2009 MLS Preview: Columbus Crew

By: travis | March 7th, 2009

Starting March 4, and continuing up until March 19, I’ll be previewing every team prior to the First Kick of the 2009 season. I’m going in alphabetical order, with a final season prediction coming at the end of everything. My goal? To make sure that every team is covered here at MLS Offside, with each team blog going into much further detail than I will.

When you win a championship, changing things up is the last thing any organization wants to do. For the Columbus Crew, the only major difference they have — aside from a player here and there — was the departure of coach Sigi Schmid. Expect for that that, they were able to being in Guillermo Barros Schelotto (who I’ll refer to as GBS from here on out) and Chad Marshall back into the fold, re-signing him for 2009. Throw in the supporting cast of rising talent and seasoned veterans and there is little reason the Crew can’t be major title contenders this year.

2008: 17-7-6, 57 pts., 1st in East, MLS Cup Champions and Supporter’s Shield winners.

Services acquired: None of note

Left the building: Brad Evans, Ezra Hendrickson

Coach: Robert Warzycha is in his first year replacing Schmid.

All Eyes on Me: The young Robbie Rogers is one to keep an eye on. He showed flashes of brilliance in 2008, including a brilliant goal against the Red Bulls. His speed on the left side is hard to match but his inconsistency last season was frustrating at times. He’ll also be looking to make a name for himself with USMNT Bob Bradley as the National Team will need to dig deep because of their busy summer schedule.

Player(s) to Watch: The focal point of the offense is GBS — duh. If other sides haven’t learned how to shut him down after two seasons in the league he’ll continue to orchestrate the offense. Alejandro Moreno benefitted from Schelotto’s skill last season and is their most consistent forward option up front. The return of Marshall, who signed a new deal this past offseason, was another big move. The defender of the year would have been a huge loss if he had decided to make a move overseas. Keeping him around establishes a sense of continuity in defense in front of keeper Will Hesmer.

Young Guns: The Crew have a few other young players aside from Rogers looking to step it up in ‘09. Jason Garey, a first round pick three years ago out of Maryland. Now in his fourth season, Garey has had a chance to soak up experience the past two seasons, coming off the bench in 10 games last season to notch three goals. If he can become another goal scorer, the Crew should be able to find the net on a much more consistent basis. In the same vein, forward Steven Lenhart chipped in four goals last year. A strong 2009 from either Garey or Lenhart would be a huge boost to Moreno up front. I liked what I saw from the Nigerian Emmanuel Ekpo last season and envision how dangerous the Crew could be with Ekpo and Rogers manning both flanks. Ekpo made it into 17 games last season and expect more of the same from him this season.

Bottom Line: With so many key pieces still in place, it’s hard to imagine the Crew not being able to repeat their 2008 accolades. The loss of Brad Evans to the Seattle Sounders is a blow to the depth of their midfield — and their lack of moves perhaps leave them a little susceptible to injury. The powers that be did them a favor by ruling teams can’t compete in the SuperLiga and the Champions League — but the added fixtures at the end of the season will stretch them nonetheless. If players like Rogers, Garey, and Ekpo step things up this season it should be a pleasant 2009 for the Crew. They are hardly a lock to repeat their 2008 success, but by staying healthy and matching their intensity from the past year, a deep playoff run could be on the cards for Columbus. The big overall question hounding the Crew all year will be how Warzycha fill’s Schmid’s shoes. I don’t see that happening, but you never know.