All Ebb, No Flow

It’s a familiar result to many of you. The Portland Timbers lost 2-0 to FC Dallas on a hot night in Frisco. 

Recap

Dallas’ three-back look invited pressure, so the Timbers spent the majority of this game on the ball. In the first seven minutes, Portland kept the ball in Dallas’ half. And then the 8th minute came. Lalas Abubakar sent a long ball forward for Petar Musa, but it was within the penalty area so Maxime Crepeau came out to claim it. The Canadian goalkeeper got his hands on the ball, but failed to hang on. It spilled into the path of Musa, who had the easiest finish of his life to put Dallas in front. The rest of the first half was marred by turnovers, misplaced passes, and one David Da Costa chance from a tight angle in the 36th minute that was easily kept out by Michael Collidi. Portland entered halftime with 62% possession, 5 shots, and 0.24 total xG. 

The second half featured several structural changes, but nothing worked. Dallas grabbed their second goal in the 62nd minute when Abubakar had a free header on Sebastian Lletget’s corner kick delivery and aimed it to the far post. Meanwhile, the same funk that infected Portland’s attack continued despite temporary switches to a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1. Portland ended the game with 66% possession, 9 shots, and 0.32 xG. It’s a familiar tale, but it hurts nonetheless.

The Game Plan

It’s no secret that I’ve been in Texas all week, and I covered tonight’s game in person. Prior to my drive to Dallas, I attended an open training session on Friday in Austin. It was basically a normal training session that would occur in Beaverton, but I made a mental note of the emphasis the coaching staff was putting into cutback crosses.

Quick refresher: a cutback cross occurs when a player gets to the endline and crosses the ball (USUALLY ON THE GROUND, THIS IS IMPORTANT) into the center of the box. The purpose of this play is to draw defenders closer to the end line and create space in the center of the box for easy finishes. Two things have to be achieved (besides the actual cross) for this play to work: a player has to dribble the ball to the endline and multiple players have to crowd the center of the box. This rarely happened during tonight’s game, and the Timbers decided (not forced) to send aerial cross after aerial cross into Dallas’ heavily defended box. If a center back didn’t get a head on it, Collodi either punched it or caught it. 

Portland sent a total of TWENTY-EIGHT crosses into Dallas’ box tonight, and only completed TWO. That’s a ratio of 7%, so you have to wonder why they kept doing something that obviously wasn’t working. 

An Excuse? Or Maybe Not?

Here’s where the questioning about this result begins. On the surface, the Timbers lost because of a corner kick and a massive goalkeeping blunder. Phil Neville labeled both of those as “lapses in concentration.” And, folks, it makes a lot of sense why this team wasn’t fully concentrated today.

Neville religiously relies on a schedule. He carries his preference for structured time into how he plans each week. This week was the most difficult endeavor that the Timbers underwent during this season from a logistics standpoint. Let’s walk through what the Timbers did this week. Because playing two games of soccer in brutal weather is only part of the equation.

Their flight from Portland landed in Austin on Monday afternoon, but they gained two hours due to the time zone changes. Since they trained earlier in the day, it was straight to a team meal and bed. On Tuesday, they trained again. Wednesday was a matchday, which led to a recovery day on Thursday with some light training as well. Friday was an important day. A training session in the morning followed by a short 45-minute flight to Dallas. However, the amount of gear that this team carries with them is massive. Their bags are bigger than normal due to the extended absence from home. You’ve gotta pack extra amounts of everything like you would on a normal vacation. But this was a work trip. As the team was getting ready to make the short flight from Austin to Dallas, a mechanical issue arose on their airplane. So they spent an extra night in Austin (Friday night) and flew to Dallas in the morning. That meant an earlier wake-up, earlier meals, and a bunch of extra work for players and support staff before they got to the stadium for tonight’s game in Frisco. 

Right after tonight’s game ended, they had to get to the airport for their 11:30 PM (approximate) flight back to Portland, where they would gain an additional two hours but arrive around 1:30 AM. This entire trip has been exhausting for players and staff, and a travel issue could have played a part in tonight’s result. Physically, the players looked fine. They were in match shape due to the multitude of games that they’ve played over the past two weeks. The heat didn’t have any visible effects either due to their relative comfort to Texan conditions. 

What failed them tonight were mental errors. In football, wide receivers are often coached to focus on making the catch rather than the immediate aftermath of securing possession of the football. Maxime Crepeau makes that claim 99 out of 100 times in a game. However, that 100th time occurred tonight. No one marked Lalas Abubakar on Dallas’ second goal (which probably shouldn’t have even occurred due to an offside violation on the play that became that corner kick). Portland’s mental state in attack, however, was distracted from the opening whistle.

However, I would like to highlight a rather minor play in this game. This sequence cemented to me that tonight’s loss was a mental issue, not a physical one. 

Unfortunately, I don’t have the exact minute in my notes. But I’ll describe the play for you: Omir Fernandez and Juan Mosquera are on the right side of the field. Fernandez makes a pass to Mosquera and immediately tries to make a run between Dallas’ left wing back (Bernard Kamungo) and their left-sided center back (Abubakar). It’s a simple run, but it gets completely ignored. Mosquera instantly passes it to David Ayala in the center of the field, and nothing comes of it. 

Portland’s players were (mostly) unwilling to make these kinds of runs during this game. A properly played pass in this instance could have resulted in the cut-back cross that the coaching staff was emphasizing during the training sessions ahead of tonight’s game. It was the hallmark of a mentally exhausted and drained team, who could have found the sequences necessary to score goals. In the second half, I counted two cutback chances created from the training ground. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough players in the box, and the ones that were in the right spot didn’t get there fast enough.

But Ariel Lassiter is here to remind y’all of something: there are no excuses. “We’re all pros and this is what we’re here to do. Although it is tough to wake up early and travel the same day and then be here and prepare yourself the right way especially in this heat, we’re pros and this is what we do.” Lassiter’s professionalism shines through here. Although I’ve made a pretty long laundry list of excuses, there isn’t any excuse. This is their job. The game plan was clear, and the players kept sending in hopeless crosses to nobody without taking the time and patience to find gaps in Dallas’ back five. 

The amount of useless bounce passes, overhit crosses, underhit crosses, and poor passes in general were enough to convince me that this team wasn’t mentally sharp enough to find the right ideas. Without the right ideas, they wouldn’t be able to execute the right passes. A return home and some proper rest is needed, and that’s what they’re about to get. I’m not too worried about this game on the surface, but it is a serious blip in what’s been an outstanding couple of weeks.

Player Ratings

Maxime Crepeau: 3

Crepeau made two saves on relatively routine shots, but fumbled the most routine play of them all and gifted a goal to Petar Musa (who really doesn’t need any gifts, he’s good enough to score without any help). I’d urge people to acknowledge two things: the starting goalkeeper competition is still open AND James Pantemis has also made costly errors this season. For some reason, this goalkeeper competition is personal for the fans of this team. Crepeau’s mistake occurred early enough in the game for the team to recover from it, but they simply couldn’t.

Juan Mosquera: 6

I thought that Mosquera had a bright first half, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. In the 13th minute, he made an outstanding tackle on Bernard Kamungo. His play tailed off in the second half, but it makes sense after he played the entire game against Club America on Wednesday. He completed zero out of three attempted crosses.

Finn Surman: 6

The Kiwi only played one half, but it was a bad half by his standards. Did you know that he’d only committed 9 fouls all year entering tonight’s game? By picking up two fouls in the first half (both of which were pretty easy calls for referee Malik Badawi), that total was raised to 11. It seemed like he was a little off the pace, but it’s no coincidence that the team conceded from a set piece when he was off the pitch.

Dario Zuparic: 6

This was a tough outing for Zuparic, who was probably happy to be matched up against another Croatian. However, that Croatian (Musa) won every header in his stratosphere (because that guy can JUMP). Most of those were against Zuparic, but I thought he was tidy on the ball. And he tried a shot from distance in the 6th minute, even though it wasn’t very good. 

Kamal Miller: 7

I thought that Miller had a pretty good game considering the circumstances. His basic passing was fine and he did a good job of closing down attackers. However, he completed 0/2 attempted crosses. But he’s a center back, and some of those crosses looked pretty good. No one got on the end of them.

Ian Smith: 7.1

Smith’s job today was to be the main attacking outlet on the left. I think he did a pretty good job, and was unlucky to exit as early as he did. But with Lassiter in such good form, it made sense from Neville’s perspective to get the rapid Costa Rican in the game as soon as possible. Smith gets an extra 0.1 for completing 1 of his 4 crosses. 

Cristhian Paredes: 5

After some good performances in recent weeks, Paredes was a liability tonight. He rarely took the right angles in the tackle, made several bad giveaways, and failed to jump and meet the corner kick that turned into Dallas’ second goal. Oddly enough, the yellow card was harsh. I thought it was a pretty routine foul.

David Ayala: 8

Boy, was someone disappointed to miss out on the Club America game. In the 3rd minute, Ayala’s improvised bicycle clearance found Smith in enough space to put a cross in. He played with his hair on fire tonight, and that included some time in a single pivot during the second half. No matter what happened on the field, Ayala looked comfortable and capable. However, he does have a tendency to always look for the diagonal instead of a through ball. The Timbers really could’ve used those through balls tonight, like the 58th minute slip to Da Costa that turned into nothing. But it could’ve turned into something, so I’d like to see more.

Antony: 7

Against Club America, Antony proved that he was a game-breaker. In scenarios to break the game, he didn’t get the ball. I’d like to take a brief trip down memory lane.

Lalas Abubakar used to be a Colorado Rapid. In 2023, Antony scored his first Portland goal against the Rapids (obviously) and he did it by taking advantage of Abubakar. Somehow, Abubakar defending Antony’s side of the field in the first half. The Timbers did not take advantage of it. A couple of long balls were sent his way, sure, but he created the best chance of the first half by simply being faster and more dynamic than the defender across from him. Portland didn’t exploit that matchup to the fullest, and only got one big chance out of it rather than several. He completed 0/1 crosses.

David Da Costa: 6.6

Da Costa didn’t become “the guy” tonight, and missed his biggest (and only) chance of the game. But I thought he did a better job of finding the open places in Dallas’ backline than his teammates. He gets an extra 0.1 for completing 1/7 of his crosses. And that number should’ve been higher.

Felipe Mora: 5.5

Mora has the most thankless job on the team. He gets pushed around by opposing center backs and never gets a whistle in his favor. But he is paid to be in the positions to score goals, and tonight he missed his biggest opportunity by being one step behind. Da Costa’s 58th minute cutback was on a platter for Mora, and he couldn’t get there in time. Sigh.

Ariel Lassiter: 6

I’m going to begin with the obvious: Lassiter didn’t complete any of his 6 crosses tonight. However, the maturity and speed he brought to the pitch stood out. It’s been a good couple of weeks for the Costa Rican, and one of his cutbacks was on a platter for Kelsy and Fernandez. None of them were quick enough to get there in time.

Jimer Fory: 6

The gargantuan Colombian didn’t complete any of his 3 crosses, but still did a job in defense. Every game, he gets called for one foul because he’s simply bigger than the attacker he challenged. At this point, he’s just gotta accept it. 

Kevin Kelsy: 5.5

Kelsy came in and tried to do Mora things, despite being big enough to properly challenge Dallas’ center backs for aerial crosses. He needed to stay high, and failed to do so. However, he did not commit a “big boy” foul today. Positives.

Omir Fernandez: 7

Fernandez was one of the few Timbers constantly moving around off the ball. None of his teammates were able to properly find him (like that example I mentioned earlier with Mosquera). 

Diego Chara: 6

Chara failed to complete his only cross of the game. It feels wild how many times I’m mentioning crosses in this recap, but literally EVERYBODY was attempting them. Prior to Chara’s introduction, Portland was utilizing a 4-3-3 shape with Ayala as a single pivot. I’m a little confused why he was Neville’s choice to replace Antony, especially with a combined aerial threat/goalscorer in Gage Guerra available. He wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t amazing either.

Coach Rating: 7

This game plan should have worked. I don’t think Neville was being entirely correct in taking responsibility for this result, but it’s his way of protecting his players. Even I can’t be too harsh about this game (except for the obvious). Some of his subs weren’t amazing in my eyes (Surman and Smith didn’t need to come off at halftime and Guerra should’ve seen the field at some point), but I thought the game plan was coherent enough to work. Lapses in concentration cost Portland tonight. But how costly were they?

Table Time

Down to 6th they go, but nowhere near finished with the chase for a top-four spot. However, their goal differential has dipped below zero for the first time since late March. That’s mostly due to attacking regression and not poor defense. They’re around the same amount of goals conceded as conference-leading San Diego and Seattle. Am I worried about tonight’s game as it relates to their upcoming schedule?

Final Whistle

No, not really. My confidence in Portland’s stellar defensive record in recent weeks cannot be shaken by a loss in Dallas (a place where the Timbers do a lot of losing and a lot of conceding). It won’t make for a happy flight home, but it’s just another thing to tackle on the training ground this week ahead of a blockbuster game against Cincinnati.

In their last MLS road game in Los Angeles, the Timbers flowed. Constant off-ball movement and slick passing allowed them to march into BMO Stadium and give a good show of themselves. Leaving with three points also helped. Consider tonight the “ebb” in a couple weeks of good flow. It’s clear that this team is tired and short-handed. This ebb might be excused, but it’s still dropped points. All that matters is the week ahead and the next game. 

Kristoffer Velde and Felipe Carballo might be in town this week, but international transfers are not controlled by the club. Getting a work visa and the paperwork cleared is out of their hands. Either way, the hope is that both arrive in time to participate in next weekend’s game. 

This has been a very long week. From the Queretaro game to the Velde and Carballo rumors to the flight to Dallas to Santiago Moreno’s mutiny (odds are if he played tonight he would’ve turned the ball over a fair amount, by the way) to an intense game in Austin to a trip to Dallas and the inevitable loss in Frisco. It’s probably the week that will define the season. I’ve been here for all of it. I haven’t braved the Texan summer like the team has, but it’s been a rewarding experience regardless of result. Thanks to all the paid subscribers who have made this trip possible (and my day job for giving me a healthy amount of vacation time). I think I used it correctly. 

I always encourage fans to travel to games just to experience a match at a place that isn’t Providence Park. In many ways, my away days allow me to appreciate the cathedral on Morrison Street that much more. If you can travel and have the free/vacation time to get on the road, Toyota Stadium is a unique venue that will be massively improved once the renovations are complete. You probably won’t see the Timbers win a game, but who knows? It’s MLS, anything can happen. 

Tonight was the first of 10 “cup finals.” And this was a road test in a place where the Timbers have only won twice in 15 years. Next week, they return home to face an old friend (Alvas Powell), an old foe (DeAndre Yedlin) and someone who the fanbase hasn’t come to a consensus on yet. In addition, it’s Diego Chara Bobblehead Night. It’s another very important game for the Portland Timbers, and a chance to put tonight’s result behind them. The climb continues.