Columbus Crew needs another Aidan Morris

In the time since the Crew’s 2024 season came to a crashing halt a few days ago, there has been a lot of speculation on what type of personnel decisions the club will decide to make moving forward. I firmly believe general manager Issa Tall and head coach Wilfried Nancy need to look at adding another Aidan Morris.

I readily admit I am not a soccer expert, but I don’t think expertise is needed to see the difference he made in midfield for the Crew. After his departure in late June, Nancy mostly relied on three players to fill the hole left by Morris. Sean Zawadzki played well, but he’s too similar in style to Darlington Nagbe. Although Alex Matan is not a natural midfielder, I thought he did a credible job overall. The guy I really liked is Dylan Chambost. Like Matan, he was playing out of position, but felt he fit nicely alongside Nagbe. All three filled in well, but none brought what Morris gave the club.

So, just what did Morris bring to the Crew midfield? The biggest thing was his tenacity and ability to win back the ball. He was relentless in harassing opponents into a turnover and made life miserable for any team who tried to play through the middle. In addition, his passing was top notch and allowed the Crew to easily break even the most aggressive press. This social media post from his current club is a reminder of the type of ability he has to pass the ball accurately. I really believe if the Crew is going to make a run at CONCACAF, the Supporter’s Shield, and MLS Cup in 2025, they need a midfielder with a similar skillset to Morris.

Let’s face it, finding a player like Morris is easier said than done. Tall and Nancy will need to find someone who fits into their transfer budget and salary range, and who is willing to make the move to Columbus and MLS. There may be somewhere around a bazillion pro soccer players out there (trust me, that’s an accurate number), but that field narrows quickly when you begin factoring in your specific needs.

I think we’re in for a very interesting off-season with the Crew.