There is some nervous energy amongst the Crew and their fans. I could sense it when I went to the rally last night for my Columbus Underground story (a story which is now up). The team hasn’t played their best and faces elimination and an early end to the season.

This is not a lighthearted group right now. They haven’t scored in almost a month. There is that bit of controversy about Schelotto not starting. Quite a few of the players gave the required quotes about a do or die game and dreaming about the Cup, but the stress of being number one was apparent on many of the players faces.

There isn’t the looseness that I have seen before; this team is all business. Frankie Hejduk had a few words for the assembled masses about taking the game to visiting Real Salt Lake. Jed Zayner talked about the home crowd being the fuel to drive the team forward, but the realities of being the favorite are really starting to set in. They are the marked men, Salt Lake took a good shot at them on Saturday and now are 90 minutes away from knocking out the champs.

I guess that’s why I found the loosest and most relaxed person at the rally was Coach Warzycha. He even joked about the Guille controversy by saying “I read a lot this week so I am now clear on who will play on Thursday.” For all of the criticism that came his way this week, Robert is looking past it to the game. A Crew win and he will look like a genius.

With a goalless streak and 3 straight losses, this is a team that is playing tight. The longer the game goes on Thursday without a goal; the tighter I bet they get. Sometimes goal scoring is more mental that physical. An early goal may just open the floodgates and restore a little confidence and swagger to the champs. Without that championship swagger, home field advantage won’t be enough.

Warzycha tried to bunker and counter to spring the offense. Well it almost worked. I have the full recap up at Columbus Underground.

The offense looked lost yet again. Schelotto didn’t even get off the bench. I happen to agree with the game plan, but not the execution. The strikers did not play off each other well at all. There was little offensive support from the midfield, especially the defensive minded O’Rourke and Carroll.

• I know Schelotto is a professional, but I have to wonder how he will take getting benched a playoff game.
• I did like the shots from the outside of the box. It gives defenders something to think about.
• The Columbus offense looked pretty good in the first half. They countered effectively and had a couple of chances.
• Rogers played his best in the first half, he combined well with Lenhart at times.
• The defensive minded midfield did well to contain
• The Crew collapsed around the 75th minute. They looked gassed. The midfield was torn to shreds.
• On that note, Movsysian was a good switch. Warzycha tried to counter with another forward. Doesn’t work if you don’t get service.
• Three things went wrong on the goal, Hejduk was slow to close down, Brunner was late on Findley, and Hesmer got beat near post. If any
• Being down a goal and returning home is not a time to panic. RSL has a +23 goal differential at home. They are –15 on the road. Crew are +10 at home, 0 on the road.

Grades:

———————Hesmer: 5———————-

Hejduk: 5–Brunner: 5–Marshall: 6—Padula: 5

Gaven: 5—O’Rourke: 6—Carroll: 5—Rogers: 6

——–Renteria: 5—Lenhart: 6——————

Subs:  Garey: 5, Ekpo: NR

Crew Man of the Match: Marshall

Postgame is up at Columbus Underground. Game notes, a couple thoughts from the Awards Night, MLS Awards, and a look ahead to the playoffs are coming soon.

Another game with an offensive slump; another loss. Recent form hasn’t been great and much of that can be pegged to the performance of the Crew offense. All of the ineptitude of the trip to D.C. can be found over at Columbus Underground.

• The conditions were abominable. Two days of rain certainly had it’s effect on the game. Passes went short and dribbles were off. There was no flow.
• Columbus has to figure out a way to draw out a bunkering team. DC stuffed the box and were able to suffocate any offensive chance.
• Also on offense, this team still lacks a killer instinct around goal. During one possession, Burns passed on a clear shot from 12 yards out and it was intercepted. An intercepted pass is a possession that doesn’t end in a shot.
• What happened to the defense on the goal? After a second look, the defense played a good line. Kevin Burns had tracked back three yards past the defensive line and kept Emilio onside.
• Rogers was an absolute terror. He can be inconsistent, but he ran at will on the left side last night. His crosses were sharp and he even had a near goal with a great shot from distance. He carried over his National Team form.
• I am still not sure what Renteria was thinking. He had just gotten his way into the rotation and now he draws a silly red card.

Grades:

———————Hesmer: 6———————-

Hejduk: 6–O’Rourke: 6–Brunner: 6—Zayner: 7

Gaven: 7—Moffat: 5—Burns: 5—Rogers: 8

——–Lenhart: 6—Schelotto: 6——————

Subs:  Garey: 5, Renteria 4, Iro: NR

Crew Man of the Match: Rogers

Better late than never perhaps. Refresh your memories of the tragedy of the first loss at Crew Stadium in over a year at Columbus Underground.

• I thought the team looked a little tired, Warzycha disagreed. I have a way of asking the question that sets him off. I still think passing and control were off for the whole team.
• Rogers has been woefully out of form the last couple of games. It appears he might be carrying an injury or has lost a step. He looks slow and unsure on the dribble.
• Add Carroll to the list of players suffering through a slump. He hasn’t been the same since his midseason injury.
• Kevin Burns had a solid game in central midfield. He played a no frills game and had a couple nice passes. I especially liked his forward chipped ball; it didn’t connect but it was a good idea.
• Steve Davis is exactly right, there is a bit too much diving on this team. If you can work a foul then do so, but refs are not biting on the constant simulation. Several attacks died out when Moreno or Gaven went down.
• I can’t wait to see Renteria and Lenhart running roughshod over a backline. They certainly add ferocity to the lineup.
• The divot was the topic of postgame conversation. Schelotto noted it, but Warzycha was the one steaming over it.
• Notably absent, Sigi’s scarf. He did not wear it during the game and did not have it post game. He spoke of his sincere respect for the Nordecke after the game; it sounds like he meant it.
• This team is starting to show issues with tempers. Padula, Lenhart, Moreno, and O’Rourke have shown a willingness to mix it up more than the past. I am not sure if the pressure is starting to take it’s toll.

Grades:

———————Hesmer: 6———————-

Zayner: 6–O’Rourke: 6–Brunner: 5—Padula: 5

Gaven: 6—Carroll: 3—Burns: 5—Rogers: 3

——–Schelotto: 5—Moreno: 4——————

Subs:  Lenhart: 6, Ekpo: 6, Renteria: 5

Crew Man of the Match: Gaven

Don’t have tickets to see to see Sigi v. The Polish Rifle, well there is a way. Columbus Underground and this blog have two free tickets to the Crew battle the Sounders. More details over at CU.

I finally recovered enough from the trip to recap the action over at Columbus Underground. I am most impressed with how the Crew keep taking the best shots from these teams and rarely falter.

• A couple thoughts about the referee: I am split on the PK. I think Lenhart may have gotten to the ball first and him getting clipped sent him spinning, thuse the resulting scissor kick. I also think Padula should have gotten a red card instead of his yellow in the first half, no matter the time in the game.
• Warzycha seems to know which strings to pull, the Crew looked like a different team in the 2nd half.
• The Crew midfield was overrun in the 1st half. Chicago could move the ball at will. The Crew did shift into a 3-5-2 midway in the second half in part to counter that possession edge Chicago had.
• Robbie Rogers looks a lot like the player he did last year. He is having more good games. He is taking people on and seems confident on the ball.
• Eddie Gaven is also choosing a good time to have a nice run of form. His play recently makes lineup decisions a little harder. I see him edging out Ekpo right now; all things equal.
• I wonder if Eric Brunner is hitting the wall physically. He has looked shaky the past month and his play in Chicago was inconsistent at best.
• Renteria did get a few minutes, but did not seem to get what the coaching staff wanted out of him. I could see the coaches constantly directing him to get more defensive as the game wound down. He also didn’t run like he had just come into a game.
• I spent 13 hours on a bus in 1 day for 90 minutes of soccer. I am still trying to catch up on my sleep. I feel like a zombie.

Grades:

———————Hesmer: 6———————-

Hejduk: 7–Iro: 5–Brunner: 4—Padula: 5

Ekpo: 5—Carroll: 5—O’Rourke: 4—Rogers: 7

——–Schelotto: 7—Moreno: 6——————

Subs: Lenhart: 6, Gaven: 6, Renteria: 5

Crew Man of the Match: Schelotto

The Travelling Nordecke (Fahmi - Studio79)

Hejduk Dives Into Another Tackle (Fahmi/Studio79)

Relive the match with the postgame wrap up over at Columbus Underground. As for the rest of what I saw:

• I thought the penalty was the correct call; I could also see it go the other way too, but was very surprised when Gonzalez called it. He was uneven at best all game. As for Cameron’s foul, never grab a player in the box, especially one who is prone to go down and has little chance of getting to the ball.
• Houston coach Dominc Kinnear laid blame squarely at the ref’s feet. Perhaps he changed his mind when he saw a replay, but I doubt it. He also was none too kind towards the “flopping” tendencies of certain Crew players.
• Houston was quiet in the middle of the field and that is thanks to Carroll and O’Rourke. The duo may not be an offensive powerhouse, but they kept hold of the midfield.
• Rogers tormented the Dynamo back line in the second half. He probably was good for at least one more goal scoring chance if he stayed in the game, but he picked up a little knock and came out.
• Schelotto may not have had the best game, but there were several passes that sprung Rogers or Moreno past the defense.
• Renteria didn’t even make the 18 man roster. I can’t imagine him starting in Costa Rica tomorrow if he hasn’t gotten any minutes yet.

Grades:

———————Hesmer: 6———————-

Hejduk: 7–Marshall: 7–Brunner: 6—Padula: 6

Gaven: 6—Carroll: 7—O’Rourke: 6—Rogers: 7

——–Schelotto: 6—Moreno: 6——————

Subs: Moffat: 5, Ekpo: 5, Lenhart: 6

Crew Man of the Match: Frankie Hejduk

The postgame wrap up is over at Columbus Underground. Take a check over there for the play by play of the hits that weren’t. So the streak had to come to an end sometime, it’s tough that it happened to be in New York.

• Moffat is becoming an integral part of the offense. The midfield wasn’t nearly as fluid after he left the game. Linking play broke down and the Crew played long balls at Moreno and Rogers.
• It’s apparent that Schelotto’s hamstring is still pretty tender. He did not want to run at more than a jog on the New York turf. Hopefully he is better by the time Houston rolls into town.
• I don’t mind short corner kicks, the Crew have even scored goals off of them. If you are going to execute them, it has to be fast. Make the decision and whip in the cross. The defense was already set when Hejduk lobbed the blocked cross for the Red Bull goal.
• Garey was underwhelming. He never was a factor in the offense and didn’t even work well with Lenhart. I would not be surprised to see Renteria take his spot in the rotation and he drops to the bottom of the depth chart.
• Warzycha was apparently happy with the Crew’s play. I find that interesting as there were a couple good chances on offense, but the Crew had trouble as the game went on holding possession and turning that into shots.
• Speaking of shots, Sam Fahmi brought it to my attention that the Crew forwards don’t do it outside the box. I have to agree, the Crew wait to take that shot in the box. Other teams surely have noticed as defenders give a little space and play off the Crew, making it that much harder to drive past a defender. Renteria is supposed to be a shooter, maybe that will help.

The fluff is out of the schedule and the road is going to get a whole lot harder. September features games against the two best teams out west in Houston and Los Angeles and the 2nd best team in the east as the Crew visit Chicago. With the streak fast disappearing in the rear view mirror, Columbus will need to rise to the occasion and keep getting results or else face the risk of getting dragged back into the playoff fight. A rough September can make for an anxious October

I have a feature on the Champions League for Columbus Underground. Getting into the specifics for tonight’s game, I fully expect a mostly starting lineup for the Crew. They will have a tough time to break down the bunkering Islanders.

Patience: The Islanders will bunker to get a point on the road and will be hard to break down. I expect to see Schelotto in the starting lineup, as well as most of the starters. Guille’s skill will be very useful in finding the seams in the Islanders defense.

Set Pieces: The Crew have a decided advantage in set pieces. The team will have to take advantage and get a goal to open up the game.

Solid Defense: Puerto Rico has a knack for getting results on the road. The only goal scored in the qualifier, the Islanders scored at BMO Field. Being solid at the back will keep the pressure off the offense.

Depth: This is a team that is deeper than most MLS and USL teams. If the game is close, the Crew will have worn out Puerto Rico and should be piling on the pressure late.

Final Thought: I still see this as a semi comfortable Crew win. 2-0 Crew.

Looking for the game recap? It’s posted up at Columbus Underground. The notes follow this pictorial interlude:

Gaven's Deft Touch (Fahmi - Studio79)

• 19,000! That’s a great attendance night. The past 2 years, the Crew have been doing a pretty good job of winning on these big attendance nights. That only helps, people love a winner.
• One of Coach Warzycha’s tactics paid off immediately. Having the wings press forced Dallas to go with the long ball. With Ekpo and Rogers pressing, the Crew got several turnovers and a couple good chances.
• Ekpo admitted that he has been working on his defense as he sees it as his weakest skill. He created a couple of turnovers with his new found defensive skills.
• Zayner had a very good game. He was quick to credit practicing against top talent every day in practice. He and Rogers will try to get the best of each other.
• Warzycha isn’t surprised by Zayner’s skill. This is the player that the team thought they were getting out of college. He is finally injury free and getting playing time.
• Both Gaven and Warzycha expected somebody to step up and challenge Gaven on his goal, but given the space he made Dallas pay. I think that play highlights Gaven’s best skill, dribbling in traffic. He can make things happen with the ball at his feet.
• Marshall may have been a step offside on the disallowed goal, but I am still amazed that Dallas knew where the ball was going for the first goal, but they still couldn’t stop him.
• Schelotto may have only had a cameo, but his little lob pass to Rogers was perfectly weighted and timed even after a 4 week layoff. His vision and skill are so very good; he doesn’t miss a beat.

Grades (6 is very good BTW):

Hesmer – 6
Zayner: 7   Marshall: 7    Brunner: 6   Padula: 6
Ekpo: 6    Moffat: 6      O’Rourke: 6    Rogers: 6
Lenhart: 6        Moreno: 6
Subs: Gaven: 7, Oughton: 6, Schelotto: NR

Crew Man of the Match: Chad Marshall

The postgame wrap is up at Columbus Underground on to the notes:

• Carroll will miss next weeks game due to 5 yellow cards. He has looked shaky lately since the injury. His passing is off and he seems to be a step slow at times. I hope a week off can help, even just a little bit
• I would not be surprised to see a O’Rourke/Moffat combo in central midfield next week. That is an aggressive hardnosed pairing that can contribute a little offense.
• Rogers never gave up. He did not have the best start to the game and then missed a couple of chances. He got stronger as the first half went along and he was rewarded with a goal and an assist in the second half.
• Ekpo continues to impress in his super sub role. He drove into space and broke apart San Jose’s left side.
• Moreno shows his value even before the goal. He knows how to hold up the ball and set up an offense.
• Moffat doesn’t look like a goal scorer, but he has a nose for goal; he’s an opportunist. Getting more offense out of the midfield will restore balance to the offense, allowing the wingers to stay out wide rather than always having to tuck in.

Now for the grades:

                                           Hesmer – 6

Zayner: 7            Marshall: 7       Brunner – 6         Padula – 6

Gaven: 4            Carroll: 5              O’Rourke: 6         Rogers: 7 

                         Lenhart – 6              Garey – 5

Subs: Ekpo – 7, Moreno: 7, Moffat – 7

Crew Man of the Match: Rogers

The postgame write-up is over at Columbus Underground as usual. This was not a good game by any stretch of the imagination.

• The Crew offense needs something out of the midfield and there was nothing last night. Rogers and Gaven did not threaten the entire game and Colorado’s wingers had free reign.
• I am wondering if it is time to sit Carroll for a game. I am not sure if it would help, but he has looked worse and worse over the last month. I am sure the shoulder is causing a lot of pain.
• A midfield combo of O’Rourke and Moffat would be combative, but also add a little offensive spark if Carroll needs some time off. Moffat should be getting closer to full fitness.
• Zayner played solidly in his surprise start. As long as he doesn’t try to do too much by getting forward, he does pretty well.
• Padula consistently has issues with faster players, but I should note that he seems to settle down by the second half. It must be his experience and intelligence making the difference.
• Hesmer played very well last night, a man of the match performance. I still notice that he is booting the ball upfield more than I have seen in the past. It was hard to keep possession with that much long ball.

Now for the grades:

                                           Hesmer – 7

Zayner: 6            Marshall: 7       Brunner – 5         Padula – 6

Gaven: 5            Carroll: 5              O’Rourke: 6         Rogers: 5  

                         Lenhart – 6              Garey – 5

Subs: Ekpo – 6, Moreno: 5, Moffat – 6

Crew Man of the Match: Hesmer – Without his top notch performance, the Crew leave with a tie at best.

Postgame wrap up is over at Columbus Underground. I stopped being lazy and added a few quotes from the Bash Brothers and Frankie.

Post game is up at Columbus Underground and now on to notes.

• I was shocked to see Duncan Oughton’s name in the starting lineups. He’s not fast, but he is smart. His calm play helped the Crew on the first and third goals. Quick precise passes without an case of nerves, just what the team needed.
• The Crew defense is very vulnerable to speed. Brunner and Iro were caught out a couple of times. Padula was beaten by the speed of Salt Lake’s wingers and Hejduk is prone to countering as he pushes up so high.
• I have seen the Garey/Lenhart combo in practice and reserve matches and they never put in a game like this. They both attributed their good performances to playing as reserves, but Saturday was the first time I saw that kind of understanding.
• One person that was not impressed by Lenhart was Warzycha. He had seen the striker play better games this year. It was good to see the big striker pick up a goal and an assist, but he noted that Lenhart can and will play better games. I can only imagine it had something to do with his role in setting up the offense.
• Once again, the Crew had the most success coming off the wings. Oughton and Hejduk created the chance for the first goal, and Gaven did well to cross in the second goal. The central midfield duo of Carroll and O’Rourke will struggle to turn defense to offense.
• The lack of offense from Carroll and O’Rourke is not to suggest that they had bad games. The defensive duo were very active it trying to limit Salt Lake’s chances. O’Rourke was especially active.

As usual, the postgame is up at Columbus Underground. Check it out here. On to a few notes:

• It looked like Eddie Gaven was trying to make a statement to make the Gold Cup roster just a few games too late. His languid movements got him past opponents rather than dispossessed.
• I have every hope that Schelotto was being cautious with his hamstring; he seems to know when not to push things, all things considered he is due for a rest.
• Ekpo is getting found out by the league. He really hasn’t been able to use his speed and his dribbling has been woeful.
• The battle of the supersub forwards should be over. Steven Lenhart has grown tremendously in the year and a half he has been with the Crew, he is even getting the elbows under control. Garey did not really make an impact with his start.

The (horribly late) post match write up is up over at Columbus Underground. Not much to add to a dismal Crew game this weekend. I was away on holiday, between the travel and the job, I have not had too much time to write about Saturday’s game. A few things I did see:

• The midfield is a shambles when O’Rourke and Carroll play together. That defensive paring cannot hold possession.
• I like Gaven in the middle much better than the wings, but he has looked subpar for almost a month now. It doesn’t matter if he is outside or inside. He needs to play quicker and more decisively.
• Andy Iro looked awful and was rightfully subbed at halftime. He is coming off a long layoff, but I have not been his biggest fan. Hopefully he can get up to speed soon or else Zayner may be a better fit in central defense.
• I liked what I saw out of Kevin Burns, not an outstanding performance, but solid. I have been a fan in reserve matches, but he looks like he is putting it together.
• Warzycha made a confusing choice by putting Iro in, but pulling him out and putting in Lenhart was a good move.
• The forwards were spaced far from the midfield. It looked like there were no options other than to boot the ball forward for the defense or midfield. Troubling on a day where the Crew couldn’t keep possession.
• The Crew never found an answer for United’s 5 man midfield.

I will have my take on the Crew at the halfway point of the season up on Columbus Underground tomorrow and can be found here.

Also of Note: I will be missing my first home game in over a year tomorrow. I probably won’t get a chance to watch the game live, so no live tweeting.

A Reminder of a Great Year (Fahmi/Studio79)

The Crew gutted out a good win Saturday night, my review is up at Columbus Underground. The team believed that it was good to just get a result; I would have liked some better soccer.

• Brad Friedel was on vacation and stopped by to congratulate the Crew on their win. He certainly was a presence at 6 foot 5 inches. The Douglass clan was also on hand in a crowded locker room.
• Juan Carlos Osorio looks spent. He did not have an answer for yet another road loss. This team is already looking to 2010. I don’t think Osorio will make it until then.
• Moreno was rested due to his busy schedule, but Lenhart acquitted himself very well. He was mobile and got to a lot of the long balls. I am really interested to see who starts on Friday.
• The O’Rourke/Carroll central midfield was solid. O’Rourke had an outstanding game. That pairing is very defensive and makes it difficult to link offense to defense in the middle of the field.
• The Crew now play 3 out of 4 at home. Next week is against conference leading D.C. United followed by a trip to Chicago to take on the very solid Fire. July is the month for the Crew to make their move.

I really did dream that the Crew would win 3-1. I guess that is for the home leg. My review is up at Columbus Underground as usual.

• The Crew wilted under the heat. Ekpo, Gaven, Rogers, and O’Rourke really looked slow in the second half.
• As far as subs, I only can guess that Warzycha wanted his top players on the field instead of fresh legs. I am in the opposite camp when the team starts giving up  as much space and possession as the Crew did.
• Chad Marshall was in the wrong spot at the wrong time. A ref is going to call a penalty when player going down when the defender is hovering over him with his arms outstretched.
• I did like the flashes of speed from Robbie Rogers, his touch was pretty rough though. I keep looking for that that 2008 like break out player, but I have not seen him yet.
• Gaven played entirely too slow in the middle. He took one touch too many and it really interrupted the offensive flow.
• Just after I said he should get called up to the national team, Chad Marshall makes the Gold Cup preliminary roster (with Gaven and Rogers), then he has a rough game giving up the go ahead goal.

My post game recap is up at Columbus Underground. I won’t have any quotes from the post game as my recorder died. I will have a few more notes up tomorrow.

Schelotto Celebrates the Winning Goal (Fahmi - Studio79)

My recap of the game is up at Columbus Underground. Just a few more notes from last night’s tie with Seattle.

• O’Rourke played a fantastic game in the middle. He was levelheaded and played within himself.
• Carroll will require surgery after the season. The medical staff will have to immobilize his arm before he can play. How effective is he going to be, perhaps O’Rourke will have to work in the midfield long term.
• I am really liking Eric Brunner in the middle of the defense with Marshall. He is looking like a valuable addition to a team with a thin back line.
• Noonan still shows signs of rust, but his cross was genius. He may start at forward next week with Moreno out.
• The Crew are vulnerable on the wings with Padula and Zayner on the field. Padula has been wearing down later in games and Zayner shows the lack of experience from having several years lost to injury.

I forgot to link to it earlier, but my game review is up over at Columbus Underground.

Schelotto Leads the Crew to Another Win (Fahmi - Studio79)

My game review is up at Columbus Underground. A few other notes:

• I hoped the team was over coughing up late leads. The Crew looked so tight over the last 10 minutes; a late tying goal looked inevitable.
• I am not really sure if Gruenebaum could have stopped that shot. Lewis just hit it well.
• Rogers quote about tired legs is interesting. Warzchya subbed 3 times in the last 10 minutes to try to bring on fresh legs, but I am wondering if it was too late. It takes a player a few minutes to get in the game and maybe subbing in a little earlier may help.
• I am really interested to see if Brunner or Iro has a real chance to unseat O’Rourke in the defense. O’Rourke has made several blunders this year that have really hurt the team. His second yellow yesterday was plain dumb.
• Between Brunner and Iro, I would much rather see what Brunner can do. He looks far more mobile of the two.