Montreal Impact vs Columbus Crew: Three Questions with Massive Report

Matt Goshert , of the Massive Report, takes the time to answer our questions to continue to learn about other MLS teams at the eve of a game. Even though both teams already met, it has been a while since the game in April and Mount Royal Soccer wanted to know what is new at the Crew. We talk specific players, aspirations and the soccer culture in Columbus Ohio. Giovanni Sardo , of Mount Royal Soccer, answers Matt Goshert's questions that you can read here. (link to come)

Sofiane (Mount Royal Soccer) asks

Columbus has been hovering at or around the 5th. Does the Crew feels the hot sticky breath of the teams behind them or is it looking up the 4th-5th spot as its own?

Matt (Massive Report)

I hope the club isn't content with just making the playoffs. If we've learned one thing from this team in the last few years it's that we need to try to avoid the play-in game like the plague. Columbus currently sits at 22 points with 2 games in hand on everyone above them in the table right now. This puts them in realistic striking distance (continuing on their current run of form) with the teams further up the table. New England is only 3 points behind Columbus, but Columbus also has a game in hand on them and Montreal is 4 points behind Columbus, but Columbus currently has 4 games in hand. It's a much tougher road to travel for those clubs to catch up.

More after the jump.

Sofiane (Mount Royal Soccer) asks

With a nice sequence in the last 5 games ( W-W-T-L-W ) including victories overs RSL, Chicago and Seattle , what has clicked in the team play in general? How has Mirosevic settled in in that playmaker role? Is Gaven still dangerous on the wings while still cutting to the middle for a powershot?

Matt (Massive Report)

I'm going to give Mirosevic an incomplete at this point. Milo injured himself halfway through the San Jose game back on May 19 and has not played since. He spent the first month or so really trying to gel with the team to varying degrees of success. I think as he gets more playing time he should be able to come in to his own in that role, but at this point with zero assists and only one goal (that came from the spot) I don't think he has everyone convinced just yet.

Eddie Gaven is a dangerous, dangerous man with an even more dangerous beard. He seems to be right where you need him to be right when you need him to be there. His goal last week was a great show by Josh Williams not to blast the ball on frame, but instead make the pass for the sure thing.

Sofiane (Mount Royal Soccer) asks

We never had the chance to talk about it in the past but what about some soccer culture talk at Columbus. How is soccer perceived in Ohio with the Crew competing with Football and in a certain degree hockey? Is the Columbus Crew culture trickling down to grass roots soccer and paying back dividends?

Matt (Massive Report)

You know, if you would have asked me this question a year ago I would have given a lot of credit to the supporters groups and very little credit to the front office for growing the fan base in recent years. A lot has changed in the last year. The goal 10K project (the front office's goal of selling 10,000 season tickets) and some very creative marketing by the club has really made the Crew much more talked about in the media and by the general public than in years past.

To the general public the Crew are probably seen as a third tier team behind Ohio State and the Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets have done a very good job of giving the perception to the Columbus sports market that they are a "big league" franchise without having to do much on the ice to back it up. The Crew however are starting to bridge that gap and we'll see where that takes them in the next few years.