Making the Grade 2022: Timbers vs. Revolution

Making the Grade (2022 edition):  Timbers vs. Revolution

And so it begins... I just love the absoluteness of seeing that "Starting XI."

It means game day is upon us, that soccer (futbol) really matters once again and, for this roster in particular, that the 2022 season is about to get underway!!

If you haven't seen our bit on the pre-season thoughts, check it out here.  But moving forward, we want to provide some fan-based analysis.  The guys who call the game see what they see and the analysts look at the numbers and see what they see but what do fanatics of this team see upon our witnessing???  That is what we will share here.  By "we" I mostly mean "me" until my comrades get their collective "$hit" together.  Technically I could just cut and paste from the text string but...  ooooohhhhh!!!

So I was thinking that pasting the text string would be a great way to show the backstreet driver analysis we are so very good at, but in reviewing official records it was more or less focused on whether there were enough seats at the bar for the pre-func...

OK, where was I??  Oh yes, analysis, and I did this a couple of years ago and then backed off but kind of miss just extolling to myself what I saw, what I liked, what I didn't like and some final ruminations. I watch the game and, based on their contribution, I apply a grade to their performance.  Of course golazos and red cards and disappearing from the run of play influence the grade... Shall we???

Welcome to Providence Park New England Revolution (last year's Supporters' Shield victor)!

A 2-2 draw to open the season against one of the top teams coming out of the east is a point that we will gladly take.  It was cold and rainy (I was sitting and watching from a chair in front of a fireplace but it looked miserable) but it's not like spring in the Northeast is where all the college students are going for Spring Break, so the weather was a non-factor in my estimation.  Timbers won possession (wha-wha-what?) and Yimmy continued the trend of spectacular bicycle kicks so this point seemed like a moral victory.

Aljaz Ivacic - B-
Ivacic did what he needed to do to manage the game.  Nothing overly spectacular but also wondering if this is it.  Five saves is five less goals for the other team so he gets credit for those.  Not sure he could have done much about the two goals but for some reason I feel he comes off the line just a step too slow or not at all...

JoseCarlos Van Rankin - B
I've always been a fan of Van Rankin, except for that period last year where he felt like he had to take down the opponent in the box at every opportunity...  But hopefully the coaches have trained that instinct out of him and so far so good.  And while he doesn't get credit for the assist, it was his deflected cross that set up Yimmi's bicicleta.

Zac McGraw - A
Um...  A???  Yeah, because when you exceed low expectations that is the result.  I know there was some buzz early in pre-season about this dude but pre-season and season are different creatures so this was his first test.  And he passed with flying colors!  I mean mostly.  Zac and Bill (no, that isn't a new comedy on NBC) seemed to hold that back line pretty well together.  Zac isn't getting pushed off of anything and that is a nice asset to have on the back line.  But don't expect that grade ever again unless he is just "Zacchy on the Spot" or takes over a game all on his own.  

Bill Tuiloma - B

Tuiloma is a known commodity so yes, expectations are a bit higher.  But Tuiloma held his own out there and I do think he has a great sense of anticipation and paired with his quickness can help spark a counter or create a pathway out of the back line.  That said, being more of a presence on set plays is expected of this center defender.  Of our four center backs Bill has the most offensive prowess so it will be interesting to see how he fits into a rotation once Mabiala and Zuparic come back.

Claudio Bravo - B-

Speaking of offensive prowess, Bravo had three of the 17 shots on the night (yeah, Portland outshot NE 17 to 16).  So he single handedly had more than one-sixth of the total shots!  But on this night he was a bit busy with a pretty frenetic right wing attack of the Revolution attack (Buksa-Gil-Lletget-Polster-Bye) and while that first goal may have been his mark, no way is a 5'7" Bravo out-jumping a six foot Brandon Bye (yeah, I had to look those stats up).

Diego Chara (Oh Captain My Captain) - B+

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Christhian Paredes - B-

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Santiago Moreno - B

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Yimmi Chara - A

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Dairon Asprilla - A

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Jaroslaw Niezgoda - C

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Final Thoughts

So yeah, the Timbers did all right.  You can't really argue picking up a point this late in the season and, again, some ties feel like a win.  We already have a golazzo of the year in Yimmy's goal and the season is officially underway.  For now, I am reserving comment on the new jerseys...

If you wants some additional reading, check out Richard Farley's recap: Night One Verdict.  And if you are a stat nerd, make sure and dive into the match stats page on the Timbers.com game recaps.

Also, the Flounders lost and really, some Timbers fan may think that is the only result that really matters.  Until next week!