MLS Charlotte FC

Channel Frustration: Ingredients of the Match

Published on July 5, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Charlotte FC News Release


Charlotte FC sets off on a road trip to confront New York City FC, a team they have consistently triumphed over in MLS. Holding an impressive record of defeating the Pigeons in every previous encounter, and here are the ingredients to how they can make four consecutive wins:

Consecutive Clean Sheets

In their most recent MLS match against C.F. Montreal, Charlotte FC secured their 3rd clean sheet of the season. Although this statistic might not be a source of pride 20 matches into the season, with 14 matches left, there is still time to change that.

The upcoming match against NYCFC presents an opportunity for Charlotte to increase their clean sheet count and accomplish something they haven't managed yet this season - consecutive clean sheets. If Charlotte wants to stay in the playoff race, they need to strengthen their defense. Stringing together back-to-back clean sheets would be a step in the right direction, contributing to defensive consistency.

Remain Patient

Similar to Charlotte, New York City is a team that excels in ball possession, ranking 5th in the league for average possession percentage per match, holding the ball for 52.9% of the time. While they do well to keep the ball, the Pigeons struggle to translate that into scoring opportunities. Although Charlotte is likely to surrender a significant portion of possession in this match playing away from home, they can turn this situation to their advantage.

Maintaining patience on defense and avoiding being dragged out of position will limit the scoring opportunities for a team that struggles to break through solid defenses. It will also provide Charlotte with the chance to counter-attack effectively, setting up opportunities to hurt NYCFC in transition who are still utilizing a makeshift backline.

Channel Frustration

Throughout the season, frustration has been an emotion that has plagued Charlotte, stemming from various sources such as dropping points from winning positions, contentious refereeing decisions, or missed scoring chances.

Head Coach Christian Lattanzio stated, "Frustration is there to manage and channel, because it's negative energy," following a disappointing match against C.F. Montreal.

After two frustrating matches, where they surrendered a two-goal lead in one and missed several chances to win in the other, it is crucial for Charlotte not to allow that frustration to carry over into the upcoming matches. Instead, they should channel their past frustrations into motivation, playing with increased intensity and sharper quality to secure much-needed points.

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