BEAVERTON, Ore. – Months after his signing hype, Fanendo Adi landed himself in the doghouse.
In the early going of 2015, he just wasn't living up to the expectations set forth upon his Designated Player signing midseason last year. The big Nigerian striker scored just three goals through his first seven games – two of those coming in one match – earning himself a spot on the bench by mid-April.
Three more starts in May led to another goal, but something wasn’t clicking for head coach Caleb Porter, who opted for Maximiliano Urruti over Adi for five straight league matches starting May 27.
Since then, Adi has responded.
He scored another brace off the bench to lead Portland to a 2-0 win over the New England Revolution on June 6. Then he drew praise for his physical hold-up play in the Timbers’ US Open Cup win over the Seattle Sounders on June 16.
Finally, this past Sunday, he turned in “one of his best games” in a Timbers shirt in the team's memorable 4-1 victory over the Sounders, scoring him Player of the Week honors.
During the match, he recorded his signature brace to add to his team-leading total of eight goals. And now, he appears to once again enjoy Porter's good graces.
“Adi played like the true target-type forward that we felt he could be,” Porter said. “That type of play isn’t going to work every game. It’s working right now because we’re using that type of play in the right game.”
Like the USOC game against Seattle, Porter said Adi was the perfect match-up to counter Sounders center back Chad Marshall, last year’s MLS Defensive Player of the Year. The two clashed bodies for 95 minutes in the extra-time USOC game and then for another 90 on a sweltering Sunday afternoon at Providence Park.
It’s a different look from the lanky Urruti, who covers more ground but lacks Adi’s physical presence.
In the USOC match, Adi’s occupation of Marshall allowed midfielder Diego Valeri and winger Rodney Wallace to score goals. Porter then subbed Adi off for Urruti, who scored the third goal deep in extra time.
On Sunday, Adi showed his finishing touch, and paved the way for wingers Darlington Nagbe and Wallace to both open their league accounts for the season.
“He was excellent, one of his best games,” Porter said. “Chad Marshall, he was the defender of the year last year, and that was a great battle. If you’re a fan watching that game, you see that battle, two big men going toe to toe all game – Marshall got the better of him a few times; Adi got the better of him a few times – it was just a battle, those two.”
For Adi’s part, he’s said and done all the right things, something that isn’t always easy for a DP who isn’t used to playing a support role.
While all signs point toward Porter using the two strikers in a platoon situation – based on matchups – the 24-year-old Adi is sure to be at the top of Porter’s mind when he fills out the XI if Sunday’s performance is a sign of things to come.
“For me, I knew I was playing against one of the best defenders in the league,” Adi said after Sunday’s match. “I respect Marshall a lot. I think he defends very well. So coming into the game, I had to prepare extra well. Knowing that I had three good players underneath, I just had to hold up the ball back to them.
“I was lucky today," he continued. "The balls were coming in at the right places, and I was in the right places at the right times.”
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Now Porter has the prototypical “good problem” when it comes to selecting his striker. Urruti has three league goals, two in his last five starts. Porter said the competition for spots is healthy, everyone holding faith that they’ll be counted on to contribute at some point.
“I think these guys want to win, first and foremost,” Porter said. “They want to win. A lot of players say that, but they also want to be in the lineup and they want the personal accolades. These guys truly want to win, that’s it. And they’re all bought into that.
“And they know they’ll get their games," he continued. "They may not play every game, but they know we’re going to put them in, in some of the games. And they know they’re contributing to us winning. So I think what you have is a true team in every since of the word.”
Dan Itel covers the Timbers for MLSsoccer.com.
