Columbus Crew

[BuckTwenty]

Rookie Freddy Montero had 2 goals and an assist tonight for Seattle. Folks have been raving about how well he looked during the pre-season. Showed a national audience tonight what people have been raving about.

Terribly kept secret, but sounds like Portland will be announced as the 18th MLS team later today (Friday).

I can NOT wait to see the Crew take the field on Saturday! It's been too long.

[BuckTwenty]

From Friday's (3/20) Dispatch:

Crew Will Face Many Obstacles in Quest to Repeat

The Crew's official roster to start the season with some quick bios

Eastern Conference Preview -- Nice little quick look around the league
Western Conference Preview -- Ditto

5 Issues the Crew will face going into the new season



Official annoncement (MLSnet) of Portland receiving (and accepting) a bid for an MLS team. Did you know that Portland refers to itself as Soccer City USA? Yeah, I didn't either.

And finally, a great pre-game preview of the Columbus/Houston game (Crewture).

[BuckTwenty]

Crew tied Houston 1-1, thanks to a stout D, a poor field in Houston, & a brilliant moment by Guille. The Crew had a goal by Chad Marshall controvercially disallowed in the first half. The first half was really hard to watch. I felt like applauding every time one team was able to string 3-4 passes in a row. Looked like a first game of the season for both teams. That said, I thought the Crew was the better looking team on the night, even away from home.

Crew Comes Away With Tie -- Dispatch

Post game thoughts from The Dispatch & Crewture ("Post Game/Nice Call Ref" & "Game Day Grades")

[BuckTwenty]

Highlight video of the game last night from MLSnet.

[OHSportsFan9]

The disallowed goal on Marshall's header was atrocious officiating.

At least they start the season off with a point on the road.

[BuckeyeMac]

I get to go to my first Crew game on Saturday with a couple of friends, I'm really looking forward to it!!

[BuckTwenty]

Originally Posted by OHSportsFan9

The disallowed goal on Marshall's header was atrocious officiating.

At least they start the season off with a point on the road.

Absolute crap. On the replay, it looked like two of our players collided with each other and they called us for a foul. Doesn't make any sense. Marshall's header was textbook and we should have won that game 2-1.

I agree with you. I'll take a point anytime playing away against the one of the best in the Western conference any weekend... especially for our first game of the year when our best soccer lies well ahead of us.

[BuckTwenty]

Toronto game this afternoon at 4pm. First home game of the season, and should be a dandy! I'm going, so I'll add some thoughts after the game.

If anyone read yesterday's "Rumblings" in the Dispatch, read them. Funny bit about Toronto that made me laugh. I'll try to find it after the game because I've got to jet!

[BuckTwenty]

Toronto 1, Crew 1: Mistake Stains Home Opener (Dispatch)
Crew dominated the vast majority of the game until about the 65-70 minute. Freak accident own-goal by Padula ends up sending Toronto back up to Canada singing.

Bob Hunter: This Tie Amounts To A Win for Toronto (Dispatch)
Good article by Bob Hunter

Highlight Video of the Toronto v. Columbus game (MLSnet.com)

My Thoughts:
-We were without starters Frankie Hejduk (world cup qualifer), Alejandro Moreno (national team), and Robbie Rodgers (hamstring). In their place were D Jed Zayner, F Jason Garey, and M Alex Grendi. They were without Amando Guevara (world cup qualifier).

- We've got one heck of a defense. O'Rourke is the most improved player thus far from a season ago. Marshall is a beast and looked to be worth every penny that he's making. Padula had the best game I've ever seen him play yesterday, though that own goal was a terrible fluke. Our slide tackles were on POINT. Every time they'd try to drive it in on us, we'd come out with the ball. I take back what I said about us having the best midfield in MLS, but I think we have the best D in MLS. Even without Hejduk (who had a goal and an assist in a comeback effort for the U.S. National Team yesterday), we played magnificently on defense. Zayner was serviceable, but I'd much rather have seen Andy Iro out there.

- Hesmer really wasn't challenged very much. Again, amazing defense. There really wasn't anything Will could do about that own goal either. 'Twas a fluke.

- Ekpo looked like a completely different player in the 1st half of this game as compared to last game. Looked a lot more comfortable in the middle and created a lot of havok. Grendi looked pretty lost out there (especially on D) and if it wasn't for Padula, we'd have given up a goal from the right side. Gaven made some really dangerous runs and their left side couldn't guard him, but his final touches seemed off. Carroll looked amazing in the 1st, so-so in the 2nd... but he's still the most consistent player on this team. First time I'd seen Eleanio play... jury's still out there, I guess.

-Schelotto looks like he's in mid-season form. Scored his 2nd goal in as many games. No one in the league puts the ball where he can put it. His diving routine is getting old though. Surprised he didnt' get any yellows. Our team played drastically different (in a bad way) when we subbed him out of the game.

-Enjoyed Garey's hustle, but he's not starter material just yet. That hustle gave him some great chances late in the game though... just have to put the ball in the back of the net. Lenhart plays such a physical game at forward. Would have loved to see him get in earlier. I think we've got 2 great 12th men at forward in Garey and Lenhart.

-I'm not sure if our defense is really that good or Toronto's offense is really that bad, but Toronto's O looked terrible out there. They play a finesse type of game where they seem to rely on diving to get re-start opportunities and go from there. They were extremely fortunate to come away with a point yesterday. And to contradict commissioner Garber, Toronto's fans are the crudest, rudest, and overall worst fans in MLS. Out of the 30 or so I talked to yesterday, there was only 1 that was cool.

- Without 3 starters out there, we looked like we just wanted to play long-ball out there, which is a style I hate. Just kicking a 50-50 ball down there to start the offense doesn't do much for posession. We've got to work more on matriculating the ball down the field. Hopefully with those three starters back in the fold, we won't see quite so much of that.

- Toronto chanted "This is our house! *clap*clap* *clap*clap*clap*" at varying points during the game. Including yesterday's tie, Toronto has a 0-3-4 record against the Crew. You can bring as many fans as you'd like to your away games against us TFC, but you have no bragging rights in Columbus and you CERTAINLY don't own us, let alone our stadium. I call shinanigans.

-We've played well enough to have 6 points in the standings, but we only sit with 2 right now. We've got to play better and finish our scoring chances. Bob Hunter's column pretty much says everything I'm thinking about that.

-2 tough road games coming up out west are next for the Crew (at Real Salt Lake & at Chivas USA). Should tell us a lot about how good we are right now at this point in the season.

[BuckeyeMac]

So I had a blast at my first Crew game on Saturday. Unfortunately a fluke goal turned the game into a bummer, but the atmosphere and experience at the stadium was amazing. Can't wait to get back to another match!!

[BuckTwenty]

Classless Toronto fans getting blasted by the Canadian print media after how they acted before, during, and after the game last weekend in Columbus

Simply Embarressing -- TFC Fans Involved in Columbus Ruckus Not Hooligans, Just Idiots Hopped Up On Liquid Courage

TFC Fan Tasered, Others Arrested After U.S. Game (Toronto Sun)

One of their banners was one of Jesus giving us the middle finger. You stay classy, Toronto. Start policing your faithful and start fielding a better team.

[tmporter]

Originally Posted by BuckTwenty

Toronto 1, Crew 1: Mistake Stains Home Opener (Dispatch)
Crew dominated the vast majority of the game until about the 65-70 minute. Freak accident own-goal by Padula ends up sending Toronto back up to Canada singing.

Bob Hunter: This Tie Amounts To A Win for Toronto (Dispatch)
Good article by Bob Hunter

Highlight Video of the Toronto v. Columbus game (MLSnet.com)

My Thoughts:
-We were without starters Frankie Hejduk (world cup qualifer), Alejandro Moreno (national team), and Robbie Rodgers (hamstring). In their place were D Jed Zayner, F Jason Garey, and M Alex Grendi. They were without Amando Guevara (world cup qualifier).

- We've got one heck of a defense. O'Rourke is the most improved player thus far from a season ago. Marshall is a beast and looked to be worth every penny that he's making. Padula had the best game I've ever seen him play yesterday, though that own goal was a terrible fluke. Our slide tackles were on POINT. Every time they'd try to drive it in on us, we'd come out with the ball. I take back what I said about us having the best midfield in MLS, but I think we have the best D in MLS. Even without Hejduk (who had a goal and an assist in a comeback effort for the U.S. National Team yesterday), we played magnificently on defense. Zayner was serviceable, but I'd much rather have seen Andy Iro out there.

- Hesmer really wasn't challenged very much. Again, amazing defense. There really wasn't anything Will could do about that own goal either. 'Twas a fluke.

- Ekpo looked like a completely different player in the 1st half of this game as compared to last game. Looked a lot more comfortable in the middle and created a lot of havok. Grendi looked pretty lost out there (especially on D) and if it wasn't for Padula, we'd have given up a goal from the right side. Gaven made some really dangerous runs and their left side couldn't guard him, but his final touches seemed off. Carroll looked amazing in the 1st, so-so in the 2nd... but he's still the most consistent player on this team. First time I'd seen Eleanio play... jury's still out there, I guess.

-Schelotto looks like he's in mid-season form. Scored his 2nd goal in as many games. No one in the league puts the ball where he can put it. His diving routine is getting old though. Surprised he didnt' get any yellows. Our team played drastically different (in a bad way) when we subbed him out of the game.

-Enjoyed Garey's hustle, but he's not starter material just yet. That hustle gave him some great chances late in the game though... just have to put the ball in the back of the net. Lenhart plays such a physical game at forward. Would have loved to see him get in earlier. I think we've got 2 great 12th men at forward in Garey and Lenhart.

-I'm not sure if our defense is really that good or Toronto's offense is really that bad, but Toronto's O looked terrible out there. They play a finesse type of game where they seem to rely on diving to get re-start opportunities and go from there. They were extremely fortunate to come away with a point yesterday. And to contradict commissioner Garber, Toronto's fans are the crudest, rudest, and overall worst fans in MLS. Out of the 30 or so I talked to yesterday, there was only 1 that was cool.

- Without 3 starters out there, we looked like we just wanted to play long-ball out there, which is a style I hate. Just kicking a 50-50 ball down there to start the offense doesn't do much for posession. We've got to work more on matriculating the ball down the field. Hopefully with those three starters back in the fold, we won't see quite so much of that.

- Toronto chanted "This is our house! *clap*clap* *clap*clap*clap*" at varying points during the game. Including yesterday's tie, Toronto has a 0-3-4 record against the Crew. You can bring as many fans as you'd like to your away games against us TFC, but you have no bragging rights in Columbus and you CERTAINLY don't own us, let alone our stadium. I call shinanigans.

-We've played well enough to have 6 points in the standings, but we only sit with 2 right now. We've got to play better and finish our scoring chances. Bob Hunter's column pretty much says everything I'm thinking about that.

-2 tough road games coming up out west are next for the Crew (at Real Salt Lake & at Chivas USA). Should tell us a lot about how good we are right now at this point in the season.

My friends and I go to most every game, and we know a couple of Toronto fans that aren't complete idiots. We have been tailgating in the same place for 3 years now so these 3 or 4 guys just come by every year for some beers and good times. But for the most part their fans are a miserable bunch of people. I like to compare them to Penn St. fans when their team is in a down cycle. Full of misplaced bravado and arrogance when thet know full well their team is junk.

Originally Posted by BuckeyeMac

So I had a blast at my first Crew game on Saturday. Unfortunately a fluke goal turned the game into a bummer, but the atmosphere and experience at the stadium was amazing. Can't wait to get back to another match!!

Crew games are very entertaining especially if you sit in the North End of the stadium. Where abouts were you sitting? It is crazy down in the North End and I saw many people with small children asking ushers to be allowed to move and for good reason. The North End is most assuredly not safe foe anyone under 15. It seems to happen to people who don't know better and just want the cheap seats at the beginning of every year.

[jlb1705]

Haven't been to a Crew match since I moved from C-bus a few years back, but I love me some North End. Anytime I go back, that's where you'll find me!

[bkochmc]

Originally Posted by BuckTwenty

Classless Toronto fans getting blasted by the Canadian print media after how they acted before, during, and after the game last weekend in Columbus

Simply Embarressing -- TFC Fans Involved in Columbus Ruckus Not Hooligans, Just Idiots Hopped Up On Liquid Courage

TFC Fan Tasered, Others Arrested After U.S. Game (Toronto Sun)

One of their banners was one of Jesus giving us the middle finger. You stay classy, Toronto. Start policing your faithful and start fielding a better team.

I was at the game on Saturday... great atmosphere, disappointing outcome. I had a great view of their passionate crowd (was in section 110 just to the side of their section). I had little problem with the TFC fans and their boisterous support of their team (besides the idiotic banners and vulgar chants)... until they started throwing their $9 beers at cops, ripping out railings and throwing them on the field, and vandalizing bleachers. Most of that happened in the 2nd half after a lot of them were plastered. Throwing the smoke bombs onto the field was mildly entertaining because the person it was affecting the most was their own goalie... fortunately for TFC the Crew could not mount a run.

I saw the YouTube video of the TFC vandal fan and it does not show what he was doing before he was tased. The cops were already on the lookout after what had happened in the stadium... my guess is he deserved it. To be fair to TFC fans... my group did talk to some of them after the game that were pretty cool guys. They gave us the "99.9% of our fans are great, it's the 0.1% that give us a bad name" line. I've heard that somewhere before...

[BuckTwenty]

Game tomorrow at home against the Colorado Rapids and we're going again with a pretty depleted roster. Sounds as though our defense is going to be without Hejduk (hamstring), Marshall (possible concussion), and Iro (red card suspension). Dublin native Eric Brunner is going to get his first start with the Crew tomorrow on defense. Crew's also going to be without left wing Rodgers (Hamstring) which is a big blow, but Moffat is finally returning from injury to center mid, bumping Ekpo over to left wing. Should be interesting to see how the chemistry is with all of the new moves and 6 days of rest.

Looking forward to a good game tomorrow! Just hoping our "ragtag" D can keep Connor Casey bottled up and off the board.



Also, thought this would interest some folks on the board. Apparently, U.S. Soccer contacted Ohio Stadium as a possible World Cup venue if the U.S. were to get a bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.