Columbus Crew review: Player grades through first 11 games | OneFootball

Kings of the castle. With their latest take down of a solid Charlotte team, Columbus now sits alone atop the Eastern Conference standings. Their 7-3-1 start is their best mark after 11 games since 2020. With one-third of the season now in the books it's time to start taking a look at how players are performing thus far. These player grades are based on how they're operating within the system in combination with player rating data from matches played, in what is my version of mixing subjectivity with objectivity. Only players who've recorded at least 300 minutes of playing time are listed and there will be thoughts on each grade below. Let's get to the review!

Diego Rossi - B

He's the teams leading scorer and for the majority of the season has been the main cog in the attack. Here's where I struggle with Rossi though, his inconsistency. He now has six goals on the year but four of them came in two separate games (season opener against Chicago and in the sixth game against DC United). In between those games his performances left a lot to be desired as someone who is meant to carry the attack. To further highlight this point, his pass accuracy for the season sits at 82.5%, which is better than only Jacen Russell-Rowe and Patrick Schulte in terms of regular starters. I understand the point of his passes may be higher risk as he attempts create chances, but his key passes number (stat that tracks passes that lead to shot attempts) is good for fourth on the team. He's played better of late, really ever since the Daniel Gazdag trade so I'm still encouraged this grade can improve by midseason, but I can't ignore the games he's disappeared. To be honest the miss against Inter Miami still lives rent free in my head.

Max Arfsten - B

Max Arfsten is the team leader in assists and has certainly taken a step forward this season so far. When watching him you can tell he's worked on his on-ball strength as well as his weak foot passing. His conditioning has also markedly improved and he's now a regular full 90 minute player, which in coach Nancy's system is no easy ask. His willingness and aggression to go at defenders one-on-one has led to many scoring chances and really is our only threat off the dribble. Of the players in this list he ranks second in key passes per game at 1.4 which tells me he's getting the ball in dangerous places. If he can improve his decision making and finishing around the box he could elevate himself to the next level. It's been a good start to the season for Arfsten and I'm looking forward to his continued progression.

Yevhen Cheberko - C+

Cheberko has been consistent through the first part of the season and does offer good vision in link up play with the midfield. With a pass percentage of 92.8 and a willingness to pick out long balls (ranks third amongst field players in long passes per game) it's easy to see why he finds himself in the starting 11often. This seems to be a double-edged sword however as sometimes under pressure he can be forced into turnovers that immediately lead to scoring opportunities for the opposing team. I understand when he stands on the ball it's to draw the opposing attackers in, but it's been more than a couple occasions this tactic has backfired and led him to make a bad decision or misplay a ball putting Schulte and the other back line mates under duress. Cheberko is a good option for an attacking style defender who has better than average passing chops, the decision making is really what holds him back. He is a good passer for a defender and can certainly provide quality in that aspect which seems to be his solidified role in the team.

Rudy Camacho has missed the entire season to this point and coach Nancy has determined Sean Zawadzki is the man for the job to anchor the back line at center back. At first it seemed he was being groomed to replace Aidan Morris after his exit last season, but now he finds himself as the man in charge of running the defense and to his credit he's done that very convincingly. This level of versatility in a player is exactly what Nancy likes and why he's perfect for this team. He's flashed speed in chase down tackles and still remains in my opinion our best aerial threat with more willingness and desire to go get the ball. Oh, and he also has a nose for goal as evidenced by his back post finish to clean up a Rossi free kick against San Jose. For what many would consider an undersized center back, Zawadzki still manages to lead the team in tackles and clearances on a per game basis. An intelligent player with great versatility who can score in multiple ways makes him a valuable asset to the team. I've been very impressed with his play this season at center back and am left wondering what Nancy will do when Camacho does eventually return

Dylan Chambost - B-

A lot was being asked of Dylan Chambost coming into this season as he was slotted into an attacking role with Rossi to play behind Jacen Russell-Rowe. This role seemed to fit him like an oversized hat. He often times looked like he was unsure of what he was supposed to do, making his primary reads to either go lateral or backward. However, that has changed recently when he was slotted into the midfield to play with Darlington Nagbe. Ever since that move was made Chambost looks much more comfortable on the ball and picking out long passes to carve the back line. He has always had the ability to play an accurate long ball and possesses good vision to do so, he was just in an unfamiliar role. Now that his place seems set in the central midfield he's playing with much more instinct, which we saw when he finally opened his account scoring a goal off a rebound by following the play on Saturday against Charlotte. He now leads the team in key passes and long balls per game, which tells me he's feeling much more like himself. With things seeming more fun for Chambost I think there are more goals coming his way and look forward to this grade almost dramatically improving.

Jacen Russell-Rowe - C

It's been a roller coaster so far for Russell-Rowe this season. A humongous opportunity to solidfy his spot in the team and to prove he's ready to take on a leading role as the team's go-to striker. He did just that in the first two games scoring a goal in each of those games to open the season. Then there was a shift. Teams starting playing him much more physically, getting into his back as he received the ball, challenging his first touch ability and these were tests that Russell-Rowe has not handled all that well. Since those first two games it was a bit up and down, but seemed to get back on track with a goal against Montreal in the seventh game of the campaign. Unfortunately what followed the Montreal game were a string of underwhelming performances leading to him being the only qualifying field player to have a pass percentage in the 70's (77%). He seemed to lose confidence, body language was down which then impacted his shooting (missing the frame badly against Inter Miami). His arrow was pointing down and coach Nancy looked ready to give him a break Saturday against Charlotte, but in a fateful twist Daniel Gazdag was ruled out just before the game putting Russell-Rowe back in the lineup scoring the fourth goal to seal the game. In addition to scoring the goal he sprung Rossi on a couple wall passes in and around the box and just looked better. Hopefully he can build off the performance and string together a few more strong performances to solidify his role as the team's best finisher.

Mo Farsi - B

An absolute staple on the right side of the field for Columbus and has been for quite some time now. We all know what we are going to get out of Farsi. What we will get is elite level effort, unlimited energy and moments of brilliance with passes in the box. Farsi is a valuable player in the team and his impact cannot be understated. There are times I wish he would drive at defenders more, he does have the ability to beat players off the dribble with his quickness. Sometimes crosses are swung in a bit early or he runs out of ideas on a counter that gets sprung. If he played with more confidence going forward and attacking I believe Mo would be an absolute force to deal with. Hopefully we can get more glimpses of him going forward with offensive aggression like on Saturday when he made a couple of back-heeled passes in the box. If he can get his game to the next level I'm sure we'd see a lot more of his name in box scores.

Stephen Moreira - B+

Reigning MLS Defender of the year Stephen Moreira. What else needs to be said? Our best on-ball defender as well as one of our most dangerous threats going forward. He really does it all and the fact he's recorded a goal and two assists on the season already highlights that. There are times his passes don't connect well in the back, but that would be awfully nitpicky for a player who has become one of the most integral parts of the Crew's success. He's consistent, high energy and agressive while still offering patience defensively in one-on-one battles. Our most talented player on the back line on a team with the third least amount of goals conceded on the season. His consistency breeds confidence in the defense in the games he plays. It will be important to keep him fresh throughout the season as he will definitely be needed if there is any chance of the Crew making a playoff run.

Malte Amundsen - C+

A solid defender in his own right, Malte Amundsen is a hard working left center back that has had key moments in defense so far this season. He's had a bit of an up and down start to the season with his worst moments coming in the Inter Miami game and the red card he saw in the San Diego game. He's balanced that with high defensive IQ and has no doubt been a huge part of the success of the back line so far this season. He's second on the team in accurate long ball passes per game, which isn't that surprising given his ability to skip lines with passes going from defense to offense in the snap of a finger. If he can shore up the decision making there's no doubt by mid-season we could see this grade being much higher.

Darlington Nagbe - B

No doubt my favorite player on the team is Darlington Nagbe. I could spend all day talking about his game and how much of an impact it makes, but I'll keep it concise. He leads the team in pass percentage at 95.4%, which is attributed to his decision making ability. This season he's looked a bit slow to start, turning the ball over a little more than usual. There is no doubt this team needs him though, he's been the stabilizing force in the midfield and is the connector of a lot of breakouts as the team nervously works from the back. He's been one of our most consistent players and has already shown he can step it up when he needs to (like he did in the Inter Miami game). Nagbe will get better as the season goes there's no concern there.

AZ Jackson - B+

What a great start to the campaign for AZ Jackson. His influence on the games he's played have been such it can't be ignored, which is why he found himself in the starting 11 on Saturday, paying off the confidence by scoring his second goal of the season to go with one assist. A dynamic player that creates chaos for opposing defenses when he's on the field, and he's had that impact in every appearance he's made through 11 games. His pass percentage of 91.8% is good for fourth on the team amongst qualifying players in this list. It's been impressive so far and fun to watch and he's certainly impacted the games positively when he steps on the pitch. He needs to improve his finishing ability in order to find more regular time in the starting lineup, but there is no question the havoc he can create with his quickness and dribbling. He's improved this year and certainly looks ready to be given more opportunity to shine. His performances have been consistent and he's flashed major upside. I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the season holds for AZ, especially if his finishing can take an extra step forward.

Patrick Schulte - B-

Patrick Schulte has looked solid so far this year. His distribution is remains at a high level and his reflex saves still have him in the top goaltenders in the league. There have been a few mental lapses thus far, including a couple in the most recent game against Charlotte. It's easy to forget he's still very young and is still developing into an elite keeper. As he continues to develop and gain more experience the indecisiveness will certainly be shored up. I remain confident as the season goes we will see improved play out of Schulte.

This Columbus Crew is hot right now and all the players above have played a huge part in that success. It's been a fun start to the season and I'm excited to see this team grow together, especially as new players get introduced. Another round of grades will be available mid-season so stay tuned to see the developments!