2023 MLS Regular Season Record: 16W - 9D - 9L
2023 Titles: MLS Cup Champions
What I said last winter:
Wilfried Nancy is a top class manager and will bring attractive and attacking soccer to Columbus
Their midfield is led by one of the best central midfielders in the league, Darlington Nagbe
It’ll take a minute for the squad to implement Nancy’s tactics, but if things go well they could make a run at MLS Cup
What happened:
Everything I said came true. lol.
Patrick Schulte took over as starting goalkeeper and Eloy Room was transferred
In the surprise of the summer, Lucas Zelarayán was transferred to Saudi Arabia in order to bring in former LAFC player, Diego Rossi
Aiden Morris had an outstanding season in partnership with Nagbe. Honestly the whole squad was simply fantastic
Key Takeaways from 2023
No Zela? No Problem
In MLS this season, scheduling could be a real headache at times. Some match times clashed, meaning I'd miss out on catching the Columbus Crew in action, and they were a team that brought pure excitement to the field.
Their go-to formation was mostly a 3-4-2-1, but it took a while for the roster to settle into its groove, especially with new acquisitions during the summer. The midfield duo of Darlington Nagbe and Aiden Morris held the reins, flanked by dynamic wingbacks. Up top, the trio of Diego Rossi, Alexandru Matan, and Cucho Hernández formed one of the most lethal attacking forces in MLS. Columbus also boasted impressive depth, giving them flexibility in their tactics. Players like Christian Ramirez, Julian Gressel, and Mohamed Farsi regularly rotated into the starting eleven, and were consistently impactful in their appearances.
The Crew topped the charts in assists and won contests while securing the second-highest goal tally. Cucho emerged as their leading goal scorer, boasting an impressive 160 shots in the regular season— the most in the league. The next closest was LAFC’s Denis Bouanga at 134.
Wilfried Nancy and his tactical approach brought a truly aesthetic and exciting attacking brand to the league this season. To paraphrase this video from the YouTube Channel It’s Called Soccer, his squads focus on possession and attack from side-to-side to stretch and disorganize the defense. I highly recommend giving the entire video a watch to better understand Columbus’ style.
The Crew outperformed their Goals - Expected Goals difference. As a whole the club finished at +4.2.
Their top overachievers in G - xG were Lucas Zelarayan, who netted 10 goals before departing midseason, and Ramirez, scoring 8 goals. Both had an xG of 6.7.
Interestingly, Cucho ended up in the negative by a considerable margin. Despite scoring 16 goals, his expected tally stood at 20.2. It’s worth noting that there aren’t really any strikers who match his level of production to compare him to, especially considering he took the most shots in MLS. So, this stat doesn’t raise any concerns for me; rather, it sparks excitement about the potential for scoring even more goals in the upcoming season.
Morris and Nagbe ended the year as two of the most accurate passers in MLS. In fact, they finished second and third in pass accuracy at 93.3% and 92% for the regular season. Columbus did well to move the ball into the opponents end noted by their shots taken and goal scoring prowess along with the most successful final third passes.
Their young goalkeeper, Patrick Schulte, did well in goal in his first MLS season. Last year he played with their reserve side. As the season progressed, he improved, landing in the middle for goals conceded and save percentage. Notably, he saved the 11th most shots inside the box.
Columbus had a slightly negative performance in post-shot expected goals. Schulte ended at -0.7, while Eloy Room, in his three matches, finished at -1.1.
There was concern the team would regress after Zelarayan's departure, but Rossi and other mid-season additions stepped up, injecting Columbus with the extra momentum needed for the latter part of the season. Post-playoffs, it's clear to me: Columbus emerged as the top team in MLS by year-end. Their away victories against Cincinnati and Orlando, plus outperforming LAFC in the final, underscore this.
The majority of the squad will be back next year, and the club has already strengthened a few positions in their roster. However, their achievements might draw interest from potential suitors eyeing both key players and manager Wilfried Nancy. Definitely worth watching for.
Top Sorare Fantasy Performers
Numbers are across all competitions
Goalkeeper: Patrick Schulte | L15: 44 | 60+ pts games: 11 | Clean sheets: 9 | Penalties saved: 0
Defender: Malte Amundsen | L15: 62 | 60+ pts games: 12 | Goals: 5 | Assists: 2 | Clean sheets: 7
Midfielder: Aidan Morris | L15: 60 | 60+ pts games: 20 | Goals: 4 | Assists: 4
Forward : Cucho Hernández | L15: 73 | 60+ pts games: 25 | Goals: 24 | Assists: 10
Extra: Diego Rossi | L15: 67 | 60+ pts games: 15 | Goals: 6 | Assists: 7
2024 Outlook
Last Updated 1/5/2024
GIF Rating:
Outgoing Players
Jimmy Medranda - Left-back - Option Declined
Jake Morris - Left-back - Option Declined
Isaiah Parente - Central Midfielder - Option Declined
Brady Scott - Goalkeeper - Option Declined
Julian Gressel - Right Midfielder - Out of Contract
Josh Williams - Centre-back - Out of Contract
Gustavo Vallecilla - Centre-back - Loan Expired
Incoming Players
Nicholas Hagen - Goalkeeper - Signed as a free agent
Derrick Jones - Central Midfielder - Signed as a free agent
Marino Hinestroza - Winger - Transfer from Pachuca
Taha Habroune - Central Midfielder - Homegrown signing
Keep the good times rollin’
As of writing this, Columbus looks set to welcome back nearly all last season's starter. Nancy's tactics have clicked, and the team has seamlessly adopted his style, setting the stage for opponents to grapple with slowing down the Crew's potent attack again in 2024. Moreover, they've already reinforced their depth by acquiring Marino Hinestroza from Pachuca, providing versatility at Rossi's or Matan's position if necessary.
I was concerned the Crew could lose key players such Aidan Morris or Cucho Hernandez, but, with the European window closed, seems like they’ll at least hang around until summer. Mohamed Farsi also is back training with the club after rumors of a move to Al Wasl.
Given everyone is returning, I firmly believe the Crew have what it takes to vie for the Supporters’ Shield. The only hitch in that plan will be how the summer transfer window plays out. They also should go deep in Concacaf Champions’ Cup where they’ll play either Houston or St. Louis in second round.