What to watch for: Rowdies at Portland

Posted Jun 27, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Jun 27, 2010 at 09:40 AM

What to watch for when the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies face the Portland Timbers at PGE Park at 8 p.m. tonight.

1. LEADING THE LINE: With Aaron Wheeler suspended, Rowdies coach Paul Dalglish has a decision to make: Start Aaron King, or restructure the line-up to keep King as a second-half substitute where he has done most of his better work.

While it would seem logical to start King, the only other true out-and-out striker on the roster, there would actually be a certain logic in starting him on the bench. Three of King’s four league goals this season have come from off the bench, and he seems to bring a spark when the side can use his fresh legs later on in a game. It’ll be interesting to see what Dalglish decides, and who starts the game.

2. PLASTIC PITCH: PGE Park is one of the venues which has an artificial surface, something the Rowdies haven’t played on in over a month. It’s also a particularly hard one, so expect to see some bigger bounces than normal, especially on longer lofted passes.

The Rowdies haven’t fared badly on artificial surfaces so far this season, earning victory against Baltimore and a draw against Austin, but their judgment will be tested, especially defensively, against a quick Portland side that will take advantage of mistakes.

3. ROAD WARRIORS: The Rowdies made an excellent start to the season on the road, going 3-1-2 in their first six contests. Since then, though, they’ve fallen twice to Vancouver and Puerto Rico. The side was certainly unlucky not to take its chances against the Whitecaps, and should look to that performance as an indicator as to what can be achieved on the road.

Interestingly in that contest, the Rowdies seemed to get stronger as the game went on, and that could be the case again tonight. A good start to the game to let their legs settle will be key, and then expect to see the side push harder as the game goes on. Portland hasn’t scored more than one goal in its last five games at home, but after a 2-0 victory last Saturday against Minnesota that ended an eight-game winless streak, they will be looking for a fast start, something the Rowdies will have to weather early.