MLS 2022: What Charlotte FC need to improve to collect their first-ever MLS points – tactical analysis

We’re already three matchdays into MLS 2022 and it already looks like we have an exciting season ahead of us. Among all the new faces, movements and changes, there was a lot of curiosity surrounding Charlotte FC, the newest team in the league that has started competing just this season after forming their squad over the last months.

Charlotte’s start has been very disappointing. While we all expected a completely new team to struggle in its first games, getting three defeats in their first three games wasn’t expected and it’s probably worrying the fans already. It was especially hard to see them lose in the first-ever home game against LA Galaxy in which they recorded the highest-ever MLS attendance with 74,479 attendees at the Bank of America Stadium. It was also the highest attendance for a football game in 2022 so far ahead of all La Liga, EPL or Bundesliga games.

In this tactical analysis, we’ll have a look at the tactics Miguel Ángel Ramírez has used so far and which issues and problems Charlotte need to solve to collect their first points in the MLS.

Build-up problems: rewardless risks and ineffective direct play

One of the main aspects Charlotte need to improve is their ball progression, starting with their build-up.

Charlotte usually use short passes in their build-up, probably looking to draw pressure and find free players in advanced positions and behind the rivals’ backs. However, they struggle to break lines with low passes and usually end up choosing long passes to get forward. 

They’re the team in the East Conference with the third-most long passes (48.46 per 90). While playing long isn’t necessarily bad, it looks like Charlotte aren’t choosing the best moments to do so as they normally start their build-up with short passes and even take risks to progress with low passes but it isn’t paying off. In the end, they are sending these passes forward from quite uncomfortable situations, which results in their below-average long-pass accuracy of 51.6%.

The first issue here is the lack of passing options during the build-up. The central or defensive midfielder who comes deep to receive behind the first pressing line doesn’t offer safe passing options and his orientation isn’t good enough so he’s easily pressed and has to take lots of risks. The defenders and the goalkeeper still look to play with him, which seems to be a team instruction but the decision making isn’t good and the risks they take don’t have any reward as the man who receives the ball doesn’t have the orientation, space or skill to turn and play forward so he either loses the ball or plays backwards again.

There are moments in which the central midfielders’ movements just add more pressure to his teammates as they draw rivals and reduce space instead of being patient and trying to provide passing options behind the pressing rivals.

In a similar situation, the defensive midfielder loses possession when challenged.Even when they try to combine to get out of pressure, Charlotte players still don’t know each other well enough and don’t look like a unit so they’re not coordinated and lose some good opportunities to progress. This is understandable for a team that has only been together for three official games but they need to avoid taking risks until they can work together and understand each other’s movements.