OBETZ, Ohio – To begin 2015, Columbus Crew SC striker Kei Kamara had three goals and nine shots on target in the club’s first five games – his debut as a new signing. The team had a win and a pair of draws in those five games, earning five points.
After five games in 2016, Kamara has just one goal and five shots on target, and his lack of production is just one factor in the team’s 0-2-3 start, its worst since an 0-2-5 beginning to the 2009 season when the franchise won its second-straight Supporters' Shield.
Kamara himself isn’t talking about the matter, and declined to speak to reporters at practice Thursday.
But his head coach, Gregg Berhalter, isn’t blaming the forward for the team’s woes. Instead, Berhalter says his teammates need to do a better job of finding last year’s MLS MVP candidate.
“I think it’s been a product of our fullbacks not getting forward enough,” Berhalter said. “If you look at [Kamara’s] touches, they’re probably up this year, but not where I want him touching the ball. I want him in the penalty box and being aggressive and us giving him the proper service [so] that he can get on the end of these crosses.”
Berhalter said the rest of the team has missed chances to play through those fullbacks, Harrison Afful and Waylon Francis.
“There were still opportunities in both of those games where we just missed them – where they were forward and we just missed the pass,” he said. “I think if things would have gone a little differently, Kei would have had a number of goals. He’s had enough chances.”
For Ethan Finlay – who combined with Kamara as one of the most deadly duos in the league last season – the team simply has to adjust to teams playing aggressively against a striker who scored 22 goals in 2015.
“Kei is always going to draw probably a double team, now,” Finlay said. “They’re always going to be really focused on him. I think you can see the cutback space [that opens]. [Against Dallas] there was a good chance for Justin [Meram]. Those are the types of things we need to be able to make adjustments to.”
Berhalter says he’s focusing on Kamara’s “great” movements off the ball and reinforcing the runs he makes. He hopes to avoid a drop in confidence for the striker.
“Confidence is a big part of it,” he said. I don’t think he’s lacking confidence. But any time you go on a dry run or you’re not getting enough chances or goals, confidence suffers a little bit. It’s natural.”
And Finlay says he and Kamara’s other teammates aren’t losing faith.
“Kei is going to get his,” Finlay said. “He’s a guy that can create his own thing when he needs to. And it’s hard to defend a guy who can jump over you.”
