Welcome to my 7th annual MLS Season preview. This season I've mixed it up a bit, giving each team their own dedicated preview. Feel free to check out them all, or those just for the clubs which most appeal to you. Here we go with the Season Preview for the Columbus Crew SC...
IN:
F Kei Kamara (10/7/14 - allocation)
M Ben Swanson (10/15/14 - Homegrown)
M Mohammed Saeid (10/29/14 - free)
M Kristin Steindorsson (12/11/14 - free)
D Chris Klute (12/16/14 - traded from Colorado)
D Hernan Grana (1/23/15 - free)
M Cedrick Mabwati (1/30/15 - transfer from Real Betis)*
D Sergio Campbell (3/2/15 - SuperDraft)
D Kalen Ryden (3/2/15 - SuperDraft)
F Sagi Lev-Ari (3/2/15 - SuperDraft)
* = joining team in July
OUT:
M Fifi Baiden (11/18/14 - option declined)
D Ross Friedman (11/18/14 - option declined)
M Daniel Paladini (11/18/14 - option declined)
M Agustin Viana (11/18/14 - option declined)
M Matt Walker (11/18/14 - option declined)
D Matt Wiet (11/18/14 - option declined)
D Josh Williams (12/8/14 - traded to NYCFC)
M Bernardo Anor (12/8/14 - traded to SKC)
F Jairo Arrieta (12/10/14 - Expansion Draft to Orlando City)
D Eric Gehrig (12/10/14 - Expansion Draft to Orlando City)
D Ben Sweat (2/9/15 - waived)
MANAGER: Gregg Berhalter
The Columbus Crew are a team you are going to want to watch this season, even more so than last year. Up front they added Kei Kamara, a definite improvement, and still have the most exciting and creative midfielder over the past few seasons in Frederico Higuain. In the back, the still have Michael Parkhurst, and 3 capable fullbacks. The question will be in the partner for Parkhurst. It looks to be Pogoetz, but a midseason replacement might be warranted.
The real reasons to watch Columbus though if you are a USMNT fan are the terrific young players coming through. Will Trapp returns in his defensive midfield role, and at only 20, we could be looking at the rock in front of the back for the Crew and US for the next decade plus. They also have Romain Gall, who had a quality run for the US U19's, and looks to have a break out season. And if that isn't enough, if for any reason Tony Tchani should see his playing time diminished, the Crew also have an extremely talented young midfielder in Ben Swanson ready to pick up playing time.
With veterans and the best youth in MLS, the Crew could be fighting for the Supporters Shield. After a full season as coach, Gregg Berhalter looks ready to push on and stake his claim as the best former MLS player to manage in the league, and the best young coach in the league as well.
While it would be easy to call the Crew's potential line up a 4-3-3, for my money it is an attacking, yet defensively sound 4-2-3-1. You don't want to miss the Crew this season.
2014 Eastern Conference Finish: 3rd
Predicted 2015 Eastern Conference Finish: 2nd
Thanks for reading, and please take a look at my other club specific MLS Season Previews. Until next time, remember, MLS Matters.
Wow, very confident in these boys. Hope you are right. Higuain languished last year left too often to do it all, and if Kamara is the business then I ccould certainly see improvement. Not sure its going to be Supporters Shield type improvement, but improvement nonetheless. Glad to hear you like the coach.
ReplyDeleteI doubted them last season, and they proved me wrong. This season, I'm going all in. I just have a feeling, and I love Trapp, Swanson, and Gall.
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