The Columbus Crew extended its winning streak on Saturday, coming from behind against NYCFC to claim all three points and winning by a 4-2 scoreline. It was another rocky start in Columbus, with the Black & Gold going down a goal within four minutes. The Crew responded 13 minutes later through Diego Rossi and doubled their lead in the second half thanks to a goal from Max Arfsten. After Columbus’ second goal, their intensity dropped which allowed the visitors to even the game at two apiece. In classic Black & Gold fashion, two stoppage-time goals would net the Crew the three points and extend their win streak.
It was an up-and-down game for Columbus, controlling parts of the match but also being on the back foot at times. Let’s dive into all the tactics that helped, hindered, and gave the Black & Gold the win.
Columbus’ struggles
It is not often that fans of the Crew see their team struggle as much as they did on Saturday night. NYCFC seemed to be on the front foot for the majority of the match, even winning the possession battle with 55% compared to Columbus’ 45%.
The big question is how did NYCFC come into Lower.com Field and play the Black & Gold as well as they did? The answer lies in the visitors’ approach to the game, and their defensive tactics.
When NYCFC came to Columbus in the quarterfinals of Leagues Cup, they seemed content to sit back and absorb the Crew’s pressure on their defense. They got a quick goal, and then tried to hold out and try to win the game 1-0 or go to penalties if the Black & Gold equalized. They got their penalty wish but could not convert enough from the spot to give themselves the win.
Coming into this MLS regular season match, NYCFC’s attitude and defensive tactics took a complete 180. From the first kick, they were pressing the Crew high up the field with five to seven players, trying to prey on Columbus’ mistakes
NYCFC’s press was not just throwing players up the field with reckless abandon though, it was regimented and well-thought-out. The visitors tried to compartmentalize the Black & Gold defense and midfielders in possession by pressuring them towards the sideline. New York City essentially wants to cut the field in half, trapping the Crew on a side of the pitch and overloading them.
This change in defensive philosophy from NYCFC showed a boldness that was reminiscent of LAFC’s approach to Columbus in the second half of the Leagues Cup final. In that game, LAFC decided to press higher and harder in the second half with more disregard for their defensive stability. In that half the Black & Gold made more mistakes and turned the ball over, which gave the opposition a foothold in the game.
NYCFC head coach Nick Cushing must have been watching, because that is exactly how New York City played the Crew in this matchup. Their pressure with seven players and a high line gave Columbus more potency in attack, but they first had to worry about getting the ball to the attackers. Too often NYCFC’s pressure yielded a wayward pass or bad touch, which set them on the attack down in the Black & Gold’s end.
The visitor’s defensive pressure was one side of the coin. On the other side, they had a possession-based offense that had a definitive purpose in the Crew’s defensive half.
NYCFC’s game plan on offense was to push their outside backs high up the field to play underneath their wingers. Columbus’ wingbacks often stepped up to pressure the visitor’s outside backs, which then drew out the Black & Gold outside center backs to cover NYCFC’s wingers.
This defensive coverage not only made the Crew undermanned on the backline, it caused them to shift over to the ball side. Now the backside was wide open, where only one Columbus wingback had to mark both NYCFC’s opposite-side winger and outside back.
This only left New York City with two defenders deep, but they were able to win the ball in the Black & Gold’s half so there was little worry of being exposed defensively.
Both the pressing tactics and offensive setup from NYCFC was sublime, but it ultimately did not gift them a victory. They, along with many teams around MLS, are learning that no matter how well you gameplan you cannot count out Wilfried Nancy’s men.
Finding a way to win
This was not the Crew’s best performance by a longshot, but they still scored four goals and grabbed all three points. Columbus’ will win is a perfect combination of tactical setup and team mentality.
First, the tactics. The Black & Gold got into trouble (much like how they did against LAFC) when they tried too hard to build out of the back at all costs. NYCFC was pressing with seven players, leaving the back end open for the attackers to find space on direct balls either into their feet or over the top.
Once the Crew saw and grew into the game, they were able to have success breaking NYCFC’s press and getting some attacking chances. Ironically for a team that lives and dies by building out of the back, they played better when they went direct.
Although Nancy set and conditioned his team to be fearless when playing out of the back, they are also set up to have direct options. Cucho Hernandez is one of the best players in the league at drifting around the attacking third and getting into the defense’s blind spot. A direct ball into him can spell doom for an entire team just based on his positioning.
This direct safety valve became Columbus’ number one option to attack NYCFC. If they could find Hernandez on a sprint, the defense was more than likely going to pay.
Another release to NYCFC’s pressure became all three attackers dropping into the midfield and receiving the ball to feet. The visitor’s pressure made it hard to find those passing lanes at times, but if they opened and the attack could turn into an undermanned defense, the race to goal was on.
Rossi and Christian Ramirez have become masters at dropping into the midfield and then playing off each other. Their development as playmakers has given the Black & Gold a new dimension, and a new option to go direct as opposed to playing out of the back.
To NYCFC’s credit, they went for the Crew’s throat and got a few good punches in, but it was not enough. This Columbus team just does not quit. No matter how much play has gone against them, they continue to scrap because they know goals can come out of nothing. They kept to that mentality, and it netted two goals in stoppage time to secure three points. Just another so-so performance that is overcome by the mentality of a hardworking team.
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