Quick Adaptation: Ingredients of the Match

August 27, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Charlotte FC News Release

The Battle of the South comes to Bank of America Stadium as Charlotte FC host Atlanta United.

Here are the three ingredients of the match:

Shutting Down the Offense

With the departure of key players like Giorgos Giakoumakis and Thiago Almada, Atlanta has had to rely heavily on two main scoring strategies: counter attacks and crosses aimed at their towering strikers.

While they’ve lost significant quality in the center of the field, Atlanta still boasts one of the league’s top attacking fullbacks, Brooks Lennon, who has notched five assists this season. Complementing him on the right flank is winger Saba Lobzhanidze, one of the few bright spots in Atlanta’s attack, having contributed six goals and three assists.

For Charlotte, the key to neutralizing Atlanta’s threats lies in cutting off service from the wide areas and staying alert to shut down counter attacks. If they can do this effectively, they’ll significantly limit Atlanta’s goal-scoring opportunities. After that, it’s just a matter of capitalizing on their own attacking chances to secure all three points.

Unforced Errors

While Charlotte has earned a reputation for their strong defense, they’ve struggled to make a significant impact in the attack. Being ranked 3rd worst in goals scored in the Eastern Conference, they recognized the need for more offensive firepower. So, what did they do? They brought back Karol Świderski, signed Pep Biel as a playmaking number 10, and have another creative force on the way in Jamie Paterson.

Charlotte’s attack is now stronger than it has been all season, with these new additions joining Liel Abada and Kerwin Vargas, while options like Iuri Tavares, Brandon Cambridge, and Patrick Agyemang provide depth off the bench.

However, in their most recent match, Charlotte’s attack looked disjointed. This can be partly attributed to the new-look offense still gaining familiarity with each other and to unforced errors at critical moments in the attack.

“[We] can’t make that many unforced errors in the final third, and that’s on us,” said a dissatisfied Dean Smith after Saturday’s 1-1 draw against the Red Bulls.

The Crown may be their own worst enemy in the attack, but the silver lining is that this is an area within their direct control. Better decision-making will make a significant difference in the final third, and if this improves, Charlotte has the potential to transform from one of the weaker attacks to one of…