Crew tactical review: Black & Gold come up with a point on the road

The Columbus Crew went on the road for the first time in 2024 and earned a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United. The Black & Gold found the breakthrough courtesy of Cucho Hernandez in the 59th minute in what was an even game.

The Crew held that lead until the final seconds of the contest when Tani Oluwaseyi found the top corner of the net from a tight angle to tie the game up. Despite the shared points, fans will be disappointed the Crew were not able to hang on for all three points. Wilfried Nancy set up his team the same as he always does, but Minnesota showed an amount of fight that Columbus was not used to. Let’s dive into all the tactical decisions that went into this game.

Minnesota’s first half press

One thing that gave the Black & Gold trouble throughout the first half was the Loons’ press. At times Columbus looked overwhelmed trying to build out of the back, something they are not accustomed to doing.

What made Minnesota’s press so potent was the structure and numbers they pressured with. On offense, Columbus likes to send both wingbacks high up the field as wingers. This means the three central defenders can spread out, with Aidan Morris and Darlington Nagbe being inside releases in the middle of the pitch.

Essentially, the Crew always have five players in the back to build up. Minnesota recognized this and committed five of their own players to a systematic press that gave Columbus fits. The Loons split their team in half, pressing with five and defending with five. They practically defended in a 4-1-4-1.

Striker Teemu Pukki was the lone presser up top. Behind him were Minnesota’s wingers and two midfielders in a flat four, marking the two outside center-backs and midfielders. Former Crew captain and Ohio native Wil Trapp was the lone defensive midfielder, man-marking dropping attackers for the Black & Gold.

This press did not over-extend Minnesota, and it created a blanket coverage to restrict what Columbus could do in the buildup. Morris and Nagbe were tough to find due to the constant barrage of defenders behind them, so the Crew backline had to figure out other ways to advance the ball.

It was a very well-constructed press by the Loons that kept the game deadlocked for almost an hour. Other teams around the league will be looking at Minnesota’s pressure in the first half for tips on how to stop Nancy’s machine.

Adjusting in the second half

The scales tipped in Columbus’ favor in the second half for a host of reasons.

First, Nancy opted to bring former Minnesota United star Christian Ramirez off the bench in place of Alexandru Matan. Matan proved his worth throughout last season, but sometimes the game calls for a clinical veteran striker to come in. That is where Ramirez excels, and he made the Black & Gold look like a better team in the second half.

Second, Minnesota eased off their press that was so potent in the first half. The Crew realized that they must bypass the Loons’ press by finding the gap between the opposition’s ranks. Columbus started spraying out long passes to the attackers’ feet, which sprang the attack. This caused Minnesota to sit back a little bit more and switch to a more man-to-man press.

Third, the Black & Gold started to find their stride with the press and re-press. Both wingbacks would fly up the field to pressure along with the attackers, forcing Minnesota to play the ball long. Veteran defenders like Rudy Camacho, Steven Moreira, and Malte Amundsen along with Morris and Nagbe capitalized on those long passes, forcing turnover after turnover.

So, why the 1-1 draw?

Columbus did not maximize their chances on offense. They generated good scoring opportunities but just could not finish, whether it was a wayward shot or a misplaced pass. On defense, the Black & Gold fell victim to what has become a normal trend: closing games out. The Crew could have been considered the better team for 93 minutes, but one collective mishap on the long through turned three points into one.

It is still very early in the season, and the Black & Gold have not performed as well as the team that beat LAFC. Despite this, there is no need for panic. As more games come and go the team will find their stride. It will only be a matter of when. Whenever it does switch on for them, the rest of the league better watch out.