Crew Return to Earth

After some good fortune in the schedule and maintaining healthy bodies and minds, the Crew are finding themselves dropping back into the slog that is the 2020 MLS season.

Just a few weeks ago Caleb Porter had this 2020 team reaching highs that had not been seen since the 2009-2010 seasons. Five and ten-game rolling PPG's of over two points. Goal Differences in the double digits in rolling ten and twenty game patterns. As a team, you could even argue it is the best run for the team in the post shoot out era of MLS.

What goes up, however, must come down. Or, what was down, must come up and now back down again. Let's back up... It's important to remember that Porter's 2019 team reached all-time Crew lows in all these same categories. Five, ten, twenty game periods reached record lows. It's enough to leave your brain fried, but it's very "MLS" that after lows you get highs. Water finding its level. Regression. Whatever.

GOOD FORTUNE

The early-season schedule was very forgiving to the Columbus Crew where 1/3td of it has been against a poorly run Cincinnati team as well as perennial losers in Chicago. Yes, you still have to not be a horribly run franchise to get those results, but that is not exactly a high bar step over.

Columbus was also got a bit of good fortune in the health department. Well, at least until the last month. Perhaps it's the congested schedule, but the team's two best players have not been on the pitch enough in the last 6-8 weeks leading to a pretty average previous five games.

The schedule, once again, opens up for Columbus over the next few weeks at the ONCE AGAIN take on poor teams in Cincy and DC as well as painfully average and un-motivated NYCFC and Houston. 

WHAT'S NEXT

Just like any decent team in MLS, without the talent of their two best players in Darlington Nagbe and Lucas Zelarayan, the Crew look more like The Crew. Middling results around the 1.40 PPG and an even goal differential.

Things could be worse, I suppose. Even in over the last month Porter has been working in some of the younger players like Aidan Morris (who I think has some impressive qualities, just needs time) and Sebastian Berhalter (who I think is, what he is for now) all while not giving up too many spots on the table.

I expect the Crew to pick up a couple wins by the time we hit November, thus keeping the train moving until Nagbe and Zelarayan return for the playoffs.