How Portland Timbers Can Combat Sporting Kansas City In MLS Western Conference Final

This post originally featured on our network site which covers players, matches and more involving MLS  majorleaguesoccernews.com.

They’re almost here: the MLS Conference Finals. Having focused on MLS Eastern Conference last week, today I will be looking at what should encourage Portland Timbers in the west. They’ll be facing the very much liked Sporting Kansas City on Sunday.

But how could they come out on top in a battle against one of the best MLS teams of the year? Find out here in my tactical analysis which will cover how Portland can impose themselves on SKC.

Midfield Balance: Grit

Portland have a very strong spine going through team and that is shown as they favour a 4-3-2-1 formation. This formation sees them play without out-and-out wingers, but creators Diego Valeri and Sebastian Blanco have licence to roam.

What this formation also brings is stability in defence. It makes it harder for teams to break through the middle of the pitch and forces them to create out wide. A key part to this has been Diego Chara. The 32-year-old has been impressive in the Portland midfield this year.

Averaging 2.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per 90 minutes (WhoScored), its clear the impact Chara has in midfield which is only reinforced by visuals in his heatmap below:

The numbers and visuals look good, however, this could do Chara a disservice. Not only is he great at stopping attacks but the manner in which he does this is commendable. His timing and recovery speed are phenomenal as seen below:

This sequence is one that isn’t foreign to Portland fans. Throughout the season, Chara has been great at winning tackles and coming out with the ball which could prove vital for Portland.

M

Keep Reading TFA With A Free 7 Day Trial

Login if you have a TFA subscription

Try TFA Risk Free For 7 Days

Full Access To TFA Articles

New Content 7 Days

Expert Insights

TFA Podcast Access

7 Day Free Trial

Money Back Guarantee

Subscribe For Free