BEAVERTON, Ore. – Caleb Porter barely had 30 minutes to celebrate the Portland Timbers’ 3-1 victory Sunday over FC Dallas in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship before he was asked to look ahead.
Just what does the head coach plan on doing with Darlington Nagbe?
The dynamic midfielder had just put in an impressive shift at the attacking midfielder position normally manned by Diego Valeri, who was absent due to yellow-card accumulation. Valeri will be back for Sunday’s second leg at Dallas’ Toyota Park in Frisco, Texas (5 pm ET, ESPN, WatchESPN, ESPN Deportes in US, TSN2 in Canada).
“That’s pretty easy, just play him and stay out of the way,” Porter said of the Nagbe conundrum. “I thought he was unbelievable [Sunday]. He didn’t score, but the amount of times he got out of pressure. He’s always a threat, always. It’s exciting to see.”
Nagbe has been at his best this season after Porter switched him from the right wing to central midfield. With Valeri in the game, Nagbe has played a more box-to-box role in a 4-3-3 (or 4-1-4-1) formation.
Against Dallas, the recent US national team call-up was at the point of Porter’s oft-used 4-2-3-1.
“He was very good in Colorado when he played alone there,” Porter said Tuesday at the team facility of the team’s regular season finale, a 4-1 win, when Valeri was also out. “He was very good last game, he was very good really the last seven games when he’s played in the center. So I think he’s been good every game in the last seven; he’s been outstanding. He’s gotten on the ball, and he’s been tremendous.”
Where Nagbe plays may not matter quite as much as what formation Porter elects to use.
Porter opted for the 4-2-3-1 against Dallas’ explosive attack to give the back line the cover of two defensive midfielders. When Nagbe and Valeri have played together in the 4-1-4-1, that’s left only one defensive midfielder.
Rodney Wallace, who was also suspended Sunday, will be back as well, giving Porter another decision to make on the wings, with Lucas Melano and Dairon Asprilla having put in quality shifts against Dallas.
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Asprilla, of course, came up with the stunning long-distance goal that gave Portland a 2-0 second-half lead.
“Fourty-eight hours after the game, and we’ve already had some discussions: lineup, personnel, system of play and all that,” Porter said. “We’ll figure it out, we’ll roll it out, we’ll train, and then we’ll go to the game with a plan.”
One player’s availability that is in question is center back Liam Ridgewell, who came off in the second half Sunday with a tight calf muscle. Porter said Tuesday that it was still “tight, sore” and that Ridgewell will be a game-time decision.
Dan Itel covers the Timbers for MLSsoccer.com.
