Crew visit Colorado in Commerce City
Columbus meet the Rapids in pursuit of top spot in Eastern Conference
The Crew have allowed 11 goals while going 1-1-3 in the past five games to remain second in the Eastern Conference, but know they must tighten play Sunday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.
"It's been an emphasis for sure this week. We wanted to talk about our defense and make sure we get that part of it right," Crew coach Sigi Schmid said.
While the Crew are on an 0-4-4 run in Colorado, there is some solace in that there have been three 0-0 games among then. The teams have never played a scoreless draw in Columbus.
Although the Rapids hold a 14-7-7 advantage in the series between MLS charter members, the home team has become dominant. Colorado has three losses and a tie in Columbus since 2004, including a 2-1 defeat on June 28. That's nothing compared to the streak the Rapids have going against the Crew in their current home and Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium prior to the 2007 season.
Columbus has not won in Colorado since a 3-0 win on July 4, 1999, before a then-Rapids record crowd of 51,025. The Crew have at least one away win against every MLS team since 2003 with the exceptions of Houston and the expansion San Jose Earthquakes. (The Crew beat the former San Jose club in 2004 before the Earthquakes moved to Houston in 2006).
Whether the thin air is the culprit is debatable. There is no denying visiting teams are often left gasping by the end of the match, especially on the current field that is wider than the Rapids' previous home. It's no coincidence Colorado is 5-2-1 at home but only 1-6-2 on the road.
"The few times I have played there I usually feel good the first 20, 25 minutes then you kind of hit a wall for the next 10 or 15," Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven said. "This team is very fit so hopefully it won't be a problem."
There are two theories to combating altitude, said Crew strength and fitness coach Steve Tashjian: come in about five days early or arrive the day before and forget about it. The team was scheduled to arrive in Denver Saturday evening.
"You don't have time to acclimate," Schmid said. "We're not going in two weeks in advance of the game so the key is to get in there basically 24 hours before game time and that's what I've always tried to do with this team and what I've tried to do when I was coaching in LA, so we take a late flight into Colorado."
Fatigue is not the only dilemma facing teams not used to the altitude.
"The ball comes in quicker, just the same as any sport with altitude," Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer said. "The first couple you catch in warmup are quicker so you adjust. The bigger issue is the fitness for the guys running at altitude. Your lungs go quicker, you may be a little drier in the mouth and you get tired quicker."
Sometimes, but not often in the Crew's case, the altitude is a blessing. One such time was during its only victory in the Mile High City when defender Mike Lapper, now a Crew assistant, unleashed a wicked strike from 35 yards. The ball carried across the field to the upper corner and banked off the post into the goal for a 1-0 halftime lead.
"We did a good job early and got the goal from an unlikely source," Crew coach Tom Fitzgerald said after the match. "That was probably the goal of his life. If you shoot in the altitude the ball will go."
It was Lapper's first goal in more than two years but he said the difference was attitude.
"The altitude didn't affect us at all," he said at the time. "We had some oxygen tanks if we needed. We came prepared. All that talk about it ... it's a mental thing."
The Crew's psyche aside, there will be tactical changes in the first match since left midfielder Robbie Rogers and right winger Emmanuel Ekpo left for the Summer Olympics. Gaven will start on the right side in his first MLS appearance since suffering a sprained ankle June 10.
"I'm hoping I'll be able to play 90. Obviously, playing 5,000 feet above sea level is hard but I definitely feel fit. I'll go as long as the team needs me," he said. "It's been over five weeks. I'm really, really looking forward to it, go out and have fun and play my game. I don't feel too much pressure just going out and do the same things I did before I was injured."
Rookie Steven Lenhart, who has two tying goals coming off the bench, could also make his first start alongside striker Alejandro Moreno.
"Having Robbie and Emmanuel gone, hopefully, I'll get an opportunity to play a little bit," Lenhart said.
If Lenhart is in the first XI (Jason Garey is another option) then Guillermo Barros Schelotto will tuck in behind the two forwards and the Crew will have Gaven, Brian Carroll and Stefani Miglioranzi in the midfield to combat the expected three-man backline of Colorado.
Frankie Hejduk, not so fresh after playing 88 minutes in Thursday's All-Star Game in Toronto, could move from right to left back with Danny O'Rourke taking his spot and Chad Marshall and Andy Iro in the middle.
While the Crew are tied for third in goals at 1.59 per game, they have dropped to 11th in goals against (1.47).
"The goalkeeper is always analyzed on that. We take a lot of pride in it but it is a team number and in my mind it starts with me," Hesmer said. "I'm the first to say, 'OK, you've got to step up and do this better.' I've got to be more aggressive."
Schmid has been around long enough to know that breakdowns occur and the defenders and goalkeeper better be ready.
"Everybody's got to be a part of it but at the end of the day mistakes are going to happen and that's the reason defenders are on the field and goalkeepers are on the field -- to iron out mistakes," he said. "A lot of times it comes down to defenders making the play at the right moment and it comes down to the goalkeeper making the right play at the right moment and I think we've made a lot of those this year."
Hesmer feels communication needs to improve for the GAA to drop.
"We need to trust each other more. We need to begin by talking and relaying information and once we hear that information we have to act on it and trust that the guy behind us sees what's going on," he said. "There's been some interchanging but these guys have enough games under their belts that they know each individual as a player and what they bring. It's been a lack of commitment in our final third to do anything and everything to prevent them from getting a chance."
Craig Merz is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
