It wasn’t so much that the Crew lost to Houston on Wednesday night that bothered coach Wilfried Nancy. Playing against a future playoff team in significant heat on short rest with a retooled roster still acclimating to each other was always going to present a challenge inside Shell Energy Stadium.
What really struck Nancy was the manner in which the Crew took a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Dynamo, and it had him briefly searching for the right English words to describe it.
“We have to, not fight, because (my players) fought, but we had a lack of … I didn’t like it,” he said. “We didn’t quit, but usually we are able to go and go and go. Yes, it was hot. Yes, it was a lot of things, but we have to be better with that and push ourselves a little more individually. I was not happy with that.”
The Crew entered the night leading MLS in possession at 57.1%. In previewing the game, Nancy said Monday that the conditions (the temperature at kickoff was 97 degrees) as well as the profile of the opponent and location of the game meant the Crew could not afford to be chasing the ball up and down the field for fear of burning themselves out too quickly. Possessing the ball and building the attack, their preferred style of play, would be critical for the Crew to leave Texas with a victory.
Instead, Houston set an early tone, holding possession for 78.7% of the first five minutes and generally keeping the Crew hemmed in on their own side of the field. By the time the Crew started to tilt the possession back in their favor, Houston had a 1-0 lead on a goal in the 14th minute.
In a 2-0 win against Toronto FC on Saturday night, the Crew generated 31 shots. Much of the talk afterward focused on frustration over missed opportunities that could have allowed their lead to swell and assure the final outcome much earlier than when Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the clincher in the 89th minute.
“We were lacking energy,” Crew captain Darlington Nagbe said. “That probably was because we weren’t on the ball as much as we’re used to being on the ball, so I think that put us on the back foot a little bit, but when we did get the ball, we didn’t do a good enough job keeping the ball and building momentum and getting more energy that way.”
The team's postgame analysis walked a fine line between explanations and excuses. Yes, the Crew were playing on short rest. Yes, it was exceptionally hot. Yes, it was a road game. But while those factors all have an impact, Nagbe said they can’t affect the team the way they did Wednesday night.
“Considering the weather, obviously you don’t have as much energy as you’re used to but still could’ve had more than we showed tonight,” he said. “Taking energy away, I thought we could’ve been sharper also on the ball. Better decision making at times.”
The Crew finished with 54.8% of the possession but their three shots on goal were tied for the third-fewest in a game this season. Columbus finished with an expected goals figure of 0.8.
Adding to the lack of fluidity: Nancy made five changes to his starting lineup and used all five of his substitutions by the 76th minute.
“I told them I count on every player, and they know that, but at certain moments we didn’t have the energy that we usually have,” the coach said. “This is something I don’t like. We can make mistakes technically or at certain moments, but they have to be better on that.”
The Crew won’t have to wait long for the next chance. A road date with Montreal, Nancy’s former club, is next on the schedule.
“I told the players already (that) they have to push themselves more,” Nancy said. “We could have been better in terms of the way when we had the ball, when we wanted to take care of the ball but also when we have to win the ball. More energy. This kind of game, we need more energy from everyone. Tonight, it was not the case.”
Maybe Saturday will be different. The Crew are now 2-7-3 away from Lower.com Field.
ajardy@dispatch.com
