The Portland Timbers expectations for this upcoming 2023 season
New General Manager Ned Gravaboy made his new promotion stand out with a record signing and getting their playmaker in Brazilian Evander, their desired playmaker and number 10 man from Danish side FC Midtjylland.
The man comes with an impressive CV as well in the Rose City side preseason he’s showing off his skills and for sure he will make a number of headlines with his new team and looking forward to becoming the leader the Timbers were looking for.
However, the team front office has been hard at work in looking to accumulate some monies in a number of trades. One thing for sure, the team hasn’t been able to reinforce one of its Achilles Heel in its defensive backfield. The price tag that Evander came with was of around 10 million dollars, not cheap, but many are depositing their faith in the Carioca.
So far in the preseason, the Rose City side had a positive one, but the team still lacks a center back and as many state the need of a number 9 player in a forward. With the team making a couple of deals with FC Cincinnati for an amount of $50,000, but giving away what could be the center back and a sixth player of Colombian origin.
As Yerson Mosquera with Premiership experience from Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, considered one of the best leagues in the world, this would been the man we would had in our ranks. The second deal sent an great player in Bill Tuiloma to expansion side Charlotte FC for the amount of $800,000 leaving Zac McGraw, Larrys Mabiala and Dario Zuparic as the team centerbacks, and leaving Justin Rasmussen out of this group being a natural in this position.
With Claudio Bravo having Justin Rasmussen as his backup and Juan David Mosquera with Pablo Bonilla considered in my opinion as a reckless player and not showing any signs of improvement despite his time with Portland. Leaving the question where will the defenders come from, T2? Will Gio make his best to develop a few players from the Timbers development USL club?
Two questions about a couple of players already with T2 in Julian Bravo and Sivert Haugli–the latter being loaned to USL side Phoenix side as a center back, in the Timbers’; recent SuperDraft with another defender but FOR Jaden Jones- Riley he will need time to develop his skills with T2.
Can Gio give some opportunity to some youth players as many placed midfielder Noel Caliskan from Loyola Marymount in the first team, but this will be a topic to be discussed in part II of this post.
With first things first and to defend the goalposts, we have Aljaz Ivacic as the undisputable starter followed by veteran David Bingham and Hunter Sulte. Currently, the Timbers have in Ivacic the man who will defend its posts after having a one of a kind 2022 season and being no doubt its starter.
In the defensive midfield, the Portland Timbers have Diego Chara and Eryk Williamson as its starters backed up by David Ayala and Cristhian Paredes, as the Argentinian youth will be out until April.
If the Portland Timbers don’t make any moves before the season starts and get a couple of defenders, the team for sure will struggle and can have its troubles in the campaign if they don’t address this situation.
As many foresee the starting formation for Giovanni Savarese of being his trademark 4-2-3-1, the Portland Timbers cannot depend solely on its starting defensive backfield with Bravo, Zuparic, McGraw and Mosquera. Somehow, I don’t foresee these four playing all season as well in the Leagues Cup, US Open Cup and Concacaf Champions League.
The team lost a good free agent in Aaron Moore, formerly with RBNY, as well Yerson Mosquera being the center back we needed going to FC Cincinnati instead. Who will be the next player to be signed and will it be to address the teams many weak spots?
Remember Defense Wins Games!!
End of Part I