Opportunity Knocks. Now or (maybe) never. - Road to 2018 MLS Cup

Discussion in 'Columbus Crew' started by hangthadj, Jul 5, 2018.

  1. hangthadj

    hangthadj Member+

    A.S. Roma
    Mar 27, 2001
    Zone 14
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    As stimulating as the Modell Law conversations are, the endless legal briefs and dismissals, the references to the Hipster 6, the repeated nicknames for Precourt, Garber, and Greeley, it's easy to forget about the league. About the games between the lines. I can't help but thinking we are missing a rather significant developments within the league.

    Yes, it's true we sit 5th in the East on ppg. It's discouraging, but I am not here to bury Berhalter, I'm here to speak about opportunity.

    Coming into the season, there were thought to be 4 sure things in the East by the experts (like your boy, hangthadj). TFC, NYCFC, Atlanta, and Red Bulls.

    Well TFC is 8 points off a playoff spot, ahead of only DC in the east, and has to climb 4 teams to make the playoffs. (I still think they'll make it, but that's here nor there). They are there to be had.

    NYCFC is without Viera. They may be fine, they may not be. They have the talent. But Villa has missed several games this season. Is this his wheels coming off? They are there to be had.

    NYRB may be losing Marsch to Europe. In my opinion, this is the best team in the East. They have a system at work there. The young players come through and produce. These aren't Christian Martinez's or Niko Hansen's that Red Bull is bringing through. These guys can play a 2nd string against most any team in the league and expect to compete. Yet, without Marsch.....they are there to be had.

    There is a lot of doom and gloom about other shit in Crew land. The stadium is crap. People are watching court proceedings and city council meetings at 5 in the am. It's a very strange scene.

    Yet, in the midst of all this....the clouds seem to be breaking for a substantial Columbus Crew run to MLS Cup. So many circumstances are falling our way.

    It's as if Lord Guillermo sent down a storm during the Sasprissa friendly upset that he wasn't here with Boca, but has also parted the clouds and shown us a clear path towards MLS Cup.

    Surely, I can't be the only one looking at the landscape of the league and thinking....If Gregg get's this team right for a traditional second half surge......

    I'm not the only one. I know there are others.

    Let's ********in go.

    Glory To Columbus.
     
  2. chr1st

    chr1st Member+

    Jan 19, 2011
    Dayton
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]

    Brother hang speaks the truth...

    We're gonna win the ********ing cup!
     
  3. CybrSlydr

    CybrSlydr Member+

    Columbus Crew
    United States
    Jun 30, 2013
    Casper, WY
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Conflict of interest - realest fan can't chair the sunshine brigade.
     
    the_rickler repped this.
  4. hangthadj

    hangthadj Member+

    A.S. Roma
    Mar 27, 2001
    Zone 14
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    I'm not here for the technicalities....I'm here for the Cup.
     
  5. KCbus

    KCbus Moderator
    Staff Member

    United States
    Nov 26, 2000
    Reynoldsburg, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Are you feeling alright? Do you have a temperature? HEAT STROKE!! That's what it is, heat stroke. Seek medical help immediately.
     
  6. KCbus

    KCbus Moderator
    Staff Member

    United States
    Nov 26, 2000
    Reynoldsburg, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Anyway... one thing in that speech that I'm going to disagree with you on is Toronto. No, they're NOT going to make the playoffs. The hole is too deep. I'm not confident enough in that prediction to put money on it, but I'd be very surprised.

    Even if they had a magical return to great form and went 9-4-4 in their last 17, that would get them to 46 points. That would be just barely enough to put them ahead of Chicago if Chicago holds at their current pace, which is not all that difficult for them to do since they're actually below .500.

    But everything else is correct. Columbus' biggest obstacle is Columbus. We know what they're capable of when things are humming. We saw it last season, and we saw it in the playoffs. But they're not firing on all cylinders. Santos still has no idea what he's supposed to be doing out there, Steffen's become an injured question mark, and we still can't seem to score when Zardes doesn't get service.

    Get some of those things solved, and we're in this. The teams we're chasing are good, but they're not spectacular. They're not untouchable. Such is life in this league. I can't say we're favorites -- I'd say all of the top five teams in the East have pretty much an equal shot at this point. One equal chance in five isn't exactly a reason to be confident. But we've got as good of a shot as anyone.
     
  7. kgilbert78

    kgilbert78 Member+

    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    United States
    Dec 28, 2006
    Cowlumbus, OH
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So if you're feeling this way about the Crew, how do you feel about the Phils halfway thru the season....
     
  8. Big J 0526

    Big J 0526 Member+

    Columbus Crew SC
    United States
    Sep 8, 2010
    Columbus, Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We are just here to chew bubblegum and win cups.......
















    And we are all out of bubblegum.
     
  9. KHT_Crew

    KHT_Crew Member+

    Mar 29, 2003
    Queen City, OH
    To offset the optimism...

    1-2 key players get shuffled out to Europe during the summer transfer window, another key player picks up an injury that sidelines them for multiple weeks. Do we have the bench players ready to step up? I am skeptical.

    I believe that we can make it into the playoffs, I am just not sure if the pieces will still be there for a good run.
     
  10. zman31

    zman31 Member+

    May 5, 1999
    Columbus, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think the folks around here that have already sent Steffen to Europe and are trying to make a case that Trapp is going with him are nuts. One decent season and nice performance vs France does not make for enough for him to be brought in to just about any team as the guaranteed starter. He's guaranteed 34 games here if healthy. Now, they need to get him some money, but Gregg's been really great about that. Trapp is not a European level #6. He's just not. I love the guy, love that he's Columbus through and through and would love for him to captain the team until he retires. He's fringe US national team at his prime which is right now. Great for us, not good enough for Europe, at least at a top 4 league level. Maybe a lower tier league or second division. But is that better than staying home and making $500K?

    Anyway, solving the Santos problem is most pressing issue to seeing us make a cup run. He either needs to finish these last 15 games with 5 goals and 8 assists or we need a player in his spot that can. We've not seen the best that Grella has to offer yet. Some of these 4 guys who are playing all the wing minutes needs to catch fire. It's been speculated that we have a decent chunk of MLS funny money. I would like to see something done.

    Artur needs to get out of his funk too. He's struggled this season especially offensively. He was so instrumental in what we did well last year but hasn't been able to replicate it this year. I feel this might be some of why we are not getting production from the wings.

    The defense continues to be pretty solid. Zardes goals and Pipa PKs are not going to be enough against the top teams in the playoffs. I don't think we're absolutely need someone new to solve those problems, we just need a couple that we have to improve. Artur and....
     
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  11. Crew Chuck35

    Crew Chuck35 Member+

    Apr 13, 2009
    Gahanna, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Let’s see how the transfer window shakes out. Then we can talk.
    Are we buyers or sellers?
     
    TRUJDUB and CrewV Man repped this.
  12. TRUJDUB

    TRUJDUB Member+

    Nov 22, 2015
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Hopefully Buyers, If we sell Steffen just cancel Christmas while your at it
     

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