Charlotte FC Stock Up, Stock Down: Smith fails to energize the squad, attackers continue to fall short

By Sam Vanolinda

Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90

It seems like the failure of the organization that is the Carolina Panthers has rubbed off on Charlotte FC as of late.

Disappointment looms over David Tepper and the teams in this city like a never-ending cloud. It doesn't look like the sun is going to peek through any time soon.

Another disappointing, lifeless loss, courtesy of a Facundo Torres goal and a Duncan McGuire chip to put the dagger in the heart. One team was very obviously confident and on the rise, and one team was very clearly fading toward the play-in game.

A team rarely makes the fans wonder why football is called the “beautiful game,” but right now watching Charlotte FC is in no way a pleasant experience.

There is not one player on the bench or in the starting 11 that shows an ounce of attacking threat. When defenders play the Crown in the last month they must have a smile on their face because they have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Here is the stock up/down for Wednesday night’s game.

Stock Up

Junior Urso

Junior Urso has been a very good midfielder for the team all season. I think he deserves to be back in the starting lineup.

In his short appearance, he showed signs of life. He is a player who can move the ball from midfield to attack when given the chance.

Idan Toklomati

Toklomati made his debut as a substitute right wing late in the game.

Although he wasn’t able to do much, it is still good to see the youngster get some MLS minutes. He has some explosiveness and is a player to watch in the future.

Stock Down

Dean Smith

At some point, the coach has to change his approach to the game and motivate his players.

Smith has tried to tinker with lineups, and while the front office has failed him, the team looks unmotivated on the field.

It doesn't help that the style of play recently has been low-block, route-one football. The entire strategy in the first half Wednesday was to defend and then send a long ball towards Agyemang and hope that he gets a lucky bounce. 

Why not take chances? Why not take risks and push your team forward? The players are good enough to show more attacking threat than last night.

And even with the addition of Tim Ream, Charlotte is leaking goals more than they were when Privett was in the lineup.

Sluggish, disorganized, painful attacking football.

Kerwin Vargas

I can put every single player on this list but Vargas has just taken a vacation for the last couple of months in this team.

Every bit of the explosive winger that we have seen flashes of has disappeared and revealed a player that looks like he doesn't want to be there.

Pep Biel

Pep Biel was advertised as a 10 with some creativity but every single time he had a chance to create an opportunity last night he made the wrong decision.

Subbed off in the 72nd minute with 0.01 combined expected goals and assists. Two touches in the opponent's box. Nothing to show for.

It was so obvious that Charlotte needed an explosive 10 that can drive into the defense like Ebere Eze does at Crystal Palace, Biel so far does not look to pose a threat in the final third.

Patrick Agyemang

He wasn’t given much service, but when he did receive the ball he was clumsy. He lacks the ball control to be a threat without really good wing play.

12 total touches, one shot, one of six ground duels won, and no aerial duels won. 

Again, it is not entirely his fault. A striker is a reflection of the service that he receives, but at times I wish he could get the ball out of his feet quicker to recycle the ball and keep possession in the opponent's half.

Jere Uronen

Uronen wasn’t awful with his passing, but offered zero actual attacking threat, and was caught sleeping for the first Orlando goal.

Both he and Byrne are given little to no freedom to overlap on the wing so it is hard to see how well they can be in the attacking third. 

It is a shame because when watching Dean Smith’s Aston Villa film, he often had his left and right back push forward and create overloads on one side of the field.

Summary 

It was a tough watch for Charlotte fans everywhere last night.

From start to finish, Orlando was the team that deserved to win. They out-possessed and outplayed Charlotte all night.

Somehow Charlotte’s great start to the season allows them to cling to 7th, but if they do not have a good performance against New England over the weekend the season could start snowballing towards absolute failure.