The Columbus Crew’s eight-game unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday night in the Pacific Northwest. The Crew suffered a 3-2 defeat against the Portland Timbers at Providence Park, a loss that leaves a bitter taste, especially with no MLS game scheduled for another month due to the All-Star Game and Leagues Cup play.

Once again, this road game saw the Black & Gold struggle to do enough against a team that had faced recent difficulties, allowing their opponents to gain momentum instead of decisively quashing it. Columbus found itself trailing 2-0 in the first half, but playmaker Lucas Zelarayan’s efforts brought the visitors back to level terms early in the second half. Unfortunately, the Crew couldn’t hold on for a crucial point, conceding an 80th minute goal that proved to be the final blow.

Let’s delve into the most significant insights we gained from this roller-coaster match in this week’s edition of What We Learned.

The Nancy way is the only way

Black & Gold fans knew that Wilfried Nancy’s appointment as the team’s new head coach this offseason would bring about changes, and this season has indeed been marked by significant transformations. The most apparent change lies in Nancy’s shift in formation, but the alterations run deeper and are still unfolding.

Nancy’s vision for the team revolves around a style that defends through possession and attack. This approach has become even more evident recently, especially considering the injuries on the backline. Despite several center backs returning to full fitness, Nancy has remained committed to a back three that includes players who initially didn’t anticipate playing in that position this season.

The potential sale of Milos Degenek, who started the season as a center back before his injury, further reinforces Nancy’s trust in his reconfigured backline. Additionally, Nancy has displayed full confidence in a second-year professional, Patrick Schulte, who is the clear choice as the team’s starting goalkeeper following the mutual termination of the contract with veteran Eloy Room.

During a challenging away match, Nancy maintained consistency by sticking with the same back three of Malte Amundsen, Sean Zawadzki and Steven Moreira, who have been regular starters in recent months. In this game, Zawadzki, the least experienced among the defenders, was positioned in the center of the back three, putting a lot of trust in a player still learning the position.

Unfortunately, this decision led to Columbus conceding several chances due to players being out of position or failing to mark their opponents. Schulte struggled with coming off his line to deal with crosses, which resulted in the first goal. Zawadzki was caught stepping too high to a player at midfield, leaving ample space behind him for the second goal, while Moreira lost focus on his man during the decisive goal.

From the outset of the season, it was anticipated that this team, with young players and players experimenting in new roles, would make mistakes. This trend continues 23 games into the 2023 season. Amundsen, Zawadzki, Moreira and Schulte are all prone to errors that can lead to conceding goals. Nancy accepts these risks as long as the team can reciprocate with goals of their own. However, frustrating losses, like the one against Portland, will occur when a team like the Timbers, who had only scored 23 times prior, manages to put three goals past the Crew’s defense.

Attacking fluidity

On the flip side of Nancy’s defensive approach lies the Black & Gold’s offensive prowess. This aspect has been widely discussed on various platforms, and it’s no surprise that Columbus is considered the most fun and exciting team to watch in MLS, largely due to the team’s aggressive and attacking style of play.

Even in the loss against the Timbers, the Crew showcased its dominance with 62 percent possession and an impressive 17 shots, five on target. Despite being on the road, the Black & Gold consistently pushed numbers forward, both before falling behind and after equalizing, actively seeking to create scoring opportunities.

An excellent example of Columbus’ attack-focused approach was seen in Zelarayan’s second goal, an impressive strike from the top of the penalty box. During the build up to the goal, it’s evident how the team commits players forward. Right wing back Mohamed Faris was positioned wide, while Moreira, the right center back, had ventured well into the attacking territory. This was in addition to Zelarayan, forwards Jacen Russell-Rowe and Christian Ramirez, as well as left wing back Yaw Yeboah and midfielder Darlington Nagbe, all approaching the frame of the broadcast screen.

With such a wealth of attacking options, Zelarayan opted to go for goal and spectacularly fired his shot into the top corner.

Nancy’s approach to the game is thrilling and generates plenty of opportunities and goals, which is undoubtedly a positive aspect. However, it’s important to note that having a center back like Moreira, who contributed the assist on this play while venturing nearly into the opposing penalty box, comes with the trade-off of sacrificing some defensive stability on the other side of the field.

The missing ingredient

As he has been throughout the season, Zelarayan once again stole the spotlight for the Black & Gold on Saturday. In addition to scoring two goals, which brought his total to 10 for the season, Zelarayan masterfully orchestrated Columbus’ play, creating five promising opportunities. His exceptional skill set continues to establish him as one of the best players in MLS.

However, Zelarayan and the Crew truly shine when he is joined by his partner in crime, Cucho Hernadez. The forward quickly formed a strong connection with Zelarayan upon his arrival to the Black & Gold last summer, and this dynamic duo has only grown stronger this year. Despite Hernadez scoring only five goals this season, he leads the team with 10 assists, and his movement on the field creates valuable space in the team’s attacking plays.

In the absence of Hernandez, Russell-Rowe filled the striker position alongside Ramirez. The young Canadian, fresh from earning his first international caps at the Gold Cup, performed well and even provided an assist for the first goal. However, he doesn’t read the game or make the same kind of movements as Hernandez, as these are skills he is still developing.

Although Columbus’ attack generated enough opportunities to win the game, it was evident that something was lacking without Hernandez partnering with Zelarayan, and that absence held back the offense from reaching its full potential.