My hunch is the second match dragged them down slightly, but not enormously. It’s not like they were consistently pressing Columbus, particularly in the second half in which they were largely under it most of the time.
Generally it doesn’t reflect well on a coach when the coach says “We’ve been prioritizing X this year” and then the numbers show the team roughly in the bottom quartile of X.
It’s early, etc. But it’s not like this coach has a great track record of tactical dynamism. #RCTID
Shot (via @americansocceranalysis.com c/o @tiotalfootball.bsky.social).
Chaser — except it’s actually just a glass of pure gasoline. #RCTID
Hard to beat this for a school night show. Brandi Carlile is a genius.
If you defend deep, you’re going to give up corners and attacking set pieces. You can live with that (as they did in 2025) if you’re good at defending them.
But if you’re not? Then you’re going to get eaten alive. And Neville hasn’t shown that he can get his team to defend any other way. #RCTID
He’s wrong in part and the part on which he’s right is a self-own.
He’s wrong bc this isn’t just a denominator problem; COL was first to too many deliveries.
And the number of set pieces they concede is inherent in the mid-low block that’s the only system Neville’s been able to install. #RCTID
Do I wish the Timbers had a coach that inspired greater confidence than this? Yes.
Do I think there are many such coaches out there? Also yes. #RCTID
Basically share Phuoc’s perspective here. A Vilahamn hire in, say, December would’ve warranted some guardedness, maybe a little skepticism, but not outright opposition. But now? He’s who they waited all this time for?
Really just feels like a pretty badly botched process. #BAONPDX
Fory was almost comically nowhere near the ball and left his feet to make the challenge. The result wasn’t so bad, which makes the straight red feel harsh, but going in like that is dangerous enough that it’s hard to argue too much. #RCTID
The Timbers’ set piece defending today hasn’t been good. The Rapids have won more than their share of first balls on Colorado attacking set pieces. #RCTID
Through 50 minutes this is the type of game Velde can’t have if he wants to be the focal point of the team. This is the danger of anointing a guy based on a small handful of performances. #RCTID
A Kenny Cooper special for Colorado there. #RCTID
(Also the video lineup graphic is very annoying.) #RCTID
With no Ortiz, Diego Chara is the only defensive midfielder in the 18. He’d weeks away from turning 40 and in the second week of the season he’s basically slated in pen to play 90 minutes at elevation. #RCTID
The American media will focus almost entirely on the number of casualties to US service members, but the bombing of a school in the middle of a school day is just an absolute moral disaster. There is no possible justification. It’s just evil and depraved recklessness.
Agoos had some bona fide wins in his first partial year in charge. But not having a permanent coach in place after a full offseason of being in the market is a major failure. If this season goes south—particularly in another contract year for Sophia Wilson—it could be a fireable one. #BAONPDX
I’m slightly more forgiving about the time it’s taken to replace Sam Coffey, but the Thorns’ failure to hire a head coach is an unmistakable failure for Agoos. They didn’t *have* to make a change. But they did—and they were still clearly unprepared for it. Just an inexplicable error. #BAONPDX
The “everybody wants to be negative” statements coming out of the men’s hockey camp have also been stupid. The joke was dumb and needlessly insulting. Lots of delicate ways to say “We laughed along but wish we’d spoken up for them in the moment.” Own their tiny slice and let Trump own his comments.
Knight might be the first person to tell the plain truth about this situation. Trump made a dumb, insulting joke that reflects on *him*. The men’s hockey players should’ve corrected it, but it’s understandable that they just chuckled along when a powerful person made a bad joke.
It’s happening domestically, too. First it was rivalry games. Timbers-Sounders still hasn’t fully recovered from the years in which they were playing each other four times.
And when the “Competitions” page on the MLS App looks like this, is it any wonder we’re seeing signs of softening attendance?
At every turn soccer’s leadership has crammed more and more quantity down fans’ throats. And, between bad matchups and exhausted players, there’s been a huge dip in quality.
I’m sure this has created a sugar high of revenues, but it seems almost inevitable that there’s going to be a crash.
I spent some time this year looking around for a non-USMNT World Cup group stage game that I could go to as a neutral. It really struck me how few of those games are legitimately compelling. I ended up giving up because, well, none of the games were worth the investment.
And that’s how soccer replaced hockey as the national sport of Canada.
Mora as a false false 9 works so well for Bassett. Mora uses his slightly deeper starting point to move off the ball into the box, and Bassett just feasts on the space created by Mora’s movement. #RCTID
No doubt, but you also don’t sign Bassett to do a lot of that. He needs a stalwart behind him at 6, and—with due respect to Chara—the Timbers don’t have that yet. They still haven’t made their most important signing of the winter.
2026 is giving 2024. #RCTID
Cole Bassett’s first 30 minutes with the Timbers might be the best debut 30 minutes I’ve seen from a Timber. The best player on the field right now by a huge margin. #RCTID
My guess is 4-2-3-1 with Mora as an out-of-position 10—in part because with Neville a 4-2-3-1 is usually a safe bet.
Legit incredible that six weeks before his 40th birthday, Diego Chara remains the Timbers’ opening day starter in central midfield. #RCTID
I know nothing about hockey, but the only comparison I can make is this is like if Vince Carter’s dunk over Frederic Weis was to win the gold medal at the buzzer.
