The Crew defense, already having conceded just four goals over its last six matches and none over the past two, is about to get even stronger.
Tuesday's scrimmage against Indy Eleven featured a 60-minute performance by newcomer Emanuel Pogatetz, as well as a 45-minute return from rib surgery for Josh Williams.
While each player has a different route back to full match fitness, both of them saw the outing against the NASL side as a valuable opportunity to progress toward the matchday lineup.
"[Playing] is big enough for me," said Williams. "It isn't an MLS game, but just to be back before the end of the year – I was mentally prepared to take the whole year off. To be back out here, running around competing again, I think that's what I was missing."
Meanwhile Pogatetz, the Crew's newest signing, played his first game action since a summer friendly with the Austrian National Team.
"It was good to get a game," said Pogatetz (pictured right). "I haven't had that for a long time. It was a good test. The opponents were doing well. I enjoyed it. It was good to get a game in now, it's good progress for me."
Pogatetz started the match and played into the second half as the Crew's left-sided centerback. Playing alongside Matt Wiet in central defense, the Austrian's leadership and communication were on display throughout the afternoon, something that Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter noticed and appreciated. While Berhalter added that he thought Pogatetz was a tad rusty, he said that overall it was a pleasing performance and that the defender was progressing in the manner that he anticipated.
"We have a couple different goals [for Emanuel]," said the Crew boss. "The first thing is, from a fitness standpoint: how can we push his minutes? Before the game, we thought anywhere between 45 to 60 minutes, and we got to 60, so we're pleased with that. From a performance standpoint: learning the system, learning how we play and getting him used to the movements … From a communication standpoint: just coaching the guys and being able to talk and work through that."
"It's difficult when you haven't played for a long time to get back into it," added Pogatetz. "It's not the same as training. It's different, it's a competition, it's 11-v-11. I'm pretty pleased with how it went. Of course it will take some time -- probably a couple more games to get to 100% -- but I'm feeling a lot better than two weeks ago. I've trained for two-and-a-half weeks now and for that amount of practice, I think I'm in good shape and everything is progressing like it should."
Berhalter said that he thinks Pogatetz could play a role this weekend against the Revolution, but both the coach and the player stressed taking time to make sure the process goes smoothly.
"It's sometimes difficult to stay patient because of course I would love to be 100% fit and play for the Crew every week, but obviously that's not going to happen so I still have to work hard every day and see how the progress goes," said the Austrian. "Hopefully it won’t be too long until I am ready to play. Hopefully I am training well enough so the coach will pick me."
Williams, meanwhile, saw the chance to get game action against Indy Eleven as a part of his comeback process that can't be simulated anywhere else -- an opportunity that will be taken to another level when he makes his return to MLS action.
"It literally doesn’t matter what you do until you get on the field," said Williams. "I'll come into a training session, and after I'll do fitness, but it's one of those things where you literally can't do anything but play in order to get your legs."
While the Crew defense has been humming of late, depth and reinforcements certainly could only stand to help the team. The Black & Gold are getting closer to having both Pogatetz and Williams as options for selection during the crucial October stretch run.
