BEAVERTON, Ore. – Through the first month of the season, the mood around the Timbers Training Center was remarkably consistent. Amid the team’s slow start, one that left Portland 0-3-1 going into last weekend’s game, the general feeling was calm concern. Yes, the season hadn’t started as planned, but fresh off a conference title, the team knew what they were.
This week, it’s been different. After Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, the Timbers are still calm. But there’s an intensity beneath that exterior that’s changed. It’s more than just concern. It’s alarm, mixed with a bit of confusion, heightened by the urgency of expectations and a winless month.