You're So [ORANGE] It's Unbelievable

Timbers 1-0 Oregon State
A couple of belated notes on Saturday's Timbers-Beavers scrimmatch at Paul Lorenz Field in Corvallis:

A beautiful cross by Ryan Pore set up the winner by Darlington Nagbe, at about the 52'. We were standing with the remnants of the Timbers Army cheering section, on the OSU side of the field, where we expected the action to take place in the second half. Pore was playing on the right wing and slotted it beautifully for Nagbe to take it home. Pore looked to distribute all night - the predominant yell I remember from the crowd standing around us was 'Ryan! Be more selfish!' - and Nagbe owed the goal almost entirely to Pore's beautiful service. My wife, who only goes to a handful of Timbers games a year, was standing with me, and marveled at how unselfish Pore's play was. He really stood out Saturday night. Pore didn't overwhelm anybody, but he looked like the guy that Spencer deserves to places his trust in- the guy who makes plays happen for the better of the team through meticulous, thoughtful play. He's going to get the rhythm of MLS play and thrive, and my bet is on it happening sooner rather than later.

Eddie Johnson was the primary feature player at the front of the field. He provided tenacious energy at the front of the field, and although he failed to translate some long service balls into goals, he overpowered the Beaver defenders all night. As has been the case most of the season for the Timbers, our forwards depended a great deal on the long ball for much of the night, and Johnson's unrewarded, overpowering play was another in a string of examples of why this is a tough way to score goals.

Nagbe was jaw-dropping to watch on ball. He started the first half on the left side and struggled with linking up with Chris Taylor, who played left back. On a couple of plays Nagbe was visibly frustrated with Taylor's lack of connection, and seemed to avoid Taylor all together afterwards. Somewhere in the middle of the first half Nagbe apparently switched sides with Pore, who switched over from the right side of the field and played on the left the rest of the first half. Nagbe's footwork was dazzling, and he looked sharp, even if he gave up a couple of balls to the the Beaver defenders. He's a small guy- he looked about 5'9"- and his speed more than makes up for any slightness in build.

Besides Pore, the other Timber who really stood out- literally- was Futty Danso. He physically dominated the smaller Oregon State forwards, and punished them into the ground, including an awesome takedown of an OSU player on one of the only Beaver attacks in the second half. He towered over everyone and deployed his height and strength to impressive use attempting to head home two corner kicks, both of which sailed high. No one on the field was even close to him in terms of size and physicality, and even if the competition was a bunch of 19 year-old state college kids, watching him you had to wonder why he hasn't seen the field yet for MLS Timbers.

- It may have been a college field with bleachers, and we may have had a major malfunction with the official clock (it inexplicably started anew at 0:00 around the 55'), but the lingering impression is the professional character of this Timbers side. With the obvious differences, the eleven guys who took the field (twelve counting Rodrigo Lopez in after halftime) looked a lot like the guys we saw in last year's USL play. It was great to see some of the rising USL Timbers finally take the field together.

- Is it clear enough that we had a fabulous time? The eight-months pregnant lovely lady and I strapped our bicycles to the back of the car and made a date night of the match. We got to Corvallis, parked our car on the north end of town, and left our boy in care of an aunt and uncle. From there, we biked down into the OSU campus, locked up our bikes, and stood and cheered the Timbers and jeered the Beavers for ninety minutes. Quality of play notwithstanding, the evening had a very low-key quality to it, and there's something to be said for just taking in an early April evening in small town western Oregon and watching some good footy.

- The best cultural exchange of the night occurred early in the second half after an OSU defender came down with a case of the cramps. Usually a situation like this would provoke acerbic chants from Timbers Army. Of course, we called him a weenie and yelled at him to get up. Somebody next to us yelled something to the effect of get the fuck up, you pussy, which prompted a nearby OSU fan to yell back with essentially, "Whoa you're pretty tough Timbers Army!" which in turn led to a middle finger from the guy next to us. It was pretty instructive when after an errant OSU pass flew out of the field and into some neighboring trees well past the far sideline, no one had the heart to pick up the chant 'You're So Shitty It's Unbelievable.' Come on, they're kids who have to go to OSU, after all.

If the best part of the night was standing with the supporters section, of course it should be pointed out that there were some assholes. Around the seventieth minute a bunch of young guys to our right tried to break out "Rose City Til I Die." Timbers were leading 1-0. Learn to have some respect for the game and not tempt fate, guys.

Player notes:

Kevin Guppy got the start in goal. He wasn't really tested at all, and without a PA announcer giving the lineups, for the first twenty minutes I thought he was Troy Perkins, if that counts for anything.

New Trialist Constantin Arbănaş got the start at right back. He seemed to play well and had some physical challenges early in the second half.

Kevin Goldthwaite had a couple of measured, collected stops that definitely impressed. Credit where credit is due. On another note, apparently he has a radio hour in Portland. Anyone heard it?

Spencer Thompson got the start next to Eddie Johnson up front. He whiffed on an early chance right in front of the goal at about ten minutes, and picked up an unmerited yellow card halfway through the first half.

Rodrigo Lopez wore number 36 and came on for Thompson at halftime. He was the go-to guy on set pieces and corner kicks and looked solid.