10 things on Columbus Crew SC

Columbus Crew SC is an MLS rival of the first hour for the Impact. The Black and Gold has always been a stubborn opponent for the Bleu-blanc-noir, and MAPFRE Stadium is amongst the least welcoming venues for Montreal: in eight games played over there, the club has only won five points, scoring one goal per game on average – and this average includes that epic 4-4 draw back in 2016. The Montreal squad now has an opportunity to close the gap on sixth place, held by the Crew, to one point with four games in hand. Here are 10 things on the Ohio team.
Context
Times are dire for Higuaín and co.: since they won in extremis at Stade Saputo, the Crew got eliminated from the US Open Cup and lost four of its last five MLS games, scoring only six goals during that empty period. Confidence is clearly lacking. Wasted balls, untimely turnovers and questionable decisions are creeping into the Buckeyes’ game. Mention has to be made that all these losses occurred on the road and their only recent win, against the Seattle Sounders by a 3-0 score, was decisive, albeit momentary.
Current form (across all competitions)
L-L-L-W-L-L
Head coach
Gregg Berhalter (44-44-31 all-time as Columbus Crew SC head coach) has been head coach and sporting director of Crew SC since November 6, 2013, months after new owner Anthony Precourt took over the club. As Precourt worked on reinventing the club’s brand, Berhalter worked on reinventing the team’s style, bringing them back to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in three seasons on his first attempt. After an Eastern Conference semifinal loss to New England Revolution, in 2014, Berhalter led Crew SC to the 2015 MLS Cup, where the Portland Timbers prevailed. His team must do better than in 2016, however, as it missed out on the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Current top scorer
Justin Meram and Ola Kamara (8)
Players to watch

1.Federico Higuaín (#10) – The Argentine maestro keeps on doing what he does best: he already created 36 scoring chances for his teammates this season.

2.Justin Meram (#9) – The Crew’s hero during the latest game against the Impact came back to his senses in 2017. His 41 dribbles completed make him almost indispensable to Berhalter’s system.

3.Ola Kamara (#11) – Their new Kamara, coming straight from Norway, scores, scores and keeps on scoring. He should not be undervalued in the air either, having won 25 aerial duels since the start of the campaign.

Team profile
The Crew’s attack goes through the usual suspects, and no one else. It’s all or nothing for the 9-10-11, who have scored 92% of their team’s goals this year. But even though Gonzalo from Juve’s older brother does not have the legs of his youth anymore, he is always at the heart of the build-up for the Black and Gold; Federico is well supported too by Finlay and Meram in the half-space and by the full-backs who bomb forward to support the attack – leaving the defense exposed to counters.
In 2017 :

*Source for all data is Opta
Tactical formation
After a short experience with a three-man defense, Berhalter went back to his preferred set-up, the 4-2-3-1. Lineup against Atlanta United (June 17): Steffen; Raitala, Mensah, Williams, Afful; Trapp, Artur; Meram, Higuaín, Finlay; Kamara.
Most recent game against the Impact
In the month of May, the Crew travelled to Stade Saputo. The visitors took a 2-0 lead in the first half-hour, but a brave comeback by the Bleu-blanc-noir saw Nacho Piatti and Anthony Jackson-Hamel both score to equalize. Justin Meram, however, had the last laugh and completed his hat-trick in stoppage time to allow the Ohio representatives to bring back all three points in Buckeye State.
Injuries, absences and call-ups (as of June 22)
D Gaston Sauro (knee)
D Nicolai Naess (neck – has started running)
M Ben Swanson (ankle)
F Kekuta Manneh (foot – has started running)
Upcoming games
Columbus Crew SC v Atlanta United FC (MLS, June 1)
Minnesota United FC v Columbus Crew SC (MLS, June 4)
Columbus Crew SC v Eintract Frankfurt (Friendly, June 17)