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The Columbus Crew tied yet again on. Friday night, blowing a two-goal lead in stoppage time after a Luis Diaz red card forced the Black & Gold down to ten men. While this isn’t the worst result the Crew could have hoped for, the squad will be left frustrated with the way that they let a two goal lead slip away in the dying moments of the match. Columbus had a distinct game plan of how to attack Montreal that had its pros and cons, but in the end only yielded the Crew a point. Let’s dive in. Columbus constantly pressing high We’ve seen many variations of pressing from Columbus this season, but the type of press employed on Friday night was unique. Caleb Porter knew going into this game that Montreal was an incredibly dangerous team, especially when they get high up the field and can make a defense pay by utilizing their wingbacks. The home side likes to lineup in a 5-3-2 with two wingbacks that will run the length of the pitch to attack and defend. The Black & Gold countered this danger by trying to put Montreal under as much pressure as possible, so they did not get the opportunity to build into Columbus territory. This meant the Crew sent as many as eight men in the press to force Montreal into bad passes and turnovers. The good part about this strategy was that when Columbus did get turnovers, they were in a dangerous part of the pitch to strike quickly. The press had many layers that had to go right if the press was going to work. The Black & Gold would send Cucho Hernandez and Lucas Zelarayan high to pressure the middle center back and goalkeeper for Montreal. Wingers Luis Diaz and Derrick Etienne were assigned to mark the other two outside center backs while Will Sands and Steven Moreira would take away the Montreal wingbacks. Finally, Aidan Morris and Darlington Nagbe were tasked with man marking the opposing midfielders, so the press could not be split and broken by one pass. Depending on what side of the pitch the ball was, Nagbe and Morris would mark the near-side midfielders so the only midfielder unmarked would be far across the field. It was typically Morris who tracked the checking players and racked up the interceptions on the night, turning defense into offense for Columbus. The downside of playing this type of pressing is that if Montreal does break out, it is a favorable counter chance and incredibly dangerous for the Crew. Columbus performed well in these situations defensively, backed by a big night from Eloy Room. The goals for Montreal would eventually come when the Black & Gold were backed up and down a man late in the second half. Short set pieces finally pay off A coach’s dream is when their team scores off a set piece that was designed on the training ground, which is exactly what the Crew did on Friday night. The ball started with Lucas Zelarayan who played a pass short to his right to Aiden Morris. Morris then repeated the action finding Luis Diaz near the right corner of the box. Steven Moreira then came streaking on the overlap and played a perfect looping cross to Jonathan Mensah who headed the ball home to give the Crew the lead on the night. Columbus started taking most of their set pieces short a few games ago. Until now it had not yielded a goal, but short set pieces do have their advantages. Firstly, it can confuse the opposing defense if they do not communicate. When the ball gets played short this requires defenders to leave their marks and push up towards the ball, then the goalkeeper and defense has to sort out marks again while also being worried about an impending shot or attack. Playing the ball short draws the defense out to combat the shot, but then the attacking options open up depending on what the defense does. Secondly, it opens up options for the attacking team. Whether Lucas Zelarayan decides to cross the ball or take a shot from a dead ball situation, the defense is already set up to defend against both. When the Crew decide to play the ball short, now the ball is live and suddenly passing and shooting options open up from multiple players, not just Lucas Zelarayan. Nobody thought Steven Moreira would get an assist when Columbus lined up to take the free kick because he was out of the play, but with a few quick passes he was in a prime position to play the ball to Jonathan Mensah’s head. Defending the lead with ten men Here is where the Crew failed on Friday night. In a game that they were comfortably up in a Luis Diaz red card suddenly forced Columbus to be on the back foot. Caleb Porter made a few personnel changes to ensure the Black & Gold would see out the draw, but it might have been the Crew’s downfall. Porter elected to go ultra-defensive in the 80th minute when he brought on Josh Williams and Artur. This moved the Crew into a 5-3-1 with three defensive midfielders and Cucho Hernandez up top to stretch the defense. Porter’s share of the blame came when he took Cucho Hernandez out in the 83rd minute for Erik Hurtado. Hernandez offers a plethora of things in this situation for Columbus. First off, he puts in the work defensively. The Colombian will track back deep into his own half numerous times to win the ball back and is relentless in his pressing, while during Montreal’s first goal Erik Hurtado was caught ball watching as the home side switched the ball to the winger who would provide the assist for Canadian side. Cucho Hernandez also would keep Montreal’s defense honest, threatening with a speed and skillset that, with all due respect to him, Erik Hurtado does not have. It cost the Crew, mightily. The second problem on the night was Columbus’ focus in stepping out and marking up players. The first goal for Montreal is created because a late runner towards the box is not picked up and then Darlington Nagbe is too late to step out. This leads to a shot at the top of the box and a favorable deflection off of Victor Wanyama. 2-1. On the second goal, Erik Hurtado does not chase down the play, Artur is late to step out, shot goes through bodies and gets deflected into the back of the net. 2-2. The moral of the story is Columbus is lazily defending in situations that matter the most, and that’s the reason this team can’t secure three points consistently.

The Columbus Crew tied yet another game on Saturday afternoon, this time to Eastern Conference bottom feeders Chicago. This marks the 13th game that the Black & Gold have tied this season, compared to only winning 9 games and losing just 6. This tie comes at a time where the Crew need to start picking up points to put distance in between themselves and the rest of the East in the playoff race. Tactically, Columbus didn’t change much, but there were a few things that stuck out from the game. Let’s dive in. Predetermined pattern of play This is something that I have observed over the past few games for Columbus. It is not uncommon for teams to have a certain style or pattern of play that they are trying to employ in a game. Sometimes it is to expose a certain team, but other times it could be the coach wanting his squad to have a certain identity. Whatever the reason is for the Crew, they have been playing with a certain pattern for the past few games as they look to make a playoff push. The goal for Columbus is to attack the flanks and then serve a ball into the middle for Cucho Hernandez or another attacking player to get on the end of the cross. The Black & Gold start off by keeping possession and swinging the ball from side to side until they can find the look that they want. If a winger or wingback is open near the touchline, the Crew try to play the ball to their feet. The next step is a judgement call by the wide player to either take the defender on or find a pass inside. If the pass is open inside the pair might try a one-two passing combo to try and get around the defense and free up the winger to play in a cross. Keep in mind, this pattern of play is not something that the Black & Gold are doing on every possession, but the team is definitely trying to build their attack going down the wings. Something to watch in the next few games is how Columbus continues to use this pattern or if they will adjust based on the opponents they face. Midfield with no set positions Over the past two games for Columbus, the midfield has looked more fluid and interchangeable as Columbus go on the attack. The midfield trios over the past two games have not been bound to a certain position or spot on the field, but instead they are each playing certain roles. The first way they are doing this is by dropping into the pivot position to help out in possession. I have highlighted this a few times in older articles, but typically it is one of the two defensive midfielders who will drop in between the center backs to help swing the ball around the back. Secondly, Darlington Nagbe and Aiden Morris would occupy the space in between the center back and wing back. This happens so that then the wing backs can go up as high as the wingers, and then the wingers can pinch towards the inside of the field. The Crew do this so they can push more players in the attack and have more dynamic attacking threats on the outside areas. Lastly, the midfield trio is allowed to interchange positionally to either counter or get the ball. We commonly see this with Lucas Zelarayan dropping deep into midfield to receive the ball and try to kickstart a move, but Aiden Morris and Darlington Nagbe do this also. All Crew fans love to see Nagbe go on his majestic runs toward the opponent’s goal, which is infrequent, but it does happen. If the chance is there for him to get into the attack, he will vacate his deep lying position and go upfield. Aidan Morris also does this but not as often as Nagbe. This freedom in midfield is supposed to capitalize on the Black & Gold’s creativity in that area of the field, but it has yet to lead to wins on the pitch. Hopefully that will change in the upcoming games for the Crew. Short set pieces Don’t worry Crew fans, we will not be talking about how Columbus can’t defend set pieces (although they did look better against Chicago). One of the things the Black & Gold have started to do over the past few weeks is to utilize short set pieces from non-shooting areas. Often times this looks like tapping the ball to a second player standing over the dead ball situation and then building off of that, but other times it’s a set play that Caleb Porter has come up with. The common denominator has been Cucho Hernandez. Columbus likes to find the Colombian on these short set pieces to give him opportunities to get a clean look on goal, typically on the top of the box. Sometimes this looks like the rest of the attackers making runs inside the box, but Hernandez instead circles back toward the top of the box in hopes that his defender will go with the rest of the runners. These short set pieces are yet to result in a goal, but it looks like the Crew are set on trying to make them work. Of course with Cucho Hernandez, it’s only a matter of time until he finds the back of the net, and if Columbus is setting him up to get clean looks it will be sooner rather than later that he converts on a short set play.

The Columbus Crew secured a win at home against Eastern Conference foes Inter Miami to gain a vital three points in the playoff race. A lone Luis Diaz goal and a solid defensive stand led by Milos Degenek and Eloy Room gave the Black & Gold the edge in the end. Despite missing star player Lucas Zelarayan, the team had an overall better showing compared to recent matches and controlled the pace during stretches of the game. Caleb Porter and the coaching staff made a few tweaks to their system for this home stand that resulted in Columbus emerging victorious in the end. Let’s dive in. Committing more players in the attack Possibly one of the most positive things from this game was the way the Crew went forward in attack. Granted, this was not a game that Columbus should have won by 4 goals, but they kept Miami under pressure throughout the contest. One of the ways they did this was by throwing more men forward in attack. The biggest example of this was the way that Steven Moreira and Will Sands joined in the attacking fun. Often times the wingbacks would fly up the field alongside the wingers, but instead of going outside by the touchline, they tucked infield and let Luis Diaz and Derrick Etienne occupy the wide areas. This tweak gave the two midfielders who also joined the attack multiple options to spread the ball around and try to find the attacking angle. Having all these options to pass to also allowed the Crew to possess in Miami’s half of the pitch, taking the pressure off of Milos Degenek and Jonathan Mensah to swing the ball around. The magic number for the Black & Gold was seven. Seven was the number of players that Columbus would typically push forward in the attack. The front three along with the wing backs and two of the midfielders created problems for Inter Miami, and also played a vital role by keeping the away side away from Eloy Room and the Crew goal. The “revolving door” midfield It is a rare occasion when Crew fans get to see a midfield trio without Columbus’ beloved number 10 apart of the group. This became reality on Wednesday night thought, when Lucas Zelarayan picked up a pre match knock and was scratched from the starting lineup. Though the Black & Gold were missing their top playmaker, the trio of Darlington Nagbe, Artur, and Aidan Morris filled in perfectly, but in a unique way that we had not seen before. None of the three midfielders are a true attacking midfield player like Lucas Zelarayan, so instead of sticking each particular player to a set position, Caleb Porter opted for what I like to call a “revolving door” midfield. This is a style of play that allows the midfielders to create and fill in whenever the others are out of position For example, when Aiden Morris would do his workhorse thing and go press an opposing player high up the pitch, Artur or Nagbe would slide into his “set position” to fill in for him. Once Morris recovers back, he would then slide into whatever position was vacated by the other midfielder. This is the reason why fans would sometimes see Darlington Nagbe sitting deep one moment, and then five minutes later he would be up at the edge of the box. This isn’t a tactical instruction from Caleb Porter, it is more or less him telling his midfield to play freely, but to also communicate and fill in for each other. The call worked out, because the Black & Gold midfield was all over the pitch and was a rock-solid trio throughout the night. This was essential in Columbus’ quest to secure all three points. Refreshed pressing Over the course of 27 games Crew fans have seen a lot of variations of pressing from the Black & Gold. If you look back over previous Tactical Reviews it is something that I tend to highlight a lot, because it is so incredibly important and subject to lots of change. This game was no different, with Columbus pressing in a different formation than the one they set up in at the beginning. Caleb Porter came out of the gate in a 4-3-3, but quickly his pressing formation morphed into a 4-1-4-1 or sometimes a 4-5-1. The back four would stay back to eat up any long balls sent forward to get past the press while the one defensive midfielder would mark the “split man” so Miami couldn’t counter. The other two midfielders and the two wingers would form a line of four and man mark any midfielders or wingbacks who tried to get the ball to feet. This is why Aiden Morris and Artur were so high up the pitch at times comparative to recent matches. Finally, Cucho Hernandez would hold down the fort up top, chasing the ball all across the pitch. He didn’t have the ferocity he had in the Cincinnati game, but he still provided good pressure and forced mistakes from Miami. The foundation of a good game plan is set on how effective you can be in making the other team uncomfortable. Caleb Porter and his coaching staff hit the nail on the head this game, not letting Miami get any hold on the game throughout.

The Columbus Crew salvaged a draw in dramatic fashion on Saturday in the Hell is Real Derby in enemy territory. A late Steven Moreira goal gave the Black & Gold their 12th tie on the year, putting Columbus at seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. It was a frustrating game for Crew fans as they watched their team for stretches get out played and run off the pitch, but in the end, Columbus was able to salvage a draw. Caleb Porter had some unique tactics for this game, some which worked, and others that didn’t. Let’s dive in. Set up in the first half The Crew’s set up in the first half wasn’t anything too radical that we haven’t seen before, but there were some subtle changes that Caleb Porter made to try and cope with Cincinnati’s press and setup. Firstly, the Crew set up in more of a 4-3-3 than a 4-2-3-1 to try and press Cincinnati’s defender’s more efficiently. When the home side were back in their own half, Columbus would send the top three and attacking midfielder Lucas Zelarayan to try and catch Cincinnati’s back three out. The Black & Gold were hoping that by sending that many men forward, the opposition would struggle to build out and give the Crew some chances in the attacking third. Fair play to Cincinnati though, because they broke the press efficiently throughout the game, especially during the first half. Secondly, Kevin Molino was inserted into the starting lineup. Many Crew fans were probably wondering why we didn’t see Derrick Etienne for a full 90 minutes, but it was a tactical choice more than a form-based choice. Porter put Molino in to act as a “pocket winger” to help Columbus possess and build out more efficiently. While winger Luis Diaz typically stayed out wide and high, Molino would drop in the midfield areas to get the ball to feet and provide an extra option for Columbus building out. The problem that arose was that the Crew couldn’t advance the ball past their defensive midfielders. Numerous times in the first half Columbus gave up the ball in their defensive third, giving the home side golden opportunities to score. This sloppiness will likely be a focus this upcoming week for Porter and the coaching staff. Controlling the tempo in the second half The first half was a lot like a dumpster fire for the Crew. Out of the gate the team looked decent during the first ten minutes, and then from there the wheels fell off. The Black & Gold looked out paced, out worked, and just overall flat, going into the half down a goal in a hostile environment. The second half was better from the Crew, not amazing, but better. The main catalyst for this improvement was how Columbus finally settled in and started to control the game. The Black & Gold began switching the ball back and forth to try and draw Cincinnati in and then go on the attack. Another change made at half was that Darlington Nagbe want back to play as a temporary pivot, so then Columbus could get their wing backs higher, and stretch Cincinnati. This is something that the Crew used to do every game but has since abandoned it. Having Nagbe in the back provides stability, an extra player in the buildup, and it allows one of your best players to get on the ball and create. There is no reason why Caleb Porter has gone away from utilizing Nagbe as the pivot, but the results speak for themselves. Columbus’ woeful record with set pieces A focus in training leading up to the derby for Columbus was set pieces. Throughout this season the Crew has been incredibly poor on defending set pieces. Does not matter if it is corners, free kicks, or even throw ins (highlighted in the Montreal game), the Black & Gold can’t seem to figure out defending set pieces. In this game, it was Matt Miazga who made the Crew pay. The ball came in on a long throw and was pinballed around until I found the waiting feet of Miazga, who scored off of a deflection by Steven Moreira. Caleb Porter identified the set piece defending problem is the third or fourth defenders for Columbus. This means that while the Crew’s top defenders can hold their own marking, it’s the other players who are giving up changes. This instance, it was Aiden Morris marking Miazga, but he was forced to leave his mark to go defend the goal line. The next closest player to Miazga was Luis Diaz, who got caught ball watching until it was too late, and the Cincinnati defender found the back of the net. This just shows a lack of communication between Black & Gold players to find marks and sort it out defensively, but it also just shows laziness. Defending is never going to be easy at the professional level, and it requires the highest amount of focus and discipline. Unfortunately for the Crew, the team just doesn’t have that right now, which is why the Black & Gold have only kept a clean sheet in 7 out of their 26 matches played. Keeping a clean sheet in roughly 27% of your matches will not bode well for you in the long term and does not indicate team on the

The Columbus Crew gained a point at home on Sunday night with a 2-2 draw with southern side Atlanta United. After going down 1-0 in the first half, a pair of Cucho Hernandez goals gave the Black & Gold the lead before a late corner gave Atlanta the equalizer. Columbus was able to pull out the tie although they looked lackadaisical throughout much of the match despite being at home against a side that sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Let’s dive into some of the tactics that Caleb Porter employed for this contest. Artur’s Movement Coming back from injury, Artur has looked solid in the past few games for the Crew. On Sunday, the Brazilian was all over the pitch being the do-it-all man and fulfilling two certain roles that Columbus needed on the day. Firstly, Artur was integral in the pressing game for the Black & Gold. Often times when Atlanta had a goal kick or possession deep in their half, Artur’s job would be to mark the “split” and make sure that Atlanta couldn’t advance the ball by passing between Crew players in the middle of the pitch. Artur would simply man mark the back of the split player and make sure that if he did receive the ball, he could not turn and transition the ball further upfield. Secondly, Artur would sometimes act as a temporary pivot if the Black & Gold needed an extra man to get out of Atlanta’s press. The away side opted to press very high on Columbus’ center backs using their attackers and midfielders to create numerical mismatches for the Crew’s backline. When this would happen, Artur, would drop in between Jonathan Mensah and Milos Degenek to provide support and another option to break the press. If the press was being broken, Artur would return to his natural defensive midfielder position and continue the buildup play. These little roles that Artur plays may seem insignificant, but it had a huge impact on turning the tide of the match. Cucho Hernandez’s Runs Something very different from the game last week in Colorado was the spots where Cucho Hernandez decided to make his runs. Last week out west, the Colombian scored by running in on goal and hoping for a tap in, but his runs were different in Sunday’s match. When Luis Diaz, Derrick Etienne, or later Kevin Molino would streak down the wing, Hernandez would set up shop at the top of the box or the penalty spot, while Lucas Zelarayan or another winger made the diving run towards goal. Hernandez was hoping that the defenders would be drawn toward their own goal by the runners, and then he could have an easy look up and tap in for a goal. This exact scenario happened on the Black & Gold’s second goal of the nights. James Sands absolutely dropped two Atlanta United defenders and played a perfect ball through the defense into Hernandez’s feet, which he controlled and dispatched with little issue. These types of runs keep defenses on their toes and gives the Columbus wingers and wing backs multiple options in the middle. If Hernandez is marked at the penalty spot, then Lucas Zelarayan or another winger could be open closer to the six-yard box. What Columbus has to Improve Although this game ended in a draw, Columbus looked on the back foot for large parts of the game and yet again failed at an opportunity to grab three points at home. There are a few things that the Crew must do better if they are to string together results and really make Lower.com Field a fortress for opposing sides. Firstly, the Black & Gold have to figure out how to mark corners better. Out of the ten corners that Columbus came up against defensively, six of the crosses were met first by a player from Atlanta United. That comes to a mere 40% clearance rate, including the tying goal coming off of a corner. Teams that are bad defending set pieces are every fan’s worst nightmare to watch. Needless to say, Caleb Porter and the coaching staff need to sort that out. Secondly, the Crew need to get Darlington Nagbe more involved in these games. On the night Nagbe was virtually invisible, making a few passes and tackles, but have no real impact on the game. With a player of Nagbe’s quality, the Black & Gold need to make him the focal point of their buildup, because he can make magic happen out of nothing. Lastly, Columbus needs someone else to step up. Since the arrival of Cucho Hernandez, he and Lucas Zelarayan have been carrying the team. This is a good thing that the Crew hit on the signing of Hernandez, but there will come a time where teams will be able to key on him and make someone else beat them. Columbus needs that unsung hero to step up and make some noise with their play. Luis Diaz has been impressing over the past few games, but only time will tell who can step up.

The Columbus Crew drew against Western Conference side Colorado Rapids on Saturday night by a score of 1-1. After Cucho Hernandez opened the scoring early in the game, Columbus seemed to go stagnant in attack and allowed Colorado to equalize via a penalty kick In the 41st minute due to a Steven Moreira handball. It was a cagey game with lots of fouls committed by both teams highlighted by the number of cards that the referee handed out. The Black & Gold’s tactical set up was consistent with the past few games, but there were some nuances that stuck out. Let’s dive in. Consistent Offensive Pattern of Play It seemed like every possession that the Crew had there was a scripted idea of where the ball should/would go. Many times, when Columbus would regain the ball in their own territory, the ball would then be possessed around the back until it reached either Steven Moreira or Pedro Santos in their wing back positions. From there, the ball would make its way to one of the Black & Gold wingers, most times it was Luis Diaz. This allowed Diaz to take on his defender one verse one and then finally cross the ball back into the middle to try and find his fellow attackers. It was this pattern that was incredibly prevalent throughout the game that had both positive and negative effects on the result. First let’s go through the positive. Caleb Porter said before the season started that he wanted to get more production from his wingers, and he wanted them to contribute more in the goals and assists catalogue. So far this season they have succeeded, often times providing assists for the other attackers and even putting in a goal of their own. The main positive of play this pattern has been the revelation of Luis Diaz. Diaz has been on a tear over the past few games, highlighted by getting a brace of assists against NYCFC last week. In this game he was often causing the defense lots of problems, causing fouls and stretching the defense with his speed. His continued form is something to look out for over the next few games. Unfortunately, playing this style also had some negative effects on the Black & Gold as well. The main problem was that Darlington Nagbe and Artur were not on the ball as much as usual, which is a big issue. During the All Star break the whole of MLS kept hearing about Nagbe’s skillset and ability to boss a midfield, with a few players at the All-Star Game going as far to say that Nagbe was the player that surprised them the most with his play. His and Artur’s creativity and play in the middle of the pitch was missing for the Crew last night. At times there was space to exploit down the middle, but Columbus was bent on attacking down the sides. I don’t think this will be a long-term issue for the Crew, but it is something to watch for in the next couple of games. Cucho Hernandez Dropping Into the Midfield When Cucho Hernandez first signed for the Crew many fans thought they had finally found their sought-after striker of the future to replace Gyasi Zardes. There were many reports of Hernandez’s versatility and ability to play on the wing, but I don’t think a lot of Black & Gold fans expected Hernandez to drop and play in the midfield as often as he did on Saturday night. Granted, Hernandez isn’t a set midfielder in the formation, but he often finds himself drifting back on offense to help Columbus build going forward, as well as coming back defensively to put in a shift to win the ball back. It was surprising to see that Lucas Zelarayan would often stay higher up the field than Hernandez while the Crew were possessing the ball in their own half, and it was instead the Colombian that would be checking back and then finding Zelarayan’s feet. This could be dangerous for the Black & Gold going forward in the coming weeks, because with Hernandez’s speed and Zelarayan’s passing ability, it makes for a deadly one-two passing combo that can unlock defenses. Unfortunately for Columbus, we didn’t see really any of that last night, because most of the attacks were done down the wing by Derrick Etienne and Luis Diaz. Just a reminder, this is only Cucho Hernandez’s eighth game that he has played in with the Black & Gold, so as time goes on the chemistry will also increase, and the rest of MLS is already on alert about this attacking duo. Slowing the Pace of the Game This was something that the coaching staff would have instructed the players on going into this clash out west. Colorado plays a certain type of game where they want to draw opponents into a very open counter attacking game, which is not the style that Caleb Porter and the Crew want to play. Colorado’s strategy is so effective because when they lose the ball going forward, other teams look ahead and see a chance to counter, when in reality the Rapids’ defense is set up and ready to capitalize on a misplaced pass or touch. In the moments of the game where Columbus looked in control and dangerous was the time that they slowed the pace of the game down and decided to possess instead of throwing haymakers at Colorado’s backline on the counter. It takes longer and doesn’t look like the Black & Gold are making progress going forward, but as they switch the ball and play simple passes the opposition begins to back up and get anxious without the ball. The Crew did this best in the opening 15-20 minutes of the game as well as throughout parts of the second half and looked like the more controlled and better team in these moments. If the whole game had been played at their pace then maybe Columbus would have flew out of the Rockies with all three points, but they will settle for a point on the road this time around.

The Columbus Crew squandered a one goal lead to lose 2-1 in stoppage time against CF Montreal on Wednesday night after a questionable change of tactics left the Black & Gold without points when the final whistle blew. In a game that was interrupted by lightning, the Crew seemed to fold in the last 15 minutes under Montreal’s pressure. Today the focus will be on the tactical changes that head coach Caleb Porter made that let Montreal get back into the game late. Let’s dive in. The Substitution of Lucas Zelarayan A huge topic in the Crew Twitterverse last night was the questionable decision to sub Lucas Zelarayan out for a more defensive style midfielder Artur. With this substitution Columbus switched from pushing toward Montreal’s goal, to now sitting back and defending a one goal lead. This is actually a common substitution that managers around the world make, taking off an attack heavy playmaker for a more defensively sound player to shore up the defense, but the timing of the substitution was what killed the Black & Gold. Columbus made the change in the 73rd minute, which was too early to start parking the bus. Up until this point the Crew had the away side on their heels, and Columbus was playing positively. This substitution just took the attacking fight out of the team and forced Cucho Hernandez to play up top by himself. Another huge component of this substitution is that it affects Cucho Hernandez too. Now Hernandez was forced to take on the entire Montreal defense alone with minimal help. If Zelarayan stays on the pitch, then the opposing team has two problems that they have to deal with instead of just one. This is not a critique on Artur either, it was great to see him back on the field and healthy. In the moment though, the Crew committed to parking the bus too early. Granted, there is no way to know if Zelarayan was too tired to continue or if he had picked up some kind of knock, but this change influenced the game mightily, and not in the way that Caleb Porter wants. Switching to a 4-5-1 This is something that the Crew have played around with throughout the season. When Artur came in as a substitute in the 73rd minute Columbus switched their shape to resemble more of a 4-5-1 rather than the 4-2-3-1 that the team started the game in. The huge component of this formation was the wingers being pulled back to play more defensive. In a 4-2-3-1, the wingers play alongside the attacking midfielder and get forward to support the striker and provide width, like the Crew was doing throughout the first half and beginning of the second half. With the change to a 4-5-1, these wingers are no longer able to support the striker because they have to be back and defend. This is a change that managers should and usually make around the 80-85-minute mark to close down shop and not give the other team chances to figure out how to break down the formation. When the Crew switched to this more defensive formation in the 73rd minute, that gave Montreal 17 minutes plus stoppage time to figure out how to break down the defense and get quality chances to slot one past Eloy Room. Again, the changes Caleb Porter made are routine changes that happen in games, but he made them too quickly and allowed Montreal to figure out how to find an equalizer and then a winner. Defending Ariel Balls and Marking Opponents This isn’t really a tactic, it’s more just an observation of what undid the Crew on Wednesday night. Both goals Montreal scored came off of looping balls that Columbus failed to deal with, and it cost them 3 points. The first goal by Kei Kamara was a great header, with Kamara outjumping Jonathan Mensah to get to the ball first. The mistake that allowed Kamara to get the upper hand was that Mensah lost sight of him for a split second while the ball was in the air. While many players crashed towards the net, Kamara waited to see where the flight of the ball would end up. Mensah on the other hand, followed the crowd and was jumping vertically to clear the ball, while Kamara was getting a running start. If Mensah had stayed tight to Kamara and followed his man instead of the ball, we might have a different result. The second goal was the fault of Yaw Yeboah and Steven Moreira. Yeboah sees Joel Waterman begin to run in Moreira’s blind spot and doesn’t communicate quick enough that Moreira’s mark is running in. This allows Waterman to get a step on Moreira, and the perfect ball loops over Moreira’s head right into Waterman’s path. If Yeboah wasn’t going to communicate, he also could have marked Waterman easier than Moreira could have. Yeboah’s man who he was marking was over on the right side of the field outside of the box and posed no immediate threat to the play. This lack of communication and poor marking cost the Crew the game on Wednesday, and will leave the Black & Gold coaching staff scratching their heads.

The Columbus Crew kept their unbeaten streak alive on Saturday with a scoreless draw against the New England Revolution. Despite not being able to score, Columbus played positively but was just lacking that finishing touch in the final third. The result keeps the Black & Gold at 6th in the Eastern Conference standings after a strong push in the past few games. The Crew’s approach was different tactically from recent games, so let’s dive in. Allowing New England’s Center Backs to Play the Ball When scouting and preparing for this game against New England, Caleb Porter identified the Revolution’s center backs as possible weak links in the opposing team’s lineup due to their lackluster ability to play the ball out of the back. Columbus adjusted their defensive structure and strategy accordingly so that they could hopefully exploit New England and get a leg up in the game. The major change was to lay off the press until the Revolution would get near the half field line, or when another player other than the center backs received the ball. The Black & Gold often sat off and just marked up other plays in hopes that the opposing center backs would play a bad pass or make a bad decision that the Crew could capitalize on and counter. This is why fans didn’t see Columbus pressing as high as they usually do, and why sometimes the ball would turn over to the Black & Gold as New England tried to build out of the back. The formation that Columbus set up in defensively was a 4-4-2 with Cucho Hernandez and Lucas Zelarayan pressing the opposing wide backs as soon as they received the ball from the center backs. The Crew wingers and defensive midfielders would then just man mark the opposing midfield players in hopes that they could pounce on a bad pass or touch from the Revolution. This change was based on the team that Columbus was playing against on the night, so it will be interesting to see if they pull this out later in the year against other opposition. Playing a Counter Attacking Style On Saturday the Crew played at a high energy level that was highlighted by their style of play. Typically, we would see Columbus value keeping possession and making tons of passes before going at the opposition, but the downside to that style of play is that the other team will be well set up defensively and ready for the impending attack. Instead of playing that style against the Revolution, the Black & Gold came out looking to attack on the counter to catch the opposition off guard. Often this would look like winning the ball and then immediately going wide with it, finding Cucho Hernandez or one of the wingers to run at the New England defense. Columbus would also flood numbers forward trying to overload the opposing defense so that they could have an unmarked attacker to find. Because they were playing this counter attacking style, Cucho Hernandez often abdicated his striker position and drifted wide to receive the ball and have an angle to run at defenders with. This is why the Crew were so thrilled to sign Hernandez, because his versatility can mean that he can be a true number 9 striker, but when need be, he can also drift out wide and be an attacking option down the wing. We saw how he folded Andrew Farrell with a simple cut of the ball, due to his speed and ability to use either foot. All fans are anxious over the next few games to see how Columbus can tryout different tactics and formations to fully unlock this team’s potential now the Cucho Hernandez is here. Diagonal and Overlapping Runs This is something that the Crew have been doing on an off for a while, and it has to do with the attacking prowess of the Black & Gold outside backs. When you have very talented attacking wide backs in Pedro Santos and Marlon Hairston lining up for your team, the key is to figure out how to get them high up the pitch to provide an attacking option. Caleb Porter’s take on this matter is to have Derrick Etienne and Luis Diaz pinch more towards the inside of the field to be closer to Lucas Zelarayan. Then, they leave space on the outside for Santos and Hairston to fly by and put a good cross into the box. The wingers also had free reign to make long diagonal runs all the way across the field to keep the defense on their toes. If one defender from the Revolution doesn’t communicate or mark up these diagonal runners, you could have speedsters Diaz or Etienne running full tilt at your goal unmarked. Unfortunately for Columbus, none of these overlapping or diagonal runs resulted in goals, but it is something to watch out for in the next few games. If teams can’t communicate and cope with these runners, they will have more problems than just going up against Cucho Hernandez and Lucas Zelarayan.

The Columbus Crew pulled off a dramatic come from behind victory in the Windy City Saturday night, with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Fire. After conceding two goals in the first half the Black & Gold stormed back with a brace from winger Derrick Etienne and the late winner from new signing Cucho Hernandez. Columbus captured a much needed three road points that will help put the Black & Gold back in contention for a playoff spot. It was second half tactical adjustments by Caleb Porter that flipped the game on its head to give the Crew the advantage they need to spark a comeback and secure the win. Let’s dive in. Pushing the Wingbacks Higher Up the Pitch This was an emphasis in practice this week for Columbus. With this relatively new three center back formation that Caleb Porter has installed, he wants Pedro Santos and Steven Moreira to get higher up the pitch to provide another attacking threat for the Crew. Moreira and Santos have been doing this pretty regularly, the caveat is that Porter wants them both to get high up at the same time. The Black & Gold feel comfortable with their experienced center backs holding the line defensively, so for a Crew team that has struggled to score goals, Porter is taking a calculated risk by throwing more men into the attack. Not only does this get more bodies forward for Columbus, it also allows the team to have more width, which accomplishes two main things. Firstly, it frees up some space in the middle for the midfielders to create and run at the defense. This is personally catered towards Lucas Zelarayan and Darlington Nagbe. The more space they have, the more dangerous with the ball they can be. Secondly, it gives Columbus more crossing and switching options. We all know Pedro Santos can whip in a mean ball, and Steven Moreira has three assists on the year. Porter wants his most dynamic attacking playmakers to be working in harmony higher up the pitch where they can make an impact. This is something to watch out for in the coming weeks, especially as Cucho Hernandez starts to play more minutes and gain more chemistry with the rest of the squad. Quicker Tempo A huge difference from the first half of this game to the second half was the way Columbus used their possessions. The first half was, to be quite blunt, a train wreck. The Crew couldn’t move the ball without turning it over, the defense was in a daze, no one was being energetic and positive, and they were sent to the locker room down two goals and looking hopelessly out of the match. The tempo was the biggest thing to me that stood out. When positive splits or line breaking balls could be played, the Black & Gold were lackadaisical and instead decided to pass the ball around the back or into a marked player only for it to be stolen and turned into a counterattack. After halftime, that narrative quickly changed. From the whistle the Crew were pushing forward more men and combining much better than in the first half. There were significantly less square or backwards balls. Granted, the Chicago Fire press was immense in the first half, and in the second half they scaled it back a little bit, but that mistake would prove to be costly. Porter is continually urging his players to attack the opposition as much as they can to prevent them from getting set up. If you can go at a team and catch them off guard quickly it is much better than waiting for them to be ready for you. That’s why on both of Derrick Etienne’s goals on the night, Columbus capitalized off of Chicago not paying attention on restarts. Those quick restarts put the defense on their heels and gave the Black & Gold the opening they needed to get back in the game. Columbus needs to keep up this tempo in the coming games to keep building on these positive results. Second Half Formational Changes Saturday’s match was a chess match between Caleb Porter and Chicago Fire head coach Ezra Hendrickson. Hendrickson bested Porter in the first 45 by pushing his press so high that Columbus couldn’t get out of their own half. The brilliance of soccer though, is that games are 90 minutes, not 45. Porter later responded after halftime by switching to a 4-3-3 and subbing in playmakers Derrick Etienne and Luis Diaz to replace Jahlil Anibaba and Sean Zwadzki. Porter opted to go for speed down the wings and then later decided to go for more speed up top by switching Cucho Hernandez for Jacen Russel-Rowe. With Hernandez coming onto the field, Porter decided to change formations again, this time reverting to a 4-4-2 with Lucas Zelarayan and Cucho Hernandez at the striker positions. Zelarayan would typically roam free, finding pockets of space where he thought he could get the ball and make an impact. With the wingers drawing Chicago’s attention out wide, Zelarayan had more space to turn and play make all over the field. Pedro Santos and Steven Moreira under Caleb Porter’s instruction to get higher up the field, overlapped the wingers, providing more width and stretching the defense. This gave Diaz and Etienne the opportunity to pinch in toward the center of the field and make diagonal runs for Lucas Zelarayan to find them, which is exactly what happened on Etienne’s first goal. Because the Crew have played many different formations over the past few months, Caleb Porter now has an ace up his sleeve. His team is now smart enough and trained enough to be able to switch into any of the formations they have used in an instant. This could prove valuable down the stretch, as it did on Saturday night.

The Columbus Crew picked up a point at home on Sunday against a depleted Philadelphia Union squad. Although missed chances and referee decisions were a hot discussion topic after the game, Columbus ended up with a positive result against a good Eastern Conference opponent. The Crew now sit 10th in the Eastern Conference standings but are unbeaten in their last 5 games. The Black & Gold didn’t change much from their midweek clash with Toronto FC, but there were a few tactical nuances that stuck out on Sunday. Let’s dive in. Aidan Morris’ freedom to roam Yet again on Sunday it seemed like Aidan Morris was all over the field making tackles, passes, and getting onto the ball as much as possible. It was as if he was given the green light to roam free around the field to make as much of an impact as possible. For example, at times where the Crew wanted to get their wingbacks higher up the field Morris dropping into defense alongside Jonathan Mensah to allow Steven Moreira to get higher up the field. This also makes switching the ball easier because Columbus had an extra player to control possession in the back. Another time Morris was up as high as the striker position to help the Black & Gold press and try to turn the ball over, but after Philadelphia broke the press, he was on the sprint back to his midfield spot. This freedom to roam is not usually given to many players in a system, but it fits Morris perfectly due to his ability to run and never get tired. His work rate is so immense that he can affect the game by just running around and being dynamic, and that’s exactly what he did on Sunday. Columbus’ 3-5-2 The Crew dominated much of the game on Sunday at Lower.com Field and looked very positive going forward, but when they sat back while Philadelphia attacked, they looked even stronger. This heavily has to do with the new formation Caleb Porter has instituted over the past few weeks, the 3-5-2. This particular formation is known for its ability to change based on which team has possession. On defense, Columbus played more of a 5-3-2 or even at some points a 5-2-2-1. This five-defender formation is what made it hard for Philadelphia to have quality chances going forward consistently. With three experienced defenders in Jonathan Mensah, Milos Degenek, and Josh Williams, the Crew defense looks more organized and they were able to earn another clean sheet at home. This is just another puzzle piece that Porter has in his arsenal to pull out if the Crew are protecting a lead and need to shell up and park the bus. It is not the sexiest brand of soccer to watch, but Columbus do it very well, and it gets them results. The late change to a 4-2-3-1 As the match wore on and Lucas Zelarayan’s goal was disallowed, Caleb Porter decided to make a personnel change by subbing off Milos Degenek and replacing him with Derrick Etienne. This was the Crew going all in to try and find the goal that could give them three points. In that moment they switched out of the 3-5-2 that they had played all game and went into a more classic 4-2-3-1. This was a more attack minded formation with substitutes Etienne and Kevin Molino on the wings to bring speed and energy to go at the tiring Philadelphia defense. The wingers would actually pinch toward the inside of the field to allow Pedro Santos and Steven Moreira to overlap and give Columbus even more options in the attacking half of the pitch. At points they were throwing all the attacking bodies forward except for Josh Williams and Jonathan Mensah who stayed 10 yards inside Philadelphia’s half to prevent any counter attacks from the Union. It ultimately didn’t result in a goal, but it was the ambition from the Black & Gold to throw all their chips in a chase a goal that was the message late Sunday night.

The Black & Gold got back to winning ways on Wednesday night with a 2-1 victory on the road against Toronto FC. While the return of Lucas Zelarayan was exciting for all Crew fans, the game was controlled by the newcomers Sean Zwadzki and Jacen Russel Rowe. Along with that, the Black & Gold was set up to win by a strong set of tactics by Caleb Porter that allowed the team to take all three points back to Columbus. Let’s dive in. The Defensive impact of the 3-5-2 After seeing Columbus set up in a 3-5-2 against Charlotte, Crew fans got to see just how this new formation works out for Columbus against another tough Eastern Conference opponent. What stood out though was the way the Black & Gold’s defense performed throughout the game. When in possession, Jonathan Mensah and Milos Degenek would drift out toward the sideline to allow the ball to be switched to them in space. When TFC had the ball though, the wingbacks would drop in alongside the centerbacks to allow Columbus to shell up in a 5-3-2. This is why Toronto had a hard time scoring all game, because the Crew made it so congested in their own box with 5 defenders and 3 midfielders all pitching in on their defensive duties. Granted, TFC did score a goal, which was a defensive breakdown where the Crew midfielders didn’t put pressure on the ball, so Toronto got a cross into their striker who ran right behind Jonathan Mensah in his blind spot. It was a bad mistake and the Black & Gold paid for it, but if they can have better communication and organization across the backline, the Crew will be even better defensively than they already are. The Midfield Trio After the midfield’s performance in Sandy, Utah, Caleb Porter wanted to keep Sean Zwadzki, Darlington Nagbe, and Aiden Morris together for the game in Toronto to see how they could build on the display in the previous game. Needless to say, it worked out pretty well for Porter and the Crew, because they looked in sync. Nagbe always brings the flair and Morris brings his motor, but Sean Zwadzki was the standout in midfield. After banging in a superb outside of the box goal on his first ever shot in MLS, Zwadzki was all over the field, playing passes, switches, and even getting in his dirty work defensively. This midfield trio was everything the Crew needed and will need going forward. Nagbe provides a leadership role and command to the group to make sure everyone is in line and where they are supposed to be. Morris will run the entire field and put in physical work without breaking a sweat. Zwadzki controls the tempo and makes smart choices when building up from the back, while also having a cannon for a foot. One of the interesting things the midfielders did in Toronto was drift wide into a wingback position. Typically it was Aiden Morris, but occasionally any of the three midfielders would drift wide to allow Columbus to have widt, allow the actual wingbacks to get higher up the field, and free up space for Lucas Zelarayan to drop in and ask for the ball to feet. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of these three on the pitch, and the only problem Caleb Porter has now is deciding what to do with them when Artur comes back. I would say that’s a pretty good problem to have Jacen Russel-Rowe and Lucas Zelarayan up top The biggest surprise of Wednesday night was Jacen Russel-Rowe being instantly inserted into the starting lineup after being signed from Crew 2. It was a welcome surprise from Crew fans and ended up being just what the Black & Gold needed. Porter put Zelarayan and Russel-Rowe up top so that they could provide an attacking threat without getting in each other’s way. For example, when Zelarayan is more comfortable dropping into the midfield and asking for the ball to his feet, Russel-Rowe was making diagonal runs in behind the defense for Zelarayan to find him. This diversity of runs gives the Crew multiple options of how to build up in attack as well as giving Lucas Zelarayan space to create without the other striker running into his space and bringing more defenders over. Russel-Rowe also showed extreme maturity in how he was able to hold off defenders and wait for his trailing teammates to join him in attack, as well as being able to make different types of runs to keep the defense guessing. The return from injury for Lucas Zelarayan was a relatively quiet one, but it was productive because it got him some time to work with Russel-Rowe in a real game situation, as well as providing a chance to knock off some rust. I think we will be seeing more of young Crew players making impacts in the future, and I just can’t wait.

Saturday’s late-night game ended in a scoreless draw for the Black & Gold against tough competition in Real Salt Lake. RSL sit near the top of the Western Conference in second place, so a point on the road for Columbus feels like a victory. In a heavily rotated squad due to injuries, Caleb Porter opted for a more conservative, but effective approach when setting up his team tactically. Let’s dive in. Sitting back Many times, in this series of tactical reviews I have put emphasis on the way the Crew presses, and the nuances of the press depending on the game. While there was some pressing done by the Black & Gold in Utah, it was the decision to sit back that made the game interesting for Columbus. Caleb Porter was faced with a mountain of a task going into this matchday with an away game, a good opponent, and an injury ridden squad to deal with. All these factors played into Porter’s decision to sit back and really try to either get a 1-0 win or a 0-0 tie. While fans may have an issue with this, the fact is that the Crew need to pick up points wherever they can, and when you’re facing a very good team, on their turf, with a squad that is far from your preferred starting eleven, you have to work with what you have and adjust your goals for the game. This game Columbus was content at times to just let RSL possess the ball, but at moments would try to get forward and win the ball. Most of the time the Black & Gold sat back with 8-9 guys on defense, usually with Miguel Berry alone up top to run down long balls. All in all, the choice worked, and the Crew are heading back home with a hard-earned point. So many set pieces! The Crew looking to earn fouls and free kicks is something that we usually don’t see when Lucas Zelarayan is not on the field. Columbus again had to accept the reality of the game, and Caleb Porter figured that the best chances the Black & Gold would get would have to come off of set pieces. Throw ins, free kicks, and corners were a point of emphasis today for Columbus as they pushed for the opening goal to get ahead. On corners, the Crew would crowd the opposing goalkeeper, hoping to cause some mayhem that could end up with the ball in the back of the net. With all the bodies flying around, the goalkeeper is more prone to make a mistake, and then you have multiple players ready to pounce. Real Salt Lake committing 16 fouls also helped Columbus gain some dangerous opportunities, but unfortunately for the Black & Gold, the service was just not there for a player to make the home team pay. 0-0 is never a fun score line from a fans’ perspective, but Columbus will take the ever elusive road point. The return of the swing player Ah yes ladies and gentlemen we are back again talking about the swing player. We haven’t seen Caleb Porter deliberately use a swing player consistently in quite some time, but Sean Zawadzki filled in position very comfortably. There are two reasons for the implementation of the swing player against RSL. Firstly, the swing player provides better help in possessing the ball and transitioning into attack. With Sean Zawadzki sitting between Mensah and Degenek, it allowed both outside backs to get higher, while also creating channels for Nagbe and Morris to exploit. If the RSL midfielders were to cheat towards the outside to cut off the outside backs from receiving the ball, Zawadzki could just pass to Nagbe or Morris. On the other hand, if the RSL midfielders decided to stay more central, it allows Zawadzki to get the ball out wide and into space. Secondly, it provides defensive cover in case of a turnover in transition. If the Crew were trying to build out of their half but gave away a bad pass, you already have extra support from Zawadzki because he is sitting so deep. He also is quicker than Mensah and Degenek, so he can track down 50/50 balls more effectively. Watching the game tonight reminded me of 2021 where Columbus played high possession ball, while utilizing the swing player to break down opponents. Hopefully Columbus can build on this heading into a midweek clash in Toronto.