COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Crew goes into their second consecutive road match without their top defender and minus players who have scored more than one-third of the team's goals this season.
And, those might be the least of its problems in Houston. In addition to a revised lineup -- again -- the Crew must combat the ever-present heat and humidity that hovers over the Texas city and makes even the most conditioned athlete uncomfortable.
Just ask Crew leading scorer Alejandro Moreno, who spent the 2006 season and the first month of the following year with the Dynamo before being traded to Columbus.
"Having played in Houston, having trained in Houston, it affects them just as much as it affects us. People say you get used to it. I don't think there's any way to get used to it," said Moreno. "It makes for the weeks to be a little longer. It makes for the days to be longer and makes for the games to be a little bit more of a struggle. Hopefully, we can take advantage of it as opposed to suffering through it. It's going to be pretty hot, pretty steamy, pretty spicy. It's a reality."
The forecast at kickoff calls for 93 degrees, with 45 percent humidity and a heat index of 98 degrees. The Crew trained Friday morning in Columbus when it was 86 degrees and 50 percent humidity.
Of course, to bayou boy Jason Garey, a native of Baton Rouge, La., that's just another pleasant day.
"This is nothing new for me but Houston in August is very hot. It's the hottest month in Louisiana, too. There's not much wind. The heat just stacks in there with the humidity," the Crew forward said. "We know the heat and humidity are different there than most places we play. You take care of your body and drink a lot more fluids all week getting ready for it."
The Crew's road schedule can be categorized in segments. There was the West Coast swing from May 10 to June 21 when the team traveled to California three times. The Crew is currently in the midst of its Elements Tour.
It began with a 2-0 loss July 12 in altitude (and artificial turf) at Real Salt Lake and continued with another thin-air match last Sunday at Colorado, a 2-0 win. After Saturday's expected scorcher in Houston, the Crew's next road game is Aug. 30 in Dallas. Do you think it will be a little warm there?
The final four road games are against Eastern Conference opponents.
A win against the Dynamo would move the Crew into first place by a point idle ahead of New England although the Revolution will have two games in hand after Saturday.
In addition to missing All-Star defender Frankie Hejduk (yellow card accumulation), the Crew will be without Olympians Robbie Rogers and Emmanuel Ekpo on the flanks for the second match in a row and rookie forward Steven Lenhart, who starts a two-game suspension for a flagrant elbow. Rogers (five), Lenhart (three) and Ekpo have 10 of the Crew's 29 goals.
Garey, who scored his first goal in the Colorado match, and midfielder Brad Evans are expected to rejoin the starting lineup. Defender Ezra Hendrickson, out since June 7 (groin), could see significant minutes.
"It's going to be interesting. Some other guys will get some playing time," Garey said. "Everyone is here because they want to play MLS games on the weekend. We'll see what happens."
It will be imperative for the Crew to get everyone involved in the attack because Moreno will certainly be a marked man in his homecoming. He has seven goals although he has only one of the 12 the Crew has scored in the past six matches.
"It's important to have that scoring. There's going to be nights when Guillermo (Barros Schelotto) is going to be pretty crowded, I'm going to be crowded. It's important for them to come in, find the open space and put the ball in the back of the net," Moreno said. "We've been successful because we can score from many different positions. Brad Evans can come late in the box. It's a matter of the guys on the field taking advantage of opportunities. (Garey) has done well with his opportunities. Steve has done well the times he's come in. In order to have a successful season we need different players to come in and score goals at key moments."
Moreno, a member of the Dynamo's MLS Cup winners in 2006, said no matter the starting XI, a positive result is expected.
"The team looks different but that's why we have 18 guys on the roster and 28 guys on the team, because you bring in players you think are good enough to do the job. Now's their opportunity to step on the field and do the things they know how to do," he said. "They should know that we have confidence, the coaching staff has confidence, that they can do the things we expect them to do.
"For us, it's a matter of concentrating or focusing on things that made us successful: Staying compact, defending well, fighting for each other, pushing each other and trying to make the most of the opportunities we get. The most important thing we've done this year is to find a way to get results. That would certainly come in handy this weekend."
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