Overview

2023 Results: 16W-9D-9L, 57 pts, 3rd in Eastern Conference, 67 GF, 46 GA (+21 GD)

Key Offseason Signings:  Marino Hinestroza, Derrick Jones

The Columbus Crew failed to make the playoffs in 2022, causing Crew GM Tim Bezbatchenko to show Caleb Porter the exits and sign Wilfred Nancy from CF Montréal (one of the rare times when a team pays a transfer fee to acquire a coach). In Montréal, the Frenchman had turned heads with a dynamic and entertaining style of play, pushing creative midfielders like Djordje Mihailovic into the limelight (and helping earn Mihailovic a trip to Europe) as Nancy’s low-budget squad would end the season just one win shy of the Supporter’s Shield.

In 2023, Nancy showed that he could do it again. After some slight bumps at the start of their campaign, he had the Crew humming, playing the same possession-based, fun-to-watch brand of soccer that he employed in Montréal all the way to an MLS Cup victory.

Tactics and Starting XI

Most teams in the league, including powerhouses like the Philadelphia Union and FC Cincinnati, ultimately play a style of soccer designed to be quick in transition, winning balls and turning them into chances quickly. There’s variations – some teams press higher than others, some depend more on a strong central midfield, while others rely on talented wingers and a striker – but ultimately, the name of the game is “let the other team have the ball, and when they cough it up, make ‘em pay for it.”

Not the Crew, who lead the league in possession last year. They want the ball. They are happy to sit back with the ball deep, tempting attacking players forward, hoping to draw them in and create space down the pitch. Does it increase the chance of turnovers in a dangerous position? Sure.

But Nancy is willing to bet that the bet will pay off more times than it won’t, and in 2023, he was right: The team lead the league in non-penalty xG, but and were also in the top 3rd for non-penalty xGA. The Crew are fast (though patient when advancing the ball up the field), and they are organized in possession, and they have a talented attacking corps more than capable of finishing off chances. Though they’ve made a couple changes to the roster, the full XI that started in MLS Cup is available – a rare feat in cap-constrained MLS.

The Crew’s attack is also versatile: Cucho Hernandéz either as a striker or further back, in a hybrid right wing/second striker role.Diego Rossi can play on either the left or right behind the striker, in position that is either a kind of left winger or central attacking midfield/#10 role, and behind them is a talented group of midfielders and attackers, including Mo Farsi in the right wingback position, who seemed like a mid-tier MLS prospect at the start of 2023 but ended up supplanting Julian Gressel in the Starting XI by the MLS Cup final last year.

Credit to Farsi – but also to Nancy, who helped the young Canadian elevate his game. It’s one of a number of examples of Nancy being able to make players in his squad outperform expectations and elevate the group in the process.

Formationally, the Crew are flexible, but most frequently are seen playing with three center backs in the back line, flanked by two wingbacks further up the pitch, with two central midfielders in the middle, behind an attacking trio that could be described either as a striker backed by two wingers, a striker, second striker and attacking midfielder, or a striker supported by two attacking midfielders. It’s fluid and effective, however it’s lined up.

With the Crew holding a 1-0 away goal lead as they prepare to host Houston in continental play midweek, expect some rotation, though I’d expect Nancy to go with a strong Starting XI, trusting his team to put the game away in time for rest at half.

Players to Watch

Cucho Hernández: The Crew designated player joined the team midway through the 2022 campaign and quickly established himself as a productive attacker. He had 16 goals in 27 matches in 2023 alongside 11 primary and secondary assists, plus five goals and two assists in the playoffs. In 2024, he’s picked up where he left off, scoring both of the Crew’s goals in league play so far this season.

Aidan Morris: One only two players remaining on the squad from their 2020 MLS Cup winning season (alongside DP Darlington Nagbe), the Columbus homegrown had the third most minutes of all outfield players (after Nagbe and centerback Steven Moreira), and yet is just 22 years old. His performance with the Crew has earned him the attention of the U.S. Men’s National team, where he’s already earned five caps.

Chicago Fire

The Three-Man Backline Against FC Cincinnati

The Fire ran out an unfamiliar formation against FC Cincinnati, playing with three centerbacks, two wingbacks (Fabian Herbers and Maren Haile-Selassie, both playing far outside of their natural positions), a double pivot – Gastón Giménez paired with Kellyn Acosta, making his first start for the Men in Red – behind Brian Gutiérrez and Xherdan Shaqiri, playing as wingers, and Hugo Cuypers at striker.  Depending on how you look at it, it is either a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-4-3.

On the one hand – it worked at containing a potent FC Cincinnati offense. The Fire lost the match 2-1 but held their own during the run of play. They largely contained Lucho Acosta, the 2023 MLS MVP, and took FC Cincinnati’s talented attackers out of the game.

On the other hand – in explaining the formation, Fire Head Coach Frank Klopas said that he wanted to have more attacking options on the pitch, and the team ended up with a single shot on target – the Xherdan Shaqiri penalty kick that resulted in the team’s only goal of the match. Nor was it a case of lousy aim: They only attempted five shots, and Hugo Cuypers had virtually no service throughout the match, resulting in only 48 total touches for Hugo Cuypers, none inside the 18-yard box.

Part of the issue was that both Shaqiri and Gutiérrez played wide, more like wingers than as a central attacker, leaving no one other than Cuypers in the middle of the pitch during the attack. Ideally, you want someone behind the striker, who can either play the ball wide or exploit a gap and send it through to Cuypers, and to give another passing option if the ball is coming up the wing.

How Will The Fire Line Up Against Columbus?

In explaining the 3-4-2-1 the Fire played against FC Cincinnati, both after the game on Saturday and on Wednesday, Klopas reiterated that the formation was to get more attacking options “at home.” He said it four times on Saturday, and three times on Wednesday, clearly hinting that the Fire might revert to a four man back line on the road against Columbus.

Here’s the thing: I’m not buying it, and I don’t think anyone on Nancy’s staff was fooled for a second, either. Klopas will do the same against a team that plays three center backs, particularly while Gutman is out.

With Carlos Terán having trained with the full team, he’s primed for a return. He’s big, and he can cover a lot of ground in the box, so playing him centrally makes some sense, though Pineda might stay in the middle. Regardless – if Rafa Czichos has an outing like he did last Saturday, whoever lines up next to him will need to be prepared to help out. The former captain looked a shadow of his usual self Saturday, creating a giveaway that led directly to one of Cincinnati’s two goals, and generally being too slow to recover.

What does that mean for the rest of the formation? Well, starting with what’s easiest: Chris Brady will start in net and Hugo Cuypers will play at the opposite end of the pitch. Shaqiri, now with the captain’s armband, will start, and it’s hard to imagine that Gutiérrez won’t join him.

That leaves four spots: Two as outside backs/wingbacks, and two central midfielders. Acosta is a lock for one of the midfield spots. He’s the most effective two-way player the Fire have in that position, and his ability to cover ground will come in handy for the Fire against the Crew’s system. Federico Navarro is a tempting option next to him, with his speed and recovery ability, but Gastón Giménez playing some of his best soccer in a Fire uniform and Klopas is not a man to mess with what’s working.

Since it makes sense to play SOMEONE in position, Allan Arigoni, who has played well to start his Fire career, will likely get the nod at right (wing)back, and on the left…. Well, that’s the rub. Chase Gasper played decently in relief of Andrew Gutman in the season opener, though some rust was clearly visible. Still, I don’t think his game lines up particularly well against a fast Crew team.

Best guess? Fabian Herbers will return to the role he had last week, once again showcasing his versatility, leaving Maren Haile-Selassie – who has played well so far this season – out of the XI. (For what it’s worth: Even though it isn’t his favorite spot and isn’t the ideal side for him, starting the speedy Swiss player at left wingback is worth serious consideration, though defending hasn’t been his strong suit, and that will likely be necessary against the Crew. It just doesn’t seem to be the most likely option.)

This lineup has a lot of attacking talent, and yet, it seems hard to imagine it being able to create many chances against the Crew – the 3-4-2-1 ineffective at fulfilling the team’s record signing Hugo Cuypers last match, and it’s hard to see that shifting that much, unless either Guti or Shaq (or both) shift their role from last game – and yet, the talent is there and there’s a decent chance that the lineup could limit Columbus’s chances, much as they did against FC Cincinnati.