Charlotte FC’s top 3 performers in May

By Billy McGee - @iambillymcgee

Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90

Charlotte FC entered the month of May on a poor run of form that continued through their first three games of the month, losing 1-0 on the road against the New England Revolution, drawing 2-2 at home against FC Cincinnati, and losing 1-0 at home to New York City FC. They were able to turn it around and end the month on a high note, with back-to-back wins in MLS play for only the second time this season, defeating a heavily depleted Toronto FC side 3-1 and avenging their loss against New England with a 1-0 win of their own.

Here are our top performers from May:

Pep Biel

Pep Biel has been Charlotte FC’s best player for the entirety of the season so far, and that didn’t change this month. Across the five games played in May, Biel was the team’s joint-leading scorer with two goals and had an average match rating of 7.28 according to FotMob. When Biel is on his game, Charlotte tends to also be on their game. When Charlotte FC can have him on the ball more often, good things tend to happen. His two goals in May bring his season total to seven through 15 matches. Along with his four assists on the season, he has the second-most goal contributions of all midfielders in MLS.

He is also the only player to have featured in our top performers column every month so far this season.

Kerwin Vargas

Kerwin Vargas has seemingly solidified himself as a starting winger for Charlotte FC during May. Before May, there had been three wingers not named Wilfried Zaha to start games for the Crown, including Vargas. In May, Vargas started all five games, having an average FotMob match rating of 7.2. His best match of the month came against Toronto FC, when he assisted the first two goals of the 3-1 win before coming off in the 66th minute. Vargas looks to be a starter going forward. The question will be who is starting opposite him now that Zaha is leaving the club.

Djibril Diani

Much like how Vargas is supplanting himself as a starter on the wing, Djibril Diani has made his case to be the go-to starter next to Ashley Westwood in the double-pivot. Diani started four of the five games in May and picked up his first goal contribution of the season with an assist against FC Cincinnati. He nearly scored his first goal of the season to close out the month, but couldn’t connect well enough on a header from point-blank range against the Revs. His average FotMob match rating of 7 in May gave Charlotte FC a good baseline in the midfield and helped the rest of the team by delivering consistent performances they could rely on.

Summary

The back-to-back wins to end May were crucial for Charlotte FC to go into the lengthy World Cup break on a high note. Charlotte FC won’t see action for the entirety of the month of June and most of July, coming back to play two games after the World Cup before they host the MLS All-Star game at the end of July.

Charlotte FC’s Upcoming Schedule

July 22: Atlanta United

July 25: New York Red Bulls

July 29: MLS All-Star Game