Football Season Review

After their stunning 2015 MLS Cup triumph, the Portland Timbers headed into the 2016 season full of expectations, but what would follow over the next 8 months would be a season of disappointment, with Caleb Porter’s men failing to reach the playoffs, finishing in seventh position in the Western Conference table. After such a strong 2015 campaign, the Timbers would do little to strengthen their squad, bringing in a few minor additions. With players such as Jorge Villafana, and Rodney Wallace leaving at the end of last season, very few expected Portland to miss them as much as they did. Both Chris Klute and Lucas Melano would however prove to be poor replacements, neither of them really making a huge impact for the side. The Timbers’ record when playing at Providence Park was absolutely brilliant over the course of the season, with the team from Oregon going 12-2-3 in front of their own fans, scoring a total of 35 goals in the process. The main issue however was their terrible away form, which saw Portland fail to win a single away match all season, with Caleb Porter’s men losing their last 7 road games in a row. Had the Timbers managed to win just 1 road game during the entire campaign, then they would have qualified for the playoffs. Despite their poor performance, there are still a few positives to take away from the 2016 season for the Timbers. Jake Gleeson for example showed that he has the ability to be one of the top goalkeepers in MLS, solidifying his position as number 1 in between the sticks. Fanendo Adi and Diego Valeri meanwhile both put in great performances, with the pair bagging a combined total of 30 goals for their team. One player who could have certainly performed better was central midfielder Darlington Nagbe, who will overall be disappointed with his season. Although there are still a number of months until the start of the season, Portland have already been fairly busy in the transfer market. Jeff Attinella has been traded to them to add depth to the position of goalkeeper, while Costa Rican Midfielder David Guzman has also been brought in from Saprissa.

Player of the Season: Diego Valeri