Charlotte FC's positions of need
By Sam Vanolinda
Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90
Charlotte FC has had a decent start to the season. One win, one draw, and two losses; not bad, but not great.
One thing that has stood out is the defensive effort of the team, Dean Smith has the squad more organized and prepared on the defensive end, with only four goals allowed, one of those being a wonder goal by Lorenzo Insigne.
The team is also in the top ten in expected goals (xG.) Enzo Copetti has had his fair share of chances, but he can’t score that goal that will begin his momentum this season; now he has picked up an injury, and Patrick Agyemang is getting a chance to establish a larger role in the team.
I said in my preseason preview article that Copetti would be the catalyst that determines the success of this season, and he has had a tough start, with his injury it's up to other players to step up.
In a press conference earlier this month, Smith mentioned the team was still looking to add one or two players this season. There is still time for Charlotte to bring in a couple more players, especially this summer when the European leagues finish. Here are a couple of holes that could still be filled:
Attacking Midfielder
Brecht Dejaegere has been doing a solid job in the center of the midfield, but he has not been enough of a difference-maker.
More than anything, Charlotte needs a player to smooth the transition from defense to attack, an attacking midfielder who can make runs toward the box and set up his teammates.
Charlotte has had good chances to counterattack, but with the double pivot of Westwood and Urso, the team does not have enough options in the final third.
A player in the mold of Thiago Almada, Riqui Puig, Carles Gil, or Luciano Acosta would benefit this team greatly.
It's easier said than done because those types of players aren't easy to acquire, but someone who is technical, can make the key pass, and can dribble forward well with the ball would give Charlotte FC a major boost.
Veteran left center-back
Andrew Privett and Adilson Malanda have been a solid center-back pairing since the Leagues Cup last season. Adding a veteran presence to push Privett and see if he can attain a higher level could benefit The Crown.
They lack a veteran presence at center-back, besides Bill Tuiloma, so an experienced defender could benefit this young group off the field and through the grind of a long season.
Left-back
Jere Uronen has been called up for international duty so Charlotte's depth on the left is about to get tested. If Charlotte's other options at left-back struggle this week against Columbus it could be a sign that The Crown needs to start looking for some additional depth to help support Uronen. Especially if Finland ends up qualifying for the Euros this summer because Charlotte would likely lose their starting left-back for an extended period.
DP spot, TAM, and U-22 slot available
Charlotte FC has the flexibility to address these needs with a higher degree of investment if they choose to do so. They have the DP spot to invest heavily for an attacking midfielder, which could get them their version of an Acosta or Puig. With the rule change coming that was announced yesterday even with Abada becoming a senior DP next season Charlotte will have the ability to go either YDP or senior DP with an attacking midfielder signing. If this move is done in the summer there could be several exciting options.
The U-22 slot is another option for addressing the midfield, and there were already rumors about interest in youngster Franco Rodriguez earlier this year.
The Crown has multiple approaches for the left center-back and left-back positions. If Charlotte goes the veteran route they could use some of their targetted allocation money (TAM) to make a move happen. This move would get them a higher-level candidate who could beat out Privett for the starting job which could motivate him to push his game to another gear.
