Struggling to score goals is nothing new for Columbus Crew SC. What is new for the Black & Gold is how frequently the team is conceding in 2019.
Despite being one of the better scoring teams in Major League Soccer for most of Gregg Berhalter’s five-year tenure as head coach, the Crew put the ball in the net just 43 times last season, tied for the second-worst offense in the league. What allowed Columbus to make the MLS Cup playoffs for the fourth time in five years was the play of the defense, which was much improved in 2018, allowing the sixth-fewest goals in MLS.