The Columbus Crew have been one of the league’s premier squads since Wilfried Nancy became the manager in the capital of Ohio. A MLS Cup Championship two seasons ago and the League Cup last year have put them in the title conversation.
This season, we have seen a team that has struggled to create consistent chances and has been outclassed by lesser opponents as they have struggled against other competitors in the East.
They have also suffered from roster moves that have left them short-handed as they struggled to find replacements who can produce the way the team needs. This has created the question for Columbus: are their playoff chances in danger?
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Columbus Crew Playoff Chances in Jeopardy
The Start of the fall
The Crew’s form fell in early July after a huge win in the Hell is Real Derby against their biggest rivals, FC Cincinnati. This win launched them to the top half of the standings in the East and made them a Supporters’ Shield contender.
Crew fans thought that this would be the start of a run that they were in desperate need of. Unfortunately, it was the exact opposite that would occur for the Crew.
Four days after their win in Cincinnati, they traveled through Kentucky down to Nashville, Tennessee. This quick turnaround resulted in a sluggish game on the road that was an embarrassing loss.
This result was proved to be more than a one-off, as this was the start of the downhill slide that would see the Crew fighting for their playoff lives behind some of the rivals like Nashville and Cincinnati.
The Crew proceeded to only win one more game in July as they went further and further into the month.
Unfortunately, it only got worse for Columbus as they entered the month of August. They added a big-time scorer in the transfer window, but had to wait before his arrival with the team. As they waited for their boost in offensive firepower to arrive, they just needed to survive the month.
Sliding Down the Table in August
The Crew only played three MLS games due to the League Cup interrupting the season for the third straight year. These three games were against bottom-half teams in the MLS Eastern Conference.
A draw with a poor Toronto FC side that lacks talent and Designated players was disappointing to start the month. A lack of offense out of the Columbus attack does no favors to the strong defense of the Crew.
A loss to the New England Revolution at home was not just an unexpected result but a season-breaking one, depending on how they handle their next few games. They followed it up with a draw against the New York Red Bulls in another poor performance.
They are now just two points from being jumped by NYCFC and finding themselves in the play-in game, a round that they desperately want to avoid.
The Crew has a talented roster that competes with the very best in the MLS Currently, that’s not the problem for the Crew, as they have competed and defeated the very best in the league.
It’s the bottom half of the league that has given them struggles, as they have shown a poor quality in their outings against these teams.
The Crew play two non-playoff teams and two teams that are directly competing with them for a spot in the playoffs in the Chicago Fire and NYCFC. If the Crew were to ever make a run this season, now is the time; if they fail to do so, they may be watching from home earlier than expected.
Main Photo
Credit IMAGO / NurPhoto
Recording Date 15.08.2025
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