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| First, so, SO good. |
Tonight’s challenge is to walk the line between celebrating a good, useful, comedy-rich win and acknowledging that, despite the 3-0 score-line, the Portland Timbers didn’t play a great game. They may not have even played a good one.
Going the other way, I see not just free money in my bank account, but a fall-down fucking hysterical situation where Mike Penso waves off a penalty shout for a trip on Nico Lodeiro that 90% of the world agrees he should give, only to reward the Timbers with an equally obvious call (something like) 40-45 minutes later for a handball just inside the area, and only after video review. Maybe the whole CCL banner stunt felt tacky to Penso too...
Because I’m about to grind a couple personal axes, I want to make a couple things very clear. First, I genuinely enjoyed the win. If nothing else, it’s exciting, i.e., a dramatic pratfall in the middle of Seattle’s presumed stroll to the throne that so many people (including me) expect them to make. Everything down to the start of the game worked toward setting up that narrative; Seattle even had one of their typical flurries around the 17th-19th minutes, one of those periods where they got off two quality shots out of a period of sustained pressure. Related thereto, and more than a little fortunate, Aljaz Ivacic completely missed both shots; he didn’t see Raul Ruidiaz’s shot till it bonked off his head and bravo, Claudio Bravo, for clearing the ball off the line on the other, but ain’t that soccer, sometimes? (Surely, you get all or some of that in here?) Isn’t that why they call it the blues?
For what it’s worth, I don’t think the game only really turned when Seattle’s Jackson Ragen got sent off for a wild-ass foul on Eryk Williamson, like, stupid early in the second half. Sure, Portland scored a go-ahead goal out of three passes and Jaroslaw Niezgoda’s ass at the 24th minute – also, hold this thought, because I’m obsessing – but I didn’t feel the weight of resignation among Seattle's players until after Ragen’s dismissal. As much as Portland’s opener put Seattle on their heels, they played as if someone had set their game-plan on fire and waggled it in front of them (while doing some really uncomfortable, faux-erotic dance) after the Ragen’s second yellow. From that point forward, some vague sense of not knowing what to do next weighed on their every step and every pass.
Basically, as good as the goal felt (very! thanks!), it didn’t take too much to imagine how Seattle would get back into the game at the half-time whistle. Five minutes after that red card, I straight up knew they had too much doubt in their heads to get anything better than the draw. Part of me thinks Brian Schmetzer chased his charges onto the field after burning the thought “put your stamp on the game” into their heads. When Ragen did, the wheels spun off.
Moreover, the Timbers really did win this game. When it came time to perform any truly meaningful thing, they did. To finally give voice to the thing I can’t stop thinking about, the Timbers screwed up at least half a dozen counters tonight, and in a rich variety of ways. They burned another 3-4 regular approaches as well, but, after doing nothing for damn near every minute of the opening 20, Yimmi Chara stopped waiting for the ball to come to his feet, turned and ran into a space in the well-supported hope that a completely unmolested Eryk Williamson would find him once he got there. When it came off, Yimmi found himself in the space behind (probably) Kelyn Rowe and Albert Rusnak, and with Sebastian Blanco to his right and a small park to run into. Even then, a dozen different things could have gone wrong, but, insteasd, Blanco delivered the inch-perfect cross that Niezgoda put away. Once that happened, Seattle never stopped chasing the game.
Going the other way, I see not just free money in my bank account, but a fall-down fucking hysterical situation where Mike Penso waves off a penalty shout for a trip on Nico Lodeiro that 90% of the world agrees he should give, only to reward the Timbers with an equally obvious call (something like) 40-45 minutes later for a handball just inside the area, and only after video review. Maybe the whole CCL banner stunt felt tacky to Penso too...
Because I’m about to grind a couple personal axes, I want to make a couple things very clear. First, I genuinely enjoyed the win. If nothing else, it’s exciting, i.e., a dramatic pratfall in the middle of Seattle’s presumed stroll to the throne that so many people (including me) expect them to make. Everything down to the start of the game worked toward setting up that narrative; Seattle even had one of their typical flurries around the 17th-19th minutes, one of those periods where they got off two quality shots out of a period of sustained pressure. Related thereto, and more than a little fortunate, Aljaz Ivacic completely missed both shots; he didn’t see Raul Ruidiaz’s shot till it bonked off his head and bravo, Claudio Bravo, for clearing the ball off the line on the other, but ain’t that soccer, sometimes? (Surely, you get all or some of that in here?) Isn’t that why they call it the blues?
For what it’s worth, I don’t think the game only really turned when Seattle’s Jackson Ragen got sent off for a wild-ass foul on Eryk Williamson, like, stupid early in the second half. Sure, Portland scored a go-ahead goal out of three passes and Jaroslaw Niezgoda’s ass at the 24th minute – also, hold this thought, because I’m obsessing – but I didn’t feel the weight of resignation among Seattle's players until after Ragen’s dismissal. As much as Portland’s opener put Seattle on their heels, they played as if someone had set their game-plan on fire and waggled it in front of them (while doing some really uncomfortable, faux-erotic dance) after the Ragen’s second yellow. From that point forward, some vague sense of not knowing what to do next weighed on their every step and every pass.
Basically, as good as the goal felt (very! thanks!), it didn’t take too much to imagine how Seattle would get back into the game at the half-time whistle. Five minutes after that red card, I straight up knew they had too much doubt in their heads to get anything better than the draw. Part of me thinks Brian Schmetzer chased his charges onto the field after burning the thought “put your stamp on the game” into their heads. When Ragen did, the wheels spun off.
Moreover, the Timbers really did win this game. When it came time to perform any truly meaningful thing, they did. To finally give voice to the thing I can’t stop thinking about, the Timbers screwed up at least half a dozen counters tonight, and in a rich variety of ways. They burned another 3-4 regular approaches as well, but, after doing nothing for damn near every minute of the opening 20, Yimmi Chara stopped waiting for the ball to come to his feet, turned and ran into a space in the well-supported hope that a completely unmolested Eryk Williamson would find him once he got there. When it came off, Yimmi found himself in the space behind (probably) Kelyn Rowe and Albert Rusnak, and with Sebastian Blanco to his right and a small park to run into. Even then, a dozen different things could have gone wrong, but, insteasd, Blanco delivered the inch-perfect cross that Niezgoda put away. Once that happened, Seattle never stopped chasing the game.
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| Feeling a vibe... |
And how fun was Dairon Asprilla’s dunk-of-a-goal just two minutes after the penalty kick? Sure, you could feel Ragen’s [and/or “replacement’s”] absence on every pass, but when the ball hit Asprilla’s feet in the box? And he had a full, delicious second to figure out how he wanted to dunk on (the admittedly great) Stefan Frei? If that didn’t make you giggle, glow or have spectator-sports, um, “flutter,” you should probably ask yourself why you’re a Timbers fan. The humiliation of that moment bordered on poetic...
...and yet I can’t shake the feeling the Timbers owe tonight’s win to Dario Zuparic, Larrys Mabiala, if with a game-saving assist from Aljaz Ivacic’s involuntary reflexes. With the fullbacks on both sides getting stretched and broken – and, for the record, I’ve seen worse from both Bravo and Josecarlos Van Accident-Waiting-to-Happen – Zuparic read the potential assists and headed them off, while Mabiala cleared everything that came into the area over waist height. Even without playing their best game tonight, the Sounders played some early crosses that came within one large man’s foot of going toward goal – and that’s before you take into account Ruidiaz’s two “there-but-for-the-grace-of” shots on goal. The one he hit off the post, in particular. Luck was a lady tonight, at least for the Timbers, and to the point of forgiving all faults.
Ideally, I’ve put on a happy face long enough for the gripes to go down smoother, but...I mean....how much of tonight felt familiar, and in all the wrong ways? How many times did Portland squander a magnificent opportunity – i.e., the kind of transition moments they used to turn into horror-shows for the opposition in seasons past, even when they didn’t score them? How many times did the overlook the smart pass in some misbegotten quest for the ideal one? Worse, how many of those happened precisely because everyone decided to play “hot potato” at the decisive moment instead of, y’know, doing something decisive with the goddamn ball? And this team’s persistent, exhausting inability to create shooting lanes around the area – to just play together in the attack – every time I see that I can’t help but see the Timbers lose in another MLS Cup, or, more likely, well before then.
In the big picture, I’m pretty goddamn content. The Timbers had picked up eight points out of 12 from their last four games going into tonight – something that translates to, as legal people would write into a contract, every reasonable point – and they added three free points to that in their biggest rival’s house and, and they wiped their ass with said rival’s greatest accomplishment, and with Seattle handing them the opportunity. The confluence of delight is a firehose right now...
...and yet I live in this space of believing the Timbers aren’t there yet, not really. Related, I’ll be standing in a public square or your collective choosing this Wednesday, bring your rotten fruits and vegetables. Finally, a couple talking points.
1) One-Man Inspiration
I have a well-known habit (among people who know me) of coming late to such things, but I’m finally sold on Santiago Moreno. Moreover, I’m impressed by the learning curve. His sense of where to pass has improved with each game this season and I’d go so far as to call his defensive poaching tonight inspirational. He doesn’t project as a two-way player (something I’d like to see Gio internalize) in my mind, and I don’t see him ever scoring more than six (or thereabouts) in a season, but he’s easily been the Timbers’ best attacking player, or among them, over the past 3-4 games. Can I get a yippee!
2) Blanco
His one legitimately immaculate cross aside, I thought Blanco was pretty goddamn bad tonight. He got weirdly demanding about getting the ball when he could have run forward, for one, but I also saw him drop a couple promising counters into a baffling neutral, even a park. I also think Blanco has yet to really find his feet and, relatedly, his role this season. To get a little over my skis on a thought, I think this has less to do with the things that are wrong about the Timbers attack – which, fwiw, I see as a group brain-fart – than a hack that’s no longer avaiable.
3) Asprilla
If the Timbers can get him going, and through the end of 2022, they’ll become a legit threat. The defense will never be great – not as it’s presently configured – but they’re good enough to give Portland a real chance in any game where they can score two goals.
2a) and 3a)
The implication that comes in and out of 2) and 3).
4) Where Does Eryk Line Up Ideally?
I’m asking because I’m not entirely sure yet? That said, I like something about the idea of getting Eryk and Cristhian Paredes on the field at the same time, even if I can’t figure out the exact configuration.
All in all, I think the thrust of my overall theory comes through in the above – i.e., the Timbers defense is what it is, but they’ll only go as far as the attack can lift them above and beyond. And I feel even better about that now that they’re closer back to whole – by which I mean, Gio Savarese has options, should he choose to use them. Moreover, in the nuts ‘n’ bolts here and now, five slim points separate the Timbers from, I shit you not, 3rd place in the Western Conference. On the one hand, sure, the six teams above them all have a game in hand – the Los Angeles Galaxy has two – but, in the best-case scenario - the biggest possible gap tops out at six points (Real Salt Lake), and nearly all the rest can only push the gap to four.
A bunch of those teams faltered in Week 19 – e.g., RSL, Dallas, the Galaxy (money in the bank), Nashville (ibid.?), and, deliciously and directly, Seattle – and every slip off a ladder’s rung gives the Timbers a place to put their foot on the climb up the table.
Being below the line notwithstanding, Portland’s in a pretty good place. A fair chunk of their next seven games – e.g., v VAN, v SJ, @ MIN, v NSH, v FCD, @ TOR, @ SKC – look pretty winnable, (if not “pad yer resume” winnable; just keep that in the back of your head if/when the result roll in) – and that gives them a solid chance of going over the playoff line. I feel good about them getting into the playoffs for the first time in 2022. It’s how far I see them going that where I’m not as sure...
...also, hey, weird story. The two teams I follow – i.e., Cincinnati and Portland – both play Vancouver for their next game. More to the point, damn near every team in MLS will catch up to the Timbers between now and July 17. We’ll see what the road looks like then....
...and yet I can’t shake the feeling the Timbers owe tonight’s win to Dario Zuparic, Larrys Mabiala, if with a game-saving assist from Aljaz Ivacic’s involuntary reflexes. With the fullbacks on both sides getting stretched and broken – and, for the record, I’ve seen worse from both Bravo and Josecarlos Van Accident-Waiting-to-Happen – Zuparic read the potential assists and headed them off, while Mabiala cleared everything that came into the area over waist height. Even without playing their best game tonight, the Sounders played some early crosses that came within one large man’s foot of going toward goal – and that’s before you take into account Ruidiaz’s two “there-but-for-the-grace-of” shots on goal. The one he hit off the post, in particular. Luck was a lady tonight, at least for the Timbers, and to the point of forgiving all faults.
Ideally, I’ve put on a happy face long enough for the gripes to go down smoother, but...I mean....how much of tonight felt familiar, and in all the wrong ways? How many times did Portland squander a magnificent opportunity – i.e., the kind of transition moments they used to turn into horror-shows for the opposition in seasons past, even when they didn’t score them? How many times did the overlook the smart pass in some misbegotten quest for the ideal one? Worse, how many of those happened precisely because everyone decided to play “hot potato” at the decisive moment instead of, y’know, doing something decisive with the goddamn ball? And this team’s persistent, exhausting inability to create shooting lanes around the area – to just play together in the attack – every time I see that I can’t help but see the Timbers lose in another MLS Cup, or, more likely, well before then.
In the big picture, I’m pretty goddamn content. The Timbers had picked up eight points out of 12 from their last four games going into tonight – something that translates to, as legal people would write into a contract, every reasonable point – and they added three free points to that in their biggest rival’s house and, and they wiped their ass with said rival’s greatest accomplishment, and with Seattle handing them the opportunity. The confluence of delight is a firehose right now...
...and yet I live in this space of believing the Timbers aren’t there yet, not really. Related, I’ll be standing in a public square or your collective choosing this Wednesday, bring your rotten fruits and vegetables. Finally, a couple talking points.
1) One-Man Inspiration
I have a well-known habit (among people who know me) of coming late to such things, but I’m finally sold on Santiago Moreno. Moreover, I’m impressed by the learning curve. His sense of where to pass has improved with each game this season and I’d go so far as to call his defensive poaching tonight inspirational. He doesn’t project as a two-way player (something I’d like to see Gio internalize) in my mind, and I don’t see him ever scoring more than six (or thereabouts) in a season, but he’s easily been the Timbers’ best attacking player, or among them, over the past 3-4 games. Can I get a yippee!
2) Blanco
His one legitimately immaculate cross aside, I thought Blanco was pretty goddamn bad tonight. He got weirdly demanding about getting the ball when he could have run forward, for one, but I also saw him drop a couple promising counters into a baffling neutral, even a park. I also think Blanco has yet to really find his feet and, relatedly, his role this season. To get a little over my skis on a thought, I think this has less to do with the things that are wrong about the Timbers attack – which, fwiw, I see as a group brain-fart – than a hack that’s no longer avaiable.
3) Asprilla
If the Timbers can get him going, and through the end of 2022, they’ll become a legit threat. The defense will never be great – not as it’s presently configured – but they’re good enough to give Portland a real chance in any game where they can score two goals.
2a) and 3a)
The implication that comes in and out of 2) and 3).
4) Where Does Eryk Line Up Ideally?
I’m asking because I’m not entirely sure yet? That said, I like something about the idea of getting Eryk and Cristhian Paredes on the field at the same time, even if I can’t figure out the exact configuration.
All in all, I think the thrust of my overall theory comes through in the above – i.e., the Timbers defense is what it is, but they’ll only go as far as the attack can lift them above and beyond. And I feel even better about that now that they’re closer back to whole – by which I mean, Gio Savarese has options, should he choose to use them. Moreover, in the nuts ‘n’ bolts here and now, five slim points separate the Timbers from, I shit you not, 3rd place in the Western Conference. On the one hand, sure, the six teams above them all have a game in hand – the Los Angeles Galaxy has two – but, in the best-case scenario - the biggest possible gap tops out at six points (Real Salt Lake), and nearly all the rest can only push the gap to four.
A bunch of those teams faltered in Week 19 – e.g., RSL, Dallas, the Galaxy (money in the bank), Nashville (ibid.?), and, deliciously and directly, Seattle – and every slip off a ladder’s rung gives the Timbers a place to put their foot on the climb up the table.
Being below the line notwithstanding, Portland’s in a pretty good place. A fair chunk of their next seven games – e.g., v VAN, v SJ, @ MIN, v NSH, v FCD, @ TOR, @ SKC – look pretty winnable, (if not “pad yer resume” winnable; just keep that in the back of your head if/when the result roll in) – and that gives them a solid chance of going over the playoff line. I feel good about them getting into the playoffs for the first time in 2022. It’s how far I see them going that where I’m not as sure...
...also, hey, weird story. The two teams I follow – i.e., Cincinnati and Portland – both play Vancouver for their next game. More to the point, damn near every team in MLS will catch up to the Timbers between now and July 17. We’ll see what the road looks like then....
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