Admit it Crew fans, the season-opening win against Toronto FC had you buzzing about a great season. That vibe lasted less than a minute into Saturday as the Red Bulls handed Columbus a 2-0 loss in what could be best described as a drab performance by the Crew.
So was it just a case of the Crew having an off night or is the club’s need for a target forward going to become an issue that dogs the team all year? If anything was clear on Saturday, it’s that if Guillermo Barros Schelotto doesn’t come to play, the Columbus attack will be toothless.
SBI correspondent Rich Fidler was one of many Crew fans who watched the disappointment unfold on television. Fidler shares his take on the Crew’s first loss of the season (Agree or disagree with Rich? Feel free to share your opinion of Rich’s piece in the comments section below)
Season opening vibes fade after bad loss
By Rich Fidler
It only took the Columbus Crew 47 seconds to ruin the good vibe they’d gained from the devoted fans last weekend in beating the Maple Patch Girls when Dave van den Bergh received a ball taken off the foot of Argentinean wunder-midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto and blasted a skipping ball past Will "Ricky Bobby" Hesmer.
The first Crew goal was a comedy of first minute errors; first there was Schelotto and Brian Carroll’s pathetic effort to track back on van den Bergh as he beat both of them to the free ball. Then it was the failure of an entire defensive unit that decided to give the 31-year old Dutchman all the space to wind up and take a crack. And finally, as the ball skipped across the wet turf at Giants Stadium – and speaking of, who the hell actually waters plastic grass but those in Jersey – it was Hesmer who could only parry the skipping ball in to his own net.
Yet it wasn’t quite over for the visitors, who were clad in their "home" yellow jersey on the road for the first time this season – as Kevin Goldthwaite pounced on ball in the box when surrounded by a mass of canary yellow and scored a goal in the eigth minute.
Who is Goldthwaite you ask? I didn’t know either so I went to Wikipedia and he’s caught former Crew forward Jeff Cunningham as he’s playing for his fourth MLS team in as many years – but don’t worry Jeff, rumor has it you’re on the trading block in Toronto and will join team number five soon.
It was a comedy of errors as Juan Pablo Angel sent a van den Bergh corner kick back in to the box from the far end-line. Instead of pouncing on the ball like any pyscho-eyed keeper (no, not you Hansbrough) I’ve seen play this game over the last 31-years, Hesmer danced across the area as if he was playing hop-scotch, bouncing past Goldthwaite and ending up past the 6-yard box on his feet when the ball settled in the net.
Danny O’Rourke – Worthington Pride Danny, Worthington Pride – gave up his second penalty in as many games, but it was Hesmer who stood large just like last weekend when he tipped Angel’s poorly placed penalty shot over the cross-bar to give the Glidden-clad Ohioans a shot that they would find impossible to capitalize one.
Sure, the Crew maintained possession throughout the second half – but it was facing a New York team that was comfortable with their two-goal lead. And that goal looked even better against a team that continues its’ quest from last year to see just how many times it can be shut-out.
Things were so desperate that despite having "target" man Alejandro Moreno up top, second half substitute Ezra Hendrickson and his lanky frame charged to the front for the final 10 minutes hoping to catch an errant Frankie Hejduk cross in the 8th row. It wasn’t going to happen and the signing of a formidable striker, or hell even any striker that can consistently put the ball in the back of the net looks like the glaring need for the 8th season in a row – Stern John’s fourth cousin from his mother’s side of the family isn’t coming any time soon.
The Crew head home Saturday and the hope is that returning home in front of 7,000 cheering fans will spur them on to victory against a Chivas USA side that leads the meager Western conference with four points from two games and is pretty used to such meager crowds.
Hudson
Yeah, I don’t care for streamers–but it’s better than quarters and batteries–so no big deal. Until it interrupts the play of the match for clean up. No biggie.
The TFC cats are, for the most part, usually pretty nice–if you can make it up there, you may even get to see their “club house” bar type-thing they have. Kinda neat.
I read your site and where the name comes from, so that much is cool–I might suggest then, something like Hudson Street Crew, or even Hudson Street Black & Gold. It’s not just that it’s a literal translation or interpretation of the word ‘hooligan’, but we’ll be having enough of a tough-go trying to get supporters’ rights league-wide; but many people across the world simply see ‘Hooligan’ and have an adverse response. I understand what you’re saying though about wanting a name that doesn’t imply that we’re all hippies or something, don’t get me wrong there. But honestly, no actual ‘hooligan’ would call their group that–or worse yet, if an actual group of hooligans saw that, what would their response be?
Either way, I’ll see ya in C-bus (and yes, I’ll stop over at your pub either before or after the match).
Hey Michael,
You’re probably the dude that doesn’t want streamers thrown on the field either. Come on down to Ruby Tuesday Bar on Summit and 19th after a game sometime. The TFC guys did and walked out with a smile and without harm. It’s just a name bro, lighten up. Stop taking things so literally.
Oh, and the stadium is located of the Hudson Street exit. Black and Gold Blvd. Flower Picking Blogging Supporters doesn’t really have the same catchy name of Hudson Street Hooligans.
Cheers,
Sure hate on Columbus….that’s fine, keep watering your fake grass.
Columbus til I die.
This is not market research but if any event has quality and star power, people will come.
Columbus has the entire state to draw from. Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, etc., all within 2 hours of Columbus. That is a lot of people to draw from.
They need to get a player (a #9 to be exact) that will help them win games and help them with attendance.
Good player = more fans
Good team = more fans
Both = a lot more fans
i grew up in columbus, and had season tickets to their first three seasons. When im not rooting for the galaxy (i live in LA now) the crew are always my team. I hope they make an extended run into the playoffs this year, i think the fans are due for it for their loyalty. Its crazy how columbus is a pretty big soccer town, who wouldve thought.
This might be my favorite write up so far. I can only say stay positive, good things will happen eventually.
Oh, and we might not be the smartest here in Jersey, but complaining about wet field turf is like complaining about wet water:
Given that FieldTurf is porous (rain-water or any other water that falls on FieldTurf almost instantly flows down through the porous backing underneath) therefore it is installed in such a way that there is enough clearance for water to flow.
As a Crew fan, there is only a couple of ways, that I see, to increase the supporters:
1 – Have a team that doesn’t suck.
2 – Have more than one player that people care about.
3 – Have a team that doesn’t make you want to throw up.
4 – Did I mention they need a team that doesn’t suck?
Hudson_street; you guys should really change your name, and drop the ‘Hooligans’ bit. You’re not really ‘Hooligans’–and to be frank, you really don’t want that image actually associated with you. Naming yourself after a movie is just a questionsable judgment of taste–but to each his own. However, It does makes everyone league-wide laugh at you, not fear/respect you. Your numbers at game time may be good (which I’ve never really seen them to be), but the rest of the stadium attendance is known league-wide as abysmal.
Before you get defensive and say something, just try to understand that I’m making the previous suggestion to help you guys improve the supporteers’ culture locally and help league-wide, which will help to make the mindless violence and idiocy of ‘Hooliganism’ a thing that is not a part of MLS, nor soccer in this country.
Uh 7000? Maybe in the NE corner! Try more like 14-18 thousand for the game. Seriously, Columbus fans only come out in low numbers for crappy EPL teams that come over in July 😀 See you at the game brother.
i have to agree with mcbride. Anyone who has watched the Crew can say with ease that the problem lies solely with the forward position. The crew just need a finisher period.
I was at the Red Bulls / Cows game – Schelotto looked so out of it – a complete opposite of the guy I saw last year who cracked one off the frame. Either he is unmotivated, old, or out of game shape. Too bad – he is one of my favorite players.
It’s good to read a homer’s point of view…good idea Ives and I look forward to reading more about my team in the future.
7000 fans for your match against Chivas? No offence mate, but that’s pish. you lot should feel lucky to even have a team at that rate.
Hesmer looked great at times (the PK save, the double save on Angel and Etcheverry) and really bad at other times (both of the goals, looking unsure of himself on corners). Is he kind of like Pepe Reina at Liverpool in that he’s so brilliant at times that you kind of have to ignore his errors… what’s his history, I’m not up to speed on my Crew knowledge
uh, Fake Brian, who picked out the guys he wanted on the team? Sigi is absolutely part of the problem. Look at the roster from the start of the ’05 season. You know who’s still with the team? Hejduk, Marshall, and Oughton. That’s it. Everyone else is someone Sigi brought it.
So saying Sigi isn’t the problem isn’t really accurate.
You know who’s had the best winning percentage in the last 5 years in Columbus? Warzycha. As a fill-in coach with someone else’s players finishing out a lost season after Andrulis was fired.
Once I come back, I hope the Crew give me a young partner to mentor and lead us back to glory.
Keep Sigi. He’s NOT the problem. The problem , as pointed out above, is the lack of a true forward.
Excellent!!!!!!!!The more sarcasm the better I say.
Pobre Gemelo, I Know he’s not going back to Argentina to sing the praises of our league. Is there another player as slow as Gaven?
Any chance we can find out why Garey can’t get off the bench? Hurt? Out of shape? Pissed someone off? Lazy?
First round pick and can’t get in the game – there’s got to be a reason.