In the last two games, the Columbus Crew have faced two MLS originals led by a pair of league-wide respected coaches. Both the New England Revolution and Sporting Kansas City are as much of league institutions as General Alocation Money and the All-Star Skills Challenge.
Both managers have had their fair share of success. Peter Vermes is Sporting Kansas City, and his style of play and consistent 4-3-3 are ingrained in the organization’s DNA. Last weekend against The Crew he abandoned his usual formation and tactics, Vermes opted to counter the Crew’s back three with a similar odd-maned defensive line.
It was a disaster.
The Crew found the back of the net four times and prevented their opponent from registering a single shot on goal. The match was over before it began. Peter Vermes lost the game the second he felt the need to change their trademarked style.
Saturday night in Foxboro it was a similar tale. Caleb Porter, two-time MLS Cup Champion, and former Crew manager employed a 4-3-3 with a tactical high press attempting to throw the Columbus backline off their game.
It should be noted that the Revs best player, Carles Gil was not available, and the high press did in fact lead to an early one-goal lead for the home side, but the lead and success were short-lived.
The Crew responded with five unanswered goals and never looked fazed. Saturday night was another instance of a veteran coach trying in vain to tinker their way around Wilfried Nancy and the Columbus Crew.
There are areas and opportunities to exploit The Crew, they are not at all invincible, but if a team tries to change their identity when faced with the prospects of a match-up against Columbus, The Black & Gold makes them pay.
It is challenging to play three at the back. It takes time on the training ground and a commitment to scouting and development to engineer a squad that can handle the style of play.
Pressing fundamentals have to be reinforced weekly in high-pressure situations for them to be drilled into a team to a point of consistent success, it is not a dial you can turn in case of an emergency.
It seems the Crew’s greatest strength is forcing opponents to question their beliefs even before a game has kicked off.
Soccer tactics are always evolving, MLS especially has a beautiful matrix of styles of play and roster construction. It is one of the things MLS has gotten right over the years.
Right now in Columbus, we are witnessing a French Renaissance of sorts in soccer. One that is incredibly easy to consume but equally as difficult to master. Some teams will try to install the principles of play, and most will get it wrong, but many more teams will try to defeat The Crew by abandoning their ways of playing in hopes of landing a surprise punch, only to leave themselves defenseless to The Black & Gold attack.
This phenomenon may be the greatest gift. Opponents are throwing out their own playbooks to keep up, and the result is often disastrous.
Meanwhile, nothing changes for Columbus. Whether they are playing in the familiar confines of Lower.com Field with the boisterous Nordecke at their back, or on the road in a half-empty turf NFL stadium, the principles of the game stay the same.
The Crew simply do what they do better than anyone else.
It has already felt like a long season in Columbus, the summer heat is just arriving, new faces are beginning to show up, and old favorites are moving on. Through it all one thing will stay the same. The Crew will continue to play their own brilliant way of playing.
Savor it, enjoy it, cherish it, we are living in spectacular times.
MASSIVE REPORT 