Match Thread: Portland Timbers vs. Toronto FC [8:00 PM]
by Geoff Gibson on Jul 30, 2011 8:02 AM PDT
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Play-off push officially starts tonight against Toronto FC. It's been a fun first half of the season, but if the Portland Timbers really want to make the play-offs they're going to have to win consistently. Winning away against the Chicago Fire a couple weeks ago was a nice start, unfortunately they couldn't keep the momentum going against the Columbus Crew. But that's a different article for a different day. Right now, there is only one thing to worry about: Toronto FC.
The good news tonight is that, while I don't expect any team to just roll over and give us the three points, Toronto's season is essentially over already. Instead the team will probably be more focused on the CONCACAF Champions League as they have a legitimate chance of going farther in that tournament. They just had a game this past Wednesday where they fielded a large majority of their starters. So, we have that going for us.
Assessing Our Team
It will be interesting to see how the team shapes up tonight. Truth be told, I'm not even 100% sure on who will be starting tonight due to a lackluster performance against Columbus last weekend followed by a tremendous effort against Independiente in a friendly. Granted it's not always fair to compare a friendly to a regular season match, but a good performance is still a good performance.
In particular I'm wondering how Lovel Palmer and Mike Chabala fit in. Palmer played the right back position against Columbus and Chabala played the left back position against Independiente. Chabala, in particular I thought was a great left back player. His service and distribution were really great that night and he defended well. He's not as fast as Rodney Wallace, but I see a technical ability there that Wallace doesn't yet possess. Still the fact he played nearly he full game on Wednesday leads me to believe that he'll be a sub tonight.
Aside from that I'm expecting a largely unchanged squad. I believe Captain Jack Jewsury will play tonight. He didn't get too much time in the MLS All Star game to really justify his being lft out of the line up unless the Timbers FO wants to keep him well rested ahead of next week's matchy against the Los Angeles Galaxy. But he's a trooper so I don't necessarily believe that will happen.
Here's my projected starting line up:
Troy Perkins; Rodney Wallace, Futty Danso, Eric Brunner, Lovel Palmer; Kalif Alhassan, Jack Jewsbury (c), James Marcelin, Diego Chara, Darlington Nagbe; Jorge Perlaza
4-5-1
Assessing the Enemy
Duncan gave us an inside look at his team yesterday with a few helpful answers to my questions. I recommend checking it out for an inside look at Toronto FC.
The big news coming out of Toronto FC since the Timbers last played them is how radically their squad has changed. Toronto FC has been the busiest mid-season transfer club this year having traded away/brought in a number of players including the addition of two Designated Players in Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans. While both are still getting their legs back (they were on off season remember?) Duncan assures me they're getting better with each game.
One player we probably won't have to worry about is young Javier Martina. Those of you who watched the first match up between our two sides will remember how he constantly wrecked the Timbers backline (albeit that being a vastly different backline) including scoring one of the more impressive goals of the season. Luckily for us then that, since that game his performance has gotten rather lackluster and has seen dwindling minutes. Not 100% sure what happened, but so long as we don't have to deal with him tonight that's a positive, in my opinion.
Here is Toronto FC's predicted starting line up:
Stefan Frei
Richard Eckersley, Andy Iro, Doneil Henry, Danleigh Borman
Torsten Frings, Julian De Guzman
Ryan Johnson
Nick Soolsma, Danny Koevermans, Joao Plata
4-2-1-3
Final Thoughts
Four losses in five games isn't a very encouraging statistic, but now's the chance to turn the season around. August is a very busy month for the Timbers, starting with this week. There is a game tonight, a game against LA on Wednesday, and then another game against San Jose next weekend. If (and that's a big if) the Timbers can win all three they'll be right back in the thick of play-off spot contention. But with each missed opportunity, especially at home, the Timbers post-season gets a little dimmer. If August proves to be a similar trend as June and July then the Timbers might as well just start preparing for the 2012 season.
--
Tonight's game kicks off at 8:00 PM at Jeld-Wen Field. It will be broadcast on ROOT SPORTS.
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Speaking of tonight’s match. I now need a ticket. I gave my season ticket seat to someone dying to go to a match. Anyone have any leads? Just looking to pay 25 or under; the section does not matter to me at all. I just want to be inside.
Maybe not tonight, but I want to see Chabala on the left sooner rather than later.
A better line up?
Disagree with your line up. Here’s mine: Perkins (Brown), Wallace (Chabala), Brunner (Prudy), Danso (Horst), Palmer (Hall), Nagbe (Lowery), Chara (Marcelin), Jewsbury (Braun), Zizzo (Lopez), Johnson (Cooper), Perlaza (Umony). We need to attack hard from the outset and run Toronto into the ground early.
read that the starting line up has zizzo, chara, and jewsbury as the three mids.
I hope thats a typo, I love zizzo being in their, but would rather he be a forward and nagby be the third mid.
Interesting
Zizzo has earned a shot, I think. He has played really well recently.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Think Nagbe is actually going to play forward?
Or in more of a 4-5-1?
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
More like....
a withdrawn forward I am thinking.
Perlaza injured…..
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
Hopefully nothing serious
Leaves us really thin up top.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Horst too, I think
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Crowd looks great
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Love Chara
getting pressure on the D of Toronto
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
He looks great
And Zizzo looks like he wants to start regularly.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
wow
Eddie Johnson deserved that goal
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Not in the box
at home with the kids, Ti and Nicole went to the game
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
It's nice to see the Timbers setting up shop in Toronto's half of the field.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
Hot damn, no Rodney Wallace.
I’m in love.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
We got lucky there though
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Oh holy god, the pipes giveth, the pipes taketh away.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
Eddie Johnson!!!
Good for him
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Pore is the prototypical Quad-A player.
(I don’t know the soccer metaphor for it.)
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 8:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Quad-A?
Do you mean proto-typical striker with a nose for the goal?
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
I mean "dominates the minor leagues but doesn't have enough talent to play in the majors."
It’s a reference to baseball players who are better than Triple-A.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Gotcha!
I don’t think there is a metaphor here in the States but I bet there is one across the pond.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
Sorry, I only think in baseball these days.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:03 PM PDT up reply actions
My stream had a buffering glitch on that run up to the goal unfortunately.
Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.
The whole team looks really aggressive
Blood in the water. Hopefully they don’t concede against the run of play like that near goal by Plata.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Not being offside incessantly helps too.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 8:36 PM PDT up reply actions
That and not falling down
And being called offside on every run
And finishing.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Torsten Frings!
I half-love you and half-hate you. It’s so hard being a fan of multiple national teams.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
Chara and Zizzo have had some nice connections
And Chabala has had some really nice crosses to spread out TFC’s defense
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Great run by Zizzo
Not sure why he didn’t try for goal though.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
He turned their left back inside out, which was fun to watch.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 8:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm the founding member of the "Rodney Wallace Anti-Fan Club."
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Only a lot more fun to watch this time
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Nice half
It would have been nice to have a wider lead, but we got lucky on a few TFC shots too, so overall no complaints.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
I'm not going to bitch about the lead.
After the recent spell they’ve had, it’s something to appreciate.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Agree
We played well, just need it to continue for 45 mins more.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
Their style of play has been great
Open and attacking.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
I also love
The interchange between the three in the center, Sometimes it is Chara and sometimes it is Jewsbury going forward. Makes our team hard to defend.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
Yeah
They have both played really well today. I really underestimated Chara’s ability as an attacking mid.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
With him getting forward and contributing in the offensive half of the field, it's changing the dynamic of the entire team.
I can’t tell 100 percent whether it’s his increased attacking prowess or the hold-up play of Eddie Johnson, but the offense seems so much less disjointed in this configuration.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:04 PM PDT up reply actions
He is a true Box to Box mid
The previous line-up did not allow him to play that way
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
I don't see how the impetus is on the lineup and not on him.
It’s not like there was anyone else playing in that stretch of field anyway.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:07 PM PDT up reply actions
He did seem a little tentative
But his confidence has really gone up. Also, he had to help shore up the team’s pathetic defense, so it’s tough to blame him.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
What I mean
Is that he felt he needed to stay back because of who we had in the line-up and help with D instead of joining the attack.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
I think the 34 players Toronto FC has used so far this year is a clear indictment that Aron Winter has no clue about what the hell he's doing.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
35.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Come one D
Step out on that, can’t let them shoot from distance without any pressure
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
The team looks a little passive coming out of the half
Hopefully they start to pick it up.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Come On! (that is what it is supposed to say)
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
That was some expert distribution by Horst there.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
I like that Johnson likes to shoot
I just wish it was a little more on target….
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
And he comes up with a nice Corner.
Having a good game, though I agree, it would have been nice to put it on target.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Nice run by Johnson
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
That should have been a goal for Toronto FC on that corner. Free header with Perkins nowhere to be found.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
Penalty.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Goal.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Nice Penalty.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Penalty
Chara is having a fantastic game tonight.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Penal? What are you thinking of?
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
Andy Iro fought the law, and the law won.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:25 PM PDT up reply actions
GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL
Captain Jack!
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
What a great pick-up for allocation money
Steal of the pre-season for Portland
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
I still can't believe how cheap KC gave him up
He’s worth it for his set pieces alone, to say nothing of the leadership he has provided
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
"Lucky" and "us" haven't put themselves together recently.
This is refreshing.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Well, it is about time
Though TFC has also had its share of bad luck
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
I prefer to think of that as "organizational incompetence."
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah
They are the Clippers of the MLS
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
Fair enough
Though TFC’s fans have had there share of bad luck
/fixed
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
If you're going to fix it, please put the right "their" in there.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions
lol
Though TFC’s fans have had their share of bad luck
/fixed x2
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Thaaaaaaaank yooooooooooou
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:34 PM PDT up reply actions
And now we pay it back.
So close.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Postage
Wow that was a great corner by Chabala. I like the inswinger
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
What ridiculously strange formation is TFC going to be using if they're bringing on a forward for a defender when it was already using three forwards?
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
An apparently successful one
ouch
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
It can never come easy, can it?
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
I think we've figured out why TFC doesn't go with three defenders often.
All of a sudden, there are gaping holes in the back.
Of course, it’s also overloading Portland’s back line.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
Cooper on for Alhassan
Interesting choice. Coming in on the left.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
I'm a fan of this, especially if it can keep Cooper on track.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Just run that concussion off, Eddie.
You can vomit when you get off the pitch.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
When did it look like he picked up a concussion?
I missed that
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
When he hit the deck at about midfield, and the announcers said he was down for a while.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:47 PM PDT up reply actions
It was on a header at the end of a clearance.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:47 PM PDT up reply actions
3 or 4 times he has been rocked by Iro
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
well crap
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
by Ryan Gates on Jul 30, 2011 9:48 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Rec'd for stretching that vocabulary.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:49 PM PDT up reply actions
The few times in my life I have sworn Soccer has always been involved
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
by Ryan Gates on Jul 30, 2011 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well, best to make them count.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
SON OF A BISCUIT
WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF WHY WHY WHY
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
I swear
This team will be the death of me
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Why wasn't John Spencer making defensive substitutions at that point in the game?
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
Marcelin may have helped
But yeah, not much Spencer could do.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
marcelin.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:53 PM PDT up reply actions
I want to grab your tongue, tie it in a knot and give it back to you.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:54 PM PDT up reply actions
I know
I couldn’t resist. I agree with your idea though
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
10 goals in the final 15 minutes?
How is that even…sigh, nevermind.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
It's possible because our defenders are redefining "brain fade" this season.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 9:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Portland's defense:
Things I like: Not a ton of free runners behind the defensive line.
Things I don’t like: That’s because all the runners are free just outside the box instead.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
Who wants to see what the Donovan from the Vancouver match's second half does to it?
I don’t!
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Here's hoping he's tuckered out.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Unfortunately, I think they subbed him out early
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Who knows, maybe he has an irrational fear of chainsaws
And is too scared to play.
Probably not, though.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Well that sucked
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
It's frustrating
because we did almost everything right. We were the better team by far. And we still can’t get the result.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Defense!
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:03 PM PDT up reply actions
True
But all things considered I thought Palmer and Chalaba had decent matches, and Horst wasn’t half bad. They did enough to win, then lost concentration at the end. Again.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
I think the space was there because the midfield wasn't sagging deep enough.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, I think this is a match where someone like Marcelin could really have helped as a sub
The Cooper change was the biggest mistake, I think.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
It's not as if Alhassan is a defensive stalwart or anything though.
It was pretty much a like-for-like sub, and Cooper has done a good job tracking back when he played up top.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:08 PM PDT up reply actions
Not the sub itself
Which I agreed with, Alhassan has a tendency to get overly cute in the back. But I feel as though a more defensive presence would have helped.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
I just think it's a crime against humanity that no sub was made until past the 75th minute.
They really had an opportunity to lock down the defense by subbing out Nagbe, Alhassan or Johnson in exchange for him. Instead, they missed it.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:10 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah
The difference in energy really showed, I think
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Javier martina was freaking everywhere once he came on the pitch.
Between that and the huge gap between the defensive line and the midfield, marcelin would have been the perfect substitute.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:14 PM PDT up reply actions
Strong kept saying Toronto has barely played him
Which makes no sense. Its not like their cup overfloweth with talent, and that is twice now he has dismantled our team. Very frustrating.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Spencer blew it again
Somebody tell me the point to having Futty and Marcelin on the bench but they go unused when you have a 2 – 0 lead against TFC at home and it’s clear the defense and midfield is running on fumes?
His subs were Cooper and Perlaza, but Johnson stays on? Did he even use a third sub?
You can trade for all the players you want but until Spencer learns to manage a damn 2 – 0 lead at home against TFC it won’t matter. If Spencer blames his players again….
What a disaster!
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:16 PM PDT reply actions
While I don't think this was his best match
He made some great calls to get us to 2-0, and our team has looked consistently better. It just can’t close out games.
The Futty thing was a little strange, but I can kind of understand it. Central defense is a position that requires a bit of an adjustment into the flow of the game. No reason to throw Futty out there and risk a communication breakdown.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
But communication breakdown is exactly what happened!
Because they were – again – unfit for 90’. This is happening too often with too many different players to be called bad luck. The manager needs to pull his head out.
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions
But how would Futty have helped?
I agree with what was already said, this was on the midfield not providing enough support, not the defensive back line.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
You could just put him four steps in front of the 18 and tell him to not move.
But that wouldn’t have been the right solution either. The Timbers needed to pack the midfield and they missed that opportunity.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Did you see the second TFC goal?
Sisters of Mercy could have put that one in with all the space he had in the middle of the box. Horst was dragging.
Spencer just allowed – yes, allowed – his team to give two points away… again. This one is on him.
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:31 PM PDT up reply actions
I have seen all 10 goals this side has given up in the last 15 minutes
And the seemingly endless substitution patterns Spencer has used prior to them. He is one step short of having Brunner shot put kitchen sinks at probing strikers late in the game. The result is seemingly the same no matter what. The team lacks the mental toughness to play 90. Some of the blame for that necessarily must fall on Spencer, but not all of it. The players need to know that a 2 goal lead with 20 minutes to play is not an excuse to lay off. It will come in time, but right now it is frustrating. It is just the way this stuff works.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
You might be right about their toughness
But that wasn’t the story tonight.
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Sometimes
It isn’t the Manager’s fault, since you know he isn’t on the pitch. You can talk to players as a coach until you are blue in the face but in the end it is up to them.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
No, don't excuse him again and throw the players under the bus instead
It’s his job to make substitutions and manage the game in that regard. He failed.
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions
In the end, the onus is on the players on the pitch.
They should be able to recognize on their own what they need to do.
I write for Stumptown Footy, SB Nation's Portland Timbers blog.
by thehemogoblin on Jul 30, 2011 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Are players supposed to make their own substitutions?
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:36 PM PDT up reply actions
No
But they are supposed to make their defensive assignments
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
by No Pity on Jul 30, 2011 10:36 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Even past the 75' and no subs have been used yet?
And they’re clearly tired (fitness is another issue) and when he does finally bring on subs it’s Cooper and Perlaza, bur Johnson stays on?
Again, did he even use a third sub?
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't think that is what he was saying
Just that there is only so much he could do. I think the issue here is unrealistic expectations. Spencer could probably have gotten us some points here and there, but I don’t think he is really the issue so much as it is a young expansion side trying to find its legs.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
It's unrealistic to expect Timbers to hold a 2-0 lead against Toronto?
or to finally win a home game again?
Yeah, Spencer could get us a points here or there… like tonight! Besides, isn’t that his job? or is he just here for good sound bites and airline commercials?
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Look, I think we'll have to agree to disagree
I was pretty lukewarm on Spencer, even during the winning streak, but I’ve actually gained more respect for him recently. He is trying out a lot of new ideas, and really working to get his best players playing time. It isn’t working out perfectly, but the groundwork is there. Firing Spencer now, or doing something else that undermines his authority, would be the worst course of action. Look at Vancouver. This team needs consistency and confidence.
Look at Nagbe, Zizzo, and Alhassan. If they finish a couple of great chances this conversation doesn’t happen. Firing Spencer just brings the team back to square one. I, for one, am willing to give Spencer the time he needs to prove himself. This team is young, and its championship window hasn’t even opened yet. Panicing now could send us down the path of teams like Toronto and Vancouver. If Spencer can’t hack it, we can always replace him after next year, it doesn’t seem to have hurt RSL.
I understand why you are frustrated, I just don’t think you’re proposed solution is the right one.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
I'm not saying he should be fired
But he is learning to manage on the job and tonight we paid the price for it… again. People like to pile on the players, but lately the manager deserves the heat. He should be deflecting criticism of his young team anyway. I want to hear him accept some responsibility for once.
by yepyou'reright on Jul 30, 2011 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions
He does
All the time but the responsibility needs to be shared between all parties involved. Spencer has 3 chances to influence the game, other than yelling at his team from the coaching box. The players on the field have way more than that.
This is not entirely Spencer’s fault, yes he is learning but he himself did not cost the team 2 points. I just watched both goals on my DVR. The first goal Brunner poked the ball away but it bounced to a wide open Toronto player who just got the shot off before he was closed down by Nagbe.
The second goal was all Jewsbury, he let his player get to the ball, of course he was recovering from the far side of the field. Also Chara and Chabala let that ball get played into the box too easily.
Because of the changes in the line-up Portland looked better and have been getting better every game the past few games. This is all because of Spencer.
Contributing editor to Stumptown Footy the Portland Timbers SBN blog.
by Ryan Gates on Jul 30, 2011 10:58 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
This 75 minute Timbers team cannot afford to take a substitution into the locker room
I thought Zizzo looked more gassed than Alhassan, and more needing of a sub. But regardless bringing in forwards Perlazza and Cooper and No One just really doesn’t make any sense given what we know about this Timbers team and their inability to close.
Spencer gets a big piece of the pissed-away points pie tonight. More so than any other game.
volatilelyle.com
by almost awesome on Jul 30, 2011 11:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Thanks for the conversation everyone
These gamethreads are getting pretty fun, brutal losses(yeah, technically a tie, but not really) excepted. Oh well, here is to a win Wednesday and an increasingly unlikely playoff push.
Beat LA!
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
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