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| Pointless, yes, but still worth celebrating. |
Due to the plethora of variables in play – e.g., Leagues Cup, early season for Liga MX, a new coach for the Timbers, hints the Timbers have changed their style with all the subtlety of the fouls Club Tijuana got away with tonight – I don’t see the point in picking through the innards of tonight’s game. The game/performance had its share of measurable positives – e.g., the Timbers doubled-up Tijuana’s goals allowed in the tournament (their first two games: a 0-2 loss at Austin FC and a 0-1 loss at San Diego) – but I just don’t have a solid feel on how they’ll translate to the stretch run of the MLS regular season.
Sunday’s game at Chicago Fire FC, aka, the team that topped all of MLS in Leagues Cup play (all wins, +5 goal differential, booted the theretofore successful Cruz Azul out of the tourney), should provide another level set. That said, I wouldn’t expect too much clarity either: whatever happens in that game will still feature a plethora of variables, just not as many. But that's enough about Sunday, let's return to the pointless glory of the Portland's present!
Portland Timbers 3-1 Club Tijuana
An Almost Insulting Match Summary
The Timbers opened strong and with a lot of the ball, but Tijuana chipped back into the game one chippy foul at a time. It took them less than ten minutes to find the cheat code in Portland’s defensive shape – the gap between the fullback and the winger – and the third or fourth run it at gave Tijuana the go-ahead goal (Mourad El Ghezouani was a handful all night). Their speed and aggression scrambled Portland for most of the first half – didn’t hurt the Tijuana benefited from the ref calling a loose one – but the Timbers found their balance and clawed one back before the first half ended when Jimer Fory overlapped(!!) up their left and found Kevin Kelsy at the back post.
For me, the final stats pour the correct measure of cold water on what looked like a wide open game; it was more fast than precise, but the openings yawned pretty wide when they came. In keeping with a theme disrupted only by the loss “at” Club America, the Timbers got slowly got hold of the game and throttled the life out of it. Between a scrum or two and one nerve-rattling breakaway (all of which surely made the highlights), Tijuana managed a couple chances in the second half, but that didn’t keep Portland from running away with it and at a decent trot. Both goals came from the Timbers’ comfort zone – e.g., a turnover that became a long ball to Kevin Kelsy that fell to Antony by a redirect, then Antony getting around Tijuana’s left after transition to find Ariel Lassiter (and at least one other Timber at the back post).
In the here and now, it just means Portland beat Tijuana in the Leagues Cup, if to no effect, and the good times kept rolling. I don’t know what happens when the Timbers return to regular season play, but they shouldn’t want for confidence.
That’s it. Rather than close out on fully-fleshed talking points, I’m going to end by floating 10 quick little thoughts that flitted across my mind like pretty butterflies. Yes, I’m leaning into the theme…and in no particular order…
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| Pretty.... |
1) Portland’s defense played on the front foot in a way that made my butt pucker. A couple people remarked on the (incredibly) high line on Bluesky, but I saw Finn Surman biting after the ball inside Tijuana’s half and Kamal Miller running around up there like he thinks he’s Steven Moreira.
2) There is movement off the ball, praise be to God. For the first time since - the Nixon administration? (it’s been a damn minute) – Timbers players shifted all over the box. One repeated movement saw players making sequenced runs in front of a Portland player operating out of the channel. What looked random (i.e., runs for runs' sake) at first eventually forced Tijuana defenders to follow those runs. To be clear, I like this development.
3) This style of play will – or, to pump the brakes a little, could – change the way Portland plays to where a different set of players may make more sense in the starting XI. This thought will carry through to the end.
4) This feels like inhaling for the first time in five years (or more), so forgive me if this comes off as salty: I’m tired of the claim that the Timbers can’t be a good passing team. Committing to a control/possession approach is a choice that ANY professional player who can handle a five-a-side passing/possession drill (aka, all of them) can capably manage. It probably works better for a team without a traditional No. 10.
5) How many times did you see Kristoffer Velde way outside on Portland’s left tonight? How many times did you see him pass? How many times did he get fucked over by the ref? (I saw Velde keeping count in real time.) I think Velde, as much as any Timber tonight, was asked to play differently. He left the field frustrated for what could have been a minimum of three reasons, but that's one to watch. This has real the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away potential.
6) David Da Costa fired a few from range (Velde corked off at least one) and I think that felt better for him, but those little breaks into the seams and up the gut, the little, one-touch give-‘n’-goes feels closer to what looks like Da Costa’s better self. He’s also one to watch under the new guy.
7) Omir Fernandez fits the same model. He’s a ball-moving/facilitating type player. Guys who can operate in tight spaces and release speed players may have a bright future under Marti Cifuentes.
8) Cole Bassett looked uncomfortable out there. Didn’t think that would happen, and off nights happen, but noted.
9) Eric Miller. Didn’t see that coming. Wonder if it means anything?
10) How much will two goal contributions help get the monkey off Antony’s back? Anyone else think his goal celebration dramatized a cleanse?
That’s it. Till Chicago on Sunday, when we’ll get out the tape measure again.
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