A road draw after a bad first half is as good as a win (almost). Neville seems to get the response he needs. I get a bit tired of the naysayers on the game thread…yes, I get frustrated with the bone headed give aways and defensive brain farts, but the comments get too reactive. Look at the performance as a whole and give the team and coach some credit.
My whole thing is that this is not a sustainable way to play. They can't keep falling behind because of defensive stupidity and hoping Evander will bail them out. What if that free kick was one inch higher? What if Araujo's cross isn't absolutely, almost improbably perfect?
I am thrilled they fought back. I'm ecstatic with the point. I'm glad I was in the stadium and got to hear the place deflate when the third Timbers goal went in. But the Timbers CANNOT keep falling behind and fighting back and expecting that it will work every time, because it won't.
This team is one good defender away from being legitimately really, really good. Like Supporters Shield good. No matter what happens the rest of the way this year, if this winter brings that defender and a depth piece or two, next year is gonna be so much fun.
RCTEyeDee: your comment is a good example of how to express disappointment constructively, and it's impossible to argue with. Phil (and Footy staff): I agree. In fact, I stopped reading and participating in the comments on most discussion and recap threads early in the season because the most vocal participants consistently heap vitriolic contempt on the team they supposedly support. It's one thing to be disappointed, even despondent after a bad play. It's quite another to insult the player and the staff, to make sarcastic remarks about their quality, and throw a verbal tantrum because a particular play or match didn't live up to one's own expectations. I'm proud of our team, and when they were losing match after match in the early months of the season, I held out hope that they'd turn into the kind of team that often stuns the national press and makes every match a contest until the end of second-half stoppage time. I was right, and even if we somehow miss the playoffs or are knocked out after a single match, it won't shake my opinion that Phil Neville is four times the coach that Gio was even in the glory days. Call me Pollyanna, but this team basically ONE problem, and that's its defense. Many MLS teams would be thrilled to have just a single tactical problem to solve. Imagine where the Timbers will be next year if they can successfully address that problem while holding on to everything else they've developed over the course of this season.
I look at the performances as a whole. I want the team to put in good performances for the WHOLE game. I don't know how anyone wouldn't be a naysayer during the first half. Too reactive? We're predictably bad to start games too often. How many times have we had to come back from a deficit? One could argue that we should have some more faith since we've shown we can come from behind, but some of us want to see the team play well AND get a good result. Perhaps we could have gotten all three points if we hadn't stunk in the first half. It's possible to assign credit and blame, be happy with a result, and to wish for and expect better in the future.
"How many times have we had to come back from a deficit?"
Yeah, and that's my thing - that's not a repeatable skill. That ability should not be counted on week in and week out, because even though they've done it a handful of times already, it's not something they can just snap their fingers and do on command. Particularly against good teams, on the road, in the playoffs.
This week we played the top three teams in the West, two of them on the road at altitude. Overall, four points is pretty good, it’s just about the realistic expectation for what is probably the hardest week of the season. We still look like crap on the road, and it’s a problem. Commentators kept trying to talk about it like it’s a problem with the tactics, like they were baffled that they didn’t see the swagger of the Timbers offense in the first half. Like, this isn’t anything new. It’s just our energy and intensity on the road isn’t up to par, it’s as simple as that. We just let opposing players wander into our defensive third with no pressure and are slow to close passing lanes. It isn’t tactical.
I don’t understand starting Williamson on the road ever, especially when we need energy. He wasn’t that bad but didn’t do much. Paredes provided a spark when he came on, he was really good and should’ve started next to Ayala. At home I prefer Williamson; on the road I much prefer Paredes. Chara was also really good off the bench. Whenever his role fully transitions to “super sub,” he will still be a hell of an asset.
Toye put in a cult classic performance. He’s got my support now. Coaches told him to stay off but he stayed on and fought for his team. Do we score that third goal without him occupying a center back in the box? No idea, but I choose to believe we don’t because I want to give him the credit. Poor guy could barely walk and he was pressing the center backs. Goddamn hero.
Evander missing a game sucks. He’s got to go wild the last three games if he wants to get on the MVP ballot, and the team has to gain a few positions. He deserves it.
What a cross from Araujo, and a great outside of the foot pass to Antony to start the play off! That was fun to watch, good on him
Ugly: Failing to control emotions leading to yellows and suspension for Evander for very important match vs WCs .
Bad: Defense. I’ve been a supporter of our defense, but not last night. I think Bravo/Zuparic have a connection that doesn’t exist btwn Bravo and Miller.
Good: The resilience to find a result after everything is going wrong. Not that long ago the result would have been 3-0 RSL.
The Ugly is fixable. The Bad, well if the D we played against SEA and LAG shows up there is hope. The Good: :)
Playing without the first choice 11 and third game and on the road and all that, the Timbers did well to earn a point, and yet, it seems disappointing. Still stuck on eighth is probably the reason. Every team above them is maintaining pace and surging. If the Timbers can keep their foot on the gas these last four, maybe some of the other teams above them can't keep the gas on and Portland can move up a bit in the mad sprint to the finish line.
Many of the teams directly above us are playing each other (see SEA) or vs LA1, LA2 or RSL these last four games. Looking through my Rose City colored glasses I see 4th w/I reach. Perfect scenario we are playing the Fish last game of the season for 4th and naturally Timbers prevail.
Yes, it's been a tough stretch, so I'm hoping we can keep pushing all the way through these last four. Fourth seems real optimistic, and sixth seems doable, and eighth seems realistic. That last game could be epic. I definitely want to see the Cascadia trophy back in Portland.
This is a fantastic point on the road against a team that rarely drops points at home. I'm not disappointed at all, even if I'm angry at the entirety of the first half.
The heavily rotated lineup was necessary, but it made this point a lot harder work than maybe it should have been coming off of Wednesday night.
I dunno. We score worldies and they score ordinaries, and it's another multi-goal game. I'm done with criticizing players and want to enjoy. It's actually a very enjoyable part of the season and very intense and I'm hoping at some point, if we have the first choice 11, we start to string some Ws together and rise up on the table a little bit.
I think last night was basically the last time we'll see a rotated squad, with only four games left and a ton still to play for. At altitude on a Wednesday of a three match week almost guaranteed some changes. The thing I liked was that Phil pulled the trigger on changes really quickly; he didn't wait until the 70th minute or later, which I feared he might.
It's gonna be a fun last few weeks, that's for sure; ideally some other teams will do Portland some favors, but beating Vancouver next weekend and leapfrogging them in the table no matter what Minnesota does would be a fantastic way to head down the home stretch.
Honestly, equalizing a minute or two later in stoppage time has to be low key one of the best moments of the season. I didn't give that enough credit due to being affected by the defensive issues.
My wife and I, and a bunch of friends we've gotten to know over the years from the section we sit in, choose one away game a year to go to. This year, we chose this game. The deflation of the RSL crowd when the Timbers scored that equalizing goal, and their utter silence until the final whistle, was probably one of the most satisfying things I've felt at a sporting event in several years.
The first half was pure frustration, but the end was delightful - truly a draw that felt like a win.
I hated to see Bravo pulled but I suppose he had it coming. I hope Neville won't stay sour on him bc he's usually so good.
I honestly think that if the game had gone on a few more minutes that our guys would have won.
It was good to see female refs out there. I think they did a better job than a lot of the male refs I've seen this year. I'd like to see them out there more often.
I thought the announcers were fine and actually very positive about the Timbers for the most part.
Evander and J Rod-what can you say? Just spectacular!
Anthony actually shot with his left foot and had a lot of power in it. That's a good sign. His goal finally got the team going.
I don’t think we go super deep this year—there’s too many open attackers in our box at all times. But it’s been a hell of a ride. Lots of whacky, fun games and big second halves.
I hope we can keep Evander for at least one more year and put a decent, well-coached defense behind him. If he wants to go on to bigger things though, I will miss but not begrudge him.
Coach, talks about mentality. But can he change our road mentality in just a couple of games? Is their time? Or are we what we are? We need a road win to move up the standings and to let us know that a road playoff win is possible.
Our last 4 reg season road games have been Dallas (we suck in Texas), LAG 3-2, Col 2-1 and RSL. True we will need to win those games to do anything in the playoffs, but they aren’t bad reg season loses. Vancouver will be telling. Williamson better bring his A+ game.
A road draw after a bad first half is as good as a win (almost). Neville seems to get the response he needs. I get a bit tired of the naysayers on the game thread…yes, I get frustrated with the bone headed give aways and defensive brain farts, but the comments get too reactive. Look at the performance as a whole and give the team and coach some credit.
My whole thing is that this is not a sustainable way to play. They can't keep falling behind because of defensive stupidity and hoping Evander will bail them out. What if that free kick was one inch higher? What if Araujo's cross isn't absolutely, almost improbably perfect?
I am thrilled they fought back. I'm ecstatic with the point. I'm glad I was in the stadium and got to hear the place deflate when the third Timbers goal went in. But the Timbers CANNOT keep falling behind and fighting back and expecting that it will work every time, because it won't.
This team is one good defender away from being legitimately really, really good. Like Supporters Shield good. No matter what happens the rest of the way this year, if this winter brings that defender and a depth piece or two, next year is gonna be so much fun.
RCTEyeDee: your comment is a good example of how to express disappointment constructively, and it's impossible to argue with. Phil (and Footy staff): I agree. In fact, I stopped reading and participating in the comments on most discussion and recap threads early in the season because the most vocal participants consistently heap vitriolic contempt on the team they supposedly support. It's one thing to be disappointed, even despondent after a bad play. It's quite another to insult the player and the staff, to make sarcastic remarks about their quality, and throw a verbal tantrum because a particular play or match didn't live up to one's own expectations. I'm proud of our team, and when they were losing match after match in the early months of the season, I held out hope that they'd turn into the kind of team that often stuns the national press and makes every match a contest until the end of second-half stoppage time. I was right, and even if we somehow miss the playoffs or are knocked out after a single match, it won't shake my opinion that Phil Neville is four times the coach that Gio was even in the glory days. Call me Pollyanna, but this team basically ONE problem, and that's its defense. Many MLS teams would be thrilled to have just a single tactical problem to solve. Imagine where the Timbers will be next year if they can successfully address that problem while holding on to everything else they've developed over the course of this season.
I look at the performances as a whole. I want the team to put in good performances for the WHOLE game. I don't know how anyone wouldn't be a naysayer during the first half. Too reactive? We're predictably bad to start games too often. How many times have we had to come back from a deficit? One could argue that we should have some more faith since we've shown we can come from behind, but some of us want to see the team play well AND get a good result. Perhaps we could have gotten all three points if we hadn't stunk in the first half. It's possible to assign credit and blame, be happy with a result, and to wish for and expect better in the future.
"How many times have we had to come back from a deficit?"
Yeah, and that's my thing - that's not a repeatable skill. That ability should not be counted on week in and week out, because even though they've done it a handful of times already, it's not something they can just snap their fingers and do on command. Particularly against good teams, on the road, in the playoffs.
👏🏼 👏🏼
This week we played the top three teams in the West, two of them on the road at altitude. Overall, four points is pretty good, it’s just about the realistic expectation for what is probably the hardest week of the season. We still look like crap on the road, and it’s a problem. Commentators kept trying to talk about it like it’s a problem with the tactics, like they were baffled that they didn’t see the swagger of the Timbers offense in the first half. Like, this isn’t anything new. It’s just our energy and intensity on the road isn’t up to par, it’s as simple as that. We just let opposing players wander into our defensive third with no pressure and are slow to close passing lanes. It isn’t tactical.
I don’t understand starting Williamson on the road ever, especially when we need energy. He wasn’t that bad but didn’t do much. Paredes provided a spark when he came on, he was really good and should’ve started next to Ayala. At home I prefer Williamson; on the road I much prefer Paredes. Chara was also really good off the bench. Whenever his role fully transitions to “super sub,” he will still be a hell of an asset.
Toye put in a cult classic performance. He’s got my support now. Coaches told him to stay off but he stayed on and fought for his team. Do we score that third goal without him occupying a center back in the box? No idea, but I choose to believe we don’t because I want to give him the credit. Poor guy could barely walk and he was pressing the center backs. Goddamn hero.
Evander missing a game sucks. He’s got to go wild the last three games if he wants to get on the MVP ballot, and the team has to gain a few positions. He deserves it.
What a cross from Araujo, and a great outside of the foot pass to Antony to start the play off! That was fun to watch, good on him
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly:
Ugly: Failing to control emotions leading to yellows and suspension for Evander for very important match vs WCs .
Bad: Defense. I’ve been a supporter of our defense, but not last night. I think Bravo/Zuparic have a connection that doesn’t exist btwn Bravo and Miller.
Good: The resilience to find a result after everything is going wrong. Not that long ago the result would have been 3-0 RSL.
The Ugly is fixable. The Bad, well if the D we played against SEA and LAG shows up there is hope. The Good: :)
Playing without the first choice 11 and third game and on the road and all that, the Timbers did well to earn a point, and yet, it seems disappointing. Still stuck on eighth is probably the reason. Every team above them is maintaining pace and surging. If the Timbers can keep their foot on the gas these last four, maybe some of the other teams above them can't keep the gas on and Portland can move up a bit in the mad sprint to the finish line.
Many of the teams directly above us are playing each other (see SEA) or vs LA1, LA2 or RSL these last four games. Looking through my Rose City colored glasses I see 4th w/I reach. Perfect scenario we are playing the Fish last game of the season for 4th and naturally Timbers prevail.
Yes, it's been a tough stretch, so I'm hoping we can keep pushing all the way through these last four. Fourth seems real optimistic, and sixth seems doable, and eighth seems realistic. That last game could be epic. I definitely want to see the Cascadia trophy back in Portland.
And how fun would it be to win the Cascadia Cup at Lumen?
This is a fantastic point on the road against a team that rarely drops points at home. I'm not disappointed at all, even if I'm angry at the entirety of the first half.
The heavily rotated lineup was necessary, but it made this point a lot harder work than maybe it should have been coming off of Wednesday night.
I dunno. We score worldies and they score ordinaries, and it's another multi-goal game. I'm done with criticizing players and want to enjoy. It's actually a very enjoyable part of the season and very intense and I'm hoping at some point, if we have the first choice 11, we start to string some Ws together and rise up on the table a little bit.
I think last night was basically the last time we'll see a rotated squad, with only four games left and a ton still to play for. At altitude on a Wednesday of a three match week almost guaranteed some changes. The thing I liked was that Phil pulled the trigger on changes really quickly; he didn't wait until the 70th minute or later, which I feared he might.
It's gonna be a fun last few weeks, that's for sure; ideally some other teams will do Portland some favors, but beating Vancouver next weekend and leapfrogging them in the table no matter what Minnesota does would be a fantastic way to head down the home stretch.
Honestly, equalizing a minute or two later in stoppage time has to be low key one of the best moments of the season. I didn't give that enough credit due to being affected by the defensive issues.
My wife and I, and a bunch of friends we've gotten to know over the years from the section we sit in, choose one away game a year to go to. This year, we chose this game. The deflation of the RSL crowd when the Timbers scored that equalizing goal, and their utter silence until the final whistle, was probably one of the most satisfying things I've felt at a sporting event in several years.
The first half was pure frustration, but the end was delightful - truly a draw that felt like a win.
I hated to see Bravo pulled but I suppose he had it coming. I hope Neville won't stay sour on him bc he's usually so good.
I honestly think that if the game had gone on a few more minutes that our guys would have won.
It was good to see female refs out there. I think they did a better job than a lot of the male refs I've seen this year. I'd like to see them out there more often.
I thought the announcers were fine and actually very positive about the Timbers for the most part.
Evander and J Rod-what can you say? Just spectacular!
Anthony actually shot with his left foot and had a lot of power in it. That's a good sign. His goal finally got the team going.
I hate yellow cards.
I hate yellow card accumulation
Bravo was most likely pulled because he’s coming back from injury and had a minutes restriction
I don’t think we go super deep this year—there’s too many open attackers in our box at all times. But it’s been a hell of a ride. Lots of whacky, fun games and big second halves.
I hope we can keep Evander for at least one more year and put a decent, well-coached defense behind him. If he wants to go on to bigger things though, I will miss but not begrudge him.
Coach, talks about mentality. But can he change our road mentality in just a couple of games? Is their time? Or are we what we are? We need a road win to move up the standings and to let us know that a road playoff win is possible.
Our last 4 reg season road games have been Dallas (we suck in Texas), LAG 3-2, Col 2-1 and RSL. True we will need to win those games to do anything in the playoffs, but they aren’t bad reg season loses. Vancouver will be telling. Williamson better bring his A+ game.