Columbus Crew: Best starting XI of 2010s
By John Harbeck
Central Midfield
Wil Trapp, Tony Tchani
The system that the Columbus Crew has used for much of the decade dictates that there are two central midfielders, one playing a number six and one playing as an eight. The six stays deep, often splitting the central defenders in possession and spraying the ball to the wingers and full-backs. The eight has taken a number of roles but is a more offensive position that requires getting into the final third and linking play throughout the midfield.
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First, as the defensive midfielder, it is Wil Trapp. Trapp has to be one of the league’s most successful homegrown signings. He has made 200 appearances and brings a steady metronome tempo to Columbus. The drawback that can be associated with Trapp is that he lacks both the pace and defensive physicality that makes for an international player. This can be seen on display more acutely with the United States National Team as Trapp is frequently exposed when called upon. However, for his career with Columbus, Trapp has had the necessary setup to maximize his skills and the proper partners in midfield to succeed.
The number eight position is perhaps most up for debate with two players in question. First is Tony Tchani, keying primarily in the eight role from 2012-16 combining with Trapp to form a very complementary duo. After Tchani left the club, Artur took over and remains in the role, playing over 2,000 minutes each season.
Both players have their merit and both bring a good deal of quality to a side, with Artur more offensively potent and Tchani a much larger and physical player. For this XI, I will plump with the 2014 version of Tchani. That year, he played nearly every match and was dominant, picking up seven assists and playing bruising defense in the middle.