Howdy, Partnerships.

Busy stretch of games coming up for the Crew. and with injuries to a Duka, Renteria and, most notably, Heinemann, I'm looking forward to what a few of the other players can show us out there. The team is in a bit of a transition period with some new blood trying to mix in with the old. and Warzycha is trying to find his starting 11 and his starting formation. please, freaking find it soon! so maybe let's look at the squad that's going to be running out with a fresh perspective and hope that through some surprises and key partnerships and some damn vision for crying out loud...ahem...excuse me... i was gonna say, let's hope we can spot a few diamonds in the rough.

So Cunningham will likely be starting up front with Mendoza. and Mendoza is a frustration right now because he's obviously got something but that something keeps hiding inside and peeking out instead of leaping and just plain sulking sometimes. maybe Cunningham can be the one help Mendoza find his Kwan.

Gaven's been largely out of the limelight of pitch heroics lately. but, i know the type of player he is and rest assured he has been ever-present in most, if not all, build-ups. he works behind the scenes. he puts himself in the best position to either receive the ball or pull a defender into a position which allows a through ball to the stiker or draw a foul. he's not a flashy man. he's a smart man on the pitch. and i guarantee he keeps a left back on edge all game long.

I, for one, would have loved to see Gaven get the call up to the USMT over Rogers but if reports of Gaven's private life causing him a bit of exhaustion are true then its best for him and the Crew that he stay in Colombus. I also, admittedly, haven't seen what all the hubbub is about Rogers either.

Let's get some teamwork going. real honest to goodness teamwork. vision. not just passing to another guy in a yellow shirt (although, I'll take that, too). link-ups. starting the play from back. leadership. I'm looking at you, Marshall. organization. yelling. spitting fire, but not complaining. i want to see some real Rec League basketball HUSTLE.

Hustle. hustle. hustle. I'm looking at you, CREW.