614Sports: Sometimes, you miss 100% of the shots you DO take

Columbus Clippers Went 1-for-3 in Indy

Three games into the 2018 International League season and the Columbus Clippers have one win—an 11-4 blowout that featured a grand slam courtesy of Clippers first baseman Mike Napoli—followed by two consecutive losses by the scores of 10-0 and 5-3 against the Indianapolis Indians in Indy this past weekend.

Admittedly a rough start, the Clippers schedule demands its players and coaches to have a short memory defined by quick course-corrections as a new series on the road begins later today. Similar to Columbus, Louisville is also struggling to get their bats going.

The Columbus Clippers (1-2) are in Kentucky through Wednesday to play the Louisville Bats (1-2) starting tonight at 6:30 p.m. for another 3-game road series.

🆚: @LouisvilleBats
⏰: 6:30pm
📍: Louisville Slugger Field
📻: @AM920WMNI & Easy 95.1 FM
🖥: https://t.co/hDTrVNm1eK
💻 & 📱: https://t.co/BjrZKMp4qf pic.twitter.com/Dqy0abYUrk

— Columbus Clippers (@CLBClippers) April 9, 2018

Crew SC (Somehow) Missed 100% of the Shots They Took

Twenty shots just weren’t enough for Columbus Crew SC against the Chicago Fire this past Saturday night, which ended in a frustrating 1-nil road defeat for the good guys. Nearly half a dozen players on the original Black & Gold team in MLS created quality chances that just wouldn’t go into the back of the Fire’s net. Two of these shots (#11 Gyasi Zardes and #8 Mohammed Abu) hit the crossbar and then the post in a four-minute span during the second half.

Ultimately, the Crew was doomed by an uncharacteristic mistake by goalie Zack Steffen when he kicked the ball up the middle of the pitch that was intended for defensive midfielder #6 Wil Trapp who was checking back that was intercepted by Chicago’s forward #23 Nemanja Nikolić who scored seconds later with ease.

Columbus head coach Gregg Berhalter has made it clear in his time with Crew SC that he has a philosophical obsession with playing the ball out of the back on the ground. Unfortunately, this strategy remains the team’s greatest defensive liability because of the slim margin for error against high-press tactics from opponents.

Sometimes in football soccer, you’ve got to punt on risky tactics every once in a while.

#SaveTheCrew

“We created a number of chances. We limited the opponent to very few chances… We are proud of the effort, disappointed with the result.” 🗯 pic.twitter.com/6niLf2sTrV

— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) April 9, 2018

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