TheÌý2021Ìý91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæÌýCup Playoff raceÌýwasÌýa heated one withÌýseveralÌýteamsÌýin contention toÌýadvance.ÌýSomeÌýteamsÌýclinched their playoff spot early, some barely squeezed in, and others will have to wait until next year to try again.ÌýÌý
DespiteÌýa chaotic end to the regular season, common patterns developed among the teams who qualified for the postseason.Ìý
With Charlotte FC looking to be in this playoff-boundÌýgroup in 2022, we can take away some important lessons from the teams that got there this year.Ìý
Win Home MatchesÌý
When looking at the playoff teams on the surface, their strong home recordsÌýimmediatelyÌýstandÌýout.ÌýA team canÌýwithstand a poor away run if they can consistently perform at home.Ìý
Away matches in 91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæ pose their own unique challenges compared to other leagues in both the Americas and Europe. Travel distance is always brought up as one of the biggest challenges for teamsÌýfor good reason.Ìý
The average totalÌýtravel distance in a season forÌý91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæ teams isÌý36,000 miles. To put it into perspective, the equatorial circumference of the earth is 24,901 miles.Ìý
So,Ìýin a season,Ìý91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæ teams travel the equivalent distance of going around the world one and a half times.ÌýTo compare thatÌýtoÌýthe most prominent soccer league in the world, theÌýfurthestÌýa team will travel this season in the Premier League will be 8,874Ìýmiles.
The distance and dramatically different climates affect not only the players’ physical performance levels but also the ability for fans to travel and support their teams at away games.Ìý
These challenges are what make home games muchÌýmore valuable and – theoretically –Ìýeasier to win. Not having toÌýtravel, theÌýsupport of the homeÌýfans, and playing on a familiar field are all favorable conditions to give your team the best shot at winning.Ìý
InÌýthe Eastern Conference (aside from the juggernaut that is the 2021ÌýNew EnglandÌýRevolution), not oneÌýplayoff teamÌýregisteredÌýmore than five away wins this season.ÌýBut you guessed it,Ìýthey all had strong home records.Ìý
AÌýgood example is Real Salt LakeÌýwhoÌýclinched theirÌýplayoff spotÌýon Decision Day with a dramatic 94thÌýminute winner from Damir Kreilach. However, it was reallyÌýthrough theirÌýconsistent home form thatÌýthey wereÌýin a positionÌýto makeÌýthe playoffs in the first place.Ìý
On the road, Real Salt LakeÌýmanaged only five wins and two drawsÌýto go with 10 losses. However, back home at Rio Tinto Stadium they won nine times, drew four, and only lost four.Ìý
To reallyÌýhammerÌýthe point,ÌýI did someÌýsimpleÌýmath to calculate how many points a team would have if they won every home matchÌýand lost every awayÌýone. TheÌýresult:Ìý51 points and a high enough total to make playoffs this year.Ìý
Obviously, winning every single home gameÌýisn’tÌýrealistic, butÌýNashville did manageÌýto go undefeated atÌýhomeÌýthis year, becomingÌýtheÌý7thÌýteam to do so in 91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæ history. That isÌýincredibly difficult to do, butÌýitÌýgave them points from every single home game and a deserved cushion if they dropped points playing away.Ìý
It is important to noteÌýthat Charlotte willÌýhave a slight advantage when it comes to away matches compared to other teams. Not onlyÌýisÌýCharlotteÌýinÌýthe Eastern Conference – whichÌýhasÌýcloser distances to travelÌýcompared to the West –Ìýbut theyÌýare alsoÌýlocatedÌýright smack in the middle of the conference.Ìý
Charlotte will have to travel less distanceÌýthan most other teams in the league, but thatÌýdoesn’tÌýtake away from the significance of winning at home.Ìý
This is whyÌýitÌýis soÌýcrucial for Charlotte FCÌýto createÌýan emphatic homeÌýenvironmentÌýto helpÌýencourageÌýthe teamÌýon the pitch andÌýmake itÌýdifficult for opponents to playÌýin. Squeezing every little advantage out of playing at home is what teams who make the playoffs do.Ìý
Difference MakersÌý
Every team needs players who are going to show up and make a difference week-in and week-out. ItÌýdoesn’tÌýnecessarily have to be your superstar Designated Players (DPs)ÌýbutÌýhavingÌýplayersÌýwho can consistently create moments that win you games is invaluable.Ìý
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a perfect example of how suchÌýdifference makersÌýcan turn an entire season around. VancouverÌýstarted out the season poorly and early on it seemed like theyÌýwereÌýdoomed toÌýhave anotherÌýdisappointingÌýyear.Ìý
ThatÌýwasÌýuntil theyÌýbrought in someÌýreinforcements through a Designated Player deal forÌýattacking midfielderÌýRyan GauldÌýand a trade with the New York Red Bulls for HomegrownÌýstrikerÌýBrian White.ÌýUp untilÌýthis point, the only significantÌýproductionÌýthey were getting out of any attacker was through CristianÌýDájome,Ìýbut he needed help.Ìý
In theÌýsecond half of the season,ÌýGauld and WhiteÌýmade all the difference inÌýresurrectingÌýthe Whitecaps’ season.ÌýIn the last 15 games, Ryan GauldÌýhad nine goal contributions and White had an astounding 14.Ìý
Without theseÌýindividuals’Ìýcontributions, VancouverÌýwouldn’tÌýhave made the playoffs.
Such difference makers can help you clinch playoffs long before the end of the season likeÌýthe stars ofÌýNew England. Their maestro,ÌýCarlesÌýGil,ÌýloggedÌýthe 2ndÌýhighestÌýnumberÌýof assistsÌýin the league with 13.ÌýÌý
Their other Designated Players,Ìýstrikers Adam BuksaÌýand Gustavo Bou, scored a combined total of 31 goalsÌýwith Bou contributing an additionalÌýnine assists. This isn’t even to mention Matt Turner, who is saving 7.3Ìýmore goals than he is expected to according to advanced analyticsÌýby American Soccer Analysis, good for 2ndÌýin the league.Ìý
Of course, like everything, there are exceptions. The Colorado Rapids ended up topping the Western ConferenceÌýwith the least number of minutes played by DPs across the league.Ìý
This was only possible becauseÌýseveralÌýplayersÌýat the Rapids contributedÌýa smallÌýamount,Ìýbut aÌýsmall amount adds up to a lot whenÌýnumerousÌýplayersÌýareÌýprovidingÌýgoals andÌýassists.ÌýHowever, the risk involved in this approach is that youÌýdon’tÌýhaveÌýa playerÌýthat you can consistently countÌýwhen you need a moment of magicÌýinÌýa game.Ìý
Those magiciansÌýinÌý91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæ are normallyÌýthe Designated Players. TheyÌýareÌýusually acquired by payingÌýhigh transfer feesÌýand get paid the most money on a team.ÌýDue to the costs involved, they are expected to performÌýatÌýa very high standard.Ìý
At the time of writing, CharlotteÌýhasn’tÌýsigned any Designated PlayersÌýandÌýhave all three DP slotsÌýstillÌýavailable to fill.ÌýThese signings will be extra important to get rightÌýbecause theyÌýwill be expected to be theÌýdifference makers for the Club.Ìý
With that said, we saw in Vancouver with Brian WhiteÌý(who is on a very team-friendly deal)Ìýthat these difference makersÌýaren’tÌýalways the DPs.ÌýCharlotte has already signed eight players and seeing whoÌýcould riseÌýto beÌýone of these difference makers will be interesting to keep an eye on.Ìý
The more playersÌýon your rosterÌýwho can change games the better, because sometimes your stars will have an off day orÌýgetÌýinjured. This is whereÌýdepth becomes critical.Ìý
DepthÌý
Having the best difference makers in the leagueÌýsuddenlyÌýdoesn’tÌýmatter if they get injured.ÌýBut unfortunately, injuries are an inevitable part of the game.Ìý
TheÌý91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæÌýregular season is a war of attrition.ÌýRarely can teams rely on all their key players staying healthyÌýthroughout,Ìýso the teamsÌýwith theÌýdeepestÌýrostersÌýtend to prevail.Ìý
And there’sÌýno betterÌýexample of depthÌýin the league than the Seattle Sounders.ÌýÌý
The Sounders began their season without two of their key attackers, Jordan Morris andÌýNicolás Lodeiro.ÌýIf it were most other teamsÌýwho lost two of their best attackers to long-term injuries,Ìýtheir seasonsÌýwould have beenÌýdone right there and then.Ìý
However,Ìýthe Sounders haveÌýdone an excellent job ofÌýacquiringÌýplayers and bringing through young Homegrowns to fill the gaps.ÌýPlayers like Fredy Montero and Will BruinÌýhave stepped up, along with HomegrownsÌýJosh AtencioÌýand Danny Leyva.Ìý
Perhaps theirÌýmostÌýimpressiveÌýdisplay of their depth this season was in their game versus Austin FC. Seattle startedÌýfive teenagers, two of them being 16 years old, and won the game… on the road.Ìý
So,Ìýdespite beingÌýdown two Designated PlayersÌýforÌýalmost theÌýentiretyÌýof the season, the Sounders are going into playoffs as the second seed in the West. This is a testament to their depth.
Injuries are all but guaranteedÌýso preparing for them should be a priority for every team that wants a shot at the playoffs.Ìý
Charlotte FC have a fantastic opportunity to increase their depth with the upcoming Expansion Draft and SuperDraft. Five players with 91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæ experience will be up forÌýgrabsÌýin the Expansion DraftÌýto help reinforce Charlotte’s team.Ìý
The SuperDraft willÌýprovideÌýa place to get young college prospects that may very well be able to contributeÌýinÌýtheir rookie year.ÌýAnother tool toÌýacquireÌýdepth pieces in preparation for the inaugural season is 91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæÌýFreeÌýAgency.Ìý
As the old saying goes, a team is only as good as its weakest player.Ìý
DecisionÌýDay may be the dayÌýthat teams find out their playoffÌýfates,ÌýbutÌýtheirÌýplayoff spotsÌýare trulyÌýdecided over the course of an entire season.Ìý
TheÌý2021 91¿ì»îÁÖ×îаæ Cup Playoff raceÌýtaught us that it’s a combination ofÌýdefending your home field all season, difference makersÌýcoming upÌýbig,Ìýand role playersÌýshowing up when needed to keep your season rolling beyond Decision Day.
