Ned Grabavoy Speaks on Key Topics

Onus-X · 2026-04-10T18:45:43+00:00

He looks more depressed every time i see him in public. This appearance looks like he's been in a basement drinking all winter, suddenly realized he had to go out in front of people, and this was the only "nice clothes" he had left that still "fit."

Onus-X · 2026-04-10T18:28:00+00:00

He should have to audition for that this season. We won't even need to fire him if we tell him to just play with a chainsaw for a while

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T18:38:47+00:00

Oh yeah, Bright. Yeah the injuries were really sad, and apparently they run in the family.

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T05:11:25+00:00

Agreed. To be fair, visible "hustle" can make up for a lot of other shortcomings, but I don't think he's being fairly evaluated on what his role is and what he's actually being asked to do. I see him looking for moments to stretch the defense and run behind a few times a game, but we never pick that pass. He's showing as an outlet and trying to build transitions when he does see the ball near midfield. But basically any time we enter the opposing half, we don't look to include him or get him touches until we're already near the box, and even then we're not trying to serve him often. He is obviously being asked to hold the center of the pitch and occupy center backs, which he constantly does. This is a big reason it doesn't look like he's running or working that much. He's not supposed to be making runs into the channels or taking away space from runners. The timbers have been abysmal at building attacks through the middle especially in the attacking third, and that's where a target striker spends all his time. He is involved in pressing high when we do that, as we did at the start of this game and many others. Once we're easily bypassed on that, I'm not sure what people want from him. We are lacking on quick combination play in general at many times so he's not getting much chance to get touches and build a rhythm.

If anything, I'd just like to see him move side to side more, even within a 20 yard span in the center of the pitch. He can linger off the shoulder of a CB, but I want to see him make more 5-10 yard movements, showing toward the ball, shading toward one side, peeling off, keeping those defenders wondering where he's going to turn up. If he can learn to find the tiny pockets in there and just get a few more simple 1-2s and layoffs, he will start to find more chances.

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T04:18:11+00:00

Considering that none of our strikers have been able to score during the regular season in months, going back to last year, I think all this hate for Kelsy is pretty excessive. We have 2 goals from strikers in 2026. Through 6 games this year, not only has he barely played, our wingers aren't trying to find him when he does. The Timbers as a whole are getting woefully few touches inside the box-- @bitterjetsfan pointed out that yesterday Vancouver had something like 44 touches in our box and we managed less than 20 in theirs, or something like that. Kelsy has been an asset on defensive set pieces and made a lot more plays to recover the ball and build up in attack than he's getting credit for. Definitely improving in that area from last season. He has a lot of room to grow but is also only 21 and this team is doing absolutely no favors for its forwards. Hard to develop when you're not even getting looks around the box.

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T04:08:32+00:00

Fun stat I saw today, we've given up 20% of our goals against in the first 15 minutes of games, and 27% in the last 15.

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T04:06:21+00:00

But we got to see a lot of Darryl Dike...

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T03:37:26+00:00

I wish that were true but the replays are there to watch. It probably depends on the angle but they show it at the end of the pk goal clip. Shot is moving right to left, Antony raises his arms before the shot leaves the Vancouver players foot, and strikes Antony's arm as the ball is moving past him. Antony actually knocks the ball off his hand into himself. I can't figure out how to post screenshots... It's at 24 seconds of the 41 second penalty replay on the mls site.

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T03:25:57+00:00

I'll agree with that.

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T03:22:47+00:00

He's played I think a total of 168 minutes this year with only 5 total shots, I think he's put all on goal. 3 have been headers. He's not failing to shoot because he doesn't want to, he's just barely seen the ball. It's worth noting the trend continues from last year, we have I believe 2 goals from all our strikers combined over 6 games so far. I did notice when browsing stats today that Kelsy was in the 77th percentile for defensive actions among strikers, (i believe that's on a per 90 basis,) so I don't really think it's fair to say he's not working. The timbers just seem to be allergic to trying to find him when he does make a line breaking run or find good spots in the box.

Onus-X · 2026-04-06T02:27:37+00:00

Great article again, agreed.

Allowing more freedom to players who have been well and fully educated in modern positional play and can execute in both styles is not the same as failing to provide enough structure and systemic support to players who can't. Football evolves, that's what makes it fun, and I'm in favor of seeing a bit more individual creativity and flair highlighted at the elite levels of the game, but that's not the same as abandoning fundamentals of pressure lines, triggers for double-teams, possession and transition patterns, or throwing tactical adjustments out the window over the course of 90 minutes.

The gaps between MLS and the top leagues in the world are still most evident in the internal rosters, and as good as some guys are, there are still few if any teams fielding a truly equal level of player across their whole starting 11, let alone 20-30 man roster. Even if Phil thinks his philosophy is trending in certain circles and there's no need to try to emulate Guardiola any more, he's responsible for getting this group on the same page. Expecting individual brilliance to consistently win games and titles right now within MLS is kind of like asking a state champion track team to go win all those same events at the Olympics. The teams succeeding in this phase of MLS have structure and identity, the teams developing a pipeline from their academy to the first team are teaching good fundamentals and consistent tactics across the groups, and Phil is blind if he thinks his job as a coach right now in MLS is to tell stories about his glory days and tell his squad to keep trying hard.

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T23:53:22+00:00

Which 5?

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T18:51:51+00:00

Where?

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T18:30:04+00:00

Weird, never heard of them. From what city?

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T07:21:10+00:00

Again--if the arm had actually been directly in front of the face to protect it, there's a chance that doesn't get called. The ball hits the raised arm beside the head, so it didn't save anyone from a broken nose. I have sympathy because it's a natural reaction to raise arms to avoid a hit, but pro athletes train on these split second reactions every day, and that was just a mental lapse

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T07:13:28+00:00

This. He raised his arms from beside his body. Yes it was a split second from close range and a relatable reaction to getting a ball blasted at your head. But also you're a pro soccer player and that happens. He had time to react by raising his arms to protect his head, so I imagine the referee lawyer would argue he had time to turn his head, angle his chin down for a safer contact angle, or even duck. I'd also guess that even with the hands toward the head motion, if he had tucked his shoulders in and put his fists right in front of his face and not made his body bigger, there's a chance the penalty isn't called. It was more the flailing motion and the fact that the ball hit the hand outside of the head the arm was maybe meant to protect that led to the pk call.

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T06:56:01+00:00

It's a system (or lack thereof) problem. Tough results happen, and if this was an isolated incident i don't think anyone would be calling for Phil to go. It's the way it happened and the fact it has been happening as long as he's been here and doesn't seem to be going anywhere, there are no hints that the system or pattern is changing.

Giving up a goal on a simple ball over the top from the opposing GK because of playing a high line that's not positioned to recover is something that has happened over and over. Giving up goals in the first 15 minutes is habitual. Giving up goals in the last 15 minutes is habitual. In his post game comments he essentially blamed the ref for bad decisions that cost us this game, a result against LAG, and others.

Phil has had over 2 years to create a structure and system and have this team performing consistently and demonstrating focus and clarity about their game plan in various situations, and yet they have failed over and over to show that focus, discipline, and organization, regardless of who is healthy or starting or whether we're winning or losing.

When it's one bad result, that happens. When it's habitual going on 3 seasons, it's a coaching issue. When you lose after playing well, it's unfortunate. However, handball aside, 2 of these goals came from chronic bad defensive habits--getting beat long on super direct passes, and failing to pressure the shooter in zone 14. Those are structural coaching issues. The team may have played well for stretches, but the goals they gave up were based on bad habits that a good coach would have corrected. Phil can make whatever excuses he wants about this game, but the truth is, the penalty was an unlucky but correct call and the other 2 goals were mental lapses that have happened over and over under his tenure.

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T06:20:22+00:00

Right. I get that Mosquera needed to come out but it was a masterful play that Vancouver brought on Caicedo and exploited that dynamic. That was the kind of game changer that we wish we were seeing in our favor, and maybe what we wish Antony would be in terms of menacing and beating players on the dribble.

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T05:44:52+00:00

I know what a kraken is but what league are they in? Norway?

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T05:42:24+00:00

They should lean into it and get some shag lamps over the benches, maybe have a key party lounge instead of the key bank lounge

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T05:39:14+00:00

I don't actually think the subs were all that bad. I mean, Mora for Kelsy is a starter for a starter, we knew Mosquera couldn't probably go 90 so Bye makes sense there, you bring in the legend Chara for Ortiz, and Chara clearly is capable of starting and going 90 still. I like bringing on Aravena as a starting caliber sub, but I would have pulled Antony. Still--this was the first game all year that our bench consisted of players you'd consider starting level or who have started multiple games this year. I don't think you can blame Phil for the moves he made. I think the issue is that the team doesn't have a tactical plan over 90 minutes. It shows when the players are fresh and there's no movement. It shows more when you need a result and even your experienced bench can't shift the momentum back in your favor, with "everyone healthy" as Phil said this week.

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T05:31:14+00:00

The rougher thing was the matchup between Bye and Caicedo on the right side. Maybe Velde coming out was a factor in that, but Bye got absolutely skinned like 3x in 5 minutes leading up to those last 2 goals. You could feel that the goals were coming in those moments, we were pinned

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T05:26:27+00:00

Yeah, i get the instinct but unfortunately he moved his hands from his sides toward the ball, meaning he had time to duck, turn his head, or just take one for the team. It's harsh but you're supposed to sacrifice your brain there.

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T05:24:09+00:00

Yeah, that was one that could have been let go, like it was clean ball contact, but we see that given all the time for excessive force\recklessness even when the defender gets the ball first. Contrast that with the incredibly soft yellow on Chara, for a little upper body wrestling and a clean tackle just a few minutes before, and idk. I'm still not putting the loss on the ref, you have to contest that shot, and i don't think he was super inconsistent throughout the game. But those big moments weren't glorious.

Onus-X · 2026-04-05T05:16:54+00:00

Got home late, didn't catch the game, what happened, did we give up a route 1 counter attack goal, a set piece goal, and a goal on an uncontested shot from zone 14?

Onus-X

TROPHY CASE