Honestly.....the entire backline needs to go. Including miller. I'm so tired of the buddy hires. Liam as a D coach and our D is terrible. Fire him. Miller is poor and honestly too slow. Him as a LB is laughable. They should just play 3 in the back and have them sit deeper to limit counters. Play Moreno and Antony as Wingbacks (can't be any worse then bravo and masquera) and have ayala and chara in the midfield. Then allow Evander, mora and rodriguez to do there thing up top. Ffs what do they say about doing the same thing and expecting different results.
Honestly the off-season needs to see some major changes in our depth and entire D.
Chara needs to start being a bench player at his age. You can see he has lost it more and more throughout the year. But Williamson and Paredes don't offer much in the midfield. Time to move on from both. I'm glad ayala has stayed injury free this year. That was my biggest concern after two surgeries. Loria needs to go as well. All our cbs need to go. I hate to say it but that includes mcgraw. I was so high on him but he has fallen off a cliff. At his age he shouldn't be as fast as mabiala was. As for masquera and bravo. Bravo adds nothing offensively and is mediocre defensively. Where mosquera is ok offensively and horrendous defensively. I don't know how many times I have seen mosquera completely lose track of his runner on a simple give and go.
I really hope in the off season they find another hard nose 6 to take over for chara. A bull dog 50/50 winner to pair with ayala. Play ayala and him together. Then move on from Williamson and Loria and find some good young players to battle for spots in the midfield. Completely demolish and rebuild the back line. Maybe don't bring in wingbacks and play them in a fullback formation. That might help. If you aren't going to adjust the system to fit the players then find the players to fit the system. Our defensive woes show exactly that. That's why Miller or Miller will get games as fullbacks because the wingbacks we have now DO...NOT..FIT..THE...SYSTEM. but Phil won't adjust and hasn't all season. So go and get a defense first backline and allow the front 5 to take care of the offense. Either way this year has shown we have the offense but our defense is bush league.
Wasted opportunity. Phil said he's looking for mentality and that it's "not tactics, its mentality." Well, its both in my opinion. Saying its mentality is like telling the team to "try harder." We need leadership to have mentality. I don't think Evander or Chara are leadership guys but lead more by example. Say what you want about Will Johnson from Championship days but that guy had bite and he brought mentality to the team. We don't have that. We were told we will have fast and exciting soccer and we have some talent that can deliver that. But, I want the front office and coaches to tell us that we are going to play defense. A night like tonight with the offense off; the defense can win the game. I know the opposing goal was a deflection but with over 50 goals allowed, that is on the defense, front office and coaches. I'm sick of leaking goals, starting seasons slow and starting games slow and I think the philosophy needs to change and the front office need to get it's act together. I have at least 2 reasons why every player on the back line should not be here next year. Yes, we focused on bringing attacking players in but this sucks and it has for years. Its the fault of the front office because they bring in the players and the coaches. The front office lost Bertrame and Pec and misdiagnosed Rodriquez as a striker. and we discovered after he arrived that he is a winger. Who expected Mora to be this good after his injury. Thank God, Mora has been this good after his injury. If there is any interest from outside teams on the back line, send them. Bravo and Mosquera are a risk defensively and constantly leave us exposed and our CB's can't dominate a corner kick. They're small, can't jump and its really too bad that McGraw's footwork and decision making is suspect because he has the size of a CB and can and has dominated in the middle. If someone is interested in Moreno, send him. We need a more impactful p;layer and scorer on the right. Mora and Rodriguez are older so there's work to do there and I would serious consider moving Ayala to the 6, put Evander at the 8 and bring in a Dp 10. Williamson, and Loria: thank you for your help but your services may be of better used in a change of environment. As for Phil, there are some things that have impressed me andI have less complaints than I had with Gio but I've had it with cheerleader coaches. Pushing for mentality and having the Timbers Army sucking in goals for us just doesn't cut it. We play 90 min and have come back when behind in games. well that's not a compliment and that's not mentality.. That says we start games slow. It is about tactics, you and your assistant were defensive players. Get the job done. And I hope the front office brings you talent and players with grit, determination and leadership.
The guys are now playing "Hail Mary". I say we throw Surman out there just so we can see what we have. Why did we buy him now if we're nog going to play him? Or was this just an attempt to get started on the 2025 season?
Ok, Suramn is not in the squad today. Oh well. Anyone got other ideas on how to salvage this match?
I just realized that the Timbers seem to have finally overcome the injury bug this season. We only have 1 injured player right now and all of our best players have been available all year except for a minor knock here or there. :).
I always hear that Max is our best keeper, but he doesn't LOOK better in goal and the results certainly don't seem better. What am I missing about this guy?
And bring back Sulte? We can do that. But it's going to take offloading several players to reconfigure the defense. Dump Araujo, JDM, and K Miller. Offseason should be defense, defense, and defense.
Honestly.....the entire backline needs to go. Including miller. I'm so tired of the buddy hires. Liam as a D coach and our D is terrible. Fire him. Miller is poor and honestly too slow. Him as a LB is laughable. They should just play 3 in the back and have them sit deeper to limit counters. Play Moreno and Antony as Wingbacks (can't be any worse then bravo and masquera) and have ayala and chara in the midfield. Then allow Evander, mora and rodriguez to do there thing up top. Ffs what do they say about doing the same thing and expecting different results.
Honestly the off-season needs to see some major changes in our depth and entire D.
Chara needs to start being a bench player at his age. You can see he has lost it more and more throughout the year. But Williamson and Paredes don't offer much in the midfield. Time to move on from both. I'm glad ayala has stayed injury free this year. That was my biggest concern after two surgeries. Loria needs to go as well. All our cbs need to go. I hate to say it but that includes mcgraw. I was so high on him but he has fallen off a cliff. At his age he shouldn't be as fast as mabiala was. As for masquera and bravo. Bravo adds nothing offensively and is mediocre defensively. Where mosquera is ok offensively and horrendous defensively. I don't know how many times I have seen mosquera completely lose track of his runner on a simple give and go.
I really hope in the off season they find another hard nose 6 to take over for chara. A bull dog 50/50 winner to pair with ayala. Play ayala and him together. Then move on from Williamson and Loria and find some good young players to battle for spots in the midfield. Completely demolish and rebuild the back line. Maybe don't bring in wingbacks and play them in a fullback formation. That might help. If you aren't going to adjust the system to fit the players then find the players to fit the system. Our defensive woes show exactly that. That's why Miller or Miller will get games as fullbacks because the wingbacks we have now DO...NOT..FIT..THE...SYSTEM. but Phil won't adjust and hasn't all season. So go and get a defense first backline and allow the front 5 to take care of the offense. Either way this year has shown we have the offense but our defense is bush league.
Wasted opportunity. Phil said he's looking for mentality and that it's "not tactics, its mentality." Well, its both in my opinion. Saying its mentality is like telling the team to "try harder." We need leadership to have mentality. I don't think Evander or Chara are leadership guys but lead more by example. Say what you want about Will Johnson from Championship days but that guy had bite and he brought mentality to the team. We don't have that. We were told we will have fast and exciting soccer and we have some talent that can deliver that. But, I want the front office and coaches to tell us that we are going to play defense. A night like tonight with the offense off; the defense can win the game. I know the opposing goal was a deflection but with over 50 goals allowed, that is on the defense, front office and coaches. I'm sick of leaking goals, starting seasons slow and starting games slow and I think the philosophy needs to change and the front office need to get it's act together. I have at least 2 reasons why every player on the back line should not be here next year. Yes, we focused on bringing attacking players in but this sucks and it has for years. Its the fault of the front office because they bring in the players and the coaches. The front office lost Bertrame and Pec and misdiagnosed Rodriquez as a striker. and we discovered after he arrived that he is a winger. Who expected Mora to be this good after his injury. Thank God, Mora has been this good after his injury. If there is any interest from outside teams on the back line, send them. Bravo and Mosquera are a risk defensively and constantly leave us exposed and our CB's can't dominate a corner kick. They're small, can't jump and its really too bad that McGraw's footwork and decision making is suspect because he has the size of a CB and can and has dominated in the middle. If someone is interested in Moreno, send him. We need a more impactful p;layer and scorer on the right. Mora and Rodriguez are older so there's work to do there and I would serious consider moving Ayala to the 6, put Evander at the 8 and bring in a Dp 10. Williamson, and Loria: thank you for your help but your services may be of better used in a change of environment. As for Phil, there are some things that have impressed me andI have less complaints than I had with Gio but I've had it with cheerleader coaches. Pushing for mentality and having the Timbers Army sucking in goals for us just doesn't cut it. We play 90 min and have come back when behind in games. well that's not a compliment and that's not mentality.. That says we start games slow. It is about tactics, you and your assistant were defensive players. Get the job done. And I hope the front office brings you talent and players with grit, determination and leadership.
So is 7th place now completely out of reach and the best we can hope for is 8th place going in to the wild card game?
No. It all depends on how the teams ahead of us do and how many pts we score the last two games.
So is Phil going to say both halves were "unacceptable" in the post match presser?
Welcome to the offseason, folks.
I can't listen to his drivel anymore. It's all excuses most of which a competent coach would have addressed.
Oh, man, shut out at home by Austin!!!? That hurts
A big OUCH. Absolutely embarassing.
Out of the last 3 games I thought this was the best chance for 3 points.
Williamson is showing nothing.
This is ridiculous.
The guys are now playing "Hail Mary". I say we throw Surman out there just so we can see what we have. Why did we buy him now if we're nog going to play him? Or was this just an attempt to get started on the 2025 season?
Ok, Suramn is not in the squad today. Oh well. Anyone got other ideas on how to salvage this match?
Need a little magic from Evander
We're being Rimando'd right now
Yeah but I also don't think the guys are taking smart shots.
Well, Jonathan is making it too easy by hitting it right at him
"Classic Timbers lack of defense" just got away with one there ....
We're desesperate and so is our passing. No compure right now.
Austin is trying hard to get a Timber thrown out of this match.
I just realized that the Timbers seem to have finally overcome the injury bug this season. We only have 1 injured player right now and all of our best players have been available all year except for a minor knock here or there. :).
There was a reason why miller and Neville were fired from Miami…
Not sure trading him to the Timbers in exchange for $500,000 in 2024 GAM, $125,000 in 2025 GAM and an international roster spot is firing him.
Actually, Miller's been fired from several teams already! You'd think Neville - having played for United - would realize that K Miller isn't all that.
I always hear that Max is our best keeper, but he doesn't LOOK better in goal and the results certainly don't seem better. What am I missing about this guy?
I'd be fine starting Pantemis and using Max money for a better defender
And bring back Sulte? We can do that. But it's going to take offloading several players to reconfigure the defense. Dump Araujo, JDM, and K Miller. Offseason should be defense, defense, and defense.