Nashville SC return to Geodis Park on Saturday to take on the Portland Timbers, a side with whom they've shared a unique history. For the latest on one of the country's most historic clubs, we spoke to Timbers radio host and reporter Adam Susman.
Ben Wright (SixOneFive Soccer): Can you update me on the offseason? Obviously Evander left and David da Costa came in, but how did the rest of the squad change? Do you feel like they're better or worse now?
Adam Susman: The squad is certainly different. It’s no longer a team that will be winning games 4-3 but one that will have to do so 1-0 or 2-1 with Evander departed, top-goalscorer Jonathan Rodriguez out for at least another month (knee) and Santiago Moreno dealing with an ankle issue.
In the offseason, the Timbers got faster, bigger, younger, and stronger- lending itself to being a team that can be dangerous on the counter and be defensively astute. Offseason additions shape the new core of this squad. David Da Costa is the nucleus of the Timbers moving forward, Jimer Fory seems like a perfect LWB with a physical stature, Joao Ortiz has had some growing pains but he’ll come good when Chara’s minutes wind down, Ari Lassiter was impressive in preseason and his speed feeds into the counter-attacking identity of Portland, and Kevin Kelsy is still very raw but what I’ve heard about his work ethic and attitude has me excited. Kelsy wasn’t cheap, but even if he’s coming off the bench to start the season, he offers a different wrinkle in attack than starting striker Felipe Mora.
They’re better defensively in this new system but worse offensively. Once Moreno and Rodriguez are back, I expect Neville to revert to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation with Morano/Rodriguez as the wingers, Da Costa as the No. 10, and Mora the striker.
BW: From the outside, it feels like defense has been an Achilles heel for the Timbers for a while. Is that fair, and how are they working to correct it?
AS: 13 of the 14 playoff teams (wildcard not included) in 2024 gave up 50 or fewer goals throughout the regular season. Portland has not given up less than 50 goals in a full MLS campaign since 2019. The defense has been their Achilles heel.
The center back room is the same from 2024 with the addition of 14th overall MLS SuperDraft pick Ian Smith who was great in his first start vs Austin FC. Neville raves about Ian Smith, who played as a wingback in college, calling him the best player in preseason. A red card 11 minutes into the season wasn’t a great look for Kamal Miller but expectations are still high for the Canadian international who was an MLS All-Star in 2022.
A system change to a three at the back has helped eliminate the vulnerable spaces vacated by attacking fullbacks Juan Mosquera and Claudio Bravo from last season. Bravo has lost his starting spot to new signing LWB Jimer Fory, who has been awesome to start 2025. Neville and GM Ned Grabavoy each stressed the importance of being better on defensive setpieces. Portland gave up the 2nd most set-piece goals in MLS last year and if they were league average they would have been a playoff team and not in the wildcard. Signings like 6'2" Jimer Fory and 6'4" Kevin Kelsy certainly help in that area but as a unit, they look much better off defensive setpieces in 2025.
BW: What have you made of Phil Neville as a manager? He didn't seem like the most popular choice initially, but has he surprised you with his results?
AS: You’re right, he wasn’t the most popular choice, but he quickly ingratiated himself with the fans on and off the pitch.
Neville was a damn fun manager last year. With the Timbers scoring the fourth most goals in MLS, his side last year created some of the most memorable nights at Providence Park in recent history. I specifically think about the 4-2 victory over the LA Galaxy and the 3-0 win toppling Real Salt Lake. I was surprised by the large pendulum swings last year, from mid-March through mid-May Portland did not win a single MLS match (0-6-4).
After that stretch, they won 8 of 12 matches and transformed into the hottest attack in MLS. A good way to get on the fans' side is performing well at home- going into October, Portland was unbeaten in 12 straight home games (10-0-2). Ultimately the team ran out of steam to end the campaign but fans overall seemed happy with Neville in year one.
BW: What do you think of the David da Costa signing? Will he be able to galvanize the attack in a similar way to Evander?
AS: He’s a much different player than Evander while still being capable of galvanizing an attack. Super quick, will find the pockets to get on the ball, delivers a great cross, and likes to play quick link-up passes. Evander was obviously a No. 10; Da Costa started against Austin last weekend as a left-winger and he drifted all along the front line. Da Costa will create more chances with his speed and dribbling while Evander did so with his vision. Being at training twice since he signed, Da Costa has been the best player on the training pitch and it showed vs Austin.
BW: What will Portland need to do to get a win in Nashville? And how can Nashville exploit their weak points?
AS: This is still a tremendously inexperienced backline line. Nashville center back Walker Zimmerman has 240 MLS starts while the projected starting back-five (Fory, Smith, McGraw, Surman, Antony) have 82 combined MLS starts and an average age of 23 years old. In neither game was Portland legitimately pressed, and Nashville could really test an inexperienced backline with their pressure off the ball.
Alternatively, if Portland beats the press, I’m licking my lips to see David Da Costa orchestrate a Timbers counter-attack with the ball glued to his boots. Andy Najar has been a bright spot for Nashville this year springing attacks from fullback, but he’ll be given a workload defensively with Da Costa and Jimer Fory running at him all game long.
Hany Muhktar and Sam Surridge will be desperate to get their goal-scoring account in 2025 started; Portland needs to survive the first 10 minutes, something that was an issue on the road last year, and create greater desperation for Nashville SC and their fans.
BW: Do you have a lineup/score prediction?
AS: 1-1 draw at GEODIS Park.
