Crew Scrimmage WVU

Wrote a mess about the Crew scrimmage today vs West Virginia University over at Massive Report. Crew won, but not really what it is about (but you know that already).

Did some drawing during the game and played around a bit with it when I got home. Here is the music that inspired it (eh?).

Hans Zimmer, gets me every time.

Crew Rd 8: Win, Scoreboard on Fire

While DC matched the Crew in terms of play, Columbus proved they have the ability to finish much better. DC was handed a sixth lost in their first eight games and the Crew pick up their third win of the season.

1ST HALF

Even after conceding three early and easy goals last week to Philadelphia DC continued to make the same open mistakes which allowed the Crew to put the same amount up on them in the 1st half.

Jairo Arrieta finally made his way back into the starting line up and showed exactly what made him so dangerous last year. Arrieta assisted on the first, was integral part of the 2nd (where Higuain linked up with J. Williams from a corner) and drew the penalty in the box on the third.

It wasn't a perfect half for the Crew and DC looked fine, even had a goal called back via unlucky offside call.

2ND HALF
DC carried on with normal attacking, open play but they left their finishing somewhere else (in 2012?). Chance upon chance for United but all lacked any semblance of quality.

When DC didn't get chances it was because Danny O'Rourke broke up the attack. Most are saying this is O'Rourke's best game of the year and it could be. Having Tony Tchani (a more comfortable midfielder then his former CDM partner Viana) beside him probably helped.

Interesting to note though that DC was able to rip off 13 shots in the 2nd half alone (to a Crew 2) but only one of those really troubled GK Andy Gruenebaum. As time ticked away in the 2nd half it became clear that DC just doesn't have it.

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FINAL THOUGHTS
• Officiating in this one was poor. DC was on the wrong side of a number of these calls but the Crew got some questionable one's as well.

• Viana dropped back to his natural position at left back to start the game but pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury early on. Tyson Wahl came on for him and played his normal game, which is "okay".

• Great to see Tchani out there in the middle. He's got a lot of detractors but his preseason was excellent. His play has tightened up in the past half year or so. He is improving.

• Easy to say that; had Chris Pontius (injured) played this may have been different. Considering DC did play ok, this DC team probably needed that change. And more change on the defensive side especially.

• Jairo showed exactly why he needs to be out there. The Crew looked like the team last year that dismissed a lot of these bottom half of the table teams.

• DC's goalkeeper Bill Hamid is not playing well. He actually didn't have a single save. The three Columbus had were goals (one penalty from Higuain).

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SO THE SCOREBOARD CAUGHT FIRE
Not long before the match was scheduled to start, the Crew scoreboard caught on fire. Here is a picture Sam Fahmi took for Massive Report (lots more photos there, as well as info on the blaze from Patrick Guldan).

This event also made Deadspin, HERE.

Predictions: Crew (H) v. DC

Good Afternoon,

Columbus play their third game of the season at home tonight as they host DC United. Game Start: 7:30 PM EST. Word is sales have been good but critical Home Blue Jackets game starts at 7:00 PM. Will be interesting to see how the stands look.

::GAME NOTES::
-Crew looking to make a couple starting lineup changes after a few lackluster results.
-For the 2nd week in a row, Crew facing team at bottom of table.
-DC hasn't gotten a point in last four, last win was 5 games ago.
-2012 Allstar and DC team leader Chris Pontius is out (or taking break).

::PREDICTIONS::
Starting off with Win Draw Win's 'Your Vote' section and it has Columbus, assuredly. 56% on Crew win, 30% draw, with the remaining 12% going to DC.

Going with Adam Jardy, who is on the Crew beat here in town, early here. He is a little unsure how things might turn out. Surprising if you are an outsider looking in but not so much if you follow this team. Jardy from today's paper; "Trying to get an accurate read on either of these teams is difficult."

Drew Epperley at WV Hooligan thinks "the Crew have the offensive muscle" to pull this on out 2:1 over DC.

For the third week in a row the dudes at MLSsoccer.com like the Crew. In fact it is an overwhelming six out of six that pick the Crew this week. Amazing.

Looks like Matt Doyle is still on top with 50% accuracy. Everyone else is 41% or below. Andrew Wiebe still pulling up the rear at 35%. Same guy that wrote the now edited comparison of MLS to other top leagues using basic statistics. Interesting note on that article is that the word "eurosnob" has been removed. Here is the full note on the edit:

EDITORS' NOTE: Due to a miscalculation of MLS's 2012 stats from an outside contractor, a previous version of this article displayed some errors in the statistics, including goals per game and passes attempted. They have been corrected.

They got it wrong, didn't triple check numbers then blamed the contractor. The maturity level here is astonishing.

Next up is our friends at BET365 who likes the Crew. A lot. Better than even for Crew at 8/11 (13/5 Draw and 15/4 DC). Interesting it is so heavy.

Patrick Guldan at the best Crew place (and the one of which I like contributing) thinks that Higuain will get the space he needs for the Crew to pull this out 2:1 by the end.

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::MY PREDICTION::
I think that, real injury or not, Pontius being out actually helps DC a bit in that it makes them a new team to plan for. So much goes through him that it'll be interesting to see what DC United does tonight.

But it is another week and another 'should win' for the Crew. A loss at home to this DC team would be devastating and hard to spin off of for the club. In the previous two home games the Crew only have two points. Not great, at all but they can take that up to 5 pts in three tonight and right the ship, somewhat.

I like the Crew tonight but I have a great deal of hesitancy with that prediction. DC didn't do their homework last time they met earlier this year and came inches from a least a draw.

Whatever the result, it is beautiful here in Columbus today. Get out and watch the Crew instead of sitting in that cooped up hockey arena.

Thanks for reading, have a great weekend.

Bottled Up, Follow Up + Min Max Cap

Working on a new post for Massive Report that discusses the capacity of this year's Columbus Crew team. Digging back I am going over a lot of Higuain's production and performance. I've been writing about his role on the Crew since he started and dug pretty far into it over at Massive Report about a month ago. There were early signs last year that he had been figured out and the Crew, as of yet, have not adjusted.

Going to explore 'capacity' (min /max /expected) more tonight but wanted to get a link up to my Bottled Up, Higuain post and the artwork that went with it here at Helltown.

Crew Rd 7: Ugly Loss

Columbus looked completely out of sync last night in Bridgeview, Ill. as the Fire out-shot, out-played and out-hustled a very poor looking Crew - a lopsided 0:1 final.

1ST HALF

Crew HC Warzycha keep his lineup/formation the same as the past few weeks and Chicago looked ready for it. After an early Crew goal called back for offsides, the first half was slow and sloppy. Neither team really taking control.

2ND HALF

Chicago locked in to what the Crew were doing and punished them harshly. That adjustment is best seen in the fact that the Fire ripped off 16 of their 21 shots in the 2nd half.

Columbus looked terrible right from the whistle. Federico Higuain's passes we off target by yards. Eddie Gaven looked ill, Glauber another step slow. Almost a general disinterest from the Crew. Had it not been for poor finishing and good goal keeping from Andy Gruenebaum this game could have been much worse (but how many times to you hear that kind of thing about goalies on bad teams?)

THOUGHTS

• The tactics the Crew are employing were figured out in total by Frank Klopas and the Chicago Fire. Predictable, stale and unable to produce scoring opportunities. What is a generally defensive formation in the 4-2-3-1 (or more like a 6-3-1) wasn't even able to keep the Fire away from testing Gruenebaum.

• Tyson Wahl, Glauber, Eddie Gaven and Federico Higuain looked off last night. Nothing was connecting and it was hard to watch.

• Ben Speas looked consistent with previous outings but was subbed off for Jairo Arrieta around the 60th min in the 2nd half when it probably should have been Gaven or Viana who came off.

• Chicago's finishing was not good but not sure they have had this much opportunity all year. It was like an indoor cat looking out a open door to the outside for the first time.

• Chicago: 21 shots, 7 on target.
• Columbus: 6 shots, 0 on target.

• Take away the Chivas game and the Crew have 6 goals in 6 games with 7 goals against. Also puts them at 6 pts on 6 games which is puts them down with New England, DC United and the this team that just ran them out of town, Chicago.

• Imagine if DC bothered to actually prepare for Columbus last time they met. Speaking of which, DC is in town this weekend.

Predictions: Crew v. Fire

The Columbus Crew are in Chicago today to take on the Fire. 8:30 PM EST, 7:30 Central.

NOTES:
- Been 9 games since Crew won in Chicago. That's 2006.
- 5 Wins, 4 Drawn for the Fire in that time.
- Last year teams won home matches (2 at Bridgeview, 1 in Columbus)

PREDICTIONS

Bet365 is leaning Chicago on this one, which is a bit surprising when looking at form but not surprising when looking at history. 6/5 CHI Win (23/10 Draw, 9/4 Crew).

Adam Jardy, Dispatch beat writer, is leaning Crew. Leaning, as in he thinks they will win by citing the fact that the Crew have done well on the road this year. The Fire are down right now and Jardy thinks that if ever a time to win in Chicago; "...this would be it."

"I think the skill up front by the Crew is the difference," says Drew Epperley of WV Hooligan. His prediction? 2:1 Crew.

Not many votes over at Goal.com for this game but the few that voted think the Crew will win this one (75%).

And now the big dog, the usually correct Win Draw Win fan vote: A pretty easy win for the Crew? Looks like it. 48% pick Crew, 29% Draw with a large stake on 3:1 Away side.

MY THOUGHTS

Columbus has beaten Chivas USA and DC United on the road this year with a draw in Montreal and loss in Vancouver. Overall, that's good, especially this early in the season.

Chicago has been getting better but not entirely sure where goals might come from. I think they will need two to win this one. They also have held at home verses the Crew for whatever reason since 2006. That's pretty crazy, really. If I'm the Crew I mix up the travel up there. Something isn't working.

Tough one to call. History vs. Form. On last weeks Massive Report podcast I went with a 2:0 Crew win, so I'll stick with that.

An outright Crew loss would be disappointing.

On The Fire, Post

Put together a few words about this weekend's Columbus Crew v. Chicago Fire match for Scott Fenwick and the On The Fire. You can read it here: Prime Your Fire Pump: Chicago vs. Columbus Crew

Along with On The Fire, Scott also contributes to the Guardian's (UK) MLS fan previews and writes on the US Open Cup (which is heating up now, go. Read.) A treasure trove of writers contribute over there as well. If it is not on your regular reading list be sure to change that.

Workbook Doodles

Not long ago I was clicking through Craig Robinson's (author of Flip Flop Fly Ball) site and stumbled around for some time, mesmerized by just about everything there. It got me thinking that I always appreciate it when an a writer or artist or blogger or what have you puts up doodles or quick ideas from their notebook. Not sure why that is exactly but perhaps it's an uncensored / un-polished look at how their mind works.

These come from my notepad I carry around with me at work. My handwriting has always been horrible and it gets even worse when I write standing up or on racking. The drawings are usually done when on a long call with corporate or another facility that is attended by loads of people. Most of it seems a mess now but there are so many things I wish I still had over the years like this but have since lost. Hoping they stick around in this place.

More on Robinson. He is from England and somehow fell in love with baseball as an adult. In a lot of ways it is the reverse for a lot here in the US falling of soccer. Here's a bit:

"With baseball, there was suddenly a sport that slotted into that part of my brain. Pitcher tries to do this. Batter tries to do that. Runners move methodically around the bases, defensive plays work like clockwork. Even the little rituals, like not stepping on the foul lines or the manager physically taking the ball from a pitcher and handing it to the reliever, felt nice in my brain."

People of Columbus, Eurosnobs

Cody Sharrett, Digital Content Producer for the Columbus Crew official MLSsoccer.com internet outlet, wondered aloud on twitter: "Has #MLS ever gone head-to-head with Euro leagues in TV ratings? Man City v. Chelsea @ 11 a.m. - FOX Soccer// #Crew96 v. #IMFC @ noon - FSO."

It'll be interesting to see local ratings of the two matches tomorrow, help gauge prevalence of Eurosnobs who need converted. #Crew96

— Cody Sharrett (@CodySharrett) April 13, 2013

I would gauge the prevalence of soccer fans in Columbus as Heavy. Most bars that play morning games on Saturday and Sunday see more than a handful of fans. When there are international tournaments the turnouts are huge.

Here in German Village / Brewery District we've even had a few honest to goodness fights inside and outside of local bars over the sport.

People of Columbus adore sports. They love an event. They love soccer. Kids play it. Parents coach it. Part of that love comes from the fact that most here in town are only a generation or three away from their family first arriving to this country.

But, gee wiz. Wonder why they can't seem to muster up the energy to head out to Crew Stadium.

It's not the weather. It's not the location of the stadium. It's not the 'product' on the field.

If you want people to show up everyone from the owner(s) of the organization to the interns has to be all in on the SPORT OF SOCCER. Not just the Crew.

Selling the club over the sport makes it seem like something someone can buy at the grocery store.

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I am first generation American on my Mother's side. I like English soccer. I like European Soccer. I also like Mexican Soccer. The company I work for has a manufacturing facility in the Netherlands and talk soccer with them. Hell, if it's soccer and I can watch, listen or talk about it; I'm game.

Does that make me a eurosnob? Should I send my English grandmother (RAF WWII) over to your house to explain how England; part of Europe it is nowt?

Furthermore; Do I have to drop my 'eurosnobbery' before I buy tickets to a Crew game?

Not picking on Mr. Sharrett and his tweet here, but his comment is reflective of what you can find on the league's home site in more serious fashion. I've had it with MLS 'Eurosnob' name calling. We are a nation of immigrants for Christ's sake. A goddamn good one at that. Perhaps that has something to do with where we come from.. be it Europe, Central America or beyond.