant minutes for the orange and blue during their 2023 Supporters’ Shield season. For incoming players, GM Chris Albright brought in Robinson, Pavel Bucha, Luca Orellano, Kipp Keller, and Corey Baird during the off-season. The additions of DeAndre Yedlin and Yamil Asad have also worked their way into the matchday rotation. Every piece added has felt like an upgrade or at least a comparable replacement. This is, of course, with the exception of replacing Vazquez.

FCC (recently) announced the loan signing of target striker Kevin Kelsy from Shakhtar Donetsk. The young loanee is sure to see considerable minutes with FCC but will likely not feature in the match versus Orlando City. I would keep an eye on Orellano for FCC. The left wingback is the heir apparent to Barreal that is so critical for Cincinnati’s ability to progress the ball from the midfield into the attacking third. Orellano is clean with his touches and can serve up line-splitting through balls that are perfectly weighted.

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

JB: Unavailable players might include Yedlin (hip), goalkeeper Roman Celentano (ankle), forward Sergio Santos (leg), and center back Nick Hagglund (knee). It seems uncertain if either or all will miss minutes in the match versus Orlando but most likely to participate would be Celentano, who was a late scratch versus Colorado on Saturday. 

Starting XI (3-5-2): Roman Celentano (Alec Kann); Bret Halsey (DeAndre Yedlin), Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga, Ian Murphy, Luca Orellano; Obinna Nwobodo, Pavel Bucha, Lucho Acosta; Yuya Kubo, Corey Baird.

Score Prediction: Oscar Pareja seems to have Pat Noonan’s system figured out. FCC also struggles to find wins against Orlando City. I’m going to go with a 1-1 draw when the final whistle sounds. 

Thanks again to Justin for the great info on FCC. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/3/24

MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

on

May 3, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Happy Friday! We’ve reached the homestretch of the week and I couldn’t be happier. A busy weekend awaits me, but I’m hoping for some quiet, nice moments to offset some of the hustle and bustle. It’s also another weekend packed with Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your next couple of days accordingly. But for now, let’s get to the links!

MLS Unveils Club Roster Details

There’s a little more transparency in Major League Soccer after the league released helpful snapshots of each club that detail the composition of each roster. From Designated Players and MLS U22 Initiative Players to international roster slots and contract lengths, the graphics are easy to comprehend and give a nice look behind the curtain on each team. Using this, we can see that Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo no longer takes up a U22 Initiative slot and that the team also has an open international roster slot. It should be a fairly nice reference guide for fans moving forward, as well as a way to check out how other MLS teams are building their rosters.

Emily Sams Earns Recognition as Potential USWNT Player

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was mentioned as one of the top 20 eligible Americans who have yet to make an appearance with the United States Women’s National Team according to Pro Soccer Wire. The shout out is well deserved, as Sams has helped anchor a Pride defense that’s only given up seven goals this season. Only time will tell if Sams will earn a call-up once Emma Hayes is at the helm of the USWNT, but it does feel inevitable given how she’s been playing. Other notable players on the list include Ajax’s Lily Yohannes, Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune, and Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.

Marta’s Top Moments

All For XI compiled some of the best moments from Marta’s career into a tidy top five. Considering how prolific she has been for Brazil over the years, it was nice to see a pair of goals from her time with the Pride receive some recognition. Both of those moments were from 2018, with her free kick to equalize against the Seattle Reign placing fifth and her solo effort to stun the Spirit taking third. It’s fitting though that the top moment on the list showcases the impact she’s had off the field, as it’s Marta’s emotional speech after Brazil’s exit in the 2019 World Cup.

Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 Season

USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara announced that she will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. Over the course of her international career, she’s played in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and was named to the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2019. O’Hara has played in every NWSL season since the league’s inception, winning the title with the Spirit in 2021 and again with NJ/NY Gotham FC last year. She joined Gotham as the first free agent signing in NWSL history and she is set to close out her illustrious career there.

Free Kicks

  • Curve Fragrances was named the official fragrance partner of Orlando City. As part of the partnership, there will be giveaways and product sampling at select games this season.
  • Wrexham’s women’s squad for The Soccer Tournament this summer will include a trio of former Pride players, with Bridget Callahan, Danica Evans, and Nickolette Driesse all taking part. I can’t wait to see if Callahan will make SkoRed a rallying cry at the tournament.
  • Orlando City won’t have to contend with FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza tomorrow, as he will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a broken jaw suffered in an off-field incident.
  • The Europa League semifinals are underway and Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 47 games after a 2-0 road win against Roma. In the other matchup, Atalanta and Marseille drew 1-1 in France.
  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso hasn’t been with Real Betis for long, but he’s doing well enough that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the 22-year-old.
  • Lucas Hernandez suffered an ACL injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Borussia Dortmund and will miss out on this summer’s Euros with France.
  • Reims and Will Still have mutually agreed to part ways, with the coach leaving now despite just having three games left in the Ligue 1 season. It will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old coaches next, as he had a notable 19-game unbeaten stretch with Reims last season.
  • Here’s a detailed dive into the obstacles Everton has faced in recent years, as well as how the club has avoided relegation amid another difficult season.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

2 days ago

on

May 2, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending