The third and final leg of the Columbus Crew SC preseason is currently underway in Tucson, AZ. There, the club is in preparation for the fifth annual Desert Diamond Cup, set to begin on Wednesday evening. The tournament concludes on February 27th.
Having concluded a two-week camp in Lakewood Ranch, FL, followed by a five-day session at the SuperKick indoor complex in Columbus, the Black and Gold are slowly but surely transitioning into regular season match fitness. With just two and a half weeks until an MLS Cup rematch on the road against Portland (Saturday, March 6th, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN) gets things underway, it won’t be long before that fitness is tested.
The event in Tucson will be Columbus’ first foray into competitive matches this preseason. With that in mind, what are the most pressing question marks surrounding the club that need answering between now and the start of the regular season?
5 Key Questions for Columbus Crew SC Heading into Desert Diamond Cup
How much will Kei Kamara play, if at all, given his current contract dispute?
Much has been made about the contract dispute between the club and star forward Kei Kamara. According to multiple sources, negotiations remain ongoing in the move towards both sides agreeing on a new deal. The Kamara camp is likely emphasizing the fact that among the top five scorers in MLS last season, he was the lowest paid (his total compensation was $536,666.67 according to MLSPU). It should also be noted that Kamara scored just as many regular season goals as Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco, who made over 13 times as much.
Nevertheless, Kamara has taken part in all phases of training camp and traveled with the club to Tucson. It remains to be seen how much playing time, if any, he’ll see as his contract situation remains in limbo.
Is the Falcao rumor still a thing?
The Falcao to Columbus Crew SC rumor does not seem to want to vanish into the cold winter air (or dry desert air, I guess). Now comes a development based on a report from the website AS.com hinting that the Black and Gold might still be in the running for his services. But it also states that the Colombian striker has reportedly attracted interest from the Chinese Super League (who hasn’t these days?) who have put in an offer Crew SC seems unlikely to match. Ultimately, what may decide whether he chooses MLS or not might come down to the perception of better living conditions for his family in the United States.
Which new off-season signing has the most to prove?
Not counting the MLS SuperDraft, Crew SC has made five acquisitions this offseason. Among them are fullback Corey Ashe, center back Amro Tarek, attacking midfielder Emil Larsen along with forwards Conor Casey and Ola Kamara.
All are aimed at augmenting the club’s depth and each brings their own skill set to the table. Ashe is an experienced outside back that fits into head coach Gregg Berhalter’s tactical mindset of having the wide defenders push forward. Tarek’s loan spell from La Liga club Real Betis could prove beneficial to the central defense. Casey and Kamara certainly add some attacking firepower.
But Larsen is the one who stands out to me. Wing play is so crucial to what Columbus creates in the attacking third. With Justin Meram and Cedrick Mabwati already established as proven left wingers with the club, Larsen has plenty of competition for playing time. And of course, Ethan Finlay has the right flank locked down after a standout season, a contract extension and a US call-up.
What will the roster look like as the regular season approaches?
The current Crew SC roster stands at 27 players, 24 of whom are under contract. In addition to the five signings mentioned above, the club also locked up first-round MLS SuperDraft pick Rodrigo Saravia.
A total of 12 players have departed the club in a variety of ways. Two players’ (defender Emanuel Pogatetz and midfielder Kristinn Steindorsson) had their options declined. The contracts of four (goalkeeper Matt Lampson, midfielders Kevan George, Ben Speas and forward Aaron Schoenfeld) were not renewed. Two were traded to Portland (defender Chris Klute and forward Jack McInerney), two were waived (defender Sergio Campbell and midfielder Romain Gall) and two of the team’s four SuperDraft picks were released (forwards Vince Cicciarelli and Kyle Parker).
Three unsigned players remain with the team and will battle for the opportunity to make the cut in Tucson. These include midfielder Chase Minter (Cal Poly) and forward Marshall Hollingsworth (Wheaton College) whom the club picked in January’s SuperDraft. Goalkeeper Matt Pacifici (Davidson College) also joined the side on trial and has a chance to stay on as a third option in net behind Brad Stuver and Steve Clark.
Per MLS’ roster rules, each club can have up to 28 players. Last season, all slots were occupied. Though the upper echelon of the roster hasn’t changed much from 2015 and seems pretty set, there may yet be more action in terms of filling the remaining spots. If the rookies mentioned above aren’t retained, the club could still sign a Homegrown Player or two out of the academy or even make another acquisition before the primary transfer window closes in May.
Can Crew SC win this thing and does it matter?
Columbus will be joining seven other clubs in Tucson. Four are from MLS (Sporting Kansas City, Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids, New England Revolution), two play in USL (Arizona United, Swope Park Rangers) and the hosts, FC Tucson are in the fourth-tier Premier Development League.
The Black and Gold’s Desert Diamond Cup schedule is listed below:
Wednesday, February 17th: vs. Sporting Kansas City, 6:00 PM
Saturday, February 20th: vs. Real Salt Lake, 5:00 PM
Wednesday, February 24th: vs. Swope Park Rangers, 6:00 PM
Saturday, February 27th: time and opponent TBD
With the five MLS teams all playing three games, it appears the two with the best record after those games will face off in the championship game. Given that Columbus is a mere two months and change removed from an MLS Cup final appearance, there’s no reason they can’t finish top dog in the desert. But much like any sport, it’s tough to gauge what the future holds in 2016 based on the results of the preseason.
The main objective is to get the team on the same page, work towards optimal fitness and to develop chemistry with respect to the formation, tactics and flow of play that Berhalter wants to implement. That, above actual results, carries the most importance in terms of preparing the team for the grind of another MLS regular season.
