Portland Timbers manager Caleb Porter says that his team should be much more clinical when it comes to taking the chances.

He has identified improving the attack as a key area in order to revive the club’s form. Portland have been sitting just one place above the bottom due to inconsistent form. In the last five matches, they have had wins against New York City FC and Montréal Impact but they have also suffered a disappointing results against the likes of Seattle Sounders and Houston Dynamo.Porter says that the team should also be looking at creating more opportunities for the strikers.

Even though the 3-1 defeat against Houston Dynamo does not sound very bad, it could have been a victory by an even bigger margin for Houston. Further, Portland managed to score from the only shot on target they had in the entire 90 minutes. Ahead of the match against Toronto FC on May 25,Porter says that his team should start playing with much more creativity than they have done in recent weeks. After having averaged less than a goal per game, it is not surprising thatPorter finds his team in the ninth position. They are one of the three teams in the Western Conference to have a negative goal difference.

“I don’t think we created enough chances, no. … But I also think a big part of that was giving up an early goal, which played into their hands and now they can sit back. And they were very organized, and now we’ve got to carry the game and to carry the game in 90-degree weather and try to break down numbers,” said Porter. The manager has also requested more from winger Darlington Nagbe, who has scored just one goal in 46 appearances for the MLS outfit.