The Columbus Crew advanced to the Leagues Cup final with a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. The game started off strong for Columbus, controlling the match from the opening kick instead of conceding seconds after the first whistle blew. Diego Rossi continued his hot run of form, scoring only 12 minutes in on a rebound that bounced off Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake. The Union would answer with a goal of their own off a bad giveaway in the back for the Black & Gold. The Crew’s tradition of shooting themselves in the foot was kept alive and well with this goal. Columbus’ response would be strong and decisive though, with Rossi adding a second tally before halftime and Cucho Hernandez finishing one of his own to secure a 3-1 victory for the Black & Gold. The Crew will face familiar final foe LAFC on Sunday for a shot to be Leagues Cup champions.
Columbus had a good showing in this game, with little doubt being left as to who is the better team. Let’s dive into the tactics of this match, and how the Black & Gold will stack up against LAFC in the final
Attacking Philadelphia’s defense
Teams around the league have tried different philosophies to slow the Crew down throughout the season. Some match Columbus’ formation hoping to match the Black & Gold’s overloads. Others have stuck with their own tactics and stayed true to their identity. Philadelphia coach Jim Curtain took the middle ground on Wednesday night, borrowing from both schools of thought.
Curtain kept his team in a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield, not matching the Crew’s 5-2-3. The Union stuck to their guns and decided to play their formation rather than setting up in a new look and risk being uncomfortable.
Philadelphia simply did not roll out the balls and play Columbus like any other team though. Curtain tried to force the Black & Gold to attack down the left flank, rather than the somewhat preferred right wing.
This approach makes sense from the Union’s point of view. Mo Farsi is a more dynamic player in tight spaces and can be dangerous with an overload of teammates around him to combine with. On the other side Max Arfsten is still dangerous, but he is more of a crossing marksman rather than a quick scat wingback like Farsi.
So naturally, Curtain wanted to plug up the right side so the Crew would be forced to play down the left side. Apparently, Philadelphia felt more comfortable defending crosses as opposed to defending overloads and numerous combination plays.
Now Columbus presents this problem to every team they line up against; they simply do not comply by anyone’s rules. From the minute the ball was kicked the Black & Gold flew down the right wing, to the exact side Curtain wanted to prevent them from exploiting. Despite the game plan and extra manpower on that right side, Philadelphia still was outmanned and passed around. That is what can happen when you have a team that is as comfortable on the ball as the Crew is.
Other than attacking Philadelphia’s seemingly stronger left side of the defense, Columbus learned from their mistakes in the NYCFC game as well. In the quarterfinals, the Black & Gold squeaked through on penalties after struggling at times against NYCFC. One of the reasons for that struggle was due to how flat the Crew’s midfield was.
In this game against the Union, Columbus remedied that by pushing Sean Zawadzki higher into an attacking midfielder role and having Steven Moreira step into the midfield. With Zawadzki higher and Moreira alongside Nagbe, the Black & Gold were able to have more attacking passing options and Zawadzki higher up the field to engage the repress.
These changes paved the way for the Crew to have a smooth game, outside of one boneheaded moment trying to build out of the back. Columbus will have to nullify those rare mistakes with counter-kings LAFC coming to Lower.Com Field on Sunday.
Game planning for LAFC
The real Black & Gold waxed LAFC last time they met in July out in Los Angeles. The Crew hounded the hosts with their pressure all night, banging in five goals and only allowing one.
All the fans know the recent history between these two teams, and it’s been one-sided in Columbus’ favor. LAFC is not a team to be taken lightly though, especially with the attacking weapons they have and Hugo Lloris between the posts.
So, what do the Black & Gold need to do to get the job done and secure another title for Columbus? It will take a good team performance, but there are a few points of emphasis.
First, they must eliminate the stupid mistakes. I’ve said before that the Crew only concede stupid, self-inflicted goals or absolute unbeatable, world-class strikes. There are not many teams that can break Columbus down and create a well-worked goal, almost all those moments come off a poor decision or turnover from the Black & Gold.
LAFC’s whole mantra is blitzing teams on the counter, so if the Crew are turning the ball over, they could be in for a world of hurt. This team is designed to give up a goal in exchange for scoring multiple goals, but LAFC is a team that can match Columbus’ firepower if the Black & Gold are sloppy.
Second, the Crew must press like they pressured LAFC in July. In July, the hosts did not have a second to think on the ball before they were being pressed by a Columbus player. That same level of intensity is necessary in a final, especially against a team of LAFC’s caliber that wants revenge for the past two outings.
The Black & Gold opted for a man-marking pressure in MLS Cup and in the July regular season game. The midfielders and backline stepped up and made sure they had LAFC covered, which made it hard to find passing options to go forward. They need the same type of press and intensity on Sunday.
Finally, the Crew needs to take their chances when they come. Not a lot of chances get wasted in Columbus, but if the attack has an off night it is going to be tough to win this game. Hernandez, Rossi and Ramirez all need to be on their game from the first minute trying to break down Lloris’ wall in the net.
I have a feeling this game is more on the Black & Gold than it is on LAFC. This is the Crew’s game to lose, and if they play sloppy in possession and in attack, they will be at risk of losing this game. Knowing Wilfried Nancy though, he will relish having the control and upper hand in this match. Needless to say, this will be a must-watch final for all parties involved.
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