The Timbers are clearly a better team with Mora and Chara out there, but the defensive breakdowns keep coming. The Crépeau red card was a tough double-whammy (the close-in free kick, plus the ejection), but it appears to be the correct call.
I'm just amazed that with all the LAFC two-hand shoves, over the back fouls on Mora, and just grabbing and fouling at-will, they somehow managed to avoid anyone getting a second yellow. I loved it when an LAFC player got a foul that was clearly a second yellow, the ref just gave him a verbal warning.
Oh and also: can we talk about the Unipiper? That was an embarrassment. I'm not one to be all dogmatic about how the national anthem should be performed - I honestly don't think it should be played at sporting events at all. I mean, it's not played at any other collective entertainment event. They don't play it before movies/concerts/operas/whatever, so why is it still played at sporting events (and yes, I know its history, I know why it started to be played at sporting events)? But if it is to be played, at least play/sing it competently.
I have nothing against the Unipiper generally, but he was clearly unprepared, and the whole thing just came off as a ridiculous joke.
It's good to see the mentality kicking in. LAFC wanted to win really badly, even before the red car, and the Timbers just didn't cave, even though LA missed some good chances. You see teams go down a man and they end up losing by multiple goals. So, this is a win in my book and I think it helps build the character of the team.
It was fun to see the chess match. Phil let Cherundolo make a move and then he countered it, rather than the other way around. For example, it looked like there was an advantage of crossing in, so Cherundolo brought in Kamara for some heading, and then Phil countered with two lines of four and the lone striker and it balanced out pretty well. The long extra time session was a bit nervy.
What a let down in the second half, though. I was really looking forward to seeing how we would deal with a lead for once, and then somehow disaster struck. To help me cope this season, I'm just going to stop getting excited that we actually have a damn good team, and that at some point we are going to be red hot and rolling. Instead, I will expect days of poor refereeing, and mental lapses at crucial times. I will not expect Evander to get a golozzo and an assist every game, or Rodriguez to be double teamed and fouled and still contribute, or Mora to keep scoring, or Antony to look so dazzling. No, I'm going to keep it real and know that disaster is lurking. No way will I be lured into thinking that for sure a team with 22 fouls will get a second yellow on one of their players for persistent fouling, or that a player with four fouls would get a first yellow for persistent infringement even though there is no specific number for persistent infringement, but that generally the ref pantomimes three prior fouls when issuing a yellow. Nor will I think that VAR is actually a thing that can be used to level the playing field for offsides or keeping the game honest and safe when there is a serious foul play such a push to the back of a defender who flies into the keeper and nearly breaks his legs. Oh no, nothing to see there.
I don’t know why players make that last gasp foul. Keepers and even defenders seem to wipe that guy out so often. Let them score. What do coaches teach? Am I wrong?
Yah on the first goal Araujo was way out of position. I'm not sure why. Our defense was turning the ball over a lot in the build up so perhaps he just got caught out, but Miller was left on an island and he is just too darn slow to make up the space. Neville was pissed at Araujo and was reading him the riot act on the sideline during a break in play. On the 2nd goal, it WAS a good shot, but our wall seemed porous. Didn't jump and Paredes turned sideways making himself smaller. Details! Still our defense was better today. The team is coming along.
Thoughts, dumped out in no particular order and without the benefit of heavy processing:
1. hey remember when Evander was disinterested and his body language sucked and he didn't want to be here and he was a bad signing? Oh right none of those things were ever true
2. LAFC's default defensive move is the two handed shove in the back. It went uncalled ALL DAMN DAY until about the 80th minute, and it was super frustrating because, while I rarely think that the refs are the reason games are won or lost, they were a big part of why this game went the way it did
3. Speaking of which: The non-called offside on the play that resulted in the Crepeau red was unbelievable
4. That said: the lack of movement of the defensive wall on the resulting free kick was inexcusable. The defenders all just stood there, no one even bothered to jump. Had even one of them left their feet, Pantemis wouldn't have been hung out to dry.
All in all, this was a better performance from the Timbers from the jump, which was good to see. They came out with a fire I haven't seen in a few weeks, and even after they gave up that first goal, they didn't stop working, didn't stop playing, didn't let their heads drop. This would have been a good win, but it's also a very creditable point.
I think after brutalizing the galaxy the week before and the fouling against us, it must be a designed strategy to hack players, kill counters because each player gets two free fouls. I found myself waiting for team fouls rule to kick in like in basketball. The ref started giving yellows towards the end but someone had to say something first. Wonder if it will be different in a couple weeks.
I got a pretty good shot of Evander's goal:
https://www.pdxcite.net/soccercityusa/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/lafc041324-1024.jpg
The Timbers are clearly a better team with Mora and Chara out there, but the defensive breakdowns keep coming. The Crépeau red card was a tough double-whammy (the close-in free kick, plus the ejection), but it appears to be the correct call.
I'm just amazed that with all the LAFC two-hand shoves, over the back fouls on Mora, and just grabbing and fouling at-will, they somehow managed to avoid anyone getting a second yellow. I loved it when an LAFC player got a foul that was clearly a second yellow, the ref just gave him a verbal warning.
Oh and also: can we talk about the Unipiper? That was an embarrassment. I'm not one to be all dogmatic about how the national anthem should be performed - I honestly don't think it should be played at sporting events at all. I mean, it's not played at any other collective entertainment event. They don't play it before movies/concerts/operas/whatever, so why is it still played at sporting events (and yes, I know its history, I know why it started to be played at sporting events)? But if it is to be played, at least play/sing it competently.
I have nothing against the Unipiper generally, but he was clearly unprepared, and the whole thing just came off as a ridiculous joke.
It's good to see the mentality kicking in. LAFC wanted to win really badly, even before the red car, and the Timbers just didn't cave, even though LA missed some good chances. You see teams go down a man and they end up losing by multiple goals. So, this is a win in my book and I think it helps build the character of the team.
It was fun to see the chess match. Phil let Cherundolo make a move and then he countered it, rather than the other way around. For example, it looked like there was an advantage of crossing in, so Cherundolo brought in Kamara for some heading, and then Phil countered with two lines of four and the lone striker and it balanced out pretty well. The long extra time session was a bit nervy.
What a let down in the second half, though. I was really looking forward to seeing how we would deal with a lead for once, and then somehow disaster struck. To help me cope this season, I'm just going to stop getting excited that we actually have a damn good team, and that at some point we are going to be red hot and rolling. Instead, I will expect days of poor refereeing, and mental lapses at crucial times. I will not expect Evander to get a golozzo and an assist every game, or Rodriguez to be double teamed and fouled and still contribute, or Mora to keep scoring, or Antony to look so dazzling. No, I'm going to keep it real and know that disaster is lurking. No way will I be lured into thinking that for sure a team with 22 fouls will get a second yellow on one of their players for persistent fouling, or that a player with four fouls would get a first yellow for persistent infringement even though there is no specific number for persistent infringement, but that generally the ref pantomimes three prior fouls when issuing a yellow. Nor will I think that VAR is actually a thing that can be used to level the playing field for offsides or keeping the game honest and safe when there is a serious foul play such a push to the back of a defender who flies into the keeper and nearly breaks his legs. Oh no, nothing to see there.
Ah shoot. I can't wait for next week!
Well the Timbers aren’t boring. You gotta watch.
I don’t know why players make that last gasp foul. Keepers and even defenders seem to wipe that guy out so often. Let them score. What do coaches teach? Am I wrong?
Glad to see Evander off to a hot start.
Yah on the first goal Araujo was way out of position. I'm not sure why. Our defense was turning the ball over a lot in the build up so perhaps he just got caught out, but Miller was left on an island and he is just too darn slow to make up the space. Neville was pissed at Araujo and was reading him the riot act on the sideline during a break in play. On the 2nd goal, it WAS a good shot, but our wall seemed porous. Didn't jump and Paredes turned sideways making himself smaller. Details! Still our defense was better today. The team is coming along.
Thoughts, dumped out in no particular order and without the benefit of heavy processing:
1. hey remember when Evander was disinterested and his body language sucked and he didn't want to be here and he was a bad signing? Oh right none of those things were ever true
2. LAFC's default defensive move is the two handed shove in the back. It went uncalled ALL DAMN DAY until about the 80th minute, and it was super frustrating because, while I rarely think that the refs are the reason games are won or lost, they were a big part of why this game went the way it did
3. Speaking of which: The non-called offside on the play that resulted in the Crepeau red was unbelievable
4. That said: the lack of movement of the defensive wall on the resulting free kick was inexcusable. The defenders all just stood there, no one even bothered to jump. Had even one of them left their feet, Pantemis wouldn't have been hung out to dry.
All in all, this was a better performance from the Timbers from the jump, which was good to see. They came out with a fire I haven't seen in a few weeks, and even after they gave up that first goal, they didn't stop working, didn't stop playing, didn't let their heads drop. This would have been a good win, but it's also a very creditable point.
I think after brutalizing the galaxy the week before and the fouling against us, it must be a designed strategy to hack players, kill counters because each player gets two free fouls. I found myself waiting for team fouls rule to kick in like in basketball. The ref started giving yellows towards the end but someone had to say something first. Wonder if it will be different in a couple weeks.