The Columbus Crew picked up a vital three points in dramatic fashion on Saturday night, winning 2-1 over New York Red Bulls in the home season finale at Lower.com Field. New York seemed to have the win in the bag until Columbus ramped up the intensity in the final five minutes to steal a win thanks to a Derrick Etienne brace.
This result keeps the Black & Gold in 8th place in the Eastern Conference, but even on points with 7th place Inter Miami and 6th Orlando City. Columbus looked on the back foot for most of the match, but it wasn’t tactical changes setting them back. Let’s dive in.
Game planning for NYRB’s style
New York plays a very distinctive style of play, emphasizing hard pressing and physicality to wear down their opponents. The Red Bulls also pride themselves on scoring the first goal of the match, putting the other team in a hole and crushing their spirits.
Columbus came into this game and decided to counter that style not by changing their entire scheme, but slightly adjusting to deal with New York’s style. The Black & Gold typically like to control the game by keeping possession, stringing together passes, and making the opposing team chase the game.
Throughout much of the game, New York’s pressing gave the Crew fits, because it made the home side rush into some unwarranted passes and turnovers. This was the case through the first 70 minutes of the match when the Red Bulls looked threatening from end to end.
When Columbus would have success, it was when the played quicker up the pitch with one-two combinations and secondary runs from midfielders. These chances often arose when Erik Hurtado would get the ball into his feet, play it back to a midfielder, and then they would send a through ball past the stepping defense to a secondary runner.
To win this game the Black & Gold needed to be able to be calm and play out of pressure without turning over the ball in dangerous areas, which they accomplished... sort of. For the greater part of the match Columbus looked to be on the back foot and was unable to compete with the intensity of New York. This is something that they will have to improve through these last two games.
Overloading one side of the pitch while maintaining width
Creating numerical advantages has been a concept that Columbus has used throughout the season in the game to game tactics. Caleb Porter likes to get his players in positions where they can press or possess with numbers and create favorable matchups. While this is an important part of the Crew game plan, maintaining the formational width is also equally important.
When players on the outside stay near the touchline, it stretches the opposing defense and opens passing lanes for forwards to run through and exploit. The Black & Gold have figured out how to do both these things at the same time by utilizing the unique skillset of Pedro Santos.
Santos, a former winger, has made the transition to left back this season and has played really well. The Portugal native has been solid defensively, but he has also been a different attacking option for the Crew. Santos’ ability to get forward has been something that Columbus has tried to call upon as much as possible.
In this particular game, the Black & Gold found a balance between overloading and maintaining width through Santos. While the rest of the squad would commit numbers to one side, Santos would stay wide on the other side of the pitch. The Crew would commit up to six players to one side of the pitch, while Santos stretched the Red Bulls defense on the other side.
If Columbus would win the ball, then the left back would be available to receive a switch, and then attack from there. This keeps the New York defense honest and gave the Crew options going forward if they were to win the ball.
What needs to improve
The Crew’s problem do not have to deal entirely with tactics. There are certainly things that Caleb Porter and the coaching staff can improve to better prepare the team, but the source of the Black & Gold’s problems have to do with intensity and urgency.
Like I said before, Columbus looked on the back foot for most of the match while New York pressed up and down the pitch like madmen. That intensity and drive was missing from the home side, who looked simply outplayed in the first 70 minutes of the match.
Things seemed to change when Porter decided to send on Derrick Etienne, Jacen Russell-Rowe, and Mo Farsi. As soon as that trio stepped onto the pitch, the Crew looked more dangerous and the intensity was upped.
Tactically, the Black & Gold need to be urged to move the ball quicker. Often times, the Crew finds themselves turning the ball over needlessly because they are taking too much time on the ball and getting their pocket picked. Columbus has had success when they are swinging the ball and combining with quick passes and catching the defense on their heels, the problem is that they have not been able to reach that gear often enough this season.
All in all, the Crew picked up a crucial three points at home to keep their playoff hopes alive, but they will need to bring the intensity in these last two games to put doubts to rest.
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