—by Chris Rifer

If the Timbers haven’t hit rock bottom, they seem to be careening toward it.

For 45 minutes on Saturday night, it looked like the Timbers had righted the ship. Then the backline started leaking, the Timbers took on water, and Portland sank fast.

For the first half, however, the Timbers were about as dominant as they have been all season. Last season, Timbers supporters became accustomed to Portland playing very direct—looking to get the ball out on the wings and send balls into the box. Portland has begun to show a little bit more dynamism in the middle of the field, as the Timbers’ play in the final third was as aesthetically pleasing as it has been in a while.

In the 16^th minute, Franck Songo’o collected an errant deflection from the Timbers’ own box, jogged the ball upfield, and laid it off for the overlapping Lovel Palmer. Palmer’s cross looking for Boyd was too long, however, but that’s when Chivas made a mess of things. Seattle-reject James Riley backed his way onto the onrushing Dan Kennedy, who looked set to make an easy interception. The two collided, the ball skipped out to Boyd, who took an awkward touch but found the back of the net anyway.

It was a pair of firsts; the first Timbers first half goal of the year and the first Timbers opening goal of the season. It was also the last time the Timbers would put a shot on frame.

The Timbers looked poised to take a second goal moments later when Eric Brunner found himself free in the box on a set piece, but a blatant shove in the back prevented him from getting head to ball and kept out what would have been a likely goal. As Merritt Paulson pointed out in a rare in-match Twitter rant, the Timbers can’t buy a penalty.

Chivas posed their biggest threat of the first half in the 33^rd minute when James Riley found Cesar Romero in the box, but Romero’s header flashed just wide of the far post.

Portland would go into halftime with a 1-0 lead, certainly feeling good having most of the ball and most of the chance.

Then things went south.

Just three minutes into the second half, substitute Ryan Smith shook Palmer all-too-easily on the Goats’ left wing, sent a ball into the box where Alejandro Moreno out-jumped Brunner and nodded it home.

The second half strategy for Chivas was very clear. Clog up the Timbers in the midfield, and break out down the left wing. Boy, oh boy, was that ever successful.

Time and time again, Smith beat Palmer on Chivas’ left side and picked Moreno out in the box. Luckily for the Timbers, Moreno couldn’t quite find the brace.

In the 77^th minute, Perkins came to the rescue as Moreno looked to register that brace by poking an ill-cleared ball back toward goal. The Timbers netminder made the diving save, however, to keep things level for the moment.

Perkins’ effort would be wasted just five minutes later, when Smith again collected the ball on the left wing, and sent an unmolested cross into the box, where the late-running Nick LaBrocca got across the front of Brunner and sent the ball into the corner of the net.

Ballgame. As they had through the entirety of the second half, Portland had no answer. Four weeks into the season, and the Timbers are already unmoored. With fixtures at Galaxy and against Sporting KC coming up, the seas look rough ahead, too.

Match Observations

• If you can stand it, watch Chivas’ second goal again. There were plenty of Timbers back, but nobody—and I mean literally nobody—was marking a soul. Palmer half heartedly jogged out to contest Smith’s cross and LaBrocca waltzed into the box unbothered by a single green shirt. Just awful stuff from Portland.
• Obviously, injuries have depleted the center of the backline, but the problems go way beyond missing players. The defense just looks completely disinterested. Eric Brunner looked overwhelmed and desperate, one man trying to plug a desperately leaking dam with bubble gum. Jean-Baptiste is now totally overmatched and lacking confidence. Rod Wallace was fine in the first half, but came off with a reported ankle injury at halftime. Based on the early going this season, Lovel Palmer is awful at soccer. Not a lot of positives there.
• Who is the dominant personality on this team? Is it really Rod Wallace? Chewie? It’s awfully, awfully clear the Timbers are lacking character, toughness, and leadership right now. From afar, it seems like a team of nice guys, but nobody that can step up and rally the side.
• If there is one thing to take comfort in, it’s that there is a long way to go in the season. Then again, that might not be much comfort.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 4 Made the fantastic save, and spent most of his evening yelling at his defense, but at some point Troy has to take some of the responsibility here. He hasn’t been a knight in shining armor for a defense desperately in need of one.

Rodney Wallace, 6 Rod may have had his best defensive half of the season in the first 45 minutes. Then he got hurt.

Eric Brunner, 4 He looks like Garfunkel without his Simon. Unfortunately, he’s not a rock. Until he finds one, the Timbers are going to keep slip slidin’ away.

Andrew Jean-Baptiste, 4 Didn’t make his clockwork-like bad mistake, but was far from confidence-inspiring. Speaking of confidence, hard not to think he’s lost his.

Lovel Palmer, 1.5 Unspeakably bad. Steve Purdy will start against LA. If he doesn’t, John Spencer should be fired.

Franck Songo’o, 4 A little out of sorts in the first half. To be honest, it looked to me like he didn’t trust his fitness, so was going 75% much of the time. Then flat ran out of gas about 10 minutes after halftime, so maybe he had reason not to trust his fitness. I think he’ll be a difference maker, but he has some fitness work to do.

Diego Chara, 5.5 The Timbers best defensive player on the day. Sidled quite nicely at times. Also backstopped the attack very well in the first half.

Jack Jewsbury, 3.5 This isn’t as much about his play—which was mediocre to poor – but about his lack of leadership. The Timbers need somebody vocal in the middle of the field. Jack hasn’t been that guy.

Eric Alexander, 5 Decidedly average stuff from Alexander. Was involved going forward in the first half, but when the tide turned he disappeared.

Darlington Nagbe, 4.5 This was predictable, but he seemed a bit hungover from last week. Was involved in some of the pretty stuff in the first half, but failed to put much of a stamp on the game.

Kris Boyd, 6 He scored a goal and nearly registered another with a header that flashed just over the bar. Did his job. Too bad very few others did theirs.

Mike Chabala, 3.5 Didn’t provide much of anything going forward, and has blood on his hands for the second concession. LaBrocca came from his side and Chewie a) failed to pick him up, or b) tell Brunner he was coming.

Kalif Alhassan, 3 Anonymous at best, wasteful at worst.

Jorge Perlaza, 4 I didn’t understanding brining off Alexander for Perlaza. The Timbers right side was already exposed, and bringing on Perlaza for Alexander only compounded the problem. That said, what were the other options? The ship was sinking, and all Spenny could really do was rearrange some deck chairs.

Preseason Prediction: Timbers 2, Chivas 1. Boyd, Wallace.

Actual Outcome: Chivas 2, Timbers 1. Boyd.

Onward, Rose City!