Houston Dynamo v. Portland Timbers, Saturday, September 15

Wondering if I have a new tradition of leaving the game early, just so I keep my dinner down.

 

portland sucks......no wait....





we do

 

ouch!

 

Important message: The FIFA World Cup 2026 hosting committee will be closely watching attendance at this and every Dynamo game from now until 2020 to see if Houston is worthy to host World Cup games in the future so please buy every ticket you can!!!!!

 

I have full faith that we'll break this record with a Timbers win.

 

It’s Noche Naranja!!! Expect a sellout crowd!!

 

I’m going to say the “wet forecast” was probably referring to the financial bath the Dynamo were going to take in costs for doing the Orange Avenue thing for a small crowd

Due to wet weather forecasts,
@losskarnales
' performance in the
@BudLightHtown
Beer Garden tomorrow has been postponed and Orange Ave. will not be open. Drink tickets can be redeemed pregame at
@LuckysPub or@LuckysLodge#HOUvPOR

 

I see the fanbase is really pumped for the win last night. Already doused with raw Orange Kool-Aid mix all over the Internet (“this is team we are when healthy, no red cards”; “if Cabezas had been healthy all year we’d be in the playoffs”; “3-0 when Cabezas plays”(which forgets he played less than a full game each time)).

This team didn’t win for 10 straight league games. It’s not like they face Barcelona and Real Madrid each week

 

Plot twist on that one. I mean last night. "Wait, they do again"

 

It would be good for momentum and morale if they could get better results to close the season.

However, one cannot assume this and thus it's naive to turn the one isolated win in 2 months in league play into "oh, the worm has turned." That's naked optimism.

I do think the next 3 and the final game are "pointable." I expect LAFC and Seattle to be playing for postseason and all business at home.

 

The difference with Cabezas was fairly dramatic. Mobility, havoc.

They need to decide if they are willing to pay half a million for a mid (Martinez) who is really not a 10. To me you get that "Valeri" skill at a young age. He is not going to grow into better touch and accuracy. You might get more fit like Davis, ie, professionalism, work on being more an athlete.

Alexander is barely fit to play a half, Ceren looked bad, the supporting cast is dreck.

 

I was critical of Garcia last year and am not sure how he would hold up under regular use, but he looked fine again yesterday. That we instead see Watts until his injury kind of gets at my theory that for all the yakking how Cabrera has an eye for talent, no, I don't think we run out our best XI.

Not a Beasley fan at this stage, and think we could do better, but I think the backline at the end of the game would be our best chance for the balance. Machado is a joke, Leonardo is falling apart. Senderos is marginal, he does add something, but I think he costs as much as he adds. One of the things we need is a defense that doesn't invite you in and put a mint on your pillow.

That first goal I thought I am watching US-Trinidad for a bit. Then it shifted.

 

I'm sorry but I think Willis should have gotten the first one. I know it's a wicked deflection but that to me was immobility, and people remain in denial about the difference between the level Deric used to play, versus keeping this season from all options (including Seitz, to be fair), and that with how many close games we've had marginal differences in keeping ability can mean points. Ie, how does a team that is +5 GD end up well sub .500.

I am curious what happens in the offseason because Deric for a period there was routinely up for USL save of the week type awards. I think we stashed him away at RGV to avoid making a decision. I remain at unease with what he was charged with. However, depending how the organization feels about him personally, him vs Seitz or him vs Willis is not even objectively difficult. It kind of paints this as a throwaway season that we haven't moved already, this long ago quit being about fitness or whatever the excuse was. At most, in practical terms, this is penance. For the future, it's only really a question of what we can accept. I kind of think that decision was made when they re-signed him.

 

In terms of forward, I don't know what shifted, but we went from early on getting forwards the ball about midfield with the defense back, and being down 0-1, to getting players into open spaces behind the defense like when the gimmick worked, 4-1. This is a different team when the opposing defense presses high and we get around the flank. But this is an unusual week for lately. Our dilemma in miniature.

 

Since the season is basically over, I would like to see Bird get some time, Garcia start some games, and Donovan get a start before the last game. The USOC final should be the best XI but every other game should be about learning for the future more than running out Ceren, Alvarez, Alexander, Machado some more. The book there should be clear.

 

If they carry the form through the Union game, all they need to do is get Memo as many minutes as possible and find Quioto's replacement. Whether that's tactical change, in house or not needs to be decided. And that's about it. Everything else is scouting

 

I see a tension in the remainder of the season they may not admit. USOC needs to be best available. I think even the biggest crank on here would probably like the best result there.

But the rest of the games, if Elis and Quioto are gone in the next two windows, it's not helpful to us to play them a bunch, or particularly as forwards. What we then need to know is, can Manotas hack it without them? Can Pena play on a regular basis? Elis and Quioto give them the best chance to win but as with many lottery teams that need a rebuild, playing people you don't intend to keep, to chase wins that won't change your fate but might hurt your draft spot, isn't worth much.

I also think so much of the backfield and mids are a teardown I would like to know if the few underused players we have, can play. If they can, prove it in games. If they can't, they shouldn't be any safer than the next player. Memo, Bird, Donovan, Garcia, maybe even the 3rd keeper.

 

Hate to say it, but I'd love it if they lost every single remaining game including the US Open Cup final. I fear that a Cup win and a strong finish leads to no change, more of the same. They can say, "if Cabezas had been here all year long, look this shows we are on the right path, etc, etc".

 

Portland looked great until their right back went out with injury in the first half. He was right on Rommel the whole time and denying everything. After he went out the game turned immediately.

Portland after that Chara goal was disallowed for offside on Valeri, they seemed very affected by the humidity and really struggled especially having to cover those over the top balls on the counter.

This was a good win but Portland has not not been the same without Fernando Adi who has been a nightmare for us in the past (winning goal against us in Portland last time).

The Pairing of Boniek and Alexander as two defensive midfiedlers was out of necessity. Boniek helps to cover for Alexanders lack of mobility but it leaves gaps on the wings on the back side of play. Cabezas is a HUGE upgrade over Alexander who is just too slow to handle most MLS attackers / midfielders. He made a big difference for us second half.

So glad they got rid of Cubo and have given the reins to Manotas. I would like to see more time for Memo as well.

 

The problem is, if they “have to change” they will still only invest the bare minimum to get us up to par. They proved that last off-season.

 

https://sbisoccer.com/2018/09/earthquakes-fire-head-coach-stahre

Ralston as interim

 

I hadn't thought about it in terms of matchups late. I am not a Villafana fan. I think he's massively overrated and responsible for a chunk of that abysmal night in Trinidad.

However we had 2 goals before half time. One was a free kick that seemed to catch everyone flat footed and wrong side of their man. But the second was a classic Dynamo break. And basically xerox that for the second half, one dead ball runner wide open, one break where they were pushed high.

Portland's coach, that some so eagerly wanted, was mouthing off to the press about loss of control, and acting like it was their game in hand. But to me it was like a switch flipped off in their heads at 30'. They went from looking well prepared to completely naive. They made 2 mistakes before the half and the same 2 after.