RSL returns to happy confines of Rio Tinto Stadium to welcome the Timbers from Portland. Last year, RSL went 4-0-2 against the 2013 version of the Choppers, who are currently #8 in the West with 4 points and a record of 0-2-4 (only San Jose is worse at 0-2-2. Doesn't that just warm the cockles of your heart?). Ergo, which RSL team will show up for the game? The 3-0 Destroyers of Toronto or the 2-2 90th Minute Goal Gifters of Philadelphia?
We thought last week's game was a trap game? All I can think is US Open Cup 2013. I mean, surely we could beat the worst team in the league. Right? Right?
This is no longer the Kries chokers, I say Ceasar has the team prepped and ready to get three points.
This isn't the Kreis Chokers? Could have fooled me, we've already blown two games at the death. Portland is in a bad way right now, not at all playing like the team they were last year. I've watched the last couple Timbers games, they looked better last week but it was against Chivas. Their offense is VERY opportunistic right now, as long as our defense can stay alert and compact we should shut them down. Their midfield is a mess, if I'm to be honest, and that is supposed to be their strength. And their defense has been comical this year, the goals they have given up would make a u-12 girls AYSO coach blush. Hopefully this isn't the week they figure these things out.
We are so doomed. RSL 0 - 3 Timbers. Don't even bother with the unicorns. By the 20th minute of the 2nd half, the beer lines at the RioT will be 30 deep.
I have to think the timbers are coming into this without a whole lot of confidence. Last year they were in form and struggled against RSL, getting 2 draws and 4 losses. I think that will be on their minds.
I have to agree with UP. While we're not choking and losing, we're forming a habit of losing the lead at the end of the game. It's too early in the season to tell if this will be how our season goes, but right now we're dropping points that we shouldn't be.
Your point? You can be undefeated with only 34 points and not make the playoffs. Being undefeated is the least of my worries. Win two lose one is better than tying all three. We're giving up late goals costing us points. Tossing it aside by saying we're still undefeated isn't a good mindset to be in.
Part of my wished we had lost to Philly, just so we could stop with the undefeated talk. As stated above, undefeated in soccer is not much of a claim. Ultimately I am less comfortable about where this team is after the Philly game. It was the first time this season were our defense both included Schuler and didn't look great. I still think we will beat Portland but I don't feel great about our current form.
We're currently on track to earn 68 points, though, since we've played so many on the road. I'm going to see what our home form is like before I decide to panic.
Being undefeated is more than people think. Saying wins are better than draws is unarguably true. But, it is similarly unarguably true that draws are better than losses. Some may not remember, but the first evidence of improvement in RSL about a year or so after Kries took over was the reduction in losses. The evidence of an improved defense is earning draws as opposed to suffering losses. The evidence of improved offense is wins. I have a feeling that Cassar wants to set the same fundamental line down: Before you can win, you first must not lose. I know y'all are pointing out 'lost points late in games' and it is a fair thing to worry about. But, goals count the same no matter when in the game they occur. The fact of the matter is, RSL could be in a position late in games in which the game is already lost due to giving up goals, or already tied and instead of dropping 2 points, RSL is dropping 1 more. By being in the position so the late conceded goal (that happens to every team, by the way) is not converting the match to a loss, it means the team has played well enough through the preceding 80 minutes to be in that position, to be leading by effective defense and offense. So, yes, I definitely think it is an indicator of quality. I'm not despondent. I frankly can't imagine how someone could be despondent over our being the only undefeated team left in the league, on having progressed farther undefeated to start a season, etc. We are undefeated! Be proud! Unicorns!
"It is said that despite its many glaring (and occasionally fatal) inaccuracies, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy itself has outsold the Encyclopedia Galactica because it is slightly cheaper, and because it has the words "DON'T PANIC" in large, friendly letters on the cover."
Someone needs to teach Barcelona about not giving up goals so late in the game. Geez, guys. Luckily, I'm a Real Madrid fan myself.
This idea that RSL has a habit of dropping points came up last season too. Here was some analysis I did to refute that claim: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/the-chase-2013.1992953/page-8#post-28850811 The main point of that post is that RSL "dropped a lot of points" last season because RSL scored first a lot last season, not because RSL was especially bad at holding a lead. The same applies this season. RSL is playing really well, and as a result we have scored first in 4 of our 6 games this season. This increases the number of times that we "drop points" because there are just way more opportunities to do so. So, it can easily start to seem like RSL has a habit of choking because opponents come back to tie or win more games than other teams. But remember, this is a symptom of RSL scoring more often than our opponents, NOT symptom of RSL choking more often than other MLS teams.
Isn't that the classic way to win a championship, win all your home games and draw all your road games?