Summer Resurgence Puts Charlotte FC Back In Supporter's Shield Picture

Charlotte FC’s 1-0 win at home to Real Salt Lake marked their sixth consecutive league victory and has put them right back in contention for the MLS Supporters Shield, but how have the team nicknamed “The Crown” managed to turn around some Spring suffering into Summer smiles? 

Having won seven of their first nine matches in the MLS regular season, Charlotte looked like they were potential dark horses for the Supporters' Shield. They conceded just seven goals in those nine games, scoring fourteen. 

Two of the reasons they were having so much joy from an attacking sense were the signings of Pep Biel on loan from Olympiacos and former Crystal Palace winger, Wilfred Zaha. 

But trouble followed for the Crown, then only going on to win two of their next twelve games in Major League Soccer, not keeping a single clean sheet during that period. 

Interestingly during the period of when they were on such a rough streak, manager Dean Smith would often change the formation by game; some matches they would line up in a 4-4-2, some would be a 4-3-3 and others would have a 4-2-3-1. 

The lack of clean sheets as well has been an issue but it’s also something that they have managed to go into the summer transfer market with the signing of former Forest defender, Harry Toffolo, on a free after his deal expired.

However the loss of Patrick Aygemang to Championship side Derby for $8 million would potentially leave a hole in attack.

To mention in a bit more depth about how crucial Biel and Zaha have been for “The Crown”, they currently combine for 33 g/a, just under 50% of the entire team’s G/A in MLS (65 G/A). 

Since mid July, Charlotte have managed to pull themselves back in contention with six successive wins: 

2-0 vs New York City FC (H) 

2-1 vs DC United (H) 

2-3 vs Atlanta United (A) 

2-0 vs Toronto FC (H) 

0-1 vs FC Cincinnati (A) 

1-0 vs Real Salt Lake (H) 

Out of those wins, the most impressive has to be winning away at the current Supporters Shield leaders in FC Cincinnati. 

Dean Smith's side have also kept four clean sheets in their last six including three in their last three games. 

The Leagues Cup was disastrous for Charlotte though, not only as they only managed to pick up four points across their three group games but Pep Biel suffered a hamstring strain in the 2-2 draw to Chivas which would see him miss up to six weeks. 

Any chances of winning the Shield would mean that Wilf Zaha would have to step up but also 21 year old striker Idan Toklomani would have to step up for Charlotte. Since Biel went down, the young forward has picked up consecutive G/A with an assist for Zaha against Cincinnati and the winner this weekend just gone against RSL. 

They currently sit eight points off the top of MLS with seven games to go but crucially only play two teams above them in the Shield race during the final stretch, those being Inter Miami on September 14th and Philadelphia Union on October 14th, also known as Decision Day.

While the task seems a difficult one, Charlotte FC’s recent form has pulled them right back into contention and the side nicknamed “The Crown” will want every chance possible of being crowned the Supporters Shield Kings.