Crew in action earlier this season against Portland
Photo: Augusto Saenz
Columbus.- Kei Kamara scored twenty-five goals this season, but his most important play of 2015 was clearing the ball on the line after Bradley Wright-Phillips header hit the post in the 95th minute. If that ball goes in, the game goes into overtime, and we would be telling a different story.
The ball didn’t go in, Kamara kicked it with a furious relief to the upper deck of the southward section of Red Bull Arena and Columbus advanced to the MLS Cup finals for the first time since 2008.
That last play is a reflection of the commitment of every single player on this Crew SC roster. A commitment that has been omnipresent throughout the season and now is paying off. They reached the postseason for the second straight year under Gregg Berhalter. In 2014, the intention was there but not the execution. In this 2015 the team evolved into a complete version, a version where the eleven players on the field contribute offensively and defensively.
On September 26th before Crew SC defeat 1-2 to … yes, the Portland Timbers!
A Black and Gold Legend, and member of that 2008 team that won the MLS Cup, Alejandro Moreno said something about the defensive shape of this 2015 model:
“Sometimes, this version of the Crew SC they get in an open sort of flow kind of match up as Brad was talking about, and they don’t score in the one side, and they give up three on the other side.
“When they get on wide open games, they get excited, they get open they get stretched, and that’s when sometimes they get punished. That didn’t happen in 2008.”
The ESPN analyst was right. Columbus was a team that played an attractive offensive soccer (and still does) but it was defensively unbalanced. Here’s how Gregg Berhalter moved the weights on the scale to make it look even.
When Afful is right for you
The signing of Hernán Grana as a right back for the 2015 season was almost perfect. The Argentine fit in the system flawlessly. His coverage, his projections and his understanding of the team’s style of play were pointing him to be in the conversation for defensive player of the year. Then out of the blue, he went back to Argentina because of personal reasons. Berhalter tried with Chad Barson, Hector Jimenez, Chris Klute and even Michael Parkhurst in that position without success until the arrival of Harrison Afful. The Ghanian “Veni. Vidi.Vici” he is solid, skillful and fast. Problem solved.
The Air-traffic controller
Kei Kamara is arguably the player with the best aerial game in the league. But he is not a defender, he can’t be on both ends of the pitch at the same time. Since the departure of Giancarlo González, the back line lost presence in the air. Emanuel Pogatetz and Tyson Wahl alternated to pair with Parkhurst, even when they are both reliable, they lack consistency. Crew SC signed Gastón Sauro and two minutes into his first start he suffered a concussion, he was out for a month, and he returned to the starting lineup. His physicality and timing in the air boost the confidence of the back four. You can ask Didier Drogba and Bradley Wright-Phillips about him.
All for one, One for All
The commitment of their offensive players cooperates with the dirty work that it’s usually held by Will Trapp and Tony Tchani. When The rivals attack on the left Flank, Higuaín, and Meram drops to help Trapp and have Francis as a secondary. When The Crew is attacked on the right flank, Finlay, Tchani and Afful cover the area.
Kamara? He works as an NBA center on both ends of the “court” getting “rebounds” in their box and “dunking” balls on the offensive end.
“Defending is a team game, relies on the whole team to be on the same page. I think that overall we are making a lot of progress in that area, and we’ve become a very difficult team to break down. I’m proud of all the guys in the way they want it, in the way the approached it, in the way we made adjustments to improve towards to the end of the season” Berhalter said after training yesterday.
This defensive rotation is a massive improvement that shows how much this team evolved since last year’s playoff debacle to New England. They understood that they don’t have to defend the assist, they have to prevent the pass that lead to the assist. Columbus no longer allow the free 15 to 20 yard free runs from rivals, that’s so 2014. Now they press right at the center line, and if the rival puts one step into their half, they will bite you until you drop the ball, far away from their goalie Steve Clark.
Defense win championships, right?
More MLS Cup
Crew SC urge fans to arrive early amid increased security
Alan Hinton: Sounders fans should support the Timbers on Sunday
Timbers confirm log will travel to Columbus
Cascadia Corner Player of the Year 2015: Jorge Villafana
Portland Profiles: Sunday White, taking a stand just by living her life
UPDATED: Timber Joey’s Log will be at MLS Cup final but not inside stadium
Portland Profiles: Timber Jim, I’d drive the log to Columbus!
Cascadia Corner: At last, our boasting is real!
