Timbers seek right combination to spark strong finish

Without question, the Portland Timbers need to crank up their goal scoring if they are going to finish near the top of the tough Western Conference.

Coach Caleb Porter has said the team goal is to win in its final five home games — starting tonight against Houston — and to finish first or second and avoid the one-match knockout round that kicks off the MLS postseason.

The encouraging thing for the Timbers is that history — albeit a small sample — indicates the team is poised for a strong finish.

In Porter’s first two seasons at the helm, the Timbers have been among the hottest teams at the end of the regular season, posting five wins, three draws and two losses over their final 10 matches in both 2013 and in 2014.

In 2013, that strong finish included six shutouts and three 1-0 victories as the Timbers climbed to the top of the Western Conference.

They carried that momentum into the playoffs, beating Seattle in the two-match conference semifinal round before falling to Real Salt Lake in the conference finals.

This year, the Timbers struggles are on the offensive end of the field. Portland has scored only 26 times in 25 games. Only two of the 20 teams in MLS have scored fewer goals than Portland. The Timbers have scored two or more goals only seven times.

Certainly Diego Valeri’s ACL tear and Will Johnson’s broken leg — serious injuries late last season that kept both on the sidelines at the start of this season — can explain some of the drop off. Over the previous two seasons Valeri (21 goals, 27 assists) and Johnson (13 goals, 7 assists) were consistent contributors.

At the other end, Portland has been statistically solid in terms of creating chances and taking shots.

But the fact that defender Nat Borchers is tied for second on the team with three goals says plenty about what’s lacking: goals from attackers other than Fanendo Adi, who has 10.

Porter, as he does with lineup questions, did not commit to starting both Lucas Melano and Adi. Melano’s versatility as an attacker was trumpeted when Portland signed him last month, so it’s possible he could start on either wing or in a more central midfield role. Or, Porter could shift formations to allow Adi and Melano to play together as forwards — though that sounds like a longshot.

“The likelihood of us changing our system at this point of the season is pretty slim, but you never know,” Porter said.

The coach made it clear he sees his team trending in a positive direction and that major changes are not needed to jumpstart the attack.

“We’ve been getting in really good spots, and we’ve had some very positive attacking play,” Porter said. “But we’re just falling short a little bit on those final passes, the run, the decision of where to play, the cross — some of those little details.

“I honestly think if we get that last piece right we’re on the cusp of a floodgate opening.”

Dynamo at Timbers

Kickoff: 8 p.m. Friday at Providence Park.

TV / radio: KPDX 49 and UniMas (national)/ AM 750.

Tickets: Very limited remaining. 503-553-5555/timbers.com.

Timbers notes: Portland (11 wins, 8 losses, 6 ties, 39 points) opens the weekend fourth in the Western Conference, eight points ahead of a Houston team currently two spots below the playoff cutoff. A win would move the Timbers 10 points clear of seventh-place San Jose, which plays on Saturday. … Striker Fanendo Adi, who missed Saturday’s match at Real Salt Lake with a strained hip, should be available for selection. That will make for an interesting choice of attacking combinations for coach Caleb Porter. Lucas Melano made his first start for the Timbers, playing the center forward spot at RSL. But Melano can play any of the four attacking spots in Porter’s 4-2-3-1 formation. If Adi starts, Melano could start on a wing. That might mean left winger Rodney Wallace moves to the bench. Diego Valeri is likely to start at central attacking midfielder, but he and Darlington Nagbe are usually given freedom to interchange. Melano also figures to have that freedom, which could bring a few new wrinkles to what has been a sub-par Portland attack. … Defensively, the Timbers have posted three consecutive shutouts to lead the league with 11 in 25 games. Granted, RSL misfired on multiple good chances last Saturday, but goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey made some big plays and the recent run of success seems to have bolstered the tenacity of Portland’s defending. The Timbers have split two meetings this season with the Dynamo. Maximiliano Urruti and the departed Gaston Fernandez scored as Portland won 2-0 on June 20 at Providence Park.

Dynamo notes: Houston (8-9-7, 31 points) sits eighth in the West. The Dynamo figure to come to Portland looking for a win, as a draw would not gain them any ground. Houston has three wins in its last six games, but is coming off a loss at New England. … This is the second of three road games in a row for Houston. … Will Bruin leads Houston with nine goals, followed by Giles Barnes (6 goals, 2 assists). Bruin had two goals and Barnes one in Houston’s May 16 3-1 home win over Portland. … Erick “Cubo” Torres, who scored 15 goals for Chivas USA last season, has appeared as a second-half substitue in each of his first four games since joining the Dynamo in July. He is seeking his first goal for the Dynamo. … former Timbers center back David Horst, in his second season with Houston, has appeared in 22 games (18 starts) and has two assists this year.

— Paul Danzer, @col_timbers