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Columbus Crew: Best starting XI of 2010s

By John Harbeck

COMMERCE CITY, CO - JUNE 03: Federico Higuain #10 of the Columbus Crew SC celebrates his goal with Waylon Francis #14 against the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on June 3, 2017 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
COMMERCE CITY, CO - JUNE 03: Federico Higuain #10 of the Columbus Crew SC celebrates his goal with Waylon Francis #14 against the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on June 3, 2017 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 04: Columbus Crew forward Federico Higuain (10) pulls in a cross during a MLS match between D.C United and Columbus Crew SC, on May 04, 2019, at Audi Field, in Washington, D.C.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 04: Columbus Crew forward Federico Higuain (10) pulls in a cross during a MLS match between D.C United and Columbus Crew SC, on May 04, 2019, at Audi Field, in Washington, D.C.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Attacking Midfielder

Federico Higuain

There is absolutely no question who the Best XI of the 2010s in this position is for the Columbus Crew. Really, the only thing that is up for debate is which year should we select of Federico Higuain.

Stats don’t tell the whole story for Higuain as he has never posted more than 12 goals or 10 assists in a season. The story needs to be told in the way that Higuain sees the game and creates passes out of thin air. I hesitate to make this ambitious of a comparison, but Higuain at his peak passed a little like Andres Iniesta of Barcelona. If Trapp was the Xavi-like metronome of Columbus during this decade, Higuain was the artist.

Those high-scoring seasons that both Meram and Finley have produced can be credited almost entirely to Higuain. For his best season, I’d go with 2012 when, as a mid-season signing, Higuain came into the squad and scored or assisted in seemingly every match. Higuain does have his detractors, however, as he isn’t terribly mobile in a consistent manner and rarely offers much defensively. With that being said, in a big match, I’d take ‘Pipa’ any day.

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