(EDITORIAL) – When the 2016 MLS season began, most observers were pegging Columbus Crew SC to pick up right where it left off the season before from a goal-scoring standpoint. Such sentiment shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise considering pretty much everyone was returning on a team that scored 57 goals during the 2015 regular season. That total was second best in the league.

And as has been consistently pointed out ad nauseum, Crew SC’s issues for most of 2015 were centered on the back line. As prolific as the club was at finding the net themselves, the same couldn’t be said when it came to preventing the opposition from doing so. The Black and Gold let in 53 goals last year. Of the five teams in MLS who conceded more in 2015, four missed the playoffs.

2016 Crew SC Struggles on Opposite Side of Field from Last Year

As a result, the expected narrative this year was that Columbus should remain favored to contend for MLS Cup as long as they don’t commit too many defensive lapses. And even in the presence of such errors, Crew SC should be able to outscore teams more often than not. Eight games into the season, nothing could be further from the truth.

The wellspring of finishing we were all expecting has suddenly dried up. At this point in the season last year, center forward Kei Kamara and right winger Ethan Finlay had combined for seven goals and three assists. So far in 2016, the two have registered just four goals and two assists. Overall, Crew SC has a mere seven goals on the season compared with 12 after eight games in 2015.

The crisis of confidence in the attacking third is glaringly evident when taking a look how few shots and chances created have resulted in goals this year. I brought up this issue a few weeks ago. At the time, Crew SC was third worst in shot conversion percentage (5.17%) and dead last in key pass conversion percentage (6.12%).

Unfortunately, not much has changed since as the following two graphics illustrate.

Though both numbers have gone up slightly, it’s quite disconcerting that Crew SC now bring up the rear in both categories. It also doesn’t help that the New York Red Bulls have rattled off seven goals in two games after undergoing a finishing malaise themselves to start the season. But the big picture issue here is that quality in the final third has been lacking thus far. And it’s primarily for that reason Columbus find themselves ninth in the East.

Transitioning to the other side of the field and things don’t look as grim. The Crew SC back line is, dare I say it, actually gelling well together and playing some good soccer. Only five other clubs in the league have conceded fewer goals than Columbus. This despite the fact the Black and Gold are seeing the eighth most shots per game in MLS.

Center back Tyson Wahl has proven to be extremely reliable in filling in for the injured Gaston Sauro. His industriousness in winning possession, his knack for getting the ball out of harm’s way as well as his ability to win it in the air have all been super impressive in 2016. His combined 14.1 tackles, interceptions, clearances and aerial duels won per 90 lead the team. Only Kamara has a better aerial number than he has.

Despite their solid play, this unit is in for a challenge when the Montreal Impact come to town Saturday. The Eastern Conference leaders bring in a wide array of playmakers and finishing weapons. Legendary striker Didier Drogba will be looking to add to his two-goal tally on the season thus far. And he’ll be getting plenty of high quality service from chance creator extraordinaire Ignacio Piatti. His 23 key passes on the season is fourth in the league.

This weekend’s duel between the two sides who contested the Eastern Conference semifinals is a contrast in styles. You have Crew SC’s possession-oriented game that attempts to create overloads down both wings when bringing the ball into the attacking third. The Impact, on the other hand, will attempt to sit deep, absorb pressure and force quick turnovers, utilizing their speed to try and hit Columbus in transition.

Not only will the Crew SC need to remain vigilant against counterattacks, the club will need to tidy up their play on set pieces. The Impact has had a tendency to feast off of defensive errors on the part of Crew SC in these situations. The first goal in the teams’ first meeting this season as well as the equalizer in the second leg of last year’s conference semifinals were prime examples.

But what will ultimately win or lose this game for the home side is whether or not Finlay, Kamara and to a lesser extent, Meram, can rediscover their finishing mojo. We briefly mentioned the Red Bulls and the struggles they had before the floodgates finally opened during two straight home games. Crew SC has the opportunity to do the same considering they play Montreal at MAPFRE Stadium on Saturday followed by a match with the surprising Colorado Rapids next week.

Columbus Crew SC’s struggles in 2016 have essentially flip-flopped from last season. The sooner they can rectify said struggles, the better. In the most MLS-ey of circumstances, they’re only six points behind Montreal despite being second from bottom in the Eastern Conference. So a win in front of the supporters Saturday vaults the Black and Gold right back into contention.

But in order for Crew SC to be impactful in that regard, the clinical finishing that made this club so fun to watch last year will need to make its triumphant return.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Crew SC Communications.