This Saturday our Timbers will face off against what many consider the best in MLS Real Salt Lake. RSL is coming off a disappointing defeat on Wednesday, when they failed to become the first MLS to qualify for the Fifa Club Cup. Sadly all they needed was draw against Mexican side Monterrey at home, a place they like to call the fortress. Well, we like call our house a number of things, but these days the House of Pane fits the bill. The Timbers are averaging over 3 goals a match at home, and a performance like that will be needed for us to take 3 points.

The Portland Timbers are coming off two big wins that catapulted the club from 8th to 4th in the Western Conference standings. The team hopes to take that momentum into the City of Angels, as they face off against the star-studded LA Galaxy. It will be tough task as they face LA, who will be happy to be home after a three game road trip that kept them from LA for twelve straight days.

The Galaxy are 3-1-3 and are in second place in the west after squeaking by Chicago 2-1 on Sunday while missing key players. Landon Donovan is back after he skipped the 3 game road trip due to knee inflammation, and all signs at this point is that he will be ready to start against the Timbers. LA’s leading assistant man David Beckham will be back after serving a one game suspension for accumulated yellows (five in … Read the rest

The Timbers resumed training on Thursday after a day off. Training started with the usual physical fitness routine. Then went into a variety of pass and shoot drills. There was also an increased emphasis on defending the ball around the box.

Typical stuff on a decent weather day in Beaverton. The guys left the pitch and boarded a bus back to the stadium, a new training routine. The players are now using the locker rooms back at Jeld Wen Field and being bussed in and out from the stadium. The boys left the training grounds just in time, as a driving rain and light hail came down just as they were finishing boarding the bus.

Video and pictures after the jump

Major League Soccer UK is a great website that covers the MLS from a British perspective. In their own words…

In running the Major League Soccer UK website, I have one very clear aim – to convert British football fans into MLS followers, and inform and educate them throughout the new and exciting journey they undertake. For MLS is thrilling, gripping and unpredictable stuff, but the quirks which differentiate American soccer from the Premiership can take some time to get used to.

The site has a collection of volunteers who contribute their time and effort in covering various MLS teams. I am slightly fascinated by seeing people across the pond take an interest in the league we are building here. There are so many people in North America who put their hearts and minds on whats going on in the EPL, Serie A, Bundesliga etc., that it is nice to see some backward exchange.

We have been getting a lot of messages from people who would like to know more about the chants sung at Portland Timbers matches. So I figured we would put together a quick guide to the chants.

First off the latest Timbers Army Chant Sheet can be downloaded and printed out here.

If you don’t have a printer don’t worry you can always pick up the chant sheet at the Timbers match at Jeld Wen Field. Timbers Army volunteers run an informational table in the concourse of each match near the entrance to section 107. There you can ask questions and pick up a free chant sheet. The table is staffed by friendly volunteers before the match, at halftime and post match to help you.

Timbersarmy.org tells you where you can buy your very own “No Pity Scarf.”

Check out the latest mao’s Football Show from April 19th.

Kalif Alhassan is proving to be a solid contributor and Timbers.com tells you his journey from Ghana to the Timbers.

Portland MLS Press profiles Peter Lowry and his role with the Timbers.

Tickets
If you haven’t attended a Timbers match at Jeld Wen Field yet, here is your chance to get tickets to an important US Open Cup match between the Timbers and the San Jose Earthquakes on May 3rd.

The Timbers went from 8th to 4th in the Western Conference standings, ahead of rivals Seattle and Vancouver.

Invest in heart medication, because in the past two matches the Timbers let their dominate 3-nil lead be erased in quick succession making everyone nervous.

The Timbers have four players with two goals. Kenny Cooper, Rodney Wallace, Jack Jewsbury and Jorge Perlaza have each now scored two goals for the club.

With seven goals in their last two matches, the Timbers now share the league lead in total goals scored with D.C. United at nine.

Alhassan “the fantastic” showed off his fancy footwork breaking the ankles of 5 count them 5 FC Dallas players in his assist on Wallace’s goal.

“(Before the match) we deliberately kept the doors open to the locker room,” Spencer said. “The atmosphere was tremendous….up there with the world’s best…..(Tonight) was the best feeling I’ve ever experienced (in my career).”

Don’t pinch yourself, it’s not a dream. The Portland Timbers will play their first-ever MLS match at the newly renovated Jeld-Wen Field at 8 p.m. Tonight against the Chicago Fire. Not only will the team make their home-debut in front a sell-out crowd, but the historic moment will be televised to a national audience on ESPN2. For many members of the Timber’s Army, tonight will be a thrilling culmination…

It was bright and sunny for the 2011 Media day as Timbers did their first training on the turf at Jeld Wen Field. All along the north eastern side of the stadium stood camera people and photographers snapping away. Every local news channel and newspaper was in full attendance. The area’s attention is definitely focused on the Timbers home opener.


Construction looks 99.8% complete as workers raced around putting final touches of paint here and there. There is a lot of testing of the equipment going on as well, such as the PA system, LED boards and the giant HD video board.

2011 Portland Timbers Media Day Extravaganza Links

• Photos and Videos Inside Jeld Wen - Our original real time post
• Portland Timbers 2011 Media Day Video Interviews - Paulson, Spencer, Cooper and more
  
• 2011 Portland Timbers Media Day Videos - Additional video views of the stadium
• Stadium Update 4-12-2011 - Over 60 pictures of Jeld Wen Field
• 2011 Media Day Gallery - Gallery of the training session and views of the stadium