Sunday, April 8, 2012

Crew Game 4, Bad Loss (NY)

NY Red Bull 4 - Crew 1. Only five times since 1996 has the Columbus Crew lost by 3 or more goals at home. Most recently it was in 2010... 2005 saw a pair. Finally, go back 16 years to 1996 to get another -3 game at home. If the loss yesterday felt a little different than other losses, that's why.

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THE GAME:

New York had no problems working the ball up front. They were interested in one thing yesterday; scoring. They got what they wanted. NY put goals in freely yesterday and the middle of the pitch was to blame. Urso and Mirosevic, yes. But it also falls on Renteria and Vargas for not helping disrupt some of the buildup.

All the preparations going into this game about NY being on a scoring binge. Who do the Crew forwards think they play for? No team in MLS can dangle two forwards up top like that. Is it Warzycha? What gives?

NY had little if any interest in playing wide outside of Dane Richards. Anor and Gaven didn't have much to work with. Urso, Gehrig and Francis were turned inside out. Miranda looked slow and off on his passes and Mirosevic was getting outplayed. It was a mess.

2ND HALF

The game settled into a low intensity training session for the first 15 minutes of the 2nd. New York seemed perfectly content with a 3-0 win. Around the hour mark Warzycha subbed in Dilly Duka and Ethan Finlay and some fresh legged energy returned to the game but nothing came of it.

The Crew's lone goal came in the last couple minutes from Chad Marshall's head.

Thierry Henry, of course, responded within the next 2 minutes. His second of the game and 4th NY goal scored directly at Gruenebaum's hanging towel.

THE END, NOTES

• Gruenebaum got rattled easily. His handball out of the box was a manifestation of that. He looked very much the longtime backup yesterday.

• The towel he hangs in the net should get MVP. Not sure why Columbus goes with black netting but putting a white towel up there only creates a target. Pet peeves.

• Four games in and only one goal from Vargas and Renteria. Though, I don't think it is entirely on them as Crew are scoring at same rate as preseason (regardless of who was up top). The club seem's hell bent on making the so called "Three Headed Monster" of Vargas, Renteria and Mirosevic work - but so far, not working.

• More on scoring: The constant in pre-season and four games into the regular season has been Mirosevic. Asking him to go box to box in the diamond MF might not be his thing. Especially if Urso is only going to be the 5th defender and not a MF presence.

• Last note on scoring, Toronto, Montreal and NY are tops in the league in allowing goals. 2 wins good. Low goal count, warning sign.

• Thierry Henry is a good player.

• Team needs players like Heinemann and Hesmer after a soulless loss like this. Heinemann especially. Looks like the team will need more options up top.

• Crew face the worst scoring team in MLS next weekend in Philly. Good timing after a three goal loss, fur sur.

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