For the Stats: How Charlotte FC’s Spine Is Fueling an Impressive Run

May 22, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Charlotte FC News Release

Three out of four matches lost. A fourteen-win home streak ended by a 3-0 defeat from Minnesota United. A first-ever loss to New York City FC. April was a bleak month for Charlotte FC, prompting concerns about how the team would fare in a critical month ahead.

As they prepared for the first of four home matches and six matches in total for May, Head Coach Dean Smith emphasized that the players were determined to “put things right” after the Minnesota loss.

And put things right they did.

The team responded with a historic run of four matches so far in May. Four straight unbeaten, including three consecutive wins… without conceding a single goal. At the beginning of the month, Charlotte was below the playoff spots, but they now find themselves 6th in the Eastern Conference. So, what changed?

We can use statistics to identify the key areas contributing to the Club’s success and determine if this form is a temporary spike or sustainable throughout the season.

The Defensive Unit

At the very foundation of this impressive run has been Charlotte’s defense. Every player has both offensive and defensive responsibilities in soccer, but it’s the backline’s primary function – and Charlotte’s backline has been nothing short of brilliant.

Over the last four matches, Charlotte has allowed an average of just 0.75 Expected Goals Against (xGA), a metric that measures the quality of chances created by the opposing team. Although this is a small sample size, examining all 14 of Charlotte FC’s matches this season reveals they’ve been a menace to attack against all season.

So far this season, The Crown has conceded a total of 14.7 xGA, the third-best in the league. In terms of actual goals conceded, Charlotte is among the top five, tied for second with the Columbus Crew and Houston Dynamo. The team also leads the league with six clean sheets. The proof is there that Dean Smith has transformed Charlotte into a defensive powerhouse, and all underlying signs indicate this will continue.

A critical component of this success has been the partnership of Malanda and Privett. In the two consecutive losses before their unbeaten streak, Malanda was sidelined with an injury, and Charlotte conceded five goals. Nearly half of their total goals conceded this season occurred in those two matches when the center back pairing was separated.

However, some of these clean sheets can be credited to Kristijan Kahlina’s heroics….