Columbus Crew SC fans spent much of 2018 upset with the offensive production. While forward Gyasi Zardes had a career-best 19 goals — the most of any American-born Major League Soccer player last year — and Federico Higuain registered six goals and nine assists, the Crew did not get enough in terms of goals and assists from the team’s wingers, a position which had been a key contributor in those departments in previous seasons.
It wasn’t just the fans that weren’t happy with the output of the wide midfielders. The players themselves understood that, in order to be successful — the Black & Gold made the playoffs but tied for the second-fewest goals in Major League Soccer with 43 — the team needed more goals.