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By Brian Maurer Anton Walkes (Image courtesy of Charlotte FC) Charlotte FC’s defensive line had some highs and lows during their inaugural campaign. One of their top moments was putting up a clean sheet against the 2021 MLS Cup champions, NYCFC, while down to ten men. While one of the lowest moments was facing the current MLS Cup champions, LAFC, and giving up five second half goals. The defensive line also had a decent amount of overhaul and changes throughout the course of the season. Charlotte FC signed two players, Nathan Byrne and Adilson Malanda, who both ended up sliding right into starting positions on the backline by the season's end. Christian Makoun, who was a regular contributor under Miguel Ángel Ramírez (MAR), was sold to the New England Revolution; and Christian Fuchs, Harrison Afful, and Koa Santos have all had their options declined. Here is an estimation of what Charlotte’s defensive line depth chart looks like going into the winter window: Corujo could easily wind up back in a starting role once he has recovered from his surgery. At this point, however, Malanda and Walkes look primed to be the starters at center back (CB) going into the 2023 season. Byrne also looked like a capable MLS starter in his short stints and will likely maintain a starting spot at right back (RB). Ideally Lindsey and Byrne will provide each other with some competition in training to help improve their performances throughout the 2023 season. The biggest hole on the defensive line for Charlotte FC is left back (LB). With Fuchs and Afful both having their options declined, and having both spent several minutes at LB this past season, there is going to be some game time up for grabs at LB. Mora started sporadically throughout the season, while Armour missed the majority of the season due to an unfortunate knee injury. This means that unless one of these two makes a major step up in 2023 that Charlotte is likely to spend some money on some LB help. They should definitely have the salary cap space to make a deal happen. Guaranteed Compensation Reported by MLSPA The table above shows that the LB position currently has the least amount of money invested in it out of all the positions on the Charlotte FC roster. Only 9.7% of the defensive players salary has been devoted to the LB position (compared to 31% for RBs, and 59.3% for CBs). This signals that a LB addition is likely coming. Charlotte FC should easily have the resources available. When they declined the options of Fuchs, Afful, and Santos they freed up around $750,000 in salary space. While I would not expect all of this salary to be allocated towards an upgrade at LB, I would expect significant investment put towards this position. Center Back Pairings Charlotte FC used a 4-back system in all but three of their MLS games in 2022. Out of those 31 games they had five different center back pairings. Here is the list of different pairings with a few advanced stats*. Some of the drastic differences in team results points to the value of having stability in a defensive backline especially with the CB pairing. When there are this many different CB pairings playing this many games it can be difficult to find any stability. For a comparison, the Philadelphia Union used one CB pairing (Glesnes and Elliott) over 30 times this past season. The Union only used one other pairing and that was for two games. They went on to having a tremendous season that ended with a loss in the MLS Cup final. While having defensive stability from their CB pairing was not the only reason for their success, it can definitely be said that this CB pairing being counted on week in and week out was a driving force for them defensively. Top 7 teams in 2022 MLS Supporters Shield standings Several of the top teams in 2022 had a regular CB pairing that they were able to turn to week in and week out. It should be noted that the two top teams that did not have a regular CB pairing (LAFC and NYCFC) both have a lot of depth at many different positions which is likely a reason they were able to have a decent amount of defensive line rotation and still produce results. Ideally in Charlotte FC’s second season they find a similar level of consistency from their CB pairing. While some changes are unavoidable, such as Corujo’s season ending injury, the constant adjusting at CB that occurred throughout the season likely hurt the team’s cohesiveness. However, this was likely going to be unavoidable in an inaugural season, as the entire team was a new face in the organization. The advantage Charlotte FC has going into year two is that they will have four CBs returning to training camp in January. If head coach Christian Lattanzio can decide on his starting CB pairing going into week 1, and is able to stick with it for the majority of the season, I think this would greatly improve Charlotte FC’s chances of having a big year two jump. Two-Way Fullbacks In the modern game, especially for a team that wants to possess and progress the ball to attack, full backs are asked to be involved in ball progression as well as their defensive duties. Here is a look at how Charlotte FC’s fullbacks performed in a few different defensive and attacking areas***. More concerning than any of the underlying advanced statistics is that Charlotte FC fullbacks produced only one assist in total. If Charlotte FC truly want to be able to demonstrate a progressive possession style of soccer they are likely going to need to see more final third production from their fullbacks when they take their chances going forward. Byrne, in a very small sample size, completed a lot of passes in the final third. Between him and Lindsey, there should be some year two improvement in terms of ball progression and being able to support the attack down the right hand side. I would expect this improvement to be more apparent as Byrne’s playing time increases and as the competition for minutes between both Byrne and Lindsey heats up. The left hand side is the greater question mark. With Afful and Fuchs getting their options declined Mora and Armour are the only LBs on the roster. Mora’s underlying passing statistics and ball progression statistics were not great. However, he is, statistically, one of the better 1 v 1 tacklers on the team. If Charlotte FC want more of an attacking threat coming down the left hand side they will likely need to shop for some additional support. Final Thoughts Overall, Charlotte FC’s defensive line is probably where they have the fewest amount of question marks. They have four CBs who have all shown an ability to start in MLS. The only real question regarding the CB group is staying healthy and finding the main pairing that will solidify the backline, and that can provide the team with more stability week in and week out. If Charlotte FC can get 20-25 starts out of their main CB pairing next season (compared to only 9 in 2022) then their defense should provide some more consistent results. Regarding Charlotte FC’s FBs, they are also close to set in terms of need. Their current options at RB appear set, and their options at LB are also capable of filling the role, with some caveats. If Charlotte chooses to improve their defensive line it will most likely happen at LB. They should have the money to make some changes there if they choose to do so. My final thought on the defensive line is that it was put together quite soundly. As you can see in the guaranteed salary table, above, there is a real balance in spending among all the defensive positions which allows for flexibility and adjustments to be made if the team ever feels the need to do so. This is because Charlotte FC did not overspend on any one player in the defensive line. The players that they did spend more salary on (Corujo and Byrne) are compensated easily by other players that they got good value on (like Walkes and Malanda). With this line being solidified Charlotte FC will likely spend the majority of their attention this offseason on upgrading the attack. *All stats pulled from FBref unless otherwise reported. **Excluded CF Montreal and RBNY as they used back 3 formations frequently ***I excluded Christian Fuchs as he spent a lot of time at both CB and LB this past season. ⁺ This stat is referring to the amount of goals that Charlotte FC had minus the amount of goals they conceded while this specific player was on the pitch per 90 minutes.

By Tyler Trent Quinn McNeill in his debut for Charlotte FC - photo courtesy of Charlotte FC Charlotte FC declined options on defenders Christian Fuchs and Harrison Afful last month. Last week, Quinn McNeill and Koa Santos each had their options declined as well. While a declined option likely means these players won’t be back with Charlotte FC next season, it’s not a definite. Harrison Afful and Christian Fuchs time with Charlotte FC could be over. Age would be the most likely factor in the decision as both Afful and Fuchs would turn 37 next season. However, there is still a chance we could see each for another year with a newly negotiated contract. With a newly negotiated contract, Charlotte could offer a reduced salary which would allow Charlotte to sign a much needed player at left back while still retaining a veteran backup in either Fuchs or Afful. Additionally, Fuchs has been working with his Fox Soccer Academy since 2014 to provide top level training for the next generation of soccer players. There is the potential that Charlotte FC could partner with Fuchs in some capacity or see him as an asset in a assistant role. Koa Santos and Quinn McNeill’s options being declined might be a little more surprising. McNeill provided a spark in midfield during a turbulent time for the club amid departures. Santos, while he spent most of the season on loan with Charlotte Independence, is the departure of a young defender. While both of these players had their options declined, we could still see them back in Charlotte next season. With Charlotte set to announce branding of their MLS Next Pro team next month, we could see Santos and McNeill signed to a contract with the Next Pro squad if they don’t find other MLS or USL opportunities. MLS Next Pro had their inaugural season last year and serves to provide a step between academy level and professional soccer in MLS. Charlotte could still see potential in having these players around and developing at the Next Pro level and mentoring future stars for Charlotte such as our two homegrown signings Brian Romero and Nimfasha Berchimas.

By Vaughn Pollman Image courtesy of Charlotte FC As of Monday the 14th, Charlotte FC has made all of their final end-of-season roster decisions after declining the contract options for Quinn McNeil and Koa Santos. These decisions and the recent signing of Nimfasha Berchimas to a Homegrown Contract leave the roster sitting at 28 players under contract for the 2023 season heading into the nitty gritty of the offseason. The Crown got through St. Louis City SC’s expansion draft last Friday unscathed, so we now can look forward with a clearer vision of where the roster stands and how the club may approach the rest of the offseason with free agency already kicking off earlier this week on the 16th. This is the first of a 4-article series where we will assess the current state of the roster line by line, how the players at each position group performed in 2022, and discuss how the club may look to bolster the squad ahead of first kick. Working our way from back to front, we will start with the position group that enters the offseason with probably the fewest question marks: Goalkeepers. Current GK Depth Chart: 1. Kristijan Kahlina 2a. George Marks 2b. Pablo Sisniega 4. Adrían Zendejas Is The Goalkeeper Position Set Or Will We See Offseason Additions Or Subtractions? One of the reasons this series is beginning with the goalkeepers is that this feels like the position group with the most stability, depth, and least likely to see changes ahead of first kick in 2023. All four goalkeepers are under contract through 2023 and beyond with either long term deals or club option years. We could see at least one goalkeeper loaned out as was the case with Zendejas to the Charlotte Independence last season, or we could see any of the players spend time in net for the club’s MLS Next Pro side. It would not be a surprise if the 23 year-old Marks, who was the club’s bench option for 31 games last season, is instead earning valuable playing time and experience with the MLS Next Pro team. As the club tries to manage and fill two rosters across the senior and development team, we could see the team add additional keepers, most likely through the MLS SuperDraft or Academy player signings. How Did Charlotte's Goalkeeping Unit Perform In 2022? As a team Charlotte FC allowed 52 goals in the regular season, a respectable number for an expansion side, but 16th among the league’s 28 teams. That number and ranking will need to improve next season to qualify for the playoffs. While that number does not ride solely on the shoulders of the goalkeepers it’s the first go-to metric in establishing the general group performance relative to their peers across the league. Naturally, our greatest sample size to evaluate individual performance comes from Kahlina who started 31 of our 34 regular season contests and also started 1 US Open Cup match. He was second on the team in minutes played in 2022 with only Brandt Bronico seeing more time on the pitch. Kahlina’s performances could be classified as a bit mercurial, highlighted by impressive saves one game to regretful gaffes the next. In his 32 appearances across all competitions, he allowed 51 goals while earning 7 cleansheets. These simple stats support the reality that Kahlina had a rather pedestrian first campaign in MLS with the team ultimately being middle of the pack in nearly every statistical category related to goalkeeper performance. Those stats are maybe a bit misleading, but they do tell a story of what Kahlina was good at and what he struggled with at times. Early in the season Kahlina received plaudits for his goalkeeping heroics and for seemingly “standing on his head” to keep us in games as he had to face a large volume of shots, often from dangerous goal scoring situation by Charlotte's opponents. He established a knack for making reaction kick saves on low shot attempts, a skill that tailed off as the season wore on. In addition to being adept at kick saves, he showed an ability to be strong in the air and stay close to his line, rarely leaving his goalmouth empty for tap-in goals. The goals he and the team did concede early on were seen by the fanbase as unfortunate and could be chalked up to bad luck with the first seven goals allowed all coming from penalty kicks, deflections, or Efraín Álvarez magic. Those “unlucky” goals did stop happening as frequently, but Kahlina’s other key strength of being able to distribute the ball in possession and play out of the back led to some overconfidence and painful miscues, particularly in games at Philadelphia and at Columbus where individual gaffes led to goals handed to the other team. His other notable lapse in judgment was in the final home game, once again against Columbus, with Lucas Zelarayán’s quick restart free kick from 56 yards catching Kahlina off his line. Kahlina’s reluctance to come aggressively off his line did lead to some avoidable goals both in transition and when opponents were able to get touches near the top of his six yard box, particularly in midseason. Kahlina is not a sweeper keeper, so it is understandable that those moments will occur, but going into next season if he can adjust his decision making to snuff out those opportunities close to goal before they are dangerous that would cut out some high expected goal chances. In review of the Croatian keeper’s shot-stopping trends it became evident that when those early season kick saves were no longer happening as regularly and goals were coming from more natural run of play situations, it resulted in a perceived dip in form that highlighted some of Kahlina’s deficiencies which can be seen in the below spray chart of shots and goals conceded over the past calendar year. It likely comes as no surprise that Kahlina conceded the bulk of goals from the left side of Charlotte FC's defense, but what stood out in reviewing Charlotte's opponent’s goals was how often Kahlina struggled to protect his far post. A vast majority of the goals he allowed were shots coming across his body with Kahlina’s positioning protecting his near post, but leaving too much of an available angle for shots to find the opposite corner of the goalmouth. Graphic and statistics pulled from Wyscout* Is Kahlina The Permanent #1 Now And In The Future? Kahlina is under contract through the 2024 season with a club option for 2025. Barring something crazy happening injury-wise or off the field, we can pretty much write in Kahlina as our starting goalkeeper for the foreseeable future. The next question is whether or not that is a good thing and if an upgrade will be necessitated before the end of his contract? In looking back on his first MLS season and comparing him to other goalkeepers around the league, the underlying numbers do not shine very favorably on Kahlina. In fact, they indicate he is a rather average MLS starting goalkeeper. Kahlina should benefit from more cohesiveness in the roster in year two and hopefully a more stable centerback pairing in front of him, but his growth potential as a goalkeeper at this stage of his career is likely not too great. What he can control is the momentary lapses in attention and decision making. Cutting out those individual errors and managing in game risks better will go a long way in improving his statistical output. The hard truth is that regardless of that, Kahlina has yet to show us he is an outright “match-winning” goalkeeper at the MLS level. Players like Andre Blake, Sean Johnson, and Stefan Frei, for example, have earned their wings as high-level MLS goalkeepers for their higher-than-average shot stopping statistics and acrobatic saves that make weekly highlight reels and earn extra points for their clubs. Kahlina showed that ability in flashes, but not week after week. If he can make that year two jump and find more consistency, the job will be his to lose for the foreseeable future. If he cannot make those improvements or if he suffers injuries, that may open the door for our backup keepers to step in on an interim or permanent basis. Who Will Prove To Be Charlotte's Preferred Backup Goalkeeper? While backup keeper is a bit of an under-appreciated and thankless position, the importance of having the right player ready to go at a moment’s notice can be paramount to a club’s success as we saw when LAFC turned to now MLS Cup MVP, John McCarthy in this year’s title game. For the Crown, the backup goalkeeper role and who fills those gloves seems to be open to debate as we enter our first offseason. Based on the squad selections throughout the season it seemed clear that George Marks had secured the role as permanent backup to Kristijan Kahlina. He made the bench for 31 games and earned starts in the team’s early round US Open Cup matches as well as making his MLS regular season debut in a controversial 2-1 losing effort at Montreal. Then down the stretch, when Kahlina was forced to miss time due to injury, Pablo Sisniega entered the scene. Sisniega earned two surprise starts over Marks, first against Philadelphia, securing a cleansheet in the team’s 4-0 romp, and then earning a second start at New York Red Bulls in the 2-0 season finale loss. This competition between the two backups is a good sign for Charlotte's squad depth, but does beg the question of who Christian Lattanzio views as his preferred choice backup to step up when it counts. The short-term decision likely comes down to training sessions, but the long-term answer is probably more open-ended. While Sisniega has more MLS experience from his past stint at LAFC, Marks is the younger selection who could prove to be in a better position to become Kahlina’s “heir apparent.” Will Adrían Zendejas Get Minutes For Charlotte's MLS Next Pro Side Or Another Club? It would be an error to not mention Zendejas and his future. While he is seemingly buried on the team’s depth chart, he does have 5 MLS starts under his belt for Sporting Kansas City and he performed admirably while on loan with the Charlotte Independence in USL League One, conceding 29 goals in 24 starts while earning 6 cleansheets in just over 2000 minutes of net-minding action. Those minutes make him maybe the most game-ready backup we have. Zendejas will be 27 years old entering next season, pushing the limits of who you probably want in net for a development team like our MLS Next Pro team. That means he could be a candidate to be loaned out again, though the Charlotte Independence, while local, will no longer be an official affiliate club for Charlotte FC next season. Where Zendejas ends up will be telling to the rest of our organizational goalkeeper depth plans for both next season and future seasons. *This data is counted from 8/18/2021, when Kahlina played for Ludogorets, to 8/19/2022 when he played for Charlotte FC.

By Jacob Sokol Ṥwiderski for Poland. Image courtesy of ESPN With the 2022 MLS season in the books, it is time to look ahead to the 2022 World Cup. 32 teams, from across the globe, will gather in Qatar at the end of November to participate in the World’s greatest tournament. With MLS growing every year, it is no surprise to see 36 players from the American league representing  their country. From Zimmerman to Swiderski, let’s take a look at each individual player and what we can expect to see from them in Qatar. USA Jordan Morris Current Team- Seattle Position- Forward Age- 28 Morris making the final USA roster comes as a surprise to some. The Seattle forward hasn’t scored in any of his 6 World Cup Qualifying appearances, and he only scored 7 times in 29 appearances for Seattle this season. With Morris narrowly making the final roster ahead of Ricardo Pepi, the most he is likely to see the pitch is as a late substitute. Jesús Ferreira Current Team- FC Dallas Position- Forward Age- 21 The young Texan striker has been lethal for FC Dallas this year, scoring 18 goals in 35 appearances. Ferreira’s season ended in the Western Conference semi-final by the hands of Texas rival, Austin FC. Ferreira is a player who can spark magic and miss an easy opportunity in the same match. His playing time in Qatar will come down to his current form. Kellyn Acosta Current Team- LAFC Position- Midfield Age- 27 With an MLS trophy in hand, Acosta will be heading to Qatar on a high. The midfielder has been vital to LAFC’s success and consistency, winning both the MLS cup and Supporter’s Shield. With a roster filled with strong midfielders, it is unlikely Acosta will be in the starting line up. Acosta would be valuable to the United States as a substitute to finish off matches with a positive score line. Cristian Roldan Current Team- Seattle Sounders Position- Attacking Midfielder Age- 27 Roldan has been a consistent part of Seattle’s squad this season. Berhalter has also regularly included the Sounders midfielder in his plans. With a roster of players like Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, Roldan will have trouble squeezing into the lineup. In case of injury, or to finish up a match, Roldan could come in handy. Aaron Long Current Team- New York Red Bulls Position- Center back Age- 30 Long has been consistent for club and country heading into Qatar. With 4 goals in 30 matches for New York Red Bulls this season, Long also offers an offensive presence. Although there is a lot of speculation around the USA starting lineup, Long has a good shot of starting against Wales on November 21. Shaq Moore Current Team- Nashville Position- Right back Age- 26 Moore has recently started playing for Nashville after enjoying several successful seasons in La Liga. His presence has been consistent for each club he’s been on, but his international appearances have been more sporadic, with only four in World Cup Qualifiers. It is unlikely we will see much of Moore in Qatar. DeAndre Yedlin Current Team- Inter Miami Position- Right back Age- 29 Having played for multiple English Premier League clubs, Yedlin is aware of what it takes to compete at the highest level. The 2022 MLS All-Star has been highly consistent this season with 35 appearances for Miami. With 9 appearances throughout World Cup Qualifiers, expect to see a lot more of Yedlin in Berhalter’s squad. Walker Zimmerman Current Team- Nashville Position- Center Back Age- 29 Zimmerman has been consistent for the United States throughout World Cup Qualifiers with 10 appearances and 1 goal. The MLS All-Star has 4 goals in 31 appearances for Nashville, showing off his aerial prowess. Alongside Long, the duo would be deadly off of set pieces. Sean Johnson Current Team- NYCFC Position- Goalkeeper Age- 33 Johnson has been one of the most consistent keepers in MLS for the last several seasons. With 14 clean sheets on the year, Johnson finished only second to MLS goalkeeper of the year, Andre Blake. The MLS All-Star will likely be viewed as third string, behind Horvath and Turner. Canada James Pantemis Current Team- CF Montreal Position- Goalkeeper Age- 25 With only 13 appearances for CF Montreal in 2022 and no appearances for Canada’s senior side, Pantemis will likely be on the bench unless injuries arise. Dayne St. Clair Current Team- Minnesota United Position- Goalkeeper Age- 25 At. Clair has been consistently starting for Minnesota this season, though he only managed 5 clean screens in 32 appearances. He will be viewed as the backup to Borjan in Qatar. Ismaël Koné Current Team- CF Montreal Position- Central Midfielder Age- 20 Koné managed to sneak onto the Canada World Cup roster thanks to a great season with Montreal. In 2022 he managed 3 goals and 4 assists with the Canadian MLS side. Koné has only managed 2 total appearances for Canada during World Cup Qualifiers. He is only 20, so this World Cup should be seen as a learning experience for him. It is unlikely he will see much, or any, playing time. Alistair Johnston Current Team- CF Montreal Position- Right back Age- 24 Johnston is known for his offensive abilities as a dynamic right back. With 4 goals and 4 assists, his dynamic runs paid off for a successful Montreal team in 2022. Having 19 appearances throughout World Cup Qualifying, Johnston is essentially a lock for a starting position in John Herdman’s lineup. Richie Laryea Current Team- Toronto FC Position- Right back/midfield Age-27 Like Johnston, Laryea is locked into a starting position under Herdman. With 17 appearances in World Cup Qualifiers, Laryea has been a consistent figure in Canada’s dominant run. With a short loan run at Nottingham Forest, Laryea has been matching up against World Class talent for both club and country. He ended the 2022 season back with Toronto. Kamal Miller Current Team- CF Montreal Position- Center Back Age- 25 Miller has been starting the last several matches in World Cup Qualifying for Canada. With 13 total appearances during qualifying, he is expected to continue his run of form in Qatar. The MLS All-Star has also proven himself as an offensive threat with 2 goals and 3 assists in 29 matches for Montreal in 2022. Joining Montreal from Orlando City a couple years ago was the pivotal move that changed Miller’s World Cup trajectory. Joel Waterman Current Team- CF Montreal Position- Center Back Age- 26 With no international appearances under his belt, Waterman is genuinely lucky to sneak into Canada’s roster. His World Cup call up comes off the back of his most successful professional season, logging 32 appearances for Montreal in 2022. Prior to 2022 Waterman was still working his way into Montreal’s lineup. With his lack of experience it is unlikely we will see Waterman on the pitch in Qatar. Mark-Anthony Kaye Current Team- Toronto FC Position- Central Midfielder Age- 27 Kaye spent most of the 2022 MLS season on the Colorado Rapids before moving to Toronto in the Summer to finish out the season. With 25 appearances across both MLS teams, Kaye has worked his way into a substitute role for Canada. He will likely be subbed in when Canada is controlling a match and needs to close it out. Jonathan Osorio Current Team- Toronto FC Position- Central Midfielder Age- 30 Osorio experienced a severe concussion during the 2022 MLS season. He was a regular part of Canada’s roster prior to the injury, both starting and coming off of the bench. It is unknown how much we will see Osorio in Qatar, but Herdman has said “feedback has been super positive.” The Toronto midfielder has 9 goals in 23 matches for his club this season. Samuel Piette Current Team- CF Montreal Position- Defensive Midfielder Age- 27 Piette has seen the field 8 times for Canada during World Cup Qualifiers. With a strong midfield, Canada will Piette as a good addition rather than a vital asset. In case of injury, Piette is a reliable player to fill a void. With 3 assists during the 2022 MLS season, Piette has also shown the ability to provide an attacking spark on rare occasions. Lucas Cavallini Current Team- Vancouver Whitecaps Position- Forward Age- 29 Cavallini managed 9 goals in 24 matches for the Whitecaps in 2022. With how difficult the season was for Vancouver, those are impressive numbers. The Canadian striker also managed 5 goals in 10 World Cup Qualifying matches. He most likely won’t make the starting lineup, but expect to see him come off the bench as a lethal late-game substitute. Mexico Héctor Herrera Current Team- Houston Dynamo Position- Central Midfielder Age- 32 Herrera has been making consistent appearances for Mexico throughout World Cup Qualifiers. He also started in a 4-0 friendly win against Iraq on Nov 9, getting subbed out at halftime. Herrera has been less consistent for Houston due to injury, only making 10 appearances this season. The former Porto Midfielder is likely to see plenty of playing time in Qatar, though he may be subbed out regularly in the second half. Ecuador Diego Palacios Current Team- LAFC Position- Left Back Age- 23 Palacios is coming off a championship season with LAFC, winning both the Supporter’s Shield and the MLS Cup. The MLS All-Star was consistent with 31 appearances for LAFC in 2022. He has only managed 3 appearances for Ecuador in World Cup Qualifiers. Palacios will most likely find himself on the bench in Qatar. Xavier Arreaga Current Team- Seattle Sounders Position- Center Back Age- 28 Arreaga has been in and out of the Ecuadorian lineup throughout World Cup Qualifying. With 9 appearances, often as a sub, his role in Qatar will likely be minimal. With 27 appearances for Seattle in 2022, he has shown he can be consistent if the time comes. José Cifuentes Current Team- LAFC Position- Central Midfielder Age-23 Cifuentes had a dominant season for LAFC as they won the Supporter’s shield and MLS cup. Cifuentes started nearly every match for LAFC, producing 7 goals and 6 assists. His impressive performances have allowed him to sneak into the Ecuadorian roster just months before Qatar. His first two international appearances came in Ecuador’s last two matches. With his current run of form, there is a good chance we see Cifuentes in the starting line up in the World Cup opener against Qatar. Jhegson Méndez Current Team- LAFC Position- Defensive Midfielder Age- 25 Méndez has been battling an injury during the 2022 MLS season with Orlando before making a move to LAFC. Making the move ended his season on a high as he lifted the MLS Cup with international teammate Cifuentes. Due to Méndez’s injury he was only featured 7 times during World Cup Qualifying. Even with injuries this season, he is likely to start in Qatar against the World Cup hosts. Switzerland Xherdan Shaqiri Current Team- Chicago Fire Position- Right Winger Age- 31 Shaqiri brings loads of experience to the Swiss locker room, having played in two previous World Cups. The right winger has also played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, from Liverpool to Bayern Munich. With six appearances in World Cup Qualifiers, there is a good chance we will see more of Shaqiri in the World Cup group stages. Cameroon Oliver Mbaizo Current Team- Philadelphia Union Position- Right back Age- 25 Mbaizo was an integral part of the Philadelphia Union’s dominate season, last playing in the team’s MLS Cup Final loss. Mbaizo has also managed to log 4 appearances for Cameroon during World Cup Qualifiers and 3 appearances during the Africa Cup of Nations. Mbaizo will get a warm up match when Cameroon plays Panama on Nov.18, just days before the World Cup. Nouhou Tolo Current Team- Seattle Sounders Position- Left back Age- 25 Tolo has come a long way since making his start at USL side, Tacoma Defiance. The right back has been a regular in the Sounders back line for the past several seasons now. He more recently has had success with Cameroon during World Cup Qualifiers, making 6 appearances. He is expected to see playing time in Qatar. Poland Karol Ṥwiderski Current Team- Charlotte FC Position- Striker Age- 25 Ṥwiderski has been a pivotal part of Charlotte FC during their inaugural season in MLS. Scoring 10 goals in 30 games, Ṥwiderski was the club’s top goalscorer. With 5 goals in 9 games during World Cup Qualifiers, the polish striker has proven lethal for his country as well. He is expected to be in the starting line up next to Barcelona forward, Robert Lewandowski. Wales Gareth Bale Current Team- LAFC Position- Winger Age- 33 Bale is heading to Qatar off of a fresh MLS Cup victory. It is true, Bale did not play much during his first season with LAFC, but it is likely he will be an integral part of the Wales roster during the 2022 World Cup. With 6 goals in 7 World Cup Qualifying matches, Bale is a dominate force for his country. He will be paired up against the United States in his opening match, November 21. Costa Rica Daniel Chacón Current Team- Colorado Rapids 2 Position- Defensive midfielder Age- 21 Chacón plays for MLS NEXT side, Colorado Rapids 2, but has been on loan to Costa Rican club, Cartaginés. While being consistent for his club side, Chacón hasn’t been able to regularly play for Costa Rica. With only a handful of appearances for Costa Rica during World Cup Qualifiers, it is unlikely he will have a major impact for his country. Bryan Oviedo Current Team- Real Salt Lake Position- Left back/Left midfielder Age- 32 Oviedo brings experience to the Costa Rican locker room. Having played in the English Premiership for both Everton and Sunderland, Oviedo will be familiar with the caliber of player that competes in the World Cup. With consistent appearances in World Cup Qualifiers, it is likely we will see more of Oviedo in Qatar. Rónald Matarrita Current Team- Cincinnati FC Position- Left back Age- 28 Matarrita underwent ankle surgery in April which kept him out of Cincinnati’s lineup for six months. The Costa Rican left-back managed to start the last game of Cincinnati’s season, a 1-0 loss to Philadelphia. Being out of form, it is hard to tell what role he will have at this year’s World Cup. Australia Miloš Degenek Current Team- Columbus Crew Position- Center Back Age- 28 Degenek played 28 matches for Columbus Crew during their 2022 campaign. The Columbus Crew defender has also played for his national side 38 times, scoring once.  Degenek was a constant presence during World Cup Qualifiers, appearing 12 times. He has been an unused substitute in certain matches though, so it is uncertain what his role will be in Qatar. Uruguay Martín Cáceres Current Team- La Galaxy Position- Center Back Age- 35 Cáceres brings a veteran presence to the Uruguay squad. Having played in England and Italy, he’s aware of the type of talent that will be displayed at the World Cup. The La Galaxy Center back managed 11 appearances during World Cup Qualifiers, though he is unlikely to see much playing time in Qatar. The following World Cup teams do not have any MLS players on their rosters. France Senegal Denmark Croatia Japan Brazil Qatar Netherlands England Iran Argentina Saudi Arabia Tunisia Spain Germany Belgium Morocco Serbia Portugal Ghana South Korea Sources are listed below. https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/fc-cincinnati-fullback-ronald-matarrita-out-6-months-after-ankle-surgery https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/world-cup-call-up-columbus-crew-defender-milos-degenek-joins-australia https://twitter.com/michaelsingh94/status/1587833431269982208?s=46&t=EP_rtMgUp77th6uaK7L11A

By Vaughn Pollman and Brian Maurer Earlier this week, we outlined our predictions for who Charlotte FC will look to protect in the upcoming St. Louis City SC Expansion Draft, on November 11th. Now let’s dive into the players we think could be left unprotected and why that decision may be made by the club. First and foremost, it’s important to remember that the decisions that clubs have to make in who they do and do not protect in the expansion draft have real ramifications both on and off the pitch. How a club delivers the news and justification to a player of why they are left unprotected is highly important in managing the long-term morale and performance of that player within the organization. By being left unprotected a player and their family is subject to being out of control of their future home, which is part of the business of being an athlete, but is a consideration that clubs, players, and fans must all keep in mind in making these difficult decisions. In selecting who we feel the club should or should not protect we had to take into account many factors, as the club will, including a player’s contract length and status, position on the club depth chart, past and future investment of assets in the player, trade and/or transfer value, and the net loss or benefit to the club if that player is ultimately selected. As a reminder, if a Charlotte FC player is selected by St. Louis City SC, the club will receive $50,000 GAM (General Allocation Money) and exemption from having any more players selected when MLS inevitably expands to 30 teams in the future. Below we’ve tried to provide context and justifications for each of the players that we collectively predict could be left unprotected. Jordy Alcívar The primary reason to leave Alcívar vulnerable is that the team would gain considerable roster building flexibility if he were selected by St. Louis. Since he occupies a Young Designated Player Spot, we would open up that roster spot as well as an international roster spot. Zoran Krneta has stated that Alcívar’s contract can be bought down, meaning the team can apply Allocation Money to change Alcívar’s roster designation status. The team also could be working to clear his international status by helping him acquire a green card. There is investment in that process as well. If the team is unsuccessful in acquiring his green card, or other player’s green cards, the club may need to spend the going rate of approximately $250,000 GAM to acquire additional international roster spots later this offseason. If Alcívar finds himself off the roster via Expansion Draft selection, the club could save and reinvest somewhere between $150,000 to $300,000 of Allocation Money that they could otherwise be on the hook for if he is on the roster at the start of the 2023 season. Alcívar is one of the young players on the Charlotte FC roster who could also end up being picked up by St. Louis in the draft depending on their strategy. An expansion draft is an ideal opportunity for new clubs to take a bit of a riskier chance on a player because the transfer is free. Alcívar did not have a standout inaugural season with Charlotte FC, but his potential absolutely showed in flashes. St. Louis could be interested in finding out if those flashes can become more consistent by taking a chance on him and his growth potential in the expansion draft while maintaining the salary cap budget benefit if he remains classified as a Young Designated Player. McKinze Gaines Gaines is a difficult call because we all witnessed his progress as a player, especially late on in the season, as he worked his way into serving a serious role in the club in both starting minutes and as a bench threat to stretch the field and challenge opposing defenses. Leaving him unprotected boils down to Vaughn’s belief that the club will look to protect their investments in three other wingers in Kerwin Vargas, Kamil Jóźwiak, and Andre Shinyashiki. Those three are on long-term contracts whereas Gaines has one remaining club option for 2024. Brian’s belief, in a similar vein, is that Charlotte will have likely spent at least four protection slots on the attack, making it difficult to justify another on Gaines. With that being said, if Gaines were selected, Charlotte would actually net a positive return and not compromise their overall long-term squad depth. Gaines’ pace is something that St. Louis would likely covet, but they would need to decide if they want to take him on as an unfinished, developing player project. ESPN analyst, Alejandro Moreno, discussed Gaines’ potential on a broadcast when Charlotte FC played the New York Red Bulls. On the broadcast he mentioned how good a player Gaines could be if he could figure out the final third production. In Gaines’ last ten appearances of the season he played 539 minutes* and had five goal contributions (1g/4a) in that time. Gaines may have found his stride in the final third in MLS. It’s a small sample size, but again, expansion drafts are an ideal time to take a risk. Gaines is another player that St. Louis could be willing to take that risk on. Daniel Ríos Oh Danny boy, what do we do with you? Ríos showed towards the end of the season how impactful he can be in MLS. He played his way into having his club option picked up and can easily be viewed as a 1500+ minute player for Charlotte. He may not make the Brandon Vazquez jump that FC Cincinnati enjoyed this past year, but Ríos is in the prime years of his career and performed at a high level in Charlotte’s system, especially down the stretch. His trade value is suppressed a bit by the fact that he is on an expiring contract, so St. Louis may be hesitant to pull the trigger on selecting him for that reason, but leaving Ríos unprotected would be enticing both for St. Louis and other teams looking to grab him via trade. Karol Ṥwiderski and Vinicius Mello will be more likely protected due to their long-term contracts, budget friendly deals, and significantly higher transfer values compared to Ríos. When a team can only pick 12 players to protect out of a possible 22 some good players in their prime are going to be available. Ríos fits that bill for Charlotte. He is a player that Charlotte FC cannot be faulted for being left unprotected and yet he is also a player that could be selected by St. Louis, as many teams in MLS are constantly looking for more attacking options. Joseph Mora Mora was selected by Charlotte FC in their expansion draft, so he clearly fits the profile of both a player to be left unprotected and to be selected in large part due to his 100+ games of MLS experience. In Vaughn’s prediction, he has Charlotte leaving both Mora and Adam Armour unprotected, exposing our already thin left-back depth. The club has been pretty open about wanting to add to its left-back core in the offseason, which indicates that Mora and Armour should not be viewed as shoe-in top-of-depth-chart players for Charlotte heading into 2023. If Charlotte were to lose one of them, left-back is one of the positions in MLS that you can most easily fill via trade, without destroying your Allocation Money budget, or can draft a pro-ready starting-caliber player in the MLS SuperDraft. Leaving Mora unprotected on expansion draft night could lead to a nervy time for the Charlotte FC Front Office if they do not have some other options at left-back lined up. Losing Mora in the expansion draft could mean that when the transfer window opens the only left-back on the roster is Armour. If this is the case, Charlotte could find themselves going from being a team shopping for a left-back, to a team that is in desperation mode and getting price gouged for one. If Mora is unprotected Charlotte will need to have a strong alternative plan in place to fill the gap on the roster so that they are not a desperate team looking for a last minute spot starter. Andre Shinyashiki In Brian’s prediction he left Andre Shinyashiki unprotected, electing to protect Mora for left-back preservation. As Brian highlighted, we have considerable winger depth that could see players like Gaines or Shinyashiki being left as the “odd man out”. With Shinyashiki’s recent contract extension, if left unprotected, he could be viewed as a “no-brainer” pickup for his value on and off the pitch. St. Louis could make a big mistake if they miss on grabbing him to either slot in as a veteran MLS starter or to trade him for considerable GAM as we did with Tristan Blackmon and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi as part of our Expansion Draft. The one caveat to that is that Colorado retained 50% of his trade-on rights as part of our acquiring him. If Charlotte FC or St. Louis were to ever elect to trade Shinyashiki, his value as a trade asset is cut in half, which may make selecting him a bit less appealing. There is one other point regarding Shinyashiki to keep in mind as the Expansion Draft approaches. Shinyashiki made one start in the last seven games after receiving his new contract. Whether we like it or not, this is a cutthroat business where harsh decisions are made regarding individual players to help preserve the betterment of the club. Charlotte was willing to sign a player to a new contract and not utilize his services extensively as a starter. They will likely consider leaving him unprotected if the club feels a greater need to protect other players who we hold 100% trade right for, or positions lacking depth. While Shinyashiki absolutely has value as an asset, that value is cut in half by his trade-on, and diminished by his role status. Yordy Reyna Reyna, like Mora, is a player with a lot of MLS experience that has proven to be an effective MLS player in the right system. Reyna, like Gaines, is a winger who is further down the depth chart than Vargas, Jóźwiak, and Shinyashiki. Reyna, like Alcívar, is occupying an international roster spot and is on a TAM-level contract that already requires the club to spend allocation money to buy down his nearly $800,000 cap charge. If selected, there is a considerable relief to the club in shedding his contract that probably outweighs the benefits of keeping him. This is also why St. Louis or any other club would be hesitant to absorb his contract, so I expect him to be left unprotected, unselected, and part of Charlotte FC in 2023. George Marks, Pablo Sisniega, & Adrían Zendejas We are lumping all three of these guys together for natural reasons. We expect the club to protect at least one Goalkeeper, and it would be a surprise if our current starter, Kristijan Kahlina, is not that one. Yes, St. Louis already has Roman Bürki, and yes, they are tight on international spots, but among our four Goalkeepers, Kahlina is the one that holds the most trade and transfer value by a long shot. Among our other three Goalkeepers, Sisniega is the only one with serious MLS minutes while at LAFC. While he is serviceable in net, he has not proven to be a consistent match winner in this league. If we were to lose Kahlina, we would have an unnecessary additional hole in our roster with Sisniega and Marks likely viewed as a stopgap to another future replacement signing. Jan Sobociński Simply, Sobociński is an unlikely candidate to be selected in the expansion draft. His salary is at a level that he should be getting spot starts and would not be considered a budget pickup for St. Louis. There will be other center-backs available in the expansion draft and free agency that will be more enticing for either salary reasons or for MLS experience. With his limited opportunities thus far he also does not hold much trade or transfer value, yet. Lastly, like with our wingers, Sobociński will be the odd man out with Guzman Corujo, Adilson Malanda, and Anton Walkes more likely to be protected ahead of him. Center-back appears to be a position that has had a bit of an inflating value within MLS of late. Aaron Long, for example, appears to be capable of getting a big deal in free agency even though he has been less than his former self of late. Charlotte FC received 400k in GAM, with the potential for more in the future, by trading Christian Makoun to the New England Revolution even though he had lost considerable playing time here. Valuations of center-backs are clearly trending up league-wide, but it is unlikely that that will be enough for Sobociński to be on St. Louis’ radar. Adam Armour Armour is coming off a serious injury and has very limited minutes in MLS. While he did find the back of the net in his limited minutes, it would be a considerable risk and going out on a limb for St. Louis to pick him. Armour also holds little trade value within MLS. It would be a big surprise to all of us if he were protected and an even bigger shock if he were to be selected. *All stats were found on FBref.com

By Jacob Sokol Image courtesy of Atlanta United In the 128th minute of the 2022 MLS Cup Final, Gareth Bale equalized the match with a header to the top corner. LAFC would ultimately defeat the Philadelphia Union in a penalty shootout 3-0. The Welshman showed up in the final seconds and delivered, creating a true Hollywood moment for LAFC as they claimed their first MLS Cup. With Bale, the 5 time Champions League winner, clearly capable of such class, it makes you wonder where he was the rest of the season. Prior to the MLS Cup Final, Bale had played 347 total minutes across 12 games, scoring twice. For a player who used to score regularly for Real Madrid, these statistics can be seen as underwhelming. In the 2017/18 season, Bale scored 16 times in 26 games in La Liga, as well as 3 goals in 7 Champions League matches. Some looked at these numbers with high expectations for Bale to dominate MLS without acknowledging his most recent season at Real Madrid, where he played only 5 matches in La Liga, scoring just once. The “Retirement League” is the most common phrase used to describe the phenomenon of European superstars giving Major League Soccer their last few seasons before retirement. Bale’s signing was the latest example of the “Retirement League” moniker being tested. With Bale finding himself on an MLS bench the majority of the season, perhaps it is time we reevaluate and eliminate the term “Retirement League” from our rhetoric. “Retirement League” to Aspiring League On July 1, 2007, history was made in Major League Soccer. David Beckham had just announced a lucrative five-year contract with the LA Galaxy under the new Designated Player (DP) Rule created prior to the start of the 2007 season. The contract guaranteed Beckham $6.5 million a year and set a new precedent in MLS. This was now a league that could showcase global stars. Fifteen years later, with the clarity of hindsight, it is easy to say the signing of Beckham is one of the most important moments in the growth of MLS. There are now many designated players spread across Major League Soccer, which has elevated the level of play and profile of the league. Beckham, and those who followed in those initial years, would have more difficulty competing today in the environment they’ve helped to build. Bale, Giorgio Chiellini, and Lorenzo Insigne are among the recent players who still fuel the Retirement League stigma. They all left top European clubs after age 30 to come to Major League Soccer. It is important to note that only one of these three had a highly successful first season in MLS. In 11 matches the 31-year-old midfielder, Insigne, managed 6 goals and 2 assists. That is because Insigne does not seem to have come to MLS with the same outlook as Bale and Chiellini. Insigne had just come off of a 3rd place finish in Serie A with Napoli, producing 11 goals and 9 assists. He was, and is, still capable of playing at the top level in Europe. Bale and Chiellini were both on the brink of actual retirement. They came to MLS and gave neutral fans the sense that the MLS may still be a “Retirement League”. However, they have found themselves mostly on LAFC’s bench while the rest of the team achieved so much success. The DPs of today are different from what we are accustomed to in the past. Instead of Beckham, Thierry Henry, and David Villa, we are now looking at Karol Ṥwiderski, Thiago Almada, and Federico Bernardeschi. Players in their 20’s who have a strong desire for success and playing time that have now realized the benefits MLS has to offer. As a DP, you are automatically intended to be the star of the team, which comes with matching monetary benefits. For Ṥwiderski, DP status has also helped maintain a national team position with Poland. The European striker notched 10 goals for Charlotte FC this year as the club’s top goal scorer. We can expect to see him playing alongside Barcelona forward, Robert Lewandowski, at the 2022 World Cup. Dániel Gazdag does not have DP status but is still worth mentioning as an example of what MLS can offer to players looking for a national team spot. Gazdag has been receiving regular call ups for Hungary lately while also narrowly losing the Golden Boot race in MLS. New MLS Incentives For Roster Building Back in 2012, the MLS made a rule change to the DP rule to help incentivize teams to sign younger players. They created a young DP spot which would take a smaller cap hit than veteran DPs. This led to the league signing some very promising young players such as Miguel Almirón, Diego Rossi, and more recently players like Talles Magno, Facundo Torres and Cucho Hernández. The most recent roster incentive that MLS has implemented is the U-22 initiative, which started in 2021. This rules MLS clubs with three more roster spots to sign players under 22 years old to lucrative deals that would affect the salary cap less. Besides the reduction in the salary cap hit, these players keep their U-22 initiative status until they are 25. This provides clubs with the time to allow these young players to develop. This initiative is just beginning to take root but the league is already reaping some of the rewards from this new incentive structure. José Cifuentes is the first name that comes to mind as he has become a vital part of the LAFC squad that just won the MLS Cup. Another U-22 initiative that broke out this year was LA Galaxy’s Dejan Joveljić. While he never secured a starting role this season, he seemed to always find the net off the bench. This initiative could also develop into a way for MLS teams to retain their academy starlets for longer. This is already starting with players like San Jose’s Cade Cowell and LA Galaxy’s Efraín Álvarez. Overall, this initiative has added a new way to incentivize clubs to grow their rosters younger, with the intent of developing talent. Recent Exports Recently, MLS has shown an ability to sell young developing players on to other leagues. Over the last few seasons the league has broken several of their outbound transfer records time and time again. Here is a list of some of the more recent outbound transfer examples: Paxten Aaronson is set to join Eintracht Frankfurt in January for a deal worth around $4 million, after being featured in this year’s 2022 MLS Cup Final. He follows his brother, Brenden, to Europe with this move. The U20 Concacaf Golden Ball winner and Philadelphia Union Academy product is the latest trade, showing the class of Major League Soccer’s youth. Eighteen-year-old Goalkeeper, Gabriel Slonina, was purchased for $15 million by Chelsea earlier this year to break a Chicago Fire transfer record. Slonina has been consistent for Chicago all season, playing 32 matches. Real Madrid also showed interest in the young goalkeeper, which brought the initial bid of $5.8 million to $15 million from Chelsea. He also is now the 5th highest outgoing transfer fee for MLS as a whole. New England Revolution’s Adam Buksa was traded to RC Lens for $6 million this year. Buksa scored 17 goals in 32 matches in 2021, and 7 goals in just 10 matches in 2022, before transferring to RC Lens. Buksa has also scored 5 goals in 6 matches for Poland during World Cup Qualifiers. Taty Castellanos is enjoying a loan spell at Girona with NYCFC seeking a $15 million sum for the rising star. Palmeiras in Brazil and River Plate in Argentina both made bids for Castellanos, with neither matching the sum NYCFC hoped for. Premier League sides have also shown interest. Castellanos’s loan to Girona could be to show he can succeed in Europe and merit the high price tag. Tajon Buchanan was transferred for $7 million to the Champions League club, Club Brugge, after the 2021 MLS season. The price tag looks like a steal in hindsight with the 23-year-old becoming a regular for Club Brugge in the Belgian Pro League and the Champions League. Buchanan has also been consistent for Canada during World Cup Qualifiers and the Gold Cup. Miguel Almirón, a former Atlanta United midfielder, has been one of the best players in the English Premier League this season, scoring 8 goals for Newcastle United. Almirón produced 21 goals and 28 assists in 62 matches for Atlanta United, and won the MLS Cup in 2018. Almirón headed to Newcastle the following month, and now holds the record for highest MLS transfer fee at $26 million. Alphonso Davies made his start at the Vancouver Whitecaps and is now considered one of the best in the world at his position. The left back has won the Champions League and multiple Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich. He is the second most valuable transfer out of MLS, behind Almirón, at $22 million. With over 100 appearances for Bayern Munich, he is arguably the most successful player to come out of Major League Soccer Daryl Dike enjoyed a loan spell at Barnsley in 2021, scoring 9 goals in 21 matches. Dike returned to the English Championship after West Brom offered Orlando City a $9.5 million transfer sum. Dike scored 19 goals in 41 matches for Orlando. Unfortunately he has been injured for West Brom so he has only managed 3 appearances so far. Brendan Aaronson, brother of Paxten, joined Leeds this year for a transfer fee of approximately $30 million, and has been essential to the club’s battle to stay out of relegation. With that transfer finalized, the Philadelphia Union ended up with $14 million for Aaronson because of prior negotiations with RB Salzburg. This makes him the 6th most valuable outgoing MLS player, just behind Slonina at $15 million. Aaronson is expected to be featured by the United States in the 2022 World Cup. Ricardo Pepi started a bidding war amongst Wolves, Augsburg, Wolfsburg, and an undisclosed Premier League club in the Winter of 2022. Augsburg eventually came out on top with a $20 million bid, making Pepi the 3rd most valuable outgoing transfer in MLS history. Djordie Mihailovic has been transferred to Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar, for January 2023. Mihailovic was in the running for MLS MVP during the early part of the 2022 season. He ended 2022 with 11 goals and 5 assists in 29 matches. At only 23 years old he has a bright future ahead in Europe. There is example after example to show the class of player being produced, developed, and maintained in Major League Soccer. Young players like Davies, Buchanan, Slonina, and both Aaronson brothers are being developed into top talent capable of competing against the best clubs on the planet. Major League Soccer is becoming a league where players can count on developing their potential. Players like David Beckham and those who followed hold an important part in the history of MLS. These stars attract buzz, sell tickets, and heighten the profile of the league. The more the league heads towards sustainable success, though, it is expected that these types of veteran players will be less of the lifeline of the league as they were in times past. If you come to MLS, today, expect to compete against young and hungry up-and-coming players. Major League Soccer has too many aspirations of developing stars to play the role of a retirement home. Here is a list of sources used for this article: https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/nycfc-loan-striker-taty-castellanos-to-girona-fc https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/top-10-most-expensive-outbound-transfers-in-mls-history https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/11/30/david-beckham-departs-mls-after-earning-255-million/amp/

By Brian Maurer and Vaughn Pollman On November 11th, St. Louis City SC will be allowed to pick up to five players in the expansion draft. November 10th is the deadline for teams to decide who they are protecting on their rosters. Who Is Protected? Charlotte FC will have all of their players who are signed to homegrown contracts and their Generation Adidas pick, Ben Bender, protected in the expansion draft. Charlotte is then allowed to choose to protect twelve of their remaining 27 players* on the roster to protect in the expansion draft. Who Does Charlotte FC Protect? Charlotte will have to pick 12 of their remaining 22 players who they can protect. They will likely take resources spent and international roster spots into consideration when deciding who they will protect. Brian’s Predictions Karol Ṥwiderski (DP) Kamil Jóźwiak (DP) Kerwin Vargas (U-22) Kristijan Kahlina Adilson Malanda Nathan Byrne Nuno Santos Guzmán Corujo Anton Walkes Brandt Bronico Vinicius Mello (U-22) Joseph Mora There are several players that are for sure locks. The current designated players (DPs) as well as the U-22 initiatives are all on this list based on the investment of resources in these players. Also the new summer additions are all locks for this list. Brandt Bronico is locked in as he is set as an important piece in this team with his new extension. Guzmán Corujo and Kristijan Kahlina are also locked in as they have been regular starters all season. Anton Walkes, for me, has to be protected. He was way too valuable an asset for Atlanta to allow to be available last season and Charlotte should not make that same mistake as their southern rivals. If Christian Makoun was sold for 400k in GAM then Walkes is likely a far more valuable asset. Letting that value go for free would be a major loss. The last spot was difficult. I ended up going with Mora and my reasoning is pretty simple; with Christian Fuchs’ option getting declined Mora is one of only two left back (LB) options on the roster. If Mora is unprotected and picked up by St. Louis then Adam Armour would be the only LB on the squad. Obviously Charlotte could sign a new LB, but as we have seen in the past, these transfer windows are no guarantee of a replacement. If the team were left with only Armour at LB to start the season that would be a major gap in the roster going into 2023. Things can change and a new LB could be acquired during the trade window before the draft which would change my draft prediction. At this point, given what we know about the current state of the roster it makes sense to protect Mora to help secure a semblance of depth at LB. A few players on Charlotte FC’s roster that I think could get nabbed are Jan Sobociński, Yordy Reyna, Andre Shinyashiki, and Jordy Alcívar. Reyna, and Alcívar would likely be trade assets as their styles of play do not necessarily fit with what St. Louis City is reportedly planning on playing, but they could be traded if a team is interested since they both have decent trade value. Sobociński has shown an ability to hang in as a starting center back (CB) this past season. Since Charlotte FC will likely have to protect three CBs already Sobociński will likely be available and I could definitely see St. Louis taking a stab on a player like him as they could be getting a starting CB for free. Shinyashiki is another player who could get picked as he is a hard working forward who is willing to press and defend, which would likely fit with St. Louis’ style. He could also end up being a trade asset if he was picked. For Charlotte FC, I do not think losing any of these players would end up being too big a setback going into 2023. If they were to lose Sobociński, Reyna or Alcívar, Charlotte would have an international roster spot opened up, giving them more flexibility in the winter transfer window. Losing Shinyashiki would be losing a fan favorite, but Charlotte also has depth at his position. Losing him would likely feel like a loss to many fans but, overall, there are plenty of others on the roster capable of playing at his level. Vaughn’s Predictions Karol Ṥwiderski (DP) Kamil Jóźwiak (DP) Kerwin Vargas (U-22) Vinicius Mello (U-22) Kristijan Kahlina Guzmán Corujo Anton Walkes Nuno Santos Nathan Byrne Adilson Malanda Andre Shinyashiki Brandt Bronico The under-contract players I would leave unprotected for various reasons and justifications are Jordy Alcívar, Jan Sobociński, McKinze Gaines, Daniel Ríos, Yordy Reyna, Joseph Mora, George Marks, Pablo Sisniega, Adrían Zendejas, and Adam Armour. Really the tough call for me comes down to our wingers and do you protect Gaines or Andre Shinyashiki? The recent contract extension for Shinyashiki paired with the allocation money Charlotte paid to acquire him forces the decision to leave Gaines vulnerable. Considerations for leaving guys unprotected include their contract status both in terms of dollars, international status, as well as number of years and option years remaining on their contracts. For example, Charlotte FC’s decision to pick up the final club option year for Daniel Ríos means that at the end of the 2023 season, he will be out of contract. If Saint Louis were to select him in the expansion draft, they run the risk of that player and pick only lasting for one season on an expiring contract compared to the benefits of selecting a player on a longer contract or a player who holds greater trade value to other teams within the league, as was the case when Charlotte selected and traded Tristan Blackmon and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi. St. Louis City SC Draft Strategy? To make these predictions it is also important for us to evaluate St. Louis’ current roster, positions of need, and their overall strategy going into the Expansion Draft. As their roster stands today, St. Louis has 9 players under contract with 7 of those players currently occupying international roster spots. All MLS sides start with 8 international spots in 2023 and they may acquire additional spots via trade, as we did ahead of our Expansion Draft. Of the players under contract for St. Louis, it looks like they have at least 1 starting center back in Joakim Nilsson, two starting midfielders in Tomáš Ostrák and Eduard Löwen, a starting forward in João Klauss, and a starting goalkeeper in Roman Bürki. Both Löwen and Klauss are Designated Players and St. Louis City’s Sporting Director, Lutz Pfannenstiel, has already stated publicly that they don’t intend to add another Designated Player before the season starts. With that evaluation being done it is likely that St. Louis will be going into the Expansion Draft looking for domestic talent, wide players, roster depth, trade assets, and salary cap friendly contracts. It’s important to note that Head Coach Bradley Carnell comes from the Red Bull system and is an advocate of gegenpressing, or counter-pressing, which requires a team to quickly pressure the opponent and the ball when an offensive player loses possession. The goal of this tactic is to win the ball back quickly after losing it to catch the opponent off-guard in the transitional phase of play. To be frank, Charlotte FC does not have many players whose preferred style of play matches that tactical approach. It should be noted that a lot can change between now and the Expansion Draft. Trades can be made during the brief 2-day trade window between November 7th and 9th and St. Louis’ roster situation could look vastly different closer to draft day. Our approach to who is left unprotected will be dictated by many on and off field factors, including our own offseason player strategy, that may be in better focus closer to November 10th. * At this point we are assuming the roster stands at 27 players instead of 30 as Christian Fuchs and Harrison Afful got their options declined, and Charlotte FC have yet to announce a decision regarding the options of Quinn McNeill and Koa Santos. Brian Romero is also signed, but it has not been announced how he fits on the roster.

By Tyler Trent Image courtesy of Racing Club Charlotte FC are interested in adding Argentine forward Enzo Copetti this transfer window. The 26-year-old currently plays for Racing Club who finished second in the Argentine Primera División with Copetti scoring 11 goals and adding 4 assists in 25 matches. Until 2021, Copetti played with Atlético de Rafaela mostly in the Primera Nacional, the second division of Argentina. Racing Club acquired Enzo Copetti on loan for the 2021 season, before purchasing him for around $700,000 going into the 2022 season. Copetti’s stock has rapidly been rising with his continued importance for Racing with an estimated value of 5.3-million-dollars. It’s easy to see why Charlotte FC would be interested. According to TyC Sports both Charlotte FC and Atlanta United have made offers for Copetti with the Argentine club looking to sell for a price similar to his 10-million-dollar release clause. Copetti has been at the end of threats from “supporters” of Racing as well after the club conceded the title to Boca Juniors this season. Many fans blamed Copetti for not taking a late penalty versus River Plate in their final match which was ultimately missed by his teammate. This reaction could have the player even more open to a move abroad. After receiving abuse and threats, Copetti shared the following to his Instagram story. Which translates as, "I did a thousand things right and no one said anything, I did one thing wrong and now I'm the worst person in the world" While a 10-million-dollar price tag is high for a player that was sold for only $700,000 earlier this year, Copetti has a lot of tools in his game that could make him an extremely good player in MLS and in Charlotte. Copetti has primarily played as a centre-forward for Racing in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, two formations often used by Lattanzio this past season. However, he is capable of playing as a right winger as well. Copetti is best used inside the box where 14 of his 15 goals for Racing have been scored including 7 headers and 7 goals with his strong right foot. Copetti is strong on the ball and a very good finisher who loves to play inside the 18. However, Copetti is an active player across the entire attacking half capable of dropping a little deeper similar to Świderski to fight for the ball and create attacking opportunities with his work rate. While Enzo Copetti is clearly a talented player, how does he fit in this Charlotte FC team? It’s an interesting question. With Świderski moving to a role as an attacking midfielder later in the season, does Charlotte see that as his permanent position for the team with Copetti playing in front or does this signal that Charlotte is planning for a replacement for Świderski up front? I think Charlotte likely see Copetti able to fulfill a role regardless of the outcome of Świderski’s situation, but with hopes to see Świderski playing as a number 10 with Copetti a potential upgrade on Daniel Ríos up front. If Świderski stays with Charlotte for next season, having Enzo Copetti has his main man up front could be huge for Charlotte’s offensive consistency. Having a strong goal poacher playing in front of Świderski with wingers who really upped their game as the season started to close is very promising. Add in a potential additional signing for a new winger and the Charlotte FC attack could be on a new level.

By Brian Maurer Image courtesy of Austin FC Austin FC have made a strong run throughout the 2022 MLS season which has continued into the postseason. They are now in the Western Conference finals where they will face off against Supporter’s Shield winners Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). Here is a look at how expansion teams since 2015 have fared from their inaugural season through their second season. All stats found on either FBref.com or SofaScore Austin FC’s Historical Second Season Jump Austin FC has had a larger points per match jump (+.74) from their inaugural season than any MLS expansion team since 2005, when expansion teams became a regular occurrence. What has made their run this season so remarkable is how they finished in their inaugural season. Austin FC had the second worst inaugural season since 2015, only better than the historically poor FC Cincinnati expansion. Being projected by many MLS pundits to be near the bottom of the Western Conference for a second straight campaign, Austin instead went on to challenge for the Supporter’s Shield for large parts of the season, and can make an MLS Cup final with a win on Sunday. Other Notable Expansion Season Jumps Atlanta United and LAFC both should be recognized for the improvements that their teams made in their second seasons. They are, currently, the only expansion teams since 2015 to win trophies in their second season. LAFC claimed the 2019 Supporters Shield, while Atlanta United claimed the 2018 MLS Cup. Both of these teams had successful playoff qualifying inaugural seasons, but even with that initial success going on to win trophies the next year is a noteworthy improvement. New York City Football Club (NYCFC) also had a remarkable second campaign, climbing from near the bottom of the table to 4th in the Supporters’ Shield standings. The major shift that occurred for NYCFC was the coaching change. Patrick Vieira made his head coaching debut for NYCFC’s second season, helping them jump 17 points higher than their inaugural season. Nashville SC With A Little Jump, But Lots Of Consistency Nashville SC’s second year jump was small compared to the other teams previously mentioned, but it should be noted that they were one of the few expansion side’s to qualify for the playoffs in their inaugural season. In fact, with Atlanta United and the Seattle Sounders missing the playoffs this season, Nashville SC have become the only expansion side to have never missed the playoffs. This is a small three year sample size currently, but still fun to note and to keep an eye on. While Nashville’s jump was small, they have proven to be able to maintain a steady consistent pace that finds them in playoff contention year after year. The Early Expansion Woes FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami, Minnesota United, and Orlando City all struggled, for various reasons, throughout the early parts of their expansions. It should be noted that all four of these teams qualified for the 2022 MLS playoffs. While it was a struggle for these teams to work out their team build initially, they have all shown the ability to improve and grow into more competitive teams within MLS. *Stats that occurred during the 2020 season, when schedules were greatly altered due to COVID-19

By Tyler Trent Earlier this season, I spoke with Charlotte FC’s fans who have traveled to away games about their experience and the hospitality of the fans outside of Charlotte, but what experience have away fans had on their trips to Charlotte? I had the privilege to chat with Vas from the Soccer Subs Podcast and Blake from MLS Gone Wild about their experience traveling to the Queen City and the origin of their fandoms. Vas Vas has been a fan of the New York Red Bulls since their MetroStars days, so he’s been to quite a few away days in his time. However, his trip to Charlotte as an away fan was a little different because his team wasn’t even playing. Vas made the trip for Charlotte FC’s historic inaugural home game against the LA Galaxy as a member of the media for Soccer Subs. “It was the Soccer Subs first venture as media members and it opened up the door for us to our local market as well I'd say to attend games as part of the media for both New York teams respectively.” Vas was able to make it to the Supporters Tailgate Lot to kickstart his experience in Charlotte. “I enjoyed my time eating incredible food, familiarizing myself with songs and chants with the diehard fans, and I even got to meet the man himself, David Tepper.” “Everyone was having a blast and the diverse styles of support from the more South American style with the Blue Furia to the Charlotte FCASU to the Carolina Hooliganz, it truly made for a unique pre-game experience and one heck of an away day activity that's a must whether you're supporting an away team or just visiting to watch Charlotte FC.” Vas really enjoyed being able to attend an inaugural home match for a team in MLS and being able to experience the historic night as a fan of MLS and US Soccer. “From meeting Woody (Wilder) personally and seeing the likes of Jessica Charman hustling like a busy bee, and Jorge representing what this team is and needs on and off the field in terms of covering the team and being a passionate fan.” Vas also enjoyed the press box food at Bank of America Stadium. A highlight for Vas was walking out of the player tunnel into a record-breaking crowd before kickoff and getting to soak in the amazing atmosphere. We hope to see Vas back in Charlotte when the Red Bulls come to town in the future! Blake Blake from MLS Gone Wild also had a pretty unique experience in his travel to Charlotte. A lifelong Columbus Crew fan, Blake had previously only traveled to three away matches, but has plans to work on those numbers. With previous trips to the Carolina Challenge Cup vs. Atlanta United, a match versus DC United in 2019, and a trip to Philadelphia in 2021 where Blake stated “the cheesesteaks were better than the soccer” after the Crew lost 3-0. Blake and his girlfriend traveled to Charlotte to take in an exciting matchup and meet some online friends. However, the game was delayed for hours due to lightning and eventually postponed with only 15 minutes of the game being played. Despite that, it didn’t dampen Blake’s trip. Previous to coming to Charlotte, Blake had the opportunity to get to know Jorge and Brian from TopBin90, Lee from CLTFCFanTV, and Vaughn Pollman. “Charlotte is lucky to have such passionate and knowledgeable folks covering their team. Those guys are great.” Blake and his girlfriend were able to make the tailgate and were invited to take a picture with one of the supporters groups at the tailgate. At the tailgate, Blake traded scarves with Vaughn, did a pre-match interview with Jorge, and participated in some friendly banter along the way. Blake came to the Queen City with gifts as well. “I brought some Charlotte FC Topps cards to the game and handed them out to fans. I remember waiting in the long line to get into the team shop and as I got to the door, I struck up conversation with one of the team shop employees. We chatted soccer for a moment and before we departed, I asked him who his favorite player was. Cristian Fuchs was his response, so I handed him a 2022 Topps Christian Fuchs card. Made his day.” After continued lightning delays crowded inside the stadium concourse, Blake found a good place to give out the rest of the cards he brought. “During the rain delay, I handed out the rest of my cards to three kids who seemed to be getting a little restless. They spent the next hour or so reading the stats on the back and proposing trades for each other’s cards. That, to be honest, was probably the highlight of my trip.” While Blake didn't get to have much of a soccer experience, he did enjoy his time meeting people and exploring uptown Charlotte. “In addition to all the great things I have already said about my experience, the uptown area of Charlotte was beautiful (when it wasn’t raining). The greenery in the uptown area made it feel like I wasn’t surrounded by skyscrapers. The people were awesome - so welcoming and friendly. I’d highly recommend the away day to any fans thinking of traveling. 10/10 experience and they only played 15:58 of soccer.” Blake recognized Charlotte fans as by far the most welcoming of his four away days, with the Philadelphia Union fans a close second. Blake was unable to make it back to the rescheduled match, but we can't wait to have him back in Charlotte soon! Away Days vs. Home Games While it’s hard to beat the feeling of watching your team at home, there’s always some aspects of away days to look forward to. Vas and Blake shared their thoughts on what was so special about away days. Vas really enjoyed his trip, but paid homage to his home city as well. “Harrison is like my own little slice of heaven, but I love experiencing the diverse venues that MLS has to offer. As a bit of a US soccer nerd and as I've gotten older, I've really gotten to appreciate not just the game day experience itself, but the cities where I'm visiting. Charlotte was definitely one for the record books - you felt the entire city anticipating the day for Charlotte to finally be on the pitch at the Bank. The events around the city were all enjoyable, the launch of a beer for a supporters group was one, another highlight was the pubs to view not just MLS games but EPL action with a solid list of beers and good vibes to go along with them and even having found the Moonlight Diner on a quest for a late night meal. Blake made the most of an unfortunate day of soccer by reveling in what can make away days and soccer in general so special. “I love seeing new things and meeting new people. Soccer unites us all and I grasp that more every time I travel to an away stadium. The love for the game and league is growing and seeing that passion first hand, no matter where you go, gives me goosebumps.” Be sure to check out Vas at the Soccer Subs Podcast and Blake at MLS Gone Wild, you can also find them here at TopBin90 from time to time!

According to Colombian news outlet Blog Deportivo, Charlotte FC has made an offer for the Colombian playmaker whose contract with River Plate expires at the end of the year. The 29-year-old midfielder is currently playing with River Plate, but has saw time in Italy, Portugal, and France previously. This season for River Plate, he has started 10 out of 19 games scoring 1 goal and adding 5 assists. Quintero won the 2018 Copa Libertadores and the 2018 Supercopa Argentine with River Plate. According to the report by Blog Deportivo, River Plate have been trying to renew the contract of Quintero, but Charlotte FC has put in a better economical offer to the player and Quintero is reportedly interested in playing in MLS. In his most recent match, Quintero received a red card for pushing the referee which could see him receive an additional suspension from the Argentine Primera División further putting the renewal of his contract in doubt and could potentially follow him to another league. The incident can briefly be seen in the video below. Quintero has been capped by the Colombian National Team 31 times scoring 4 goals in those appearances. He has represented Colombia at the 2014 and 2018 World Cup. He was the first Colombian player to score in two World Cups. At River Plate, Quintero has often played on the right of a midfielder three in a 4-3-1-2 formation. However, he has typically played in the attacking midfield role for previous clubs and for Colombia. He often takes corner kicks and set pieces.

By Brian Maurer Image courtesy of Charlotte FC Charlotte FC announced yesterday that they were exercising the options of four players for 2023: Daniel Ríos, McKinze Gaines, Derrick Jones, and George Marks. These signings have provided some insight into how the winter window may look for Charlotte FC. Getting these deals done now also reduces the amount of deals that need to be done as the various deadlines approach in November. Defenders Christian Fuchs and Harrison Afful had their options declined, opening up at least two roster spots. Here is the list of the remaining players that are on expiring contracts: Koa Santos - There is a 2023 option on his contract. This option would need to be picked up by November 14th. This decision will likely be pushed back until after the Charlotte Independence’s season ends, which will be at least another week longer as they qualified for the playoffs this past weekend. Quinn McNeill - There is a 2023 option on his contract. This option would need to be picked up by November 14th. This decision will likely be pushed back until after the Charlotte Independence’s season ends, which will be at least another week longer as they qualified for the playoffs this past weekend. Charlotte FC have 26 of their 30 roster spots accounted for. The decisions on the Santos and McNeill options are likely to happen after the Charlotte Independence season ends. If their options do not get exercised one possible scenario is their options could get declined but that they could receive contracts for the MLS NEXT Pro team. We will likely have to wait another couple of weeks to get a final update on them. What the front office's decisions show is two fold: One, they are confident in the roster they have going into 2023. Two, that this roster needs around two more signing upgrades to make the jump into a playoff spot. If Santos and McNeill do not get their options picked up Charlotte could have a little more roster flexibility to work with in the winter. As of now Charlotte FC for sure has two roster spots open, and they are both domestic slots. This means that both MLS free agency and a blockbuster trade from within MLS could both be in the cards during the winter. If Charlotte want to bring a roster upgrade from abroad they will likely need to shop one of their current international players.