Preview, prediction: Will Lucas Zelarayan, Walker Zimmerman play in Crew vs. Nashville?
Jacob Myers
The strengths of the Crew and Nashville SC could be hampered for Saturday’s game at Lower.com Field.
After struggling through much of last season to create scoring chances, the Crew again have been one of the best through four games.
However, they could be without star midfielder Lucas Zelarayan against one of the top defensive teams in MLS.
But Nashville also could be limited.
Nashville coach Gary Smith could choose to rest reigning two-time MLS defender of the year Walker Zimmerman and midfielder Anibal Godoy after they each played 90 minutes in all three recent U.S. World Cup qualifiers. Nashville captain Dax McCarty will be serving his first of a two-game suspension he received after what MLS deemed to be violent conduct in the team's last game against Real Salt Lake.
Crew coach Caleb Porter said he expects Zimmerman and Godoy to play. Porter also said Zelarayan, who has an injury to his right knee, is doing more in training but that it has not been decided whether he will play.
“It's just a matter of is he ready to really play full out in this match,” Porter said. “It's probably going to be tight.”
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Nashville tied the MLS record with 18 draws last season. The team has won just one of its first four games but is playing its first eight on the road before opening a new stadium next month. Nashville does have a win over contender Seattle.
“Some people talk about how they draw too much or they sit in too much, but their coach knows how to win in this league,” Porter said. “They're a team that has experience and they're battle-tested, and it's about in the end being in the playoffs and in a position to compete for a trophy. And they've done that.”
Without McCarty, Smith might be more willing to play Zimmerman and Godoy for some leadership and stability in the center of the field while MVP candidate Hany Mukhtar creates chances in the attack.
Nashville is particularly good defensively in closing spaces, Porter said. Without Zelarayan, it will be a challenge to open spaces for the rest of the attacking players.
But with 10 goals through four games and the highest expected goals in MLS, the Crew feel confident they can get enough chances to beat anyone. In a 1-1 draw against Red Bulls last weekend, Derrick Etienne Jr. had a breakaway opportunity and Gyasi Zardes missed a good chance in front of the goal.
"We see that we get a lot of chances and we're creating chances, but we want to be more clinical,” Etienne said. “We want to make sure we do everything in our power as attackers to put the game in our favor.”
Finishing those chances would also negate the possibility that Nashville can steal the game on set pieces, which have been the one blemish on a solid Crew defense. Goalkeeper Eloy Room and left back Pedro Santos said the Crew need to concede fewer set pieces and improve at marking opponents.
“I think the most important thing with set pieces is we just have to win our duels,” Room said. “That's a thing we have to work on, me as a goalkeeper, but also as a defense and as a team. We have to win the challenges, and also the second balls because the goal that we conceded (against Red Bulls) was not their first ball, but the second ball we lost."
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Columbus Crew
Record: 2-0-2, 8 points, 2nd in East
Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):
Eloy Room (goalkeeper), Pedro Santos (left back), Josh Williams (center back), Jonathan Mensah (center back), Steven Moreira (right back), Darlington Nagbe (midfielder), Artur (midfielder), Derrick Etienne Jr. (left winger), Lucas Zelarayan (attacking midfielder), Yaw Yeboah (right winger), Miguel Berry (forward).
Porter made it sound like Zelarayan can’t go, but I’ll predict he does start. Maybe he’ll play only 30-45 minutes off the bench. If Zelarayan isn’t starting, expect the Crew to possibly go with a different formation and have either Aidan Morris or James Igbekeme starting with Artur and Darlington Nagbe in the midfield. Also, I’m looking to see if Porter inserts Gyasi Zardes after the Crew played better with him in the lineup in the second half against Red Bulls.
Nashville SC
Record: 1-2-1, 4 points, 11th in West
Projected Starting XI (4-4-2):
Joe Willis (goalkeeper), Daniel Lovitz (left back), Dave Romney (center back), Walker Zimmerman (center back), Eric Miller (right back), Brian Anunga (midfielder), Anibal Godoy (midfielder), Sean Davis (midfielder), Randall Leal (winger), Hany Mukhtar (attacking midfielder), CJ Sapong (forward).
If Zimmerman can’t play, it will likely be Jack Maher getting the start. Sometimes Nashville likes to go with their 3-4-3 lineup, which was used most of last season when Nashville finished third in the East. However, without McCarty, they might be more content on playing with four defenders.
What to watch
The most intrigue will be who Porter and Smith put in their respective starting lineups. For the Crew, Miguel Berry hasn’t had many opportunities the past three games. If he gets a start, it might be imperative for him to create a couple chances or put one away to keep the starting job. In general, it’ll be interesting to see the Crew try to create opportunities against Nashville, with or without Zelarayan.
Prediction
Columbus 1, Nashville 1: This match is hard to judge without knowing who will be available for either team. The Crew have a better chance with Zelarayan in the lineup, obviously. But if Zimmerman plays, Nashville has consistently stopped good attacking teams. This game could go a long way to proving how legitimate the Crew’s attack is this season.