After a hard-fought point earned on the road, Charlotte FC return home for two matches in four days at Bank of America Stadium. What's on the line? A spot in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. The Crown are in 'win and in' mode as they face Chicago Fire Wednesday night.
Here are the three ingredients of the match:
Use The Fortress
In this league, home matches are crucial. Win those, and your likelihood of making playoffs, or at least fighting for a spot, becomes much higher. Every team currently 7th or higher in the Eastern and Western Conferences sits at 6+ home wins except for one, Houston. Only two teams still in the hunt for a playoff spot have less than five home wins, Philadelphia and D.C.
The Crown will need to ride the energy back at home this week, with two matches in four days at The Fortress. A win and in the playoffs should be enough motivation for both the boys and the supporters to unleash that home energy. The last match at Bank of America Stadium was a “non-boring” 4-0 smashing of NE. Wednesday is against a Chicago side that The Crown has beaten four straight. Use the Fortress.
Consistency is Key
Consistency in the ingredients. Consistency on the pitch. Prior to Miami, the expectation was to 'maintain team identity'…. aka consistency.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Once again, consistency will be key this week. In Miami, we saw Dean run the same lineup as the New England Revolution match: Urso in the midfield, Privett at center back, and Ream at left back. The formula is working, and once again, after the match, Dean preached building around these tactics.
Will we see this lineup again on Wednesday? Likely. And that’s a good thing; it’s consistent. But even if some tired legs get some rotation, the goal remains the same. Be consistent.
Four points, one goal allowed in the last two matches, and now sitting with a chance to lock up a playoff spot. Run it back.
Win
Back in August, Dean preached the importance of going on ‘good runs.’ Right now, Charlotte has the start of a good run: a commanding home win followed by a strong point earned in Miami. This is the start of a run that could prepare them to shake things up in the playoffs.
“Good teams go on good runs. When good teams go on good runs, they win things.”
So the ingredient is simple: win. That should be the expectation. Win, and you are in the playoffs. Win, and you are officially on a ‘good run’ of form with two matches left in the regular season. Don’t overcomplicate it. Win.
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For The Fans, For The Crown 👑
All season long you have been our ENERGY from The Fortress to all over the Carolinas. And now it’s time to celebrate YOU! Join us as The Crown takes on Chicago Fire on Wednesday, October 2 and throughout Fan Appreciation Week, September 30 - October 5, as Charlotte FC heads into the regular season finale.
