The LA Galaxy abolished the Portland Timbers Saturday night at Jeld-Wen Field. It started out well enough; Kris Boyd’s flicked goal in the second minute provided the dream start that had Timbers fans recalling other massive home triumphs in the face of adversity, chief among them the win over these same Galaxy in this fixture last year. But by the time Beckham and company were done scoring a goal every two minutes from the in a superlative eight minute interval, it was clear that the magic was gone from the resilient Timbers, their fans, and their immediate future.
The match finished 5-3, a deceiving score-line, in that the Timbers could have conceded five more. It was the kind of sobering disaster that has everyone in and around this Timbers organization thinking clearly, without a touch of the fairy-dust that has resulted from so many fairy-tale moments the last year and a half. Forget reality check, the Timbers ran into a reality wall.
There’s no getting around it: Portland is no closer to the playoffs on day 484 of MLS existence as they were on day one. There was a part of me that thought the Timbers would find a way to beat LA, provide us with another scrapbook moment to start this unidentified new era. But after watching the defending champs rip holes in the Portland defense the size of the Willamette River, that bit of belief is long gone.
Yes, the Timbers scored three goals, and attacked fairly well. Sure, Portland is still in touching distance of the playoffs, and is by no means out of contention at this mid-point of the season. And no, a team’s season isn’t decided by how they fair against the best team in the league. But that’s just the thing: The Timbers have always been close. They’ve teased and deceived. Theoretically, they could still make something of this season, which is what Merritt Paulson and the majority of fans want. But if John Spencer’s sacking brought clarity, this demolition derby of a game took us to reality.
This team needs an overhaul, because it’s regressing. New coach, worse result. It’s becoming crystal clear in Portland: It’s time to rebuild.
There was always bound to be a letdown in the first game after Spencer’s sacking. But this was beyond a letdown. When Spencer was relieved of his duties last Monday, Paulson made it very clear that the Timbers were in no way giving up on this disastrous 2012 season. But Paulson had just fired his coach, admitted that the team had failed thus far in MLS, and said that Spencer was sacked because of “long-term philosophical differences” with the owner. In fact, the Timbers are in a state of flux, torn between trying to win now, and rebuild for the future.
Yes, Portland is just seven points away from the playoff places. But if Saturday night was any indicator, the fleeting hope that Portland can make something of this season is false hope. They are tied for last place in all of MLS. They have two points and two goals in eight road games. There is not a shred of consistency, and away from home, a clear lack of quality. This isn’t a quick fix situation. If there was, Paulson would have hired a permanent coach to strive for the playoffs this year, not let Wilkinson step down into his old post as a stop-gap.
In his heart of hearts, Paulson knows that this team just isn’t good enough. So why doesn’t he say it? Certainly, Paulson always wants to win, but being honest and saying that this Timbers team needs to be rebuilt would buy the club time to figure out a clearer direction. Portland waved the white flag on this season when Spencer was sacked. The remaining 16 games should be used to take stock of each player on this team, figure out who the keepers are, and dump the rest. This could be a golden time for the Timbers, a grace period if you will, to figure out the team’s future direction.
It’d be nice if the Timbers could win now, but they can’t. Lineup tweaks here and there won’t change that. A new outlook, coach, and players will.
For starters, the defense needs an overhaul. The display against LA was shambolic. Any defense so flummoxed, so bewildered and befuddled that they give up five goals needs serious work. The problem is, until last Monday, the Timbers were in win now mode, trying to add experience and steadiness at the back for a playoff run. In reality, the Timbers were throwing mediocrity at the wall, hoping something stuck. The Timbers have no use for an old, sub-par player like Kosuke Kimura. Nice for a team gearing up for a playoff run, not a team gearing up for a rebuilding slog. Kimura won’t be here in for the long-haul, and he therefore, shouldn’t play down the stretch this year. Neither should Steven Smith, in a very similar situation. Fine player, but what will playing him right now do to aid the Timbers in the long-term? Same for David Horst, Steve Purdy and, most of all, Mike Chabala. A team like the Timbers have no need for average, aging MLS veterans like these. Give Freddie Braun some run. See if he’s worth keeping around. Rodney Wallace too. And Andrew John-Baptiste as well.
The next 16 games need to be the test that will decide who is here next year. Futty, Mosqurea and Brunner are serviceable, but do the Timbers need to go get a steadier center back? Figure it out. See if Captain Jack has anything left in the tank. Stop playing Lovel Palmer. See where Darlington Nagbe best fits. Decide between Franck Songo’o and Sal Zizzo. They can’t both be here successfully long-term. Where does Eric Alexander fit in? No use for Mike Fucito. Get Danny Mwanga involved. This local, number one pick fell into your lap. Use him or lose him. Does Brent Richards have the class? Perkins, Chara, Alhasson, and Boyd are going to be here – but who’s the leader? Who do you build around? And who is on the next plane out of PDX if the right offer comes? Most importantly, identify your next coach and get him.
If Boyd is going to be here, then the Timbers need to adopt a more direct style, and give up the quick, flowing, passing technique they have employed under Spencer, and now Wilkinson. Portland’s core group of players isn’t bad at all, which is encouraging, and certainly a place to start. Get smart people in here, and let’s hear ’em – lest Wilkinson, as GM and now coach, be judge, jury and executioner. Fifteen games to decide who to go on with – and who to leave behind.
The opening stanza of the Portland Timbers’ MLS journey was a fun one, full of dazzling moments that this club and its fans will take with them forever. It’s over. A full scrapbook, but an empty trophy-case. High on thrills, low on results. Last place teams rebuild, and that’s what the Timbers are about to do. Many expansion teams fail in their first stab at MLS – Vancouver gutted its side after a year, Philadelphia is doing the same after two. Toronto still hasn’t competed after five years in MLS. It takes time. Straight-off-the-bat success like Seattle had is unusual. In MLS as well, because the talent level on each team is so similar, teams go first to worst every year. Sporting Kansas City and San Jose, leaders of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference respectively, are just the latest example.
Now, in these last 16 games, the Timbers need to size things up, without the objective of winning as the guide. It wouldn’t surprise me if Portland managed to win a few of these remaining fixtures, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that clarity, brevity, and decisiveness be the attitude at this club, and that the Timbers are set up to win on opening day, 2013. It was almost surreal what LA did to Portland last night. But the surreality brought reality – this club needs to start again, new coach, and new players. It’s time to end this marry-go-round year, and turn to a future that is bright, and will continue to be bright so long as the Timbers have a committed owner and committed fans to boot. No reason to think the Timbers can’t compete as soon as next year. But undeniable reason to think they can’t compete this year. Thanks to Becks, Donovan, Keane and the Galaxy for making that clear. But make no mistake: The Timbers will be back, and back for the better.
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