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The Columbus Crew garnered yet another point on the third matchday of the 2026 season, this time in a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire. It was a game of feeling each other out by both sides, with each squad having chances to break the deadlock, but none finding the back of the net. Max Arfsten had the best chance for the Black & Gold, after a rebound found his feet and an open goal seemingly staring him down. Unfortunately, a Fire defender cleared the ball of the line after Arfsten fired it towards the left corner. After another uninspired performance – this time in front of a home crowd – the Crew now have two points after three games. Let’s dive into all the tactics that went into Columbus’ goalless affair against their oldest rival. Learning from prior mistakes The Black & Gold have struggled mightily in the defensive department since the season began. After conceding five goals in the first two games of the year, it is clear that head coach Henrick Rydström came into the match against Chicago attempting to tighten the defense. The Crew did just that, both in practice and lineup. Amar Sejdic joined Sean Zawadzki in central midfield, both as defense-minded midfielders placed in front of Rudy Camacho, Malte Amundsen and Steven Moreira. Sejdic and Zawadzki both gave the midfield a defensive weight, allowing Taha Habroune to slot into the front three alongside Diego Rossi and Wessam Abou Ali. Having Zawadzki and Sejdic play alongside each other was the change in lineup. Columbus went from having Habroune – an offensive minded midfielder – paired with Zawadzki to Sejdic, who can provide a bit more tempo-control and defensive stability. Even with that added layer of protection, Rydström still had another plan in place to help bail the defense out. That plan involved Rossi and Habroune. Both part of the fluid-ish front three on offense, there was a different story when the Black & Gold transitioned to defend. Both the Uruguayan and the American assisted Abou Ali in a repress after losing the ball, but once Chicago advanced the ball past the halfway line, Habroune and Rossi dropped into the midfield to help defend. This stuck the Crew into a 5-4-1 or 5-3-2 formation depending on if Rossi stayed higher with Abou Ali. More often than not, it was a 5-4-1 with a box midfield, letting Sejdic and Zawadzki sit deeper, Rossi and Habroune be the first line of defense and then the wingbacks would press if the ball moved outside. This change did a few things for Columbus. First, it took pressure off the two defensive midfielders to exclusively win the midfield battle. One of the biggest problems for the Black & Gold so far this year has been controlling the midfield with less manpower. Adding Rossi and Habroune into that mix on the defensive end gave the Crew a numerical equal to match up against the Fire’s attack. Second, it allowed Columbus to be more dynamic in its press and re-press. Once the first line of pressure was broken – set up in a 5-2-3 – Rossi and Habroune dropped to assist in the Black & Gold’s own-half defending. With two additional players in the midfield though, the wingbacks were freed up to press higher due to the additional coverage the midfielders could provide. Finally, and most worryingly, this change cost the Crew offensively. The problem with committing more players to the defensive effort is that then the transition moments are harder to capitalize on. With Rossi and Habroune so deep, Abou Ali was left alone to deal with Chicago’s three centerbacks. At times, the Palestinian had good holdup moments that allowed Rossi, Habroune and the wingbacks to get forward, but the offense struggled to get Abou Ali involved. With soccer being such a give-and-take game, Rydström will need to find the balance between a rock-solid defense and a dynamic offense. Columbus can have both, but it will take tinkering from the new coach and effort from the players to find that mark. Trying out new shapes As the season and Rydström’s system evolves, so does the Black & Gold’s tactical shape throughout the game. On Saturday, the Crew shifted to a few different looks, but one in particular that was new this season. Out of the typical 5-2-3 offensive formation and 5-4-1 defensive look, Columbus morphed into a building formation and a possession formation. The building formation was the shape the Black & Gold held when they retained the ball in their own half and were building towards Chicago’s half of the field. This look was the newest formation for Rydström and his team, lining up in an offset 4-2-4. The backline consisted of Camacho and Moreira as centerbacks, Amundsen at left back and Andres Herrera at right back. The defensive midfielders remained the same, with Rossi and Habroune acting as dueling no. 10s. Abou Ali was the lone striker, with Arfsten offset as the left winger. This formation was interesting due to the non-uniform nature of it. Only one winger our wide left meant the Crew tipped their hand at what side they preferred to build down, but it also gave Columbus numerical advantages down the left flank. At times it could become a 4-2-1-3 with Habroune or Rossi floating up to join Abou Ali on the front line, but that usually only happened when the Black & Gold began to advance the ball further up the field, which led to the next formation. The possession formation is one that fans are more familiar with: a 1-4-5. Camacho would remain as the anchor, with both Moreira and Amundsen joining the midfield alongside the defensive midfielders. Herrera ran up the right flank to even out the formation with Arfsten on the other side, with Rossi and Habroune joining Abou Ali as the interior front three. The 1-4-5 kept Chicago pinned in their half but also was susceptible to transition moments where the Crew have struggled in recent weeks. That being said, the pairing of Sejdic and Zawadzki did very well assisting the defense to quell any counter attacks. The biggest takeaway from these formations was how the buildup looked improved to recent weeks. Columbus looked more in control and strung together better passes but improved is still not where they want to be. On the downside, the Black & Gold still had a lack of meaningful possession and went forward too quick at times. Playing long balls into Abou Ali’s feet is not going to work when his running mates are still far back on the field after assisting in the midfield. Those long balls was where possession was lost and what gave the Fire opportunities to retain the ball and go back at the Crew. Rydström’s system is a work in progress, but there has been improvement over the past three weeks. It has been gradual, but this team showed on Saturday that they can defend well. The biggest task for Rydström and company now is to find the balance between a stout defense, while still putting out a dangerous offense.

The Columbus Crew returned to action for the second match week of the 2026 season, this time traveling to Kansas City to take on fellow MLS original Sporting Kansas City. Yet again, it was Palestinian DP Wessam Abou Ali who opened the scoring for the Black & Gold off a bad giveaway from Kansas City goalkeeper John Pulskamp. After that, Kansas City found its footing, but the Crew took a 1-0 lead into the locker room. After the halftime break, things went immediately downhill for Columbus. A counterattack gave striker Dejan Joveljić an easy opportunity to even the game, then grabbing his brace a little over 20 minutes later to take the lead. The Black & Gold were plagued by the same ineffective defending as before but found a lifeline courtesy of forward Diego Rossi with eight minutes to play. The Crew had a chance to take all three points from the penalty spot, but Abou Ali’s shot was saved down to Pulskamp’s right side. The match would end 2-2, with Columbus only managing a point from its first two games of the 2026 season. Early in Henrik Rydström’s tenure, the Black & Gold look like a shell of their former selves. Let’s dive into all the tactics that secured the Crew a draw in Kansas City. Columbus’ midfield dilemma Contrary to what many fans may believe, the Black & Gold’s defensive problems do not lie on the defense. Granted, Rudy Camacho, Malte Amundsen and Steven Moreira have played better before, but the crux of the Crew’s defensive issues lies in the midfield. For years Columbus had one of the best midfields in MLS, largely due to the longevity of now-retired legend Darlington Nagbe. The pairing of Nagbe and Aidan Morris won the Black & Gold two MLS Cups, due to combination of tempo, technique and ball-winning ability. The Crew were able to play such attacking, free-flowing soccer because Morris always recovered to win the ball back, and Nagbe could dictate the game from deep-lying positions. One of the most underrated qualities of this duo though, was their ability to cover defensively and allow the reinforcements to arrive in transition moments. That aspect of the midfield’s game has been significantly lacking through the first two weeks of this young season. Part of it has to do with changing tactics under Rydström, but more of the issue has to deal with technical ability and work rate. Simply put, the midfield pairing of Taha Habroune and Dylan Chambost last week against Portland was always destined to fail. Two attack-minded midfielders playing in this fluid system leaves the Crew’s backline open and exposed if they stray too far up the field. Simply put, Chambost and Habroune’s typical playstyle do not suit what Columbus wants to do. Fast forward to this game against Sporting Kansas City, Rydström makes the switch to move Sean Zawadzki into midfield, slotting Moreira back into his RCB position. This allowed the Black & Gold to play with more stability, and Zawadzki actually showed promise in that holding role, but on the other side, Habroune looked lost in space. It is a difficult ask to toss a 20-year-old who got extremely limited minutes into the starting lineup, but Habroune’s struggles are due to the position he is playing in, not his quality as a player. Often times last season, the young Homegrown product shined in roles as a part of Wilfried Nancy’s fluid front three. When given the freedom to create and flow, Habroune can be a dangerous asset. That being said, in that role he had significantly fewer defensive duties – typically only pressing and applying a re-press. If the Crew want to limit the scoring chances that have plagued them in transition this season, they need to get back to having midfielders who are willing to do the dirty work and dictate tempo. Zawadzki has proven that he can be one of those guys, but now Rydström has to find his running mate. All signs point toward new signing André Gomes once his paperwork is processed. There is another side to this issue that goes beyond the defensive issues. Many times, Columbus is caught out due to untimely turnovers that catch the Black & Gold out of position. The Crew have been put in those positions by themselves, mostly due to a lack of midfield presence who can slow the game down and keep possession. This is where the loss of Nagbe becomes extremely prevalent. Nagbe had to ability to take the sting out of the game, ping around a few passes and break through waves of pressure to set off a buildup. Through the first two games of the season, the Crew have been woefully bad in that department. Things like clearing the ball up to Abou Ali to hold up and getting the ball out of danger is fine, but Columbus is a team built to have the ball. Too often defenders will hoof the ball up the pitch without a recipient in mind, gifting possession back to the opposition. As always, a new coach means the system will evolve and change over time, but it is doubtful that Rydström wants to see the Black & Gold play as many long balls as they have over the first two games. For now, the Crew have a glaring issue in midfield when it comes to transition defense, tempo and ball retention. Lucky enough for Columbus, they have more than enough time to fix it just two games into the season. Chasing the game After going down 2-1 in the 72nd minute, the Black & Gold had to make some changes to chase the game. That change came eight minutes later, when the Crew morphed into a different formation with some timely substitutions. Columbus fans know that the Black & Gold typically line up in a three-back defensive look, flanked by wingbacks. The switch Rydström made late in the game, is to abandon that formation and move to a 4-2-4 shape instead. Amundsen and Camacho remained as dueling centerbacks, while Andres Herrera and Max Arfsten rounded out the backline. Zawadzki and Sékou Bangoura held down the midfield, while Rossi and Hugo Picard pushed up as wingers. Abou Ali and Jamal Thiaré pushed against the interior of Kansas City’s backline as the main targets for the Crew’s attack. This new shape gave Columbus a few options. First, it granted the Black & Gold width without sacrificing defensively. Arfsten and Herrera were free to push forward and aid in the attack, but Zawadzki would still sit as a holding midfielder in front of Camacho and Amundsen. In doing so, the Crew were able to have a solid presence inside the box with Abou Ali and Thiaré, while also creating overloads on the outside with the tandems of Rossi and Herrera, and Picard and Arfsten. By pushing the wingbacks higher up the field, Columbus morphed into an attacking 2-2-6. The Black & Gold may have sacrificed a little bit defensively to do so, but Zawadzki could drop back onto the backline for a 3-1-6 look if more stability in the back was needed. The second thing this new formation gave the Crew was the option to apply a re-press easier. With six players distributed across the frontline, all areas of the pitch were covered and primed for a repress. The task behind the front line for Bangoura and Zawadzki was simply to win 50/50 balls and recycle possession to the attackers. In these moments, Columbus found a lot of success sucking Kansas City to one side and then switching the ball to the opposite end of the pitch. By displacing the hosts’ backline, the Black & Gold were able to have space out wide on the opposite end to attack. This is exactly how Rossi’s goal came to be, due to an overshift from Kansas City’s defense. All in all, there are positives and negatives to take away from this game. The Crew will be disappointed not to take all three points, but they responded well in the final moments when they needed goals to secure a draw. Questions still remain in the midfield, as Rydström will look for answers ahead of the first home match of his tenure.

MLS action returned this weekend, kicking off the 2026 season as the Columbus Crew travelled west to face the Portland Timbers. After losing former head coach Wilfried Nancy in the offseason to a brief spell at Celtic, the Black & Gold hired Henrik Rydström to lead Columbus into the 2026 season. Rydström’s first few minutes at the helm of the Crew looked promising, when Wessam Abou Ali broke the deadlock to put Columbus up 1-0. Portland answered back quickly though, netting two goals to reclaim an advantage until Diego Rossi evened the game yet again with a curler from outside the box. It was a very open first half for both sides, but the game settled down in the second frame. The Black & Gold controlled the ball much more efficiently but could not convert any chances to take back the lead. Instead, Portland found the winner with minutes left in the match, catching the Crew defense napping to claim all three points. In just the first game of a new season, Columbus has a learning opportunity. Let’s dive into all the tactics that went into Rydström’s first match in charge of the Black & Gold. Familiar setup and shape with small caveats There was a lot of speculation coming into the season about Rydström’s preferred formation and how he would set up the Crew. In the first game of 2026, fans of the Black & Gold witnessed a familiar sight: a team shape similar to Columbus under Nancy. Rudy Camacho made his long-awaited return to the backline, flanked by new captain Sean Zawadzki and Malte Amundsen. Max Arfsten and Andres Herrera ran down the flanks, with the midfield manned by Dylan Chambost and Taha Habroune. Abou Ali, Rossi and Hugo Picard rounded out the attack for a typical 5-2-3 base formation. As always, this shape was subject to change on offense and defense. On the defensive side, the Black & Gold stayed consistent in the base 5-2-3 shape. Often, both central midfielders would compress against the backline to provide additional support. At the same time, Picard and Rossi dropped deeper to assist as well, leaving Abou Ali alone up top to stretch the backline. On offense, the Crew maintained the three-back look but shifted the base shape towards a 3-4-3 with both wingbacks pushing higher into the midfield. As we know after watching Columbus under Nancy for a few years, as the Black & Gold advance up the pitch, the shape changes. The same is true under Rydström in this game. As the Crew moved toward Portland’s goal, the 3-4-3 morphed into a 1-4-4-1/1-4-5. Both outside centerbacks joined the midfield, with the wingbacks pushing higher as well. These shapes should not shock Columbus fans who have watched the team over the past few years. That being said, there were a few small tweaks that Rydström instituted and became apparent. The first minute change had to deal with the positioning of Picard and Rossi. Under Nancy, the attacking trio up top were essentially positionless. The positional diversity of the attacking players allowed for the coaching staff to give them complete positional freedom, leading to creative attacks and fluid play. Under Rydström against Portland, Rossi and Picard were a bit more confined in their roles as dueling no. 10s. Both players drifted back deeper from Abou Ali into the midfield, facilitating the attack through the center of the pitch. This change allowed Abou Ali to push against the Portland backline, while making the opposing defense choose to step up on Rossi and Picard or drop off. The other bright side to having two no. 10s was the fact that the Crew had natural late-arriving runners into the box. When the wingbacks got high up the pitch in wide positions, Abou Ali could make darting runs towards goal to clear out space for Rossi and Picard to arrive late at the top of the box and the penalty spot. Granted, there are some downsides to changing from fluid to set positioning. The buildup can begin to feel unnatural and forced positionally, especially after years of playing a more fluid brand of attacking soccer. The other detractor is that if Picard and Rossi sit deeper, it leaves Abou Ali lacking support alongside him. Naturally, the wingbacks can tuck in to help out, but that did not happen much at all against Portland. The other small change Rydström made had to deal with the depth of the defensive line. Under Nancy, Columbus lived and died by the high line. It often helped with retaining the ball and keeping attacks alive but also became a double-edged sword in transition moments where the opposition could break. The Black & Gold’s defensive line against the Timbers played about 10-20 yards deeper than it did under Nancy. Nancy typically preferred to have his backline play extremely high even when the Black & Gold were on defense, often pushing up as high as the halfway line. Against Portland, the Crew’s backline settled midway in their own half, only pushing up to the halfway line when Columbus had the ball deep in Timbers’ territory. Time will tell if Rydström will make more tweaks as the schedule rolls on, transitioning from Nancy’s system to his own. Possible formation changes and tactical switches will be on the horizon, especially if the Black & Gold drop games. Same old defensive issues and new buildup problems Although a team can change coaches, some habits are still hard to break. For the Crew, the habit of falling asleep at the wheel in transition defense moments bit them a few too many times against the Timbers. The main problem in the 2025 season was primarily the caliber of Columbus’ defense. From the backline to the goalkeeper, the Black & Gold conceded too many goals, many of which were self-inflicted. The same became true on Saturday night in Portland. After Abou Ali put the Crew in front, it was all Timbers heading towards Columbus’ goal. The Black & Golds’ wingbacks were consistently caught too high, and the midfielders were not in a position to cover. This left the Crew’s back three completely vulnerable against Portland’s charging attack. The lack of having a true ball-winning center midfielder also hindered Columbus’ ability to halt these attacks. Typically a job for now-retired Darlington Nagbe or Zawadzki, Chambost (and then Sejdic when he was brought on) and Habroune were very poor in ball retention. The addition of newly acquired Andre Gomes will help, but without a safety valve in midfield, the Black & Gold were consistently in trouble. On the other side, the Crew struggled mightily in the first half when it came to controlling the ball. Once a team that led the league in possession stats a season ago, Columbus looked disorganized and rushed in the first half of the game against the Timbers. Some of these issues may have to do with the fact that it is the first game of the season with a new coaching staff, but a Black & Gold side that once thrived under pressure and answered it with possession, instead consistently dumped balls up to Abou Ali to try and hold up. For the first game of the season, there was a mixture of good and bad. The Crew’s offense seemed to click, especially between Abou Ali and Rossi. Questions still remain on who will be the third member of that front three, but Rydström has options to play with. The blemishes of transition defense and quality of buildup still remain worrying question marks, but in a 34-game season, a lot can change quickly. Not time to hit the panic button, especially after the first game of the season, but Crew fans will be expecting more from the upcoming road trip to visit Sporting Kansas City.

Graphic by Dorothy Lakshmanamurthy. CALEB DENORME | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | cdenorme@butler.edu SAWYER GOLDWEIN | MANAGING EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu Overtime, or “OT,” is an opinion column series where the Collegian takes national sports headlines or polarizing topics and gives them a Butler-centric angle. Recently, Outkick pundit Dan Dakich took a break from his regular analysis of Indiana University men’s basketball and his infatuation with “the great American penis” , instead taking aim at the Butler men’s basketball program and Hinkle Fieldhouse. In a tirade of posts on X, Dakich laid out an outlandish and inflammatory proposal on how to “fix Butler Basketball”. His obtuse plan of action began with the demolition of Hinkle — one of the most well-known arenas in all of college basketball — which also happens to be a U.S National Historic Landmark and a state historic site. Dakich went on to criticize Butler’s status in the Big East, advocate for the retirement of the school’s live mascot and even call for the firing of an athletic department staff member . After the men’s basketball team fell to a lowly 13-11 on the season due to a 70-55 drubbing by Big East bottomfeeder Marquette, criticism is warranted. The level of scrutiny that Dakich leveled on the program, though, is up for debate. Butler graduate Kyle McClintock — known on X as “Kyle the Butler Fan” — has his own fair share of opinions on how the Dawgs can improve, but saw Dakich’s comments as clickbait and ill-informed. “Dakich kind of knows that [the posts are] gonna get him interactions and people to see more of what he says,” McClintock said. “He’s clearly trying to take advantage of what he can there.” In the age of personal podcasts and money-for-clicks, timely posts capturing the swell of a fanbase’s emotions can vault personalities into a different stratosphere of reach. In his attempt to garner views and followers to his ever-controversial X account , Dakich insulted two core pillars of Butler University: Hinkle Fieldhouse and Butler Blue. Hinkle speaks for itself. Once the largest basketball arena in the nation, it has stood tall as a cathedral of college basketball for 98 years. Senior health sciences major Kyle Butka has experienced “Hinkle Magic” his entire life and strongly opposes Dakich’s idea. “Hinkle is a great place to go and watch a basketball game, especially if you’ve been going there for most of your life,” Butka said. “I’ve been going there since I was like five or six to watch games because my mom went here and she wanted to put us in the culture that she grew up with. So it really ticked me off a little bit, what he said.” The iconic building is a bucket-list stop for every hoops head and the crown jewel of Butler’s athletic programs. Tearing it down would be a disgrace to the university, the fans and the sport of college basketball, not to mention the late Gene Hackman’s ragtag team that won a state championship at Hinkle in the movie, “Hoosiers” . Blue, Butler’s bloated, but beloved bulldog mascot, has become a staple at basketball games and a marketing superstar for the university. The Bulldogs have a long history of being represented by a live mascot, with the first one appearing over a century ago in 1919. However, the modern iteration of the live mascot program commenced in 2000, with four “Butler Blue” dogs carrying the torch since then. Blue II enjoyed the most fame during his reign as mascot, starring as “America’s Dog” during the men’s basketball team’s back-to-back Final Four runs, and meeting countless celebrities along the way. Today, Blue IV continues the tradition, attending sports and events around campus, amassing 121,000 Instagram followers in the process. Blue is a key marketing tool for the school and its athletic teams alike, and is far from the “cheap and high school esque” symbol that Dakich claims he is. Jack Barry, a junior sports media and Spanish double major, does not understand the thought process behind criticizing a dog. “I feel like the one thing that people can associate with a positive image at Butler seems to be Blue,” Barry said. “So [it’s] interesting that that’s where Dakich goes [for] a criticism of the basketball program.” While Dakich has always been keen to comment on all things Indiana — whether it is basketball or the general politics of the area — his recent fixation on Butler basketball capitalizes on the upswing in fan disapproval around head coach Thad Matta’s fourth attempt at bringing the Bulldogs back to the NCAA Tournament. Butka believes the time has come to move on from Matta. “I think we need to head in a different direction with coaching,” Butka said. “Maybe find a different coach from a mid-major school like Saint Louis or Miami [University] .” As Butka points out, there is still some truth to be found in Dakich’s criticism, regardless of the absurdity of his comments. The men’s basketball team has been in a coma since the 2020 COVID-cancelled season denied the 22-9 Dawgs a trip to March Madness. Since then, the Dawgs have penciled in an 84-98 record in six years to date. The stadium atmosphere and the inclusion of a live mascot do not protect the paint or shoot jumpers on the court. The Bulldogs’ problems lie between the lines and on the bench, not with all the fanfare around it. If Butler wants to truly get back to winning, it needs to prioritize and invest in on-court performance.

Sophomore guard Evan Haywood had 18 points in Butler’s win over Providence. Photo by Drew Kosmak. CALEB DENORME | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | cdenorme@butler.edu In a double-overtime affair at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Butler prevailed 113-110 over the Providence Friars to open Big East play with a bang. It was a back-and-forth contest between the two sides, with each team controlling portions of the game. In the end though, it was the Bulldogs’ late-game heroics that vaulted them into the win column. Six Dawgs ended up in double-digits, with graduate forward Michael Ajayi leading the way with 28 points, followed closely by junior guard Finley Bizjack’s 26. Junior center Drayton Jones led the creative functions for Butler, notching a game-high eight assists in the victory. Let’s go beyond the box score, as the Bulldogs escape with a breath-holding win over Providence. See-sawing After 30 lead changes and 20 instances where the matchup was tied, late-game heroics from sophomore guard Evan Haywood salvaged a victory for Butler. In the final moments of the second overtime, Ajayi missed a dunk that was initially rebounded by Providence, but the graduate forward kept at it and came up with the steal. The ball found its way to Haywood, who nailed a triple to put the Bulldogs up by three with 35 seconds to go. After a stop, two missed free throws from redshirt sophomore Jaime Kaiser Jr. and another defensive stand, Butler secured the win. It was more gritty than pretty though. The Bulldogs were unable to get any real momentum going beyond the arc until the overtime periods, usually a staple of their offensive attack. Bizjack was bottled up from deep during most of the game, pushing the Dawgs to rely on other scoring outlets on offense. On the other end, Providence’s graduate guard tandem of Jaylin Sellers and Jason Edwards combined for 58 points on 10-19 shooting, outpacing Bizjack and Ajayi who combined for 54. Neither team grabbed a lead bigger than eight, and each squad managed runs of only as large as seven points. The pace of Big East basketball, 50 minutes of total game time and constant lead changes capped off a thrilling matchup between conference foes. Despite the tired legs, Bizjack emphasized that the Bulldogs were prepared for it. “It’s exhausting, but it’s not nothing we’re not built for,” Bizjack said. “I feel like our coaches have been really hard on us and bet on us having that kind of toughness. And while it was frustrating at times, it was super exciting.” The back-and-forth nature of the contest was bound to end in heartbreak for one squad, and unfortunately for the Friar faithful, that team was Providence. Beyond the spectacle of the dramatics, Friars head coach Kim English was not content to have simply played a part in the game without grabbing the victory. “[It’s] the same old for us,” English said. “Couldn’t secure rebounds [and] couldn’t secure loose balls. When you don’t do that, it’s hard to win.” Avoiding déjà vu Due to the volatile nature of the lead changing hands, this game was shaping up to be all-too familiar for the Bulldogs. Last season, Butler opened up conference play with six straight Big East losses, a part of a larger nine-game losing streak. After an Arizona Tip-Off title, the Dawgs crashed and burned until a mid-January win over Seton Hall. Avoiding a first conference loss against Providence was a must this time around. Although it was in heart-palpitating fashion, the wins all count the same for head coach Thad Matta and the Bulldogs. “We did what we wanted to do today and that was to win the basketball game,” Matta said. “It took 50 minutes to do it but… you’ve got to go play and you’ve got to make plays like we did down the stretch today. You’ve got to do it over, and over, and over and over again.” Butler will get a chance to follow up this win with another victory, hitting the road to take on UConn on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

There will never be another manager like Wilfried Nancy. Throughout the history of MLS and the Columbus Crew, it is hard to argue that one man has had as much of an impact on a team as Nancy has on the Black & Gold. The numbers speak for itself – 71 wins, 32 draws, just 31 losses and 282 goals – but the Frenchman’s impact goes well beyond just statistics. Some things cannot be measured by data points on a graph. There is not a statistical output to describe a Black & Gold’s fan’s feelings when club legends are sold , new stars are signed , rivals are vanquished , titles are won and homegrowns move on . All of those moments and memories would not have been possible if not for Wilfried Nancy. Nancy inherited a team filled with talent, but festering in a system that prioritized “boring”, passive soccer to grind out 1-0 wins. Nancy took that squad and revolutionized the way that soccer was played in Columbus. Defenders became attackers, midfielders became defenders and goalkeepers aided in the buildup to produce the most beautiful result: fluid, attack-minded winning soccer. All of this was birthed from the mind of Nancy. He took risks, evolved his team and produced some of the best soccer MLS has seen, and likely will ever see. The best part about it was, he did it Columbus’ way. He did not go out and poach retired international stars like some less-historic clubs tend to do nowadays, but instead he developed talent. Max Arfsten, Sean Zawadzki, Aidan Morris, Mohammed Farsi and Patrick Schulte all leapt to new heights under his leadership and became cornerstones of the squad in the years following. His development of talent did not stop at the youth level, overhauling seasoned players’ playstyles for the benefit of the team. Nancy morphed Steven Moreira – once a fullback – into an MLS Defender of the Year winning centerback. Cucho Hernandez ascended to become a versatile attacking monster who could cut the opposition in a plethora of different ways. Even Darlington Nagbe underwent a metamorphosis into more of a tempo-dictating maestro rather than an attack-minded central midfielder. The best part about Wilfried Nancy though, is he chose Columbus. In a league where the sun of the west coast, the lights of big cities or the beaches of South Florida are most attractive, Nancy set his roots in Columbus, Ohio. He chose a city who loves their soccer, a fanbase who saved their team from relocation and an organization that is steeped in history. Now he has become intertwined in the fabric of this franchise’s history, undergoing one of the most successful stints in club history. His bold, brash and beautiful style netted Columbus an MLS Cup, Leagues Cup, and appearances in the Campeones Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup finals. Although the silverware is a nice touch, the way in which his teams won those games is an entirely different conversation. Through his 134-game tenure, Nancy’s Crew scored 2.1 goals per game. The Frenchman’s mantra was predicated on relentless focus, timely pressure and defending with possession. This was not Caleb Porter and Gregg Berhalter’s passive possession system of yesteryear; this was fluid soccer on steroids. The free-flowing Crew captivated crowds in every way imaginable. Attack the Black & Gold with numbers? Get ready for a counterattack. Defend deep with 11 players? Prepare for Columbus to probe the defense until it cracks. Adaptability is the name of Nancy’s game, and that is why he is heading to Scotland to undertake a position as Celtic’s new manager. Crew fans knew this was coming from the moment they saw the Black & Gold under his guide. The man that masterminded a beautiful tactical system and yielded trophies was not long for this league. What Columbus fans will miss most is not the games, the goals, the titles or accolades, they will miss a manager that connected with them – the fans. Nancy came in and not only revolutionized soccer in the city, but he also brought healing to a community that was still scarred from the deplorable actions of Anthony Precourt and his queso-blinded henchmen. After going through a war to keep the city’s beloved team and a championship in 2020 followed by two seasons of mediocrity, fans of the Black & Gold were gifted with a manager who understood them and gave the city, fanbase and team everything he had. And for that, we say thank you. Thank you for the memories, the titles, the belief and the motivational sayings that got an entire fanbase ready to show up in all weather and cheer for the Yellow Soccer Team. Most of all, thank you for embracing an entire city and showcasing that we deserve to belong in the spotlight among the best – as the best. As for what Celtic is getting? It is best to let Nancy explain in his own words : “I am not a boss; I am a leader”

Dan Cooreman will receive the Butler Medal during Homecoming weekend. Photo courtesy of Dan Cooreman. Graphic by Anna Gritzenbach. CALEB DENORME | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | cdenorme@butler.edu The Butler University Alumni Association announced the 2025 alumni award recipients who will be honored at an Alumni Recognition Ceremony during Homecoming. Among the alumni recipients is Butler graduate and former Butler Collegian staff member Dan Cooreman. Cooreman will receive The Butler Medal on Sept. 26, an award that is the highest honor given by the Butler University Alumni Association. The Butler Medal recognizes individuals for “a lifetime of distinguished service to either Butler or their local community while at the same time achieving a distinguished career in their chosen profession and attaining a regional or national reputation.” Cooreman — a journalism graduate in the class of 1976 — served on the Collegian from 1973 to 1976. During the 1975-76 school year, Cooreman served as the Collegian’s editor-in-chief. Professionally, Cooreman worked at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Birmingham (Ala.) Post Herald, the South Bend Tribune and The New York Times (NYT). He retired in 2015 after serving as an editor of the Sunday Business section of The NYT. Throughout his professional career and after his retirement, Cooreman continually gave his time, energy and resources to mentoring up-and-coming journalists who worked at the Collegian. Cooreman also serves as the College of Communication’s (CCOM) Dean Advisory Board Chairperson, advising and supporting CCOM’s vision. Upon receiving this prestigious honor, Cooreman provided this statement to the Collegian by email: “My service to Butler has always been a natural way to say thanks for an education that opened the doors to a long journalism career. I never expected to win an award for it. The late Professor Art Levin, a Butler legend, always told his students that ‘journalists have a front-row seat on life.’ Thanks to him and so many others at Butler, I enjoyed living that life for 40 years.” “Butler has seen vast changes in the decades since my graduation, but as a former Collegian editor, I know one astounding tradition that has endured: The valiant Collegian staff still works into the early-morning hours on publication nights to produce a vibrant newspaper for the campus community. That is something for all of us to celebrate.” “I’m humbled and grateful to be included among this year’s honorees. Just take one look at their wide-ranging backgrounds and accomplishments, and you have proof that there is indeed strength in diversity.”

The Columbus Crew got back to action on Saturday, traveling to New Jersey to take on the New York Red Bulls in a pivotal Eastern Conference matchup. With only a few games remaining, both sides were looking to climb the table to make or sweeten their position within the playoff picture. It was a back-and-forth game, with both teams having chances to open the scoring, but neither side converted, ending the match in a 0-0 draw. Both teams picked up a point, but disappointment was shared by both sides’ who wanted to claim all three. It is another dismal performance from a Black & Gold team who have just not been good enough this season. The offense – even with the inclusion of Wessam Abou Ali – is still sputtering despite the attacking power the Crew have on paper. In another disappointing draw, let’s dive into all the tactics. RBNY’s tactical setup and Columbus’ struggles Coming into this game, the Black & Gold had been in a rut since crashing out of Leagues Cup. Without Darlington Nagbe, the Crew have looked lost and ultimately uninspiring. The same themes happened in this game as well, but New York played a part in that too. First, let’s tackle what RBNY did to make Columbus uncomfortable in possession. Teams often try a plethora of different presses to affect the way the Black & Gold can build out of the back. All of MLS knows the Crew like a possession-dominant system, and because of that Columbus deals with a lot of different defensive looks. On Saturday, New York had a defensive shape that the Black & Gold had not seen before. Red Bulls stayed in a 4-3-3, but the midfield and attacking lines were offset towards a different sideline. New York’s attacking three shaded over to the left side of the field, while the midfield cheated more to the right. This shape allowed RBNY to have a balanced defensive shape that only gave up space to the Crew’s left center back (LCB) (Malte Amundsen) and the droppers on the right half of the field (Andres Herrera, Daniel Gazdag or Diego Rossi). In the moments where the ball looks like it could be going into those spaces, New York’s setup allowed players to cover. If Amundsen got the ball on the left side, one of Red Bulls’ midfield three could step up and mark him. If it looked like the Black & Gold were trying to switch the point of attack to the right side of the field, the New York midfield could shift, or the left winger could drop in to cut off passing lanes. The RBNY offset press caused the Crew problems during moments of the match. This offset press made it incredibly hard for Columbus to find space. Typically, when a team defends the Crew, there is some amount of space that they are giving up whether it is the wide areas or central midfield. RBNY gave up space to Amundsen and on the right side for droppers, but they closed down that space quickly with how their structure could adapt. Although this pressing structure confused the Black & Gold for a while, it was not foolproof. The Crew had attacking movements and was at least one Rossi chance away from taking the lead due to good attacking play. We are used to seeing Wilfried Nancy coach teams to unlock the puzzle and win games that way, but they have been missing that last step recently. The fix for Columbus in this game was going up the field with more tempo. If the Black & Gold combined before RBNY could fill the gaps, the Crew could get into good attacking spaces. As has been the trend in the past few weeks though, Columbus could not score for the life of them. They struggled to even generate a shot in the first half. The big question is, why have the Black & Gold been so stale the past few games? For starters, the absence of Nagbe is showing. The Crew captain is the perfect holding midfielder to dictate tempo, win the ball back and allow Dylan Chambost to move into the attack because Nagbe can cover him. Without Nagbe running the midfield, Columbus has been chasing shadows. Part of this also falls on the manager. Nancy simply cannot play Taha Habroune in central midfield without pairing him with a ball-winning midfielder. Habroune is a budding young player who is going to have a great professional career but asking him to have increased defensive duties is not working well. Habroune often is caught ball-watching, is second to react on crosses and at times simply gives up on defending and jogs around. His lackadaisical approach to being a true central midfielder is causing the Black & Gold problems. Another issue is the inability to finish easy chances up top. Rossi, Gazdag, and the rest of the attack have seemingly lost all killer instinct. Much of the lack of chances has to do with how stagnant the offense looks. There is little movement, no creativit,y and too often they recycle the ball back to Patrick Schulte. In the first half, the Crew turned RBNY over near New York’s box, but instead of having a shot or being aggressive, they decided to play the ball back to Schulte. The simple fact is that when you look at the offensive creativity for Columbus right now, it resembles the 2022 offense led by former head coach Caleb Porter. Fans of the Black & Gold know how that ends and will not want to see the trend continue. Adapting to Wessam Abou Ali Another thing that the Crew needs to figure out in the final few weeks is how to base their offense around Abou Ali. Not every striker is created equal, and while Abou Ali is a talented goal scorer, he is not the same player as Cucho Hernandez. Hernandez was a jack-of-all-trades in the attack. He was mobile, could create, and was also dangerous from every part of the pitch. Abou Ali on the other hand, is more of a true no. 9 up top. This is not an implication on the Palestinian striker. A true finisher playing up top with creators around him is exactly what Columbus needs. Instead, the emphasis is now on the players around Abou Ali to figure out how to best service and create around him. This responsibility rests firmly on the shoulders of Rossi and Gazdag. Both the Uruguayan and the Hungarian need to get back into the role of being creators, rather than pushing the envelope as goal scorers. Think of Rossi in his first season with the Black & Gold. Fans were frustrated with the lack of production from the standpoint of goals, but Rossi actually was an integral part of that championship run. He routinely gave Hernandez and Christian Ramirez space to work and provided a number of assists during that span. That is exactly what Rossi and Gazdag both need to do now. The goals will come with time; they cannot force it. Now, they should focus on how to best link up with Abou Ali and give him the best looks possible. From what we have seen so far, that will likely look like having quick one-two combinations with each other in tight spaces. The wingbacks will be wide in case the ball needs to be recycled, but if Rossi and Gazdag can use Abou Ali as the focal point of the attack to run and attack off of, the Crew might figure out their scoring issues sooner than people think. Although Columbus has been in a rough stretch, it seems like Nagbe is closer to a return. At the same time, the more practice Abou Ali gets with his new teammates, the more dangerous the Black & Gold will become.

The Columbus Crew returned to MLS action on Saturday, travelling north of the border for a Trillium Cup match against Toronto FC. Early on, it looked like the Black & Gold would end up having their way after Diego Rossi opened the scoring inside of ten minutes. The Crew held onto control throughout the lion share of the rest of the game but were unable to double their advantage before Toronto caught the Columbus defense napping to even the game. Daniel Gazdag seemingly got onto the scoresheet to give the Black & Gold the lead again, but a suspect offside review overturned what would have been the Hungarian’s first goal from the run of play for the Crew. In the end, Columbus walked away with the points shared and another collapse against inferior opposition. In a game that offered an opportunity to gain some momentum heading into the home stretch of the season, let’s dive into all the tactics that netted the Black & Gold a point. It’s all about the outside center backs The key to this game for the Crew was the outside center backs. Every offensive movement depended on where the outside centerbacks ended up, and what runs the other players could make off of them. In possession, Columbus morphed into a 1-4-2-3. Sean Zawadzki stayed deep as the lone centerback, with Steven Moreira and Malte Amundsen up as wide midfielders alongside Dylan Chambost and Taha Habroune. Rossi and Gazdag roamed as floating attacking midfielders, with Ibrahim Aliyu up top and flanked by Max Arfsten and Andres Herrera. Having four players in the midfield gave the Black & Gold flexibility on offense and transition defense. When attacking, the midfield could choose a route of attack based on how Toronto responded to the numbers. If the home side filtered wide to cover the wingbacks and outside centerbacks, Habroune and Chambost could combine with Gazdag and Rossi through the middle. If Toronto went compact, the outside center backs played into the wingbacks and overlapped to create those wide overloads. Again, the versatility of Moreira and Amundsen allowed the Crew to move just beyond those two options. Chambost and Habroune had the opportunity to move into the attacking midfield if both outside center backs pinched into central midfield. This sequence of movements gave Rossi and Gazdag more freedom to roam in different spaces, while also having more attacking options in close proximity to combine with. On the flip side, when Moreira and Amundsen decided to move into a wing-back role, the actual wingbacks who were higher up the pitch pinched inside as a second and third striker. More bodies in the box equals more chaos for Toronto to deal with. The other plus is that now, Columbus has two of their best crossers (Moreira and Amundsen) on the wing to pick out those targets. That tweak of allowing Moreira and Amundsen to hunt down the wings or inside gave the wingbacks more freedom as well. Arfsten and Herrera knew that they had coverage with the outside centerbacks behind them, so both wingbacks made diagonal runs in the blind spots of Toronto’s defense. While none of these runs directly yielded a goal, those dangerous runs generated good goal-scoring chances for the Crew. Looking back on this game, the two players who impacted the game the most positionally were both outside center backs. If Moreira and whoever he is paired with are on their game, Columbus is as good as it gets. Another collapse to a lesser opponent Simply put, the Black & Gold should have won this game fairly easily. Toronto is not the worst team in the league, but they have had struggles. Winning away from home is never a walk in the park, but after the opening ten minutes and how the Crew were controlling the game, surely Columbus fans thought this would be a 2-0 or 3-0 game. Instead, the Black & Gold folded yet again late in the match, conceded a stupid equalizer, and could not find the decisive goal to get all three points. A draw is a draw, and the Crew will take the point, but great teams do not go far in this league by tying games they are supposed to win. There is no tactical reason as to why Columbus got the result they did. Wilfried Nancy drew up a good game plan and had the Black & Gold in goalscoring positions, but the Crew coasted through the final phase of the game. Look at Toronto’s goal. A corner that is initially headed out by Columbus falls to Habroune, who whiffs on a clearance that would have given the Black & Gold’s defense an opportunity to get up and apply the repress. As the ball is recycled out wide, Habroune does not close down the Toronto attacker quickly enough to cut off the cross. The cross is played in, Jacen Russell-Rowe does not check his shoulder, and Toronto has a tap-in equalizer. What happened on that particular play is lazy defending by two bright, young stars for the Crew. Habroune has been sensational as of late, and Russell-Rowe has his moments as well. This goal, though, is inexcusable from a work ethic standpoint. Even 77 minutes into the match, you have to close down attackers and make sure marks are covered like you did in the first minute. Those mental mistakes late in games are what have plagued Columbus this season. Fans will talk about the lack of a true goal scorer outside of Rossi, Gazdag’s ineffectiveness in front of goal, and Patrick Schulte’s blunders, but the real problem is the work ethic late in games. In terms of alarming trends to have around your team, conceding lazy late goals is perhaps the most worrisome. Nancy and the Black & Gold coaching staff have a week to figure it out, but as we head into the playoffs, there is not much more margin for error.

The Columbus Crew kicked off their Leagues Cup title defense on Tuesday night, taking on Mexican side Toluca at Lower.com Field. The contest got off to a dream start for the hosts, with Diego Rossi converting a penalty to put Columbus up 1-0. In the second half, Max Arfsten doubled the lead merely five minutes after halftime. The Black & Gold looked in control from the standpoint of the scoreline, but Toluca began fighting back. The visitors got a goal back after Patrick Schulte spilled a seemingly routine shot at the feet of a Toluca attacker, gifting Toluca a goal. The news got worse before it got better for the Crew, with a towering header slipping by Schulte’s hands a short time later to even the game at 2-2. Columbus had a chance for redemption from the penalty spot though, but Rossi’s second penalty of the evening was saved. From there, the Black & Gold went on to lose on penalties and claim only a point from this contest. In another disappointing collapse for the Crew, let’s dive into all the tactics. Columbus’ early dominance The first 15-20 minutes of the game were a dream for the Black & Gold. The Crew got on the board from the penalty spot and created a number of other scoring chances that should have been converted. Much of this early attacking prowess was actually due to the way Toluca was pressing, which played right into Columbus’ hands. Toluca came out of the gates pressing in a 5-5 but not pushing up their backline to supplement the press. This pressure left a huge gap in the midfield for Rossi, Daniel Gazdag and Dylan Chambost to exploit. When those dropping attackers received the ball, they could simply turn and run at the retreating defensive line. From there, the game became smaller. It was five Toluca defenders against however many attackers the Black & Gold mustered. Often, Toluca’s problem was when they collapsed or narrowed the defense in response to the driving attackers. This vice of the backline gave the Crew wingbacks more space to receive the ball and then take on their defender. Columbus achieved these overloads by building out of the back in a 1-3-1-5. Both outside centerbacks moved up alongside Darlington Nagbe in midfield, with Chambost moving higher as a roaming attacking midfielder. Jacen Russell-Rowe remained up top as the target man, with Rossi and Gazdag freely roaming underneath. The outside centerbacks also had the freedom to move up the field and overload the wings with the wingbacks. Once the first block of five pressers was broken, the Black & Gold wanted to get as many numbers forward as possible to overload the Toluca defense. With Steven Moreira and sometimes even Yevhen Cheberko moving into the attack, they were able to accomplish just that. It was a great start for the Crew, but the home side will be wishing they took advantage of more of their chances off the bat. It could have easily been 3-0 in favor of Columbus heading into halftime, but slight miscues in the execution limited the Black & Gold to one goal. Toluca’s resurgence The entire match changed a little bit after the Crew scored the first goal of the game. Toluca saw that their pressure in the 5-5 was not working, so they opted to make a change. The visitors instead doubled down and decided to apply more pressure, now going after Columbus with seven to eight players. Toluca’s new press actually looks much like the Black & Gold’s. This change sacrificed Toluca’s defensive stability for a more robust pressing strategy, but it also flipped the emphasis of the game. In the 5-5 press, Toluca put the pressure on themselves to turn the Crew over and win the ball. Pressing with five players is not easy by any stretch of the imagination, especially against Columbus. More turnovers were going to need to come from Toluca making a great play, rather than forcing the Black & Gold to make a poor one. Now, with seven or eight players sent to press the Crew, the home side began to make mistakes. Passes were sloppy, touches were not in control and the turnover numbers began going up more and more. By forcing Columbus into mistakes rather than banking on their press to generate them, Toluca got back into the game. Of course, the press was a significant part of Toluca’s comeback, but it was not the only reason they got back into the game. The Black & Gold’s inconsistencies reared their ugly heads again. Poor goalkeeping on multiple occasions from Schulte did more harm than good. The Crew’s defense is still aerially inept, the offense tends to struggle connecting passes and finishing “can’t miss” chances. These constant screw ups continue to sink Columbus in games where they have a good start, but fall over the finish line. For the second straight game, the Black & Gold blow a lead in the second half. Wilfried Nancy is all about building habits, but this certain trend is not one he will want to see continue.

Butler suspends Social Justice and Diversity requirements. Photo by Andrew Buckley. EMMA MCLEAN | MANAGING EDITOR | emclean@butler.edu CALEB DENORME | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | cdenorme@butler.edu Butler University has suspended its Social Justice and Diversity (SJD) academic requirement for students, citing compliance with government standards and trends. The university claims that the decision is intended to protect the institution’s access to state and federal funding, which includes grants and financial aid programs. In a message sent to the Butler community on July 24, university leadership clarified that while the SJD requirement is no longer mandatory, the associated courses will remain available as non-core options. The decision does not affect the availability or scheduling of current SJD-designated classes. This move comes nearly two months after Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita sent a letter to the university and President James Danko condemning Butler’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies. Rokita stated in the letter that “virtually all forms of racial discrimination—even those employed in service of the interests of diversity, equity, and inclusion—are unlawful.” The Attorney General asked Butler to provide answers regarding the university’s DEI policies by June 27 to analyze Butler’s concurrence with civil rights laws. Rokita wrote that Butler’s answers would also shed light on the university’s non-profit standing. Despite the changes in academic policy, Butler expressed a steadfast commitment to “fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant campus community.” The university stated it would continue to offer resources through the Division of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Student Affairs (DEISA) for all students who wanted to participate. University leadership acknowledged that the change may raise concerns and promised ongoing dialogue and transparency as they navigate the evolving legal landscape. In a statement published by Butler’s Student Government Organization (SGA), President Eloise Ayotte and Vice President Elena Clark write, “We believe that engaging with diverse perspectives and social justice issues is essential to the academic and personal growth of every student … we will continue working to ensure [these values] are upheld in our classrooms, programs, and student spaces.” Proceeding without the SJD requirement raises concerns regarding Butler’s standing with DEI. While leadership promised continued support of inclusivity efforts, the future of broader DEI initiatives on campus is uncertain. The Butler Collegian will continue to report on this story.

The Columbus Crew were back in action for a midweek clash against Nashville SC, but fans will be wishing there was no game at all. The hosts took the lead just over a minute into the match, marking the second straight game where the Black & Gold have conceded within two minutes. Nashville grabbed another goal in the first half, sending the Crew into the locker room in a 2-0 hole. After the events in Cincinnati on Saturday, it was not a stretch to say Columbus could make the comeback. Unfortunately for fans of the Black & Gold, it was not meant to be. Nashville would eventually make it 3-0, and that is how the game would end. It was an incredibly ugly game from Wilfried Nancy’s side, so let’s dive into all the tactics that sent the Crew home with nothing to show for. Nashville’s well-thought-out gameplan Nashville came into this game with a clear motive on the offensive side. They were going to use Columbus’ tendency to attack and throw numbers forward against the Black & Gold. The hosts accomplished this by defending with eight players and leaving only two attackers up top. By locking down the defensive end, Nashville invited pressure onto the backline and drew the Crew out. The more Nashville dropped back, the more Columbus wanted to get numbers forward to find overloads. It was at these moments that the Black & Gold would be the most vulnerable on the back end, with Sean Zawadzki typically being the only defender deep. The deep backline would stopgap any type of approach from the Crew, then when the ball was turned over the emphasis was on the first pass out. One easy way to bypass Columbus’ repress is to play a quick long-ball over the top to the attack, which is exactly what Nashville decided to do. At the first whiff of a turnover in play, Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar drifted wide onto opposite ends of the field. Both attackers then became options for quick long-balls out of the back to trigger the counter. With Zawadzki only back to stop any counter chance, Nashville had a two vs. one chance if they could get the ball out fast enough. Many times they did, charging at an out-of-depth Zawadzki and attempting to outrun Steven Moreira and Yevhen Cheberko who were recovering. If Zawadzki took the ballcarrier away, the backside passes to Mukhtar or another trailing Nashville player would be open. If Zawadzki dropped off, he would just delay the problem until the attack was closer to Patrick Schulte’s goalmouth. Nashville was incredibly smart at taking a tenet of the Black & Gold’s philosophy – finding numerical overloads – and applying it to their own gameplan. The Crew want to commit nine players into the attack? That is fine for Nashville, they just countered the undermanned backline with two attackers to create an overload of their own. In the end, Columbus simply had no answers. Nashville ran riot for most of the night, netting three goals and sending the Black & Gold home with nothing to show for. Columbus’ shortcomings On both ends of the pitch, this game was a disaster for the Crew. The defense could only be described as “Swiss cheese” after conceding in the opening two minutes for the second straight game, this time courtesy of Zawadzki’s chest. Offensively, there was no real bright spot outside of a few chances that were blocked by the Nashville defense. Columbus has a history of games like this so far this season. One day, the Black & Gold will muster a comeback from 2-0 down against Cincinnati, but the next they can look pedestrian on offense and completely inept on defense. To give credit where credit is due, Nashville came into this game with a clear gameplan and a track record in the top half of the East, but the Crew are better than a 3-0 scoreline. The biggest and most glaring problem from Columbus was the sloppiness and complacency. Easy passes, touches and shooting opportunities looked impossible when a player in Black & Gold was attempting it. Chances to turn into space and open the game up were bypassed for dropped passes and negative movement. Easy mistakes like that engrain an almost lazy mentality in a team for a game. Everyone is looking around for someone to be the spark, but the spark never came. Along with the sloppy mistakes was an attack that missed the biggest opening Nashville gave up, the wide channels. The hosts defended with a narrow midfield three (or four sometimes), but Darlington Nagbe and Amar Sejdic were content to stay central. Often times this season we have seen the Crew’s midfielders drift wide as a temporary half-pivot to connect the backline to the higher wingbacks, but that never happened in this game. That small change could have helped Columbus build around that narrow midfield or pull those midfielders wide so Diego Rossi and Daniel Gazdag could drop into that vacated space. Unfortunately for the Black & Gold, that small switch never happened. Wednesday night in Nashville was the perfect storm of a midweek match, a sloppy performance and an opponent having a stellar gameplan to sink the Crew. Columbus still is in the top sector of the Eastern Conference, but they will not want a repeat of this performance anytime soon.