I was always thinking that Mora could recover from his injury and get back to his former self because what makes him great was never his athleticism, it’s his intelligence and technical ability. And clearly, both of those are still intact. Not to mention he’s elite at drawing fouls with a defender on his back, and that often comes at crucial moments in the match where we need a break from pressure. I’m thrilled to see him starting and putting in performances like these
Oh he definitely deserves a lot of the credit for the recent surge. Last night both goals were largely because of his wonderful first touches, the first when he so nicely controlled the rebound off the Austin player, and the second for the perfect chest pass to Evander.
I'm so glad he's back to mostly full health and is still the player I hoped he'd be. Takes some of the pressure off finding a replacement, because he's on an extremely club-friendly deal through 2025.
Mora really is a cut above. Excellent in possession and finishing generally and as we saw last night - assisting. As JJ says, Boli is a good super sub for this team, too, but for my money, Mora is a clear no. 1, and one of the big reasons for the turnaround of the season.
I would go so far as to say that Mora has been the key difference explaining the bounce since Savarese was fired. Had he been healthy in June, I think Savarese would still be coach. We've always had a solid defense, more or less. But we haven't had a striker who can hold the ball up and play well off of others to help give some structure to the attack and make us less dependent on our wingers taking people on one on one. Boli is good, but I think it's clear why Mora is starting now.
I think people mix up a players individual skill and products of tactics or a system/style, as they often conflate who deserves credit/blame for specific on field events or runs of form.
Too many teams make the playoffs and the format this year is beyond stupid. But if that’s how they want to do it we might as well sneak in and spoil some high seed’s season.
We’re maybe a third or fourth-tier talent team that has played very little good soccer this year and currently in playoff position. It’s silly. And the first round is going to be a PK-shootoutathon. But again, might as well go eff things up. Don’t think we’ll go too far, but we could end the Sounders season or St. Louis’ fairy tale, or Will Farrell’s autumn plans.
I think with everybody healthy, we have a talented roster, or at least one that can compete. It's not an elite roster by any stretch, but one that can go toe to toe with anyone. Calling it third or fourth tier undervalues the roster, in my opinion. This is a huge week, and if you look at the standings, there's a pretty big logjam after the third place team. Any kind of win streak, which the Timbers are enjoying a modest one, can push them higher up the table. I for one am glad for the switch back to home and away series, as it will be to our advantage. Finally, we played some crappy soccer earlier in the year, but that is in the past. We're playing pretty well. I think there are things to iron out, for sure, and we are seeing improvement each week.
I'm very excited about this team. To go into Texas without D. Chara and get the three points says all you need to know. They are battle tested and know how to get results. They aren't a system team, like an Austin, for example, they are more free flowing. I think MJ kept the Gio free flowing model, but put in some general concepts for offense and defense for more structure. It's working. Above all, MJ is better at player management and is making the right moves. I was a little critical of him making subs last night, but maybe he was forced to due to the congested schedule coming up. I think if there wasn't a midweek game, he should have/would have ridden that starting lineup until/if Austin scored. I think that scoreline would have been different than what it ended up. Speculation, of course. Overall, great job by the coaching staff to get the result.
That second goal was something else! It started way earlier with Moreno doing the Merengue all the way up the field.
MotM - Both Moreno and Asprilla stood out. McGraw had a gazillion clearances, and Bingham was good, too. Good effort from the team.
Austin threw everything at the Timbers in the first 30 minutes, as Sam said, and then they couldn't sustain it. It was a good thing they did not have one or two goals out of that barrage. I can't blame the Timbers, although they were a little tentative perhaps.
Moreno, really? I thought he was off most of the night and couldn’t do anything from (what I counted) 3 fairly point blank opportunities. I like the guy, but this wasn’t a great game from him.
I agree about the missed shots - the one on the left side probably the most disappointing. It's something he needs to work on, for sure. Last night for the first 70 he was playing an eight, and the stuff he did last night as an 8 was elite. Checking to the ball, the touches, clowning the coach's son to where the coach had to sub him, to the out of this world passing (pass to Mora in first half that was off by about five yards but wow, a pass at the 36 minute mark in the box that if anyone (Yimmi) was running off ball it would have been sweet, the should have been an assist to Boli, winning the ball and on and on. His work in the midfield cleared the way for a good game from Asprilla, IMO.
Total derail from the game recap, but watching the CL just now they cut to a half time interview with Jesse Marsch, who...just moved to Italy because his wife just got her Italian citizenship. I think my pipe dream of luring him to Portland is going to remain just that.
I dunno, I don’t think his style would fit our players at all. All out pressing could work for Paredes, Bravo, hell Asprilla and Moreno, but not for Diego Chara, Mora, Williamson, and most importantly, Evander. Whether we like it or not, Evander is the guy, and Marsch’s system would probably be the worst system for him. I really think we need a manager who wants the team to possess the ball more
I like it. A lot. It kinda blows my mind how many people don't. Watching him and Mora together next year is gonna be a treat.
And don't forget, this roster will probably look substantially different next season, and even a guy like Chara probably won't play every single minute of every single game. With a new coach comes new ideas and new ways of playing, and if a coach with Marsch's pedigree comes in (and again, this is my pipe dream, I know it's probably not realistic), I think players would figure out how to adapt.
I'm cautiously optimistic that Evander is settling in, and will become a difference maker going forward. I suspect I'm always going to be bothered by the defensive effort, but if he provides the spark on offense I can live with it. You can see him enjoying the game a lot more now than compared to the beginning of the season. We are going to need a number of players, and hopefully can keep Moreno in the fold for another year. It isn't perfect soccer, but it is a heck of lot more enjoyable now that before.
"I suspect I'm always going to be bothered by the defensive effort"
I mean, he wasn't brought here for his defense? I get that non-back-line positions have to play defense to some extent, but if you were expecting him to be, like, Diego Chara but also a goal-scoring threat, that's...not who Evander is. He was brought here to create and to score.
I'm not at all worried by his "defensive effort", because he's the Timbers' top scorer (8G, 0.35G/90) despite taking some time to settle and missing a big chunk of the early season (5 games) through injury. That's why he's here - to score.
With a season under his belt and with a healthy Mora working with him all season next season...man that's gonna be fun.
I'll be the first to admit that I thought we would partially lose the ability to get up for important games when Gio left. I'm quite pleased to see that the team can turn things around even within a half
I would suggest that they are getting for games because Gio is no longer around. He lost this team early in the season and it showed. They appear to actually be enjoying playing now.
If we're speculating - and that's all this is from my part, even if others know more - he lost the team last year at some point. Essentially the same roster as last year, with the differences of Evander and a newly-healthy Mora, is playing in a way more cohesive, way more positive manner than they have under Gio for the last couple of seasons.
I am also unconvinced that Joseph is the permanent answer - I don't want to be fooled by/make any long term judgments after four games - but watching this team now isn't nearly the slog it was a month ago. The only change since then is at the coaching spot, so it's not hard to intuit that that was where a lot of the problems lay. I still think this team needs a major overhaul this winter, including at coach, but I'm not dreading watching them for the rest of the season the way I was in July.
I thought earlier this year the difference in Evander as soon as Mora came back. That is the type of forward he needs to truly unlock his potential. Boli’s problem if you can call it that is he is ALWAYS looking to go forward and ends up dribbling into trouble. He doesn’t get his teammates involved until it is the 2nd or 3rd option vs Mora is always looking to involve others.
Yeah, I'm not investing too much thought into Franck Boli, as I'm pretty sure he won't be back next season....haha. He was brought in as a Mora placeholder, he only signed a one-year deal, so I'm assuming with Mora back to full health that Boli will be let go at the end of the season.
He was good for a bit, now he's kinda not, he may score a goal or two again before the end of the season, then he'll be gone. Pretty solid replacement player overall, but nothing more.
I am, however, verrrrrry excited about a full season of Mora/Evander working together in 2024, as you say that'll be a fun duo to watch.
I could definitely see Boli coming back next year if he is willing to take a team-friendly contract. He's too expensive at $532k, but given the large number of replacements that Ned needs to get this off-season, I wouldn't be super upset if he ended up on the roster as a backup striker with Mora as our primary option and some kid as our third.
I’d love him on a contract under $400k. I think he’s starting caliber and an even better backup, we’d be set at that position with Mora and Boli. Hell, I wouldn’t totally mind him on his current contract
I don’t see people giving kudos to Mora and what a difference maker he’s been sine coming back.
I was always thinking that Mora could recover from his injury and get back to his former self because what makes him great was never his athleticism, it’s his intelligence and technical ability. And clearly, both of those are still intact. Not to mention he’s elite at drawing fouls with a defender on his back, and that often comes at crucial moments in the match where we need a break from pressure. I’m thrilled to see him starting and putting in performances like these
Oh he definitely deserves a lot of the credit for the recent surge. Last night both goals were largely because of his wonderful first touches, the first when he so nicely controlled the rebound off the Austin player, and the second for the perfect chest pass to Evander.
I'm so glad he's back to mostly full health and is still the player I hoped he'd be. Takes some of the pressure off finding a replacement, because he's on an extremely club-friendly deal through 2025.
I appreciate your comment!
Mora really is a cut above. Excellent in possession and finishing generally and as we saw last night - assisting. As JJ says, Boli is a good super sub for this team, too, but for my money, Mora is a clear no. 1, and one of the big reasons for the turnaround of the season.
I would go so far as to say that Mora has been the key difference explaining the bounce since Savarese was fired. Had he been healthy in June, I think Savarese would still be coach. We've always had a solid defense, more or less. But we haven't had a striker who can hold the ball up and play well off of others to help give some structure to the attack and make us less dependent on our wingers taking people on one on one. Boli is good, but I think it's clear why Mora is starting now.
"Had he been healthy in June, I think Savarese would still be coach."
Then I guess thank whatever deity is available that Mora's recovery took a while!
I think people mix up a players individual skill and products of tactics or a system/style, as they often conflate who deserves credit/blame for specific on field events or runs of form.
Nice match, great result. Team is feeling more cohesive. Still, not sure Miles Joseph is the man of the future.
Way too soon to know.
Too many teams make the playoffs and the format this year is beyond stupid. But if that’s how they want to do it we might as well sneak in and spoil some high seed’s season.
We’re maybe a third or fourth-tier talent team that has played very little good soccer this year and currently in playoff position. It’s silly. And the first round is going to be a PK-shootoutathon. But again, might as well go eff things up. Don’t think we’ll go too far, but we could end the Sounders season or St. Louis’ fairy tale, or Will Farrell’s autumn plans.
I think with everybody healthy, we have a talented roster, or at least one that can compete. It's not an elite roster by any stretch, but one that can go toe to toe with anyone. Calling it third or fourth tier undervalues the roster, in my opinion. This is a huge week, and if you look at the standings, there's a pretty big logjam after the third place team. Any kind of win streak, which the Timbers are enjoying a modest one, can push them higher up the table. I for one am glad for the switch back to home and away series, as it will be to our advantage. Finally, we played some crappy soccer earlier in the year, but that is in the past. We're playing pretty well. I think there are things to iron out, for sure, and we are seeing improvement each week.
I'm very excited about this team. To go into Texas without D. Chara and get the three points says all you need to know. They are battle tested and know how to get results. They aren't a system team, like an Austin, for example, they are more free flowing. I think MJ kept the Gio free flowing model, but put in some general concepts for offense and defense for more structure. It's working. Above all, MJ is better at player management and is making the right moves. I was a little critical of him making subs last night, but maybe he was forced to due to the congested schedule coming up. I think if there wasn't a midweek game, he should have/would have ridden that starting lineup until/if Austin scored. I think that scoreline would have been different than what it ended up. Speculation, of course. Overall, great job by the coaching staff to get the result.
That second goal was something else! It started way earlier with Moreno doing the Merengue all the way up the field.
MotM - Both Moreno and Asprilla stood out. McGraw had a gazillion clearances, and Bingham was good, too. Good effort from the team.
Austin threw everything at the Timbers in the first 30 minutes, as Sam said, and then they couldn't sustain it. It was a good thing they did not have one or two goals out of that barrage. I can't blame the Timbers, although they were a little tentative perhaps.
But I completely agree about MJ’s substitution practices since he took over. Gio might have been the most frustrating coach ever concerning subs.
Moreno, really? I thought he was off most of the night and couldn’t do anything from (what I counted) 3 fairly point blank opportunities. I like the guy, but this wasn’t a great game from him.
I agree about the missed shots - the one on the left side probably the most disappointing. It's something he needs to work on, for sure. Last night for the first 70 he was playing an eight, and the stuff he did last night as an 8 was elite. Checking to the ball, the touches, clowning the coach's son to where the coach had to sub him, to the out of this world passing (pass to Mora in first half that was off by about five yards but wow, a pass at the 36 minute mark in the box that if anyone (Yimmi) was running off ball it would have been sweet, the should have been an assist to Boli, winning the ball and on and on. His work in the midfield cleared the way for a good game from Asprilla, IMO.
My favorite thing besides the win was the Spanish commentators making fun of Wolff (the player) and calling him a nepo baby.
Just caught the new Diego Valeri show and it's actually really great:
https://es.mlssoccer.com/videos/cambio-de-frente-descubre-con-diego-valeri-lo-que-genera-el-futbol-en-el-corazon#cambio-de-frente-descubre-con-diego-valeri-lo-que-genera-el-futbol-en-el-corazon
He's relaxed and just seems to be enjoying himself. Wish I didn't need the subtitles!
Total derail from the game recap, but watching the CL just now they cut to a half time interview with Jesse Marsch, who...just moved to Italy because his wife just got her Italian citizenship. I think my pipe dream of luring him to Portland is going to remain just that.
I dunno, I don’t think his style would fit our players at all. All out pressing could work for Paredes, Bravo, hell Asprilla and Moreno, but not for Diego Chara, Mora, Williamson, and most importantly, Evander. Whether we like it or not, Evander is the guy, and Marsch’s system would probably be the worst system for him. I really think we need a manager who wants the team to possess the ball more
"Whether we like it or not, Evander is the guy"
I like it. A lot. It kinda blows my mind how many people don't. Watching him and Mora together next year is gonna be a treat.
And don't forget, this roster will probably look substantially different next season, and even a guy like Chara probably won't play every single minute of every single game. With a new coach comes new ideas and new ways of playing, and if a coach with Marsch's pedigree comes in (and again, this is my pipe dream, I know it's probably not realistic), I think players would figure out how to adapt.
I'm cautiously optimistic that Evander is settling in, and will become a difference maker going forward. I suspect I'm always going to be bothered by the defensive effort, but if he provides the spark on offense I can live with it. You can see him enjoying the game a lot more now than compared to the beginning of the season. We are going to need a number of players, and hopefully can keep Moreno in the fold for another year. It isn't perfect soccer, but it is a heck of lot more enjoyable now that before.
"I suspect I'm always going to be bothered by the defensive effort"
I mean, he wasn't brought here for his defense? I get that non-back-line positions have to play defense to some extent, but if you were expecting him to be, like, Diego Chara but also a goal-scoring threat, that's...not who Evander is. He was brought here to create and to score.
I'm not at all worried by his "defensive effort", because he's the Timbers' top scorer (8G, 0.35G/90) despite taking some time to settle and missing a big chunk of the early season (5 games) through injury. That's why he's here - to score.
With a season under his belt and with a healthy Mora working with him all season next season...man that's gonna be fun.
I'll be the first to admit that I thought we would partially lose the ability to get up for important games when Gio left. I'm quite pleased to see that the team can turn things around even within a half
I would suggest that they are getting for games because Gio is no longer around. He lost this team early in the season and it showed. They appear to actually be enjoying playing now.
If we're speculating - and that's all this is from my part, even if others know more - he lost the team last year at some point. Essentially the same roster as last year, with the differences of Evander and a newly-healthy Mora, is playing in a way more cohesive, way more positive manner than they have under Gio for the last couple of seasons.
I am also unconvinced that Joseph is the permanent answer - I don't want to be fooled by/make any long term judgments after four games - but watching this team now isn't nearly the slog it was a month ago. The only change since then is at the coaching spot, so it's not hard to intuit that that was where a lot of the problems lay. I still think this team needs a major overhaul this winter, including at coach, but I'm not dreading watching them for the rest of the season the way I was in July.
I thought earlier this year the difference in Evander as soon as Mora came back. That is the type of forward he needs to truly unlock his potential. Boli’s problem if you can call it that is he is ALWAYS looking to go forward and ends up dribbling into trouble. He doesn’t get his teammates involved until it is the 2nd or 3rd option vs Mora is always looking to involve others.
Yeah, I'm not investing too much thought into Franck Boli, as I'm pretty sure he won't be back next season....haha. He was brought in as a Mora placeholder, he only signed a one-year deal, so I'm assuming with Mora back to full health that Boli will be let go at the end of the season.
He was good for a bit, now he's kinda not, he may score a goal or two again before the end of the season, then he'll be gone. Pretty solid replacement player overall, but nothing more.
I am, however, verrrrrry excited about a full season of Mora/Evander working together in 2024, as you say that'll be a fun duo to watch.
I could definitely see Boli coming back next year if he is willing to take a team-friendly contract. He's too expensive at $532k, but given the large number of replacements that Ned needs to get this off-season, I wouldn't be super upset if he ended up on the roster as a backup striker with Mora as our primary option and some kid as our third.
I’d love him on a contract under $400k. I think he’s starting caliber and an even better backup, we’d be set at that position with Mora and Boli. Hell, I wouldn’t totally mind him on his current contract