It’s no secret that the Columbus Crew has had injury issues to begin its 2021 campaign. It’s also no secret that the Crew hasn’t had the easiest of starts to the season because of said injuries. These injuries meant that Columbus hasn’t played a game with a full-strength lineup and substitutes all season. It also means the other 26 MLS teams haven’t seen the defending MLS Cup champions at their best.
The expectation surrounding this Black & Gold side was they would be among the best teams in MLS all season with tremendous depth in both the attack and in defense.