It’s Timbers vs. Sounders. Need I say more? A late season rivalry match with playoff and Cascadia Cup implications comes at a pivotal time for Portland’s season. Come chat (or cope) through it in the match thread.
His contract is up at the end of the season, and my most fervent hope is that he announces his retirement with a few games to go, so he can get the sendoff he deserves at the last home game of the season. His name will be up there with Valeri's in a couple years, as it should be, but he really should wrap it up this season.
Is he interested in coaching? Maybe scouting? I would like new personnel on the technical side that aren't fringe pros or never has beens or just folks with limited high level experience - cough cough looking at you, Shannon Murray and almost all of the Timbers academy staff.
Don’t understand the Evander hate. He’s our leading goal scorer and our most talented player. His body language isn’t always great and his work rate doesn’t compare to Chara and other legends but he’s our most talented player and I don’t think it’s close.
I mean, dude just scored an amazing goal and his face and body language say the opposite. He was walking back to the center circle after the goal looking bored. Does that matter? At all? I have and will continue to argue that it absolutely does not, because he produces.
That's how he has been after every goal. I'm guessing it's just his demeanor, not everyone has to run around screaming and doing cartwheels, he drew us level and wanted to get going again fast.
When he is not engaged he is out of position. With defenders constantly aware of his place on the pitch, that makes defense easier for the opponent- and offense harder on his teammates.
We can only hope. But a competent coach probably means someone outside the league. Is our moron owner going to pony up? And is our FO capable enough of reognizing that we need an experience coach - which pretty much rules a domestic?
I dont get people like you. You sit here and denigrate the owner say how he has to leave. Where is his inspiration to please the fan base when they dump garbage on him? He worked hard to make both PTFC teams quality and fun to watch. And all he gets is dumped on. Yes, he made errors, we all do. Show a little grace, he is after all just a human trying to figure life out just like the rest of us.
"He made errors" implies that he forgot to buy coffee for a team meeting when it was his turn. The "error" Paulson made was covering up and enabling sexual abuse. For YEARS.
Many people can't get past that, so maybe it's you who should "show a little grace" when people criticize him, because that criticism is coming from a very sincere place of disgust for who he is and what he did.
the douchebag coach had been abusing for years before he got here. MP had some knowledge of minor incidence that had happened here, but did not know the complete level of disgrace. what he knew was not good and many others knew more and did nothing. Based on his limited knowledge, he made a decision that in hindsight was an ERROR. Yes an error in judgement. If you have no errors in judgement then you this generations Mother Theresa. Look deep in your closet my friend.
Well said! So many here are endlessly negative. It's been a tough year. It happens to teams. This team will get better with some roster changes in the off season.
Winning team or losing team, that pink kit is absolutely atrocious. The best thing about this season is when it's over that kit will be gone. There is NOTHING about that pink kit that speaks Timbers. Timbers are green and gold (and white), period.
I have done that a few times and it's an odd experience. The crowd noise is mostly muted, so it's a bit like watching the game with the sound turned off and a couple of guys talking.
I want Jake back. He's picked up some bad habits since getting "promoted" to the Intermiami beat with Twellman. He needs to be rescued before it is too late. And we need to be spared Bretos' inane playcalling. Heck, he's almost as bad as Lalas.
I wish we had expansion draft rules. We get poached, then we're exempt from next draft. Or compensated 500k in GAM or something. Or, to really carry this analogy forward, Strong has done a couple world cups now. We had the Landon Donovan of commentators.
We should have gotten compensation for giving the league Jake. Who did we get in return? Bretos and Dunseth. And at times, Costigan. Should have also gotten extra Tam in addition to the GAM.
I’m confused if it was straight red or if it was a second yellow and he didn’t flash it properly. I was at the game and without a good view or the benefit of replays and commentary.
What happened to the team from Wednesday night?!? Besides being way too casual on the ball, we are tootless in attack. As in nada, zero, zilch. So back to square one?!
Game, set, match. Of course the streak would have to end sometime, but it still sucks. Especially since Flounders got an undeserved 3 points this week against Austin.
I'm stupidly optimistic before every Timbers game. I think Miller instead of Bravo will solidify our D for this game. Not something we should always do but still...
I would like to see Bravo as a wingback - let's just admit he isn't really a fullback, anyway - with Miller or whoever backing him up at lb. If he's going to go AWOL, which he does cause his first instinct is to attack then there's a need for someone to cover in the back.
Intteresting choice of Miller over Bravo but there can be a case to be made that Miller indeed does solidify the backline as he's more conservative. Otoh, is Ivacic in the doghouse again? Or some unexplained injury? Seriously, please stop playing Bingham as his positioning reeks of Meola.
Glad to see McGraw back in as starter. Not sure what to make of Araujo as he's off to a rough start. Can he be a reliable rotation piece or part of a 352 going forward? Season's toast so maybe we should find out now rather than next year.
Good comeback and mentality. Something g that had been missing under gio. That second yellow was soft but I will take the point. I don't think we will make the playoffs, but atleast we don't have to watch h shit soccer to end the season. This team needs a revamp mentally and physically in the off-season. The goal from Evander was nice but he needs to impose himself more.
Gio had an excellent record against Seattle. …or good and excellent lately. May be forgetting a 6-2 home loss.
I agree the yellow was soft. Didn’t Chu have a foot on foot early in the first half? Maybe that had something to do with it? Interesting turn of events.
Seattle games never disappoint. They've had everything happen and luckily it's mostly happened in the Timbers favor. No way they get anything from this game without the red card. It's great.
I know we played up a man in the second half but it is theFlounders' own fault for blowing a 2-0 lead. We looked much better after Asprilla and Boli came in. I really wanted to see Antony in just to press for the win and get him some pt. But we did get a result. That's four points this week. We still have issues going forward but I liked the fact that we fought for the draw.
Cascadia Derby. - maybe the most important matches for both sides every season. We can't even show up, for crying out loud. It is the Fish and not RSL. Or did the guys just pretend the team in yellow on Wed was our main rival?
I think this is a bit too critical. First, we have a habit of owning them in their house. So I don't believe it can be said that this is normal. Second, I honestly believe $hittle doesn't care about the Cascadia. Past performance indicates they only care if they literally have no they hardware to play for. otherwise, this is low on the priority list.
No clue but every time I see Bingham play, the defense always seems worse off. I thought Wed night the front 6 really stepped up. Miller's in there right now but not sure it is really him. Whole team has been wretched and the defense is more of a fiasco.
He still does. Development isn't linear, and this team isn't really built to bring out the best in anyone. I still think Zac will turn out to be really good.
Not on the first free kick. He hasn't scored from that distance---it was way out there. Instead of lofting a ball in which could have been knocked around and maybe knocked in goal during the scramble, he goes for a very low probability strike at goal which nestles comfortably in Frei's belly. He's a very talented player who thinks he's world class, based on some of his shot attempts and how frequently his casual dribbles and passes lead to turnovers, sometimes leading to goals the other way. He's definitely hit some bangers, but he's not world class. He doesn't have to be to be a top MLS player and valuable Timber. As I said in a previous thread after his careless foul in the box in Vancouver game which was called a penalty (leading others on STF to call for his exit), I'd definitely keep him and hope his humility and maturity increase quite a bit by next year.
Please note that I am not arguing "EVANDER IS AS GOOD AS MESSI". The claim was "he hasn't scored from that distance", though, and he plainly has. A few times. Even from the run of play, in that same competition. And he will continue to do so, because that's what the Timbers are paying him to do.
I think you didn't understand what I said, or what I was trying to say. I'm not comparing the handful of free kicks that Evander and Messi have made in MLS. I was saying I haven't seen Evander score from the distance of his first free kick in the latest Seattle game. Maybe he has scored one from that distance earlier in his career - I didn't watch him pre-Timbers. Of course he can score from the distances Messi has scored in his few attempts in MLS, but so have many, many players and it's completely irrelevant to the point I was making. It's a small sample size and it doesn't tell you anything about different players' relative likelihood of scoring from much longer kicks. The question is the wisdom of going for goal in the first attempt against Seattle, which was much further outside the box than Messi has attempted on goal in MLS. There's not many players I wouldn't question going for goal from that distance. Messi is one I wouldn't, simply because well, he's Messi. I'd be willing to bet his make % for longer kicks is much higher than Evander's or nearly anyone else. Of course his % for shorter kicks is likely higher than everyone else's too, but since the overall likelihood for free kick success increases as you get closer to the goal, it's a much wiser choice for mortal players to go for goal even if they're not going to be able to match Messi's conversion rate. Messi's break-even point for going for goal vs. floating a cross is probably farther out than anyone's, and that's no slight on Evander. You known he's not as good as Messi, and I know it, but for him to optimize his contribution to the club it's most important that he realizes it. He's very good, he's just not as good as he thinks he is.
But honestly, I love the confidence of Evander going for goal in that situation and from that distance; how many times have we seen a Timber free kick from there get pumped into the box in an attempt to find a friendly head, just to be cleared effortlessly by a defense that is expecting it?
Shooting from there promises at least the chance of my favorite thing - chaos leading to a goal. I agree Evander's got some maturing to do, but I like the confidence that says "I CAN SCORE FROM HERE", because it can result in good things even if his ball doesn't find the back of the net.
Oh, Seba. Maybe time to think of life after football.
His contract is up at the end of the season, and my most fervent hope is that he announces his retirement with a few games to go, so he can get the sendoff he deserves at the last home game of the season. His name will be up there with Valeri's in a couple years, as it should be, but he really should wrap it up this season.
Is he interested in coaching? Maybe scouting? I would like new personnel on the technical side that aren't fringe pros or never has beens or just folks with limited high level experience - cough cough looking at you, Shannon Murray and almost all of the Timbers academy staff.
no ty, we need fresh faces. New staff should be new
Evander haters going quite for a bit
Don’t understand the Evander hate. He’s our leading goal scorer and our most talented player. His body language isn’t always great and his work rate doesn’t compare to Chara and other legends but he’s our most talented player and I don’t think it’s close.
I mean, dude just scored an amazing goal and his face and body language say the opposite. He was walking back to the center circle after the goal looking bored. Does that matter? At all? I have and will continue to argue that it absolutely does not, because he produces.
That's how he has been after every goal. I'm guessing it's just his demeanor, not everyone has to run around screaming and doing cartwheels, he drew us level and wanted to get going again fast.
Exactly my point! Body language is a terrible way to evaluate a player. Evander's body language does not correlate to his activity level at all.
On this, you and I agree, for what it’s worth. Which isn’t much.
Wait until he’s surrounded by better players. Then pass judgment.
Part of it is I suspect the transfer fee; the other part is probably the body language. Personally, I blame coaching and FO before the player.
For me, it’s the inconsistent effort.
When he is not engaged he is out of position. With defenders constantly aware of his place on the pitch, that makes defense easier for the opponent- and offense harder on his teammates.
Yeah good point, the fee is a big part of it.
We brought him on to score not dance! What’s wrong with a little class?
If we could unlock him, watch out. I just have no idea what would turn on the light bulb for him.
Better teammates
And a defense that doesn't keep surrendering goals on a regular basis.
He's likely spent his career playing for competent coaches who know what to do with him. Maybe the next guy will be able to level the team up
We can only hope. But a competent coach probably means someone outside the league. Is our moron owner going to pony up? And is our FO capable enough of reognizing that we need an experience coach - which pretty much rules a domestic?
I dont get people like you. You sit here and denigrate the owner say how he has to leave. Where is his inspiration to please the fan base when they dump garbage on him? He worked hard to make both PTFC teams quality and fun to watch. And all he gets is dumped on. Yes, he made errors, we all do. Show a little grace, he is after all just a human trying to figure life out just like the rest of us.
"He made errors" implies that he forgot to buy coffee for a team meeting when it was his turn. The "error" Paulson made was covering up and enabling sexual abuse. For YEARS.
Many people can't get past that, so maybe it's you who should "show a little grace" when people criticize him, because that criticism is coming from a very sincere place of disgust for who he is and what he did.
the douchebag coach had been abusing for years before he got here. MP had some knowledge of minor incidence that had happened here, but did not know the complete level of disgrace. what he knew was not good and many others knew more and did nothing. Based on his limited knowledge, he made a decision that in hindsight was an ERROR. Yes an error in judgement. If you have no errors in judgement then you this generations Mother Theresa. Look deep in your closet my friend.
Well said! So many here are endlessly negative. It's been a tough year. It happens to teams. This team will get better with some roster changes in the off season.
We need a DP who’s a difference maker. Has Evander made any contribution other than giving away the ball? How about Yimmi?
other than leading the team in goals and assists and generally being the only creative midfielder we have......?
Came back to find this comment after the second half so I could grin at it, lol 😆
Our DP signings have been underwhelming lately. I’m still not ready to bail on Evander but the others haven’t been great.
That was a DP difference maker.
100%. His goals this season have been bangers this season.
This game may be the bad uniform cup. I thought we played RSL earlier.
Yes if Seattle is going to wear red can’t we wear green? The pink jerseys already have some bad memories attached to them for me.
I didn't know RSL had two senior squads! How fortunate for them! -;)
Are the Timbers that horrible where we now argue over kit colors?
Winning team or losing team, that pink kit is absolutely atrocious. The best thing about this season is when it's over that kit will be gone. There is NOTHING about that pink kit that speaks Timbers. Timbers are green and gold (and white), period.
Pink vs red . My eyes hurt
I will take that point any day of the week. Still a lot going wrong but that was a fun little flurry there in the second half.
Yes I will take it and it looked like the Timbers were satisfied with a draw as they didn’t push very hard the last 10 or so minutes
yeah, and given the way they've been playing this season, and in the first half of this game, I can't fault them for that, really.
Ok, that’s a contribution!
Oh, shit Evander. Where's that been all game?
Did these announcers just say that this is the old lady of rivalries Seattle vs Philadelphia
yes. yes, they did.
These announcers are legitimately awful.
Are you watching on Apple TV? If so, you can choose to listen to the local Timbers radio broadcast instead.
I have done that a few times and it's an odd experience. The crowd noise is mostly muted, so it's a bit like watching the game with the sound turned off and a couple of guys talking.
Max Bretos has been a horrible announcer since the old Fox Sports World days, and 30 years on he's no better.
I want Jake back. He's picked up some bad habits since getting "promoted" to the Intermiami beat with Twellman. He needs to be rescued before it is too late. And we need to be spared Bretos' inane playcalling. Heck, he's almost as bad as Lalas.
Or hell, Strong and Earle.
To think we had better commentary in 2011 than the entire MLS slate now...
We really were spoiled back then.
I wish we had expansion draft rules. We get poached, then we're exempt from next draft. Or compensated 500k in GAM or something. Or, to really carry this analogy forward, Strong has done a couple world cups now. We had the Landon Donovan of commentators.
We should have gotten compensation for giving the league Jake. Who did we get in return? Bretos and Dunseth. And at times, Costigan. Should have also gotten extra Tam in addition to the GAM.
Another careless giveaway by Evander -- must be a Saturday.
Great individual effort goal from Chu. Nice navel, too.
The Cascadia cup only matters when we win it, right?
and when Seattle and Vancouver draw in October, and the Timbers retain the cup, it will matter again!
Ah, my math was wrong then. Ah well.
I'll miss Blanco....
I already miss good Blanco.
Let's get A stony in and see if we can squeeze Sea harder. Take advantage of being 11v10!
HELL YES EVANDER
that'll do!
This is a sad time to be a fan of male professional sports teams in Portland.
Is it?
I think so. Others can disagree. But neither team making the playoffs is kind of a bummer.
Geez, I thought the foul might've been on McGraw. That's pretty harsh on Leo. Let's see if the Timbers can take advantage.
I mean, I'll take it, but that...wasn't much of a foul by Chu? It's a good break for the Timbers though.
I’m confused if it was straight red or if it was a second yellow and he didn’t flash it properly. I was at the game and without a good view or the benefit of replays and commentary.
Second yellow. His first was for taking his shirt off during his goal celebration.
Oh, man, how'd that not go in?
So well read by Paulo. Would have definitely changed the tenor of the second half.
Oh no, we suck again!
OMG that last defensive effort was shambolic and lucky it didn't end in a goal
Hey remember how much fun Wednesday was? This is...not
Time to sell the team to some millionaire in a flyover state!
I live in a flyover state (Iowa), but I am not a millionaire, so that narrows down the field by one!
What happened to the team from Wednesday night?!? Besides being way too casual on the ball, we are tootless in attack. As in nada, zero, zilch. So back to square one?!
Game, set, match. Of course the streak would have to end sometime, but it still sucks. Especially since Flounders got an undeserved 3 points this week against Austin.
Is one win against a terrible team really a streak though
I meant the undefeated streak against Shittle.
Everyone's touch is off,off,off
Story of the season.
Well, so much for Miller defending set pieces better than Bravo.
I want to believe
I'm stupidly optimistic before every Timbers game. I think Miller instead of Bravo will solidify our D for this game. Not something we should always do but still...
I would like to see Bravo as a wingback - let's just admit he isn't really a fullback, anyway - with Miller or whoever backing him up at lb. If he's going to go AWOL, which he does cause his first instinct is to attack then there's a need for someone to cover in the back.
Agree. I don't know what's happened to Bravo but he's way out of form.
Intteresting choice of Miller over Bravo but there can be a case to be made that Miller indeed does solidify the backline as he's more conservative. Otoh, is Ivacic in the doghouse again? Or some unexplained injury? Seriously, please stop playing Bingham as his positioning reeks of Meola.
ABSOLUTELY AGREE
Also thankfully zup and Mcgraw holding down the fort
Glad to see McGraw back in as starter. Not sure what to make of Araujo as he's off to a rough start. Can he be a reliable rotation piece or part of a 352 going forward? Season's toast so maybe we should find out now rather than next year.
#security blanket
Good comeback and mentality. Something g that had been missing under gio. That second yellow was soft but I will take the point. I don't think we will make the playoffs, but atleast we don't have to watch h shit soccer to end the season. This team needs a revamp mentally and physically in the off-season. The goal from Evander was nice but he needs to impose himself more.
Gio had an excellent record against Seattle. …or good and excellent lately. May be forgetting a 6-2 home loss.
I agree the yellow was soft. Didn’t Chu have a foot on foot early in the first half? Maybe that had something to do with it? Interesting turn of events.
Persistence may have figured into it
Wow, May 27, 2017 is an awful long time ago.
Can we all agree Evanders best position is not the 10?
Seattle games never disappoint. They've had everything happen and luckily it's mostly happened in the Timbers favor. No way they get anything from this game without the red card. It's great.
Great three minutes.
I know we played up a man in the second half but it is theFlounders' own fault for blowing a 2-0 lead. We looked much better after Asprilla and Boli came in. I really wanted to see Antony in just to press for the win and get him some pt. But we did get a result. That's four points this week. We still have issues going forward but I liked the fact that we fought for the draw.
Wow
We’d be so good if we played 11 v 10 all the time!
Boli - ok now we have some height
God, we really don't look like we're up a man, do we
Been a step slow all night, and that hasn't changed being up a man.
So did we have a game plan going in to the match? Or are we back to tactics? Like what tactics?
Maybe put Bravo in now? We need goals and Miller's useless going forward.
Agreed. Coach should be taking risks here. Go back 3 and put on more attacking players.
Antony? Do we want to see Antony?
I do. Why not? We haven't seen him that much yet, and this game's toast anyway. Let's see what he can do.
Keep your shirts on, kids.
Yup. Rookie mistake. You only do that shit in the second half.
Oh man, that was a good effort.
I like Eric Miller as a human and as a competent backup MLS defender but this isn’t great for him.
not a good look for portland, but actually not a good look for RSL if you think about it!
Cascadia Derby. - maybe the most important matches for both sides every season. We can't even show up, for crying out loud. It is the Fish and not RSL. Or did the guys just pretend the team in yellow on Wed was our main rival?
I think this is a bit too critical. First, we have a habit of owning them in their house. So I don't believe it can be said that this is normal. Second, I honestly believe $hittle doesn't care about the Cascadia. Past performance indicates they only care if they literally have no they hardware to play for. otherwise, this is low on the priority list.
Portland waking up a little bit, I'm not confident it'll last but at least they look like they're trying to play now.
when did McGraw turn into a traffic cone, was almost certain i was watching mabiala.......
No clue but every time I see Bingham play, the defense always seems worse off. I thought Wed night the front 6 really stepped up. Miller's in there right now but not sure it is really him. Whole team has been wretched and the defense is more of a fiasco.
McGraw lately has been out of position and slow to react, prime characteristics of mabs, sad to see him regress,, seemed to have a future in MLS....
He still does. Development isn't linear, and this team isn't really built to bring out the best in anyone. I still think Zac will turn out to be really good.
Evander thinks he can score from farther out than Messi.
He can. He has before. He will again.
Not on the first free kick. He hasn't scored from that distance---it was way out there. Instead of lofting a ball in which could have been knocked around and maybe knocked in goal during the scramble, he goes for a very low probability strike at goal which nestles comfortably in Frei's belly. He's a very talented player who thinks he's world class, based on some of his shot attempts and how frequently his casual dribbles and passes lead to turnovers, sometimes leading to goals the other way. He's definitely hit some bangers, but he's not world class. He doesn't have to be to be a top MLS player and valuable Timber. As I said in a previous thread after his careless foul in the box in Vancouver game which was called a penalty (leading others on STF to call for his exit), I'd definitely keep him and hope his humility and maturity increase quite a bit by next year.
This is Messi's first MLS free kick goal, in the Leagues Cup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm9y1WQUcJI
And this is Evander's goal, same competition, a week earlier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDiiiwFf3XA
There's not that much difference between the two.
Please note that I am not arguing "EVANDER IS AS GOOD AS MESSI". The claim was "he hasn't scored from that distance", though, and he plainly has. A few times. Even from the run of play, in that same competition. And he will continue to do so, because that's what the Timbers are paying him to do.
I think you didn't understand what I said, or what I was trying to say. I'm not comparing the handful of free kicks that Evander and Messi have made in MLS. I was saying I haven't seen Evander score from the distance of his first free kick in the latest Seattle game. Maybe he has scored one from that distance earlier in his career - I didn't watch him pre-Timbers. Of course he can score from the distances Messi has scored in his few attempts in MLS, but so have many, many players and it's completely irrelevant to the point I was making. It's a small sample size and it doesn't tell you anything about different players' relative likelihood of scoring from much longer kicks. The question is the wisdom of going for goal in the first attempt against Seattle, which was much further outside the box than Messi has attempted on goal in MLS. There's not many players I wouldn't question going for goal from that distance. Messi is one I wouldn't, simply because well, he's Messi. I'd be willing to bet his make % for longer kicks is much higher than Evander's or nearly anyone else. Of course his % for shorter kicks is likely higher than everyone else's too, but since the overall likelihood for free kick success increases as you get closer to the goal, it's a much wiser choice for mortal players to go for goal even if they're not going to be able to match Messi's conversion rate. Messi's break-even point for going for goal vs. floating a cross is probably farther out than anyone's, and that's no slight on Evander. You known he's not as good as Messi, and I know it, but for him to optimize his contribution to the club it's most important that he realizes it. He's very good, he's just not as good as he thinks he is.
Ah yeah, I did misunderstand that, sorry.
But honestly, I love the confidence of Evander going for goal in that situation and from that distance; how many times have we seen a Timber free kick from there get pumped into the box in an attempt to find a friendly head, just to be cleared effortlessly by a defense that is expecting it?
Shooting from there promises at least the chance of my favorite thing - chaos leading to a goal. I agree Evander's got some maturing to do, but I like the confidence that says "I CAN SCORE FROM HERE", because it can result in good things even if his ball doesn't find the back of the net.