Football Season Guide

Columbus Crew wrapped up a historic campaign last season by finally getting their hands on the MLS Cup for only the second time in their history though lack of consistency meant they fell short in the chase for the Supporters' Shield. Columbus have wasted little time in strengthening an already formidable roster with Kevin Molino arriving on a free transfer to plug the hole on the flanks. The Crew have also brought in Alexandru Matan and Bradley Wright-Phillips to improve the depth in the attack and provide them with options especially with key creator Lucas Zelarayan missing portions of last season due to injuries. Columbus have managed to hold on to all of their key players during the off-season with Ema Boateng and Younes Mokhtar the biggest departures though the duo struggled to hold down a place in the starting lineup last season. Injuries and lack of consistency up front remains the biggest challenge for Columbus though the new additions mean they will be heading into the campaign with one of the strongest rosters in the MLS both in terms of quality and depth and should once again finish near the top of the Conference standings.