Your 5 Observations vs. Vancouver

by tgibson24 on Aug 26, 2025 8:51 PM PDT

All,

I really like the gameweek articles that our Stumptown editors offer (training reports, preview, recap, player ratings, MOTM poll etc) but my favorite part of the recap article is always the observations at the bottom. Since we all see different things during the match I thought it would be useful if anyone who wants to simply shares their top 5 observations after each game in a fanpost. These could be specific to the game or have longer term implications. I will try to post mine soon after each of the next few games and see what interest there is. My five for VAN are below

1. Dike played a solid game. His pass to EA during the buildup to Nagbe's goal was solid. His workrate, pace and ability to Dike people creates a lot of space for Nagbe/Songo'o/Zizzo/EA/Jewsbury that they worked pretty well in. If this is the formation we will run next year I think we trade Boyd as he does not fit it and Dike (and Trentito?) do.

2. Nagbe is finally becoming the player we all wanted. Please let this continue.

3. I now want to keep Jack to next year. For a long time I wanted him gone. Now I want to keep him. He is overpriced for his play on the field but his leadership is solid, he can play DM or RB and his ability to pop up around the top of the 18 and hit shots on frame lack from others on this team.

4. Smith has played pretty well as of late. I really hope this guy can become more consistent as if he does then our LB situation drastically improves.

5. The GW out horsepoo....I have never been on that bandwagon. I think some should think about getting off of it. He is not our head coach but I still believe he has not been a bad GM as many of the pieces of our team are solid and young (Mosquera, Chara, EA, Zizzo, Songo'o, Nagbe and tier 2 Mwanga, Fucito, AJB, Kuwalok).

Alright guys, I don't believe I have to say this but, just in case, please do not submit anything racist, homophobic, sexist or otherwise not appropriate for even the younger Timbers fans.

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gwout horsepoo

We’re living in an era of the politics of “hear no evil,” hence the resistance to yhe GWout “civil disobedience.” GW traded Perkins – a clearly culture-busting move, and Cooper, and has consistently thrown his players under the bus publicly. And is now likely bringing a college coach to a team that needs a seriously senior talent in the coaching spot. Ripping apart a $40M investment less than a year into it is a sign of real incompetence. If calling something what it is it Poo, then Poo it is. Again, though, it’s Merritt’s Poo at the end of the day, as it’s his team. And I have to tell you, I had absolutely no lack of demand for GWout items Saturday.

by timbersduane on Aug 26, 2025 11:50 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

"culture-busting"

maybe the culture needed some busting? I have no insight or connections into the inner workings of the Timbers, but if the Perkins move was in fact done to “culture-bust”, it certainly seemed to shake things up for the better from where I am sitting, playing-wise at least.

Ripping apart a $40M investment less than a year into it is a sign of real incompetence

Apart from the fact that building the MLS Timbers started pretty much the day after the USL Timbers concluded the 2010 season, which means it’s close to two years on now, it could be a sign that the investor knew that what he had wasn’t working and that he’s willing to rebuild it from scratch.

It’s not so much “hear no evil” as “look what’s happening now” – the Timbers are playing better back to front in the last month, and GW has to get some credit for that, both as a coach and as the GM who brought those players in.

by pdb on Aug 27, 2025 7:22 AM PDT up reply actions 5 recs

"Ripping apart a S40M investment"????

More like “tweaking.” He fired a head coach that couldn’t make things work. He traded one guy that doesn’t matter (Chabala) and one that was popular with some fans (Perkins). Everyone else are regulars that are now playing in roles that fit them, and it’s showing. That is, he took the talent he had assembled (and is criticized for assembling by some) and has made it work.

by Kracken2011 on Aug 27, 2025 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions

who do you want as coach then?

And is now likely bringing a college coach to a team that needs a seriously senior talent in the coaching spot.

I’d love to get a seasoned head coach here but I just can’t think of any that are realistic. If you can, I’d love to know who you’re thinking. I certainly don’t want Steve Nicol, for example.

by doozdooz on Aug 28, 2025 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions

I like all 5 of yours, just two additions/comments

Your #3. I’ve been solidly (and fairly vocally) NOT a Jewsbury fan. I’m moving to the space to keep him a super sub. I still don’t think he should start, but he can fill in in a couple of positions etc.

6) The right side of our defense still needs significant improvement. Kimura get’s beat wide and collapses too much when the ball is in the other half IMHO. Horst is a beast on offensive corners, but is flat footed too often.

by pdxsoccerdad on Aug 27, 2025 1:34 PM PDT reply actions

he sure makes a lot...

for a super-sub. If he has any value left and he doesn’t factor in the starting 11, trade him.

by doozdooz on Aug 28, 2025 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Since I was rewatching the Vancouver game this morning...

1. Kimura/Zizzo/Alexander combined very well in the first half.
2. I don’t buy that David Horst is a big meanie like some people are saying. Yes, he was yelling after that one corner, but he wasn’t yelling at Dike like Strong surmised. He was just yelling. He is the loudest and most consistently vocal guy on the team.
3. That Vancouver goal was bad marking, but it is good to see the Timbers come back rather than collapsing.
4. Seriously, Eric Alexander just does not lose the ball.
5. Hah! Joe Cannon!

Contributing Editor for Stumptown Footy
Catch my tweets from Timbers' practices via @WilliamConwell

by William Conwell on Aug 30, 2025 9:38 AM PDT reply actions