The Crew.com's Cody Sharrett answers your questions on Crew Mail. Send your questions to socialmedia@thecrew.com.
Generally time-off hasnt been helpful 2 Crew's game upon returning 2 play. What r Crew doing 2 stay match-ready for latter June?
- Janet W.
The Crew's next match isn't until June 16 at New England, but in the meantime the team will resume training regularly as they would during any other week. Robert Warzycha gave the players Thursday and Friday off following a four game stretch over 10 days with flights across the country in-between. The recess in league play will give the team a chance to get a few bodies back from injury, some of which may see time in the reserve match against New England on June 10.
As for the Crew not doing well after time-off, the team responded from an off-week in Week 2 of the season with a 2-0 win over Montreal in the home opener. Over the past five seasons, the Black & Gold are 13-4-4 when there are more than seven days between league matches.
Why don't we take the US Open Cup more seriously?
- Caleb W.
The Crew takes the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup very seriously. After all, the club's founder and late owner's name is on the trophy.
I understand fans are upset with the team's loss against the Dayton Dutch Lions on Tuesday and last year's loss to the Richmond Kickers, but it's a bit unjust to question if the players and coaches take the competition seriously.
The locker room after the match was not a fun place to be. The players were extremely disappointed with the match, some to the point where they didn't even address the media afterward. It wasn't as if the Crew played terribly. The team had 18 shots to just three from the Dutch Lions, but a couple of costly mistakes spelled doom for the Columbus.
As for the coaches, 10 of the 14 players Robert Warzycha put on the field Tuesday have started an MLS Match this season. Chris Birchall, who started for the LA Galaxy in MLS Cup last season, and Julius James, a regular in Warzycha's starting XI in 2011, were two of the four that hadn't stated an MLS match in 2012. After playing all 90 minutes in three matches over a week span, veterans like Eddie Gaven, Sebastian Miranda, and Andy Gruenebaum needed a break.
Yes, the Crew should have been able to beat the Dutch Lions Tuesday night. The lineup Warzycha put out there is more than capable of beating a lower division side, but some bounces just didn't go the Crew's way At the same time, hats off to a brilliant performance from Dayton's goalkeeper Matthew Williams to save a couple of rockets from Chris Birchall and Justin Meram and keep the Dutch Lions in the match.
Tell us the DP targets.
- David J.
Technical Director Brian Bliss is keeping things confidential about his search for a designated player. He continues to scout and evaluate talent down there in hope of finding a player that will fit in well with the direction Bliss, Warzycha, and GM Mark McCullers want take the club.. Look for a Q&A with Bliss on TheCrew.com sometime next week.
