ORLANDO, Fla. – Caleb Porter said the prime responsibility for the Portland Timbers’ 4-1 defeat Sunday night at Orlando City SC was on him after his team was comprehensively pulled apart at key moments in a slipshod performance from the defending MLS Cup champions.
While the Timbers actually had an edge in possession (55.6 percent), corners (7-3) and passes (454-375), and nearly matched the Lions at attempts on goal, they came up short on the stat that mattered most: in front of goal.
And Portland’s head coach admitted the team’s vulnerability was a major concern ahead of next Sunday’s trip to the LA Galaxy.
“I think that’s something I will have to think about,” he said. “But it starts at the top. It’s my responsibility to make sure the group is organized, ready and can execute. And that wasn’t a performance that’s indicative of who we are and the level we can play.
“The first goal somewhat deflated us, and it seemed like every chance they had was a goal, and that’s the way the ball has bounced for us for the last three games. We need to correct that because it sets up a bit of a funk in our team, and it lifted them.”
Porter was most concerned about the way his back four cracked at regular intervals, with young fullback Jack Barmby enduring a nightmare MLS debut, picking up a booking to go with being overrun at times on the right flank.
“I know this group is capable of more because I have seen it,” Porter said. “I know we have had to make a few changes, and we don’t have Liam [Ridgewell, center back and team captain], but the chemistry in the backline is clearly not right. We need to get better individual and collective performances, and we have to look at what’s missing and what’s wrong.
“We have a good locker room, and we have been in situations like this before, and we always find a way out of it. I know it will be the same with this group.”
Fanendo Adi’s penalty – smartly saved by City’s former Toronto and Portland goalkeeper Joe Bendik – was the turning point for Porter, as it denied his team some crucial momentum going into the second half.
“If we score the penalty kick, it gives us a lift, and the second half is different,” he said. “And then we give up a goal early in the second half – another goal given up in a bad moment. Then they were just able to sit in, and it’s difficult to break teams down when they do that.”
Porter insisted they should have been able to deal with the constant threat of Orlando captain Kaka – making his season debut in front of a raucous crowd – but the plan to gain a man advantage in midfield just never worked out.
“Obviously Kaka is a great player. Having him back in their lineup certainly gave them a lift,” Porter admitted. “But we had a 3-2 advantage in the center and should have made more of the possession and rhythm that we had, but it never happened.”
