Comments on: Match 29: Portland Timbers 1-2 Charleston Battery

By: yessir

yessir — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:54:11 +0000

Bob,

I think I need to disagree respectfuly with your assessment of the physicality our team played this year as compared to years past. Not that I think we’ve been ‘targeted,’ but I think we *have* seen our ‘unfair’ share of sendings off this season. I think we have been more physical than in recent years (why did I always clench my sphincter any time Poltl went in to a tackle? Cos the way the season was going he probably could have been sent off about 3 more times) but we had the worst luck I think I’ve ever seen getting monkey spank referees with their heads waaaaay up their a$$e$. Some of those reds we sasw this year were jaw-droppingly soft (think either of Scot’s against Atlanta in June or Seattle in August). I think it’s more a commentary on the ineptitude of the majority of refs in this particular league than the physical play of our team in that I’d be hard pressed to say that our Timbers of this year we’re any rougher than a Carolina or the Victory last year (whom I thought were the dirtiest team in the league). At any rate, the bottom line is putting the ball in the back of the net. Complaining about the refs is certainly a great salve though.

By: Dr. Bickle

Dr. Bickle — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:54:12 +0000

Edit: That should read, “The main thing about your point is this:”

By: Dr. Bickle

Dr. Bickle — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:53:31 +0000

Bob: bah.

I didn’t watch all of those away matches, don’t have strong recollections of all of the ones I did see, and disagree with you about a couple.

The main thing about your is this: as John O’Hara said when he learned of the death of George Gershwin, “I don’t have to believe it if I don’t want to.”

On this subject, I am an idiotic romantic.

Finis.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:14:28 +0000

One of the clear lessons from this season…

No more loans to/from MLS teams. Ever.

By: furball

furball — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:55:30 +0000

As slow as the team looked in the first half, that was the best they played in a long time. I thought Dom and Tom really did a fine job of winning balls in the mid. I just don’t get Gavin’s man crush on Higgy. Miguel Guante has been our most consistant player all season. He can play on both sides and I think Gavin totally misused him all season long. The constant changing of the line up was another reason this team never hit their stride after the strong start. And for the life of me, I do not understand why we didn’t sign a goaltender this season and not rely on the MLS loan system. I know I’m alone in this opinion, but I thought Jordan James was a better tender than Burse, Knighton and Harrison. I really don’t want to see Gavin let go, but I’m not sure what else we can do.

By: Bob Kellett

Bob Kellett — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:31:40 +0000

I appreciate your sentiments, Bickle Ph.D., but I humbly disagree. Last night the team didn’t quit but on many occasions this season I felt like the effort wasn’t there. Think back to Vancouver and Miami on Memorial Day weekend. Try to remember the listless performances on the road against Charleston and Atlanta. Watch the most recent trip to Montreal and Rochester again. Circumstances – bad schedule, bad officiating, bad managing, injuries – played a role, but so did a lack of pluck. This team was 0-10-2 in games in which it gave up the first goal. When times got tough they had trouble responding.

The Atlanta game when they played two down is the exception to my point.

By: Dr. Bickle

Dr. Bickle — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:15:04 +0000

Zaggy: I believe we *did* see that drive and desire for, like 97% of every minute of every match this season. The choices about the roster, the starting squad, substitutes and tactics aside (a big aside, granted), you wouldn’t bet on a guy rolling snake eyes 10 times in a row in a casino, but that’s kind of the luck the Timbers had this year. And yet rarely, if ever, did they look hangdog or perfunctory or listless. Hell, some of their very best performances came when they had been the most severely screwed by fate (and refs). There’s such a thing as bad fortune, and there’s such a thing as giving up, and I don’t believe this team has done the latter this season. I’m proud of them.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:58:00 +0000

When Dombrowski (right) and Higgins (left) are your starting wide midfielders, you’re in big trouble. They’re average players, but not in those roles. That’s just bad use of personnel.

Did anyone actually see what Dunn did to draw the red? I, like everyone else around me, was watching the dead ball over in the corner.

By: Zaggy

Zaggy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:21:42 +0000

Agree..you can’t fault him for trying, but Higgins isn’t nor will he ever be a left back. He also gave up at least cross that ended up as a goal this weekend, and it is obvious that one of the big questions this off-season is who will we bring in to play left back. Guante played great, it was a shame we don’t see him more, its obvious he is talented, but as a wide attacking mid-fielder, I wonder if he just doesn’t work in Gavin’s system where the formation has to keep its shape…it will certainly be an interesting off-season but I ended yesterdays game with a feeling of pride…the boys played thier tails off and deserved that game…too bad we didn’t see that drive and desire all season from them

By: Bob Kellett

Bob Kellett — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:12:13 +0000

Mike – Watch Higgins on the second goal. Not so good. A stronger, more natural defender wouldn’t haven’t been driven off his man like that. Also watch Charleston’s attack in the second half. It all came from his side. Not his fault. He’s a midfielder that was asked to play out of position most of the season.