Three questions for the start of Timbers preseason
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Featuring a freshly bearded coach Gio, some familiar faces and a few newer ones, and several awkward “I’m in the middle of a drill and too focused” facial expressions, the images of 2021 preseason beginning were a sight for sore eyes for fans of the Portland Timbers. The team began training last week for their next season, and with that comes all the hopes and questions that usually define the lead-in to a new season.
It will be hard to parse out specific details, as information out of the Timbers camp will presumably be limited, but it’s still a good time to check in on what will be important to the start of the season.
Tim Parker and the intrepid quest for the right Red Bulls backline
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As fans in a salary-capped league increasingly seeking to become enmeshed in the global transfer market, Major League Soccer fans are used to key players leaving their club. While Tim Parker’s departure to Houston has some solid rationale on paper, many New York Red Bulls supporters will still feel a twinge in their heart to see him go. Although his last two seasons could be bumpy as the club stagnated, Parker’s stint in New York should be associated first and foremost with the success of the blistering 2018 shield-winning campaign.
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The rumors that were circulating for weeks were finally confirmed and Chris Cadden is no longer a Columbus Crew player. The Scottish defender returned to his home country to play for Hibernian FC after just one season in Major League Soccer and his departure opens up a spot in the roster the Black & Gold will have to fill prior to the start of the 2021 season.
Columbus’ starting right back spot has, for the most part of the last season, belonged to Harrison Afful, who for the entirety of that time has had the reliable cover of Hector Jimenez, who won’t return in 2021 as well after he signed with expansion franchise Austin FC. Considering Afful is 34, the Crew certainly need a viable option to allow the Ghanaian some nights off in what is expected to be an intense and demanding season and, more than that, the team could be in position to sign someone with the ability to replace the veteran in a year or two.
Six Degrees: Final Report Cards
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1) In October, I handed out my midterm report cards, which you can read here. Now it’s time for final grades. Who brought their grade up, who saw it slip, and who might be damn nervous showing this to their parents?
Here’s my grading system:
A – well above the average MLS player at their position
B – above average
2) Strikers and Wingers
Jeremy Ebobisse – midterm grade: A – final grade: A- – Jebo tied for the team lead in goals, and until that late-season concussion, was one of the only sure things on the team. Plus, he put up numbers from both the striker and winger positions. He’s the real deal. Seems like only a matter of time before some European club makes us a Godfather offer.
radio host chris duvall, and of course online around the world thank you so much for joining us sir, we appreciate it. hi, elizabeth my pleasure, thank you. elizabeth: i want to first and foremost get your take on what you re hearing from your viewers because pennsylvania has a huge pork industry, if i m not mistaking 75% of pennsylvania the commonwealth agriculture is actually animal so i m curious as to what your listeners are thinking and feeling right now. it s such a mixed bag. i mean, pennsylvania as you know is home to a lot of steel country too and while yes we re talking about the ag sector which is an entirely different economy, a lot of folks in steel country have been very pleased at how aggressive the trump adminitration has been on the tariff front, so it s a catch 22 now the president has also made overtures to the agricultural department that he wants to maybe somehow try to offset this if in fact it happens but elizabeth i m not so sure this isn t talk. elizabeth: