Timbers Tally February 23rd, 2025

Just four months ago, the Green and Gold had the door slammed shut on their season when the Vancouver Whitecaps dismantled them 5-0 at Providence Park in the first round of the playoffs. Marvin Loria has left for Deportivo Saprissa, Eryk Williamson now plays for Charlotte FC, and the man who led PTFC with 34 goal contributions, Evander Ferreira, the 2024 Timbers Army Supporters’ Player of the Year, is now with FC Cincinnati. As any football fan knows, when players leave, new players arrive. Grabavoy and the front office have five new arrivals ready to make an impact for the Timbers. The latest arrivals give a lot of reason to be hopeful; they bring a mixture of youth and experience; some have played in the league, and others are entering from overseas. Ariel Lassiter, Kevin Kelsy, Joao Ortiz, Jimer Fory, and David Costa will hopefully add the quality needed to move from mid-table to the top of the Western Conference. MLS as a league is forgiving to its managers, and Timbers fans can be patient during times of transition. Still, there are no excuses for a mediocre finish this season for Phil Neville. He has been in the league long enough; he is settled in Portland, and it is time to get results.

Even though a 9th place finish and playoff exit were not to the standard Timbers fans want out of their side, bringing home the Cascadia Cup is always something to celebrate. It was an extremely close race, but the Timbers edged out Vancouver and Seattle to win their second cup in three seasons. Timbers fans love log slabs and bringing home trophies, 2025 is a great year to bring in more of both.

Timbers Last Match Recap

The distance four months gives, does not erase the embarrassment of going down to a rival at home in the postseason by a wide margin. Vancouver put 5 past Pantemis in their 8 shots on goal. Ryan Guald had a day to remember netting a hat trick in under an hour. Rewatching the highlights of that match for this post has left me ill, but I will do my best to push through. This is not a match to forget; it is a match to sear into your brain, remember the low, and make sure it does not happen again. That is what makes the 2025 season so great; we get a chance to right a wrong on day 1.

Whitecaps Breakdown

The Whitecaps had a long trip to Costa Rica mid-week and fell to Deportivo Saprissa 2-1. Vancouver went up 1-0 in the 21st minute with a Ryan Gauld goal before Saprissa equalized in the 51st and eventually found the winner five minutes into stoppage time to clinch the CONCACAF Champions Cup round one first-leg victory. A one-goal loss on the road in a two-leg series is not bad, but having to do all that travel and then head into Providence Park a couple of days later is a tall order.

Jayden Nelson and Emmanuel are two new additions to Jesper Sørensen’s side, and we will see what type of impact they can have. Ryan Gauld and Brian White are players to watch in the attack; last season, they combined for 45 goal contributions. Keeper Yohei Takaoka is a presence in the net, and Portland will need to pepper him with shots. Vancouver has no problem deferring possession and committing to defending, so it will be up to Portland to make the most of their attacking chances and have someone step up now that Evander has moved on.

Since both teams entered MLS, the Timbers have had an edge in this rivalry. with 18 wins to the Whitecaps, 13, and 9 draws. The gap has been closing lately, with Vancouver laking 3 of the last 6 and one draw. It is always tense when Cascadia rivals clash. I expect the Timbers Army to be in full voice during the opener. There is no reason this match should end any way other than Portland’s.

Projecting a day-one lineup is always frustrating; early in the season, you expect to see varied lineups and adjusted tactics, but I will give it my best to figure out how the squad will take the field.

GK – I expect Crépeau to be in the starting 11 as the Canadian International was the favorite to start most of last season. Pantemis had a lot of good moments last season, and I expect him to be ready to slide in if the starters form dips. Trey Muse is an interesting option, having gained experience with the Charleston Battery and Memphis 901 FC the past two seasons. The job is Crépeau’s to hold on to, and he has shown to be a big game keeper.

Backline – Bravo and Mosquera should hold down the fullback spots, while centerback could be a number of options. Neville has a lot of options to choose from, and all have looked good in moments and rough in moments. Kamal Miller and Dario Zuparic are players that he favors. Still, Miguel Araujo, Finn Surman, and Zac McGraw all have the ability to step up and hold down a spot. Miller and Zuparic should be there for the opening match.

Midfield – I cannot imagine Diego Chara not starting at home in the opener against a rival. Da Costa will replace the departed Evander as the number 10, and Ayala should fill out the midfield. Joao Ortiz will be waiting to make his regular-season debut and take a spot in that midfield, but I do not see that happening on Matchday One.

Forwards – This one is the most obvious of all the position groups. Mora leads the line with Rodriguez and Moreno on the flanks. Antony showed well in spurts during the 2024 campaign, and the new man, Kevin Kelsy, should see time off the bench. If these three are on the same page and they get the quality service the Timbers are capable of, it should keep Timber Joey very busy in front of the Army.

It is going to be exciting to see if Portland can be on the front foot and really take it to opponents in 2025. The current roster is full of players with the ability to get forward and make things happen in the final third. Pair that with above-average defending, and we should see PTFC surging up the table in the Western Conference.

Through the Thirds

Defensive Third – Whichever backline can play mistake-free wins the match. An organized backline is the foundation of a quality team. Portland has several players who should be exceptional defenders in the MLS but are prone to switching off from time to time. The same can be said for the Whitecaps. As long as Portland can keep Vancouver from capitalizing on self-inflicted mistakes, this match should swing hard for the Timbers.

Middle Third – Portland’s mid-three is better than Vancouver’s. They have more depth, more quality, and the ability to adjust tactically based on personal better. If the Whitecaps decide to play with a mid-3, they will be outmatched, and they will drop into a more defensive posture, giving the Timbers more chances at goal.

Attacking Third – Rodriguez and Moreno are proven danger men in MLS, but they have not always done so consistently. Their work rate is incredible, and they play with so much passion, but the final motion doesn’t always click. Those two should be able to have their way with Vancouver’s fullbacks and create several dangerous movements. It will come down to their ability to finish and play quality balls into the box, which will be the difference.

One big prediction – Da Costa will have a goal and assist in the match. He has not made a goal contribution since May 3rd, and I expect he will want to get after it in his first MLS action. Da Costa will have everyone in Providence Park saying, “Evander who?” when the final whistle blows.

Quickfire Headlines & Other Mentions

Evander Exits – The Timbers executive offices have not had the best reputations regarding transparency and making ethical decisions. Evander had an incredible year with Portland and was poised to be the type of player you build your squad around. His social media posts indicate that he had no desire to leave Portland and that things behind the scenes were inappropriate. This is not the first time fans have heard a story like this. He was highly complimentary of Timbers fans, and while his time with the team was short, he is a player I will remember fondly and always wonder, “What if we could have had him for more time?” On August 16th, FC Cincinnati will come to Rose City, and I look forward to cheering his name during introductions.

107ist – March 2nd, 8th, 9th, and 15 are work days to paint banners for the Thorns season opener on March 21st. Sign up on the 107ist website.

If you are in the Portland area, Friends PDX is looking for some help. You can volunteer at a March 8th fundraiser located in Beaverton at SuperPlay. Click to Sign Up. The money raised will go to help youth mentorship programs.

The Annual General Meeting for the 107ist group will be on March 15th at the Legends in the Axe and Rose. The planned start is 1 PM, lasting about two hours. They ask that you register in advance on the 107ist website.

Reach Out – We would love to highlight any volunteer work that the Army or any of the regional support groups have going on. Don’t hesitate to contact your events so we can help promote and bring positive attention to people doing positive things.

Thank You

This project is still coming together, but we would love to hear from you; we will have social media and other ways to contact and interact with our blog and podcast shortly. For now, if you have any questions we can answer, content you would like to see, or insight into anything Timbers, please reach us at piercecreation@gmail.com

Onward Rose City!