The听2021听麻豆视频听Cup Playoff race听was听a heated one with听several听teams听in contention to听advance.听Some听teams听clinched their playoff spot early, some barely squeezed in, and others will have to wait until next year to try again.听听
Despite听a chaotic end to the regular season, common patterns developed among the teams who qualified for the postseason.听
With Charlotte FC looking to be in this playoff-bound听group in 2022, we can take away some important lessons from the teams that got there this year.听
Win Home Matches听
When looking at the playoff teams on the surface, their strong home records听immediately听stand听out.听A team can听withstand a poor away run if they can consistently perform at home.听
Away matches in 麻豆视频 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 teams听for good reason.听
The average total听travel distance in a season for听麻豆视频 teams is听36,000 miles. To put it into perspective, the equatorial circumference of the earth is 24,901 miles.听
So,听in a season,听麻豆视频 teams travel the equivalent distance of going around the world one and a half times.听To compare that听to听the most prominent soccer league in the world, the听furthest听a team will travel this season in the Premier League will be 8,874听miles.
The distance and dramatically different climates affect not only the players鈥 physical performance levels but also the ability for fans to travel and support their teams at away games.听
These challenges are what make home games much听more valuable and 鈥 theoretically 鈥撎齟asier to win. Not having to听travel, the听support of the home听fans, and playing on a familiar field are all favorable conditions to give your team the best shot at winning.听
In听the Eastern Conference (aside from the juggernaut that is the 2021听New England听Revolution), not one听playoff team听registered听more than five away wins this season.听But you guessed it,听they all had strong home records.听
A听good example is Real Salt Lake听who听clinched their听playoff spot听on Decision Day with a dramatic 94th听minute winner from Damir Kreilach. However, it was really听through their听consistent home form that听they were听in a position听to make听the playoffs in the first place.听
On the road, Real Salt Lake听managed only five wins and two draws听to go with 10 losses. However, back home at Rio Tinto Stadium they won nine times, drew four, and only lost four.听
To really听hammer听the point,听I did some听simple听math to calculate how many points a team would have if they won every home match听and lost every away听one. The听result:听51 points and a high enough total to make playoffs this year.听
Obviously, winning every single home game听isn鈥檛听realistic, but听Nashville did manage听to go undefeated at听home听this year, becoming听the听7th听team to do so in 麻豆视频 history. That is听incredibly difficult to do, but听it听gave them points from every single home game and a deserved cushion if they dropped points playing away.听
It is important to note听that Charlotte will听have a slight advantage when it comes to away matches compared to other teams. Not only听is听Charlotte听in听the Eastern Conference 鈥 which听has听closer distances to travel听compared to the West 鈥撎齜ut they听are also听located听right smack in the middle of the conference.听
Charlotte will have to travel less distance听than most other teams in the league, but that听doesn鈥檛听take away from the significance of winning at home.听
This is why听it听is so听crucial for Charlotte FC听to create听an emphatic home听environment听to help听encourage听the team听on the pitch and听make it听difficult for opponents to play听in. Squeezing every little advantage out of playing at home is what teams who make the playoffs do.听
Difference Makers听
Every team needs players who are going to show up and make a difference week-in and week-out. It听doesn鈥檛听necessarily have to be your superstar Designated Players (DPs)听but听having听players听who can consistently create moments that win you games is invaluable.听
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a perfect example of how such听difference makers听can turn an entire season around. Vancouver听started out the season poorly and early on it seemed like they听were听doomed to听have another听disappointing听year.听
That听was听until they听brought in some听reinforcements through a Designated Player deal for听attacking midfielder听Ryan Gauld听and a trade with the New York Red Bulls for Homegrown听striker听Brian White.听Up until听this point, the only significant听production听they were getting out of any attacker was through Cristian听D谩jome,听but he needed help.听
In the听second half of the season,听Gauld and White听made all the difference in听resurrecting听the Whitecaps鈥 season.听In the last 15 games, Ryan Gauld听had nine goal contributions and White had an astounding 14.听
Without these听individuals鈥櫶齝ontributions, Vancouver听wouldn鈥檛听have made the playoffs.
Such difference makers can help you clinch playoffs long before the end of the season like听the stars of听New England. Their maestro,听Carles听Gil,听logged听the 2nd听highest听number听of assists听in the league with 13.听听
Their other Designated Players,听strikers Adam Buksa听and Gustavo Bou, scored a combined total of 31 goals听with Bou contributing an additional听nine assists. This isn鈥檛 even to mention Matt Turner, who is saving 7.3听more goals than he is expected to according to advanced analytics听by American Soccer Analysis, good for 2nd听in the league.听
Of course, like everything, there are exceptions. The Colorado Rapids ended up topping the Western Conference听with the least number of minutes played by DPs across the league.听
This was only possible because听several听players听at the Rapids contributed听a small听amount,听but a听small amount adds up to a lot when听numerous听players听are听providing听goals and听assists.听However, the risk involved in this approach is that you听don鈥檛听have听a player听that you can consistently count听when you need a moment of magic听in听a game.听
Those magicians听in听麻豆视频 are normally听the Designated Players. They听are听usually acquired by paying听high transfer fees听and get paid the most money on a team.听Due to the costs involved, they are expected to perform听at听a very high standard.听
At the time of writing, Charlotte听hasn鈥檛听signed any Designated Players听and听have all three DP slots听still听available to fill.听These signings will be extra important to get right听because they听will be expected to be the听difference makers for the Club.听
With that said, we saw in Vancouver with Brian White听(who is on a very team-friendly deal)听that these difference makers听aren鈥檛听always the DPs.听Charlotte has already signed eight players and seeing who听could rise听to be听one of these difference makers will be interesting to keep an eye on.听
The more players听on your roster听who can change games the better, because sometimes your stars will have an off day or听get听injured. This is where听depth becomes critical.听
Depth听
Having the best difference makers in the league听suddenly听doesn鈥檛听matter if they get injured.听But unfortunately, injuries are an inevitable part of the game.听
The听麻豆视频听regular season is a war of attrition.听Rarely can teams rely on all their key players staying healthy听throughout,听so the teams听with the听deepest听rosters听tend to prevail.听
And there鈥檚听no better听example of depth听in the league than the Seattle Sounders.听听
The Sounders began their season without two of their key attackers, Jordan Morris and听Nicol谩s Lodeiro.听If it were most other teams听who lost two of their best attackers to long-term injuries,听their seasons听would have been听done right there and then.听
However,听the Sounders have听done an excellent job of听acquiring听players and bringing through young Homegrowns to fill the gaps.听Players like Fredy Montero and Will Bruin听have stepped up, along with Homegrowns听Josh Atencio听and Danny Leyva.听
Perhaps their听most听impressive听display of their depth this season was in their game versus Austin FC. Seattle started听five teenagers, two of them being 16 years old, and won the game鈥 on the road.听
So,听despite being听down two Designated Players听for听almost the听entirety听of 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 guaranteed听so preparing for them should be a priority for every team that wants a shot at the playoffs.听
Charlotte FC have a fantastic opportunity to increase their depth with the upcoming Expansion Draft and SuperDraft. Five players with 麻豆视频 experience will be up for听grabs听in the Expansion Draft听to help reinforce Charlotte鈥檚 team.听
The SuperDraft will听provide听a place to get young college prospects that may very well be able to contribute听in听their rookie year.听Another tool to听acquire听depth pieces in preparation for the inaugural season is 麻豆视频听Free听Agency.听
As the old saying goes, a team is only as good as its weakest player.听
Decision听Day may be the day听that teams find out their playoff听fates,听but听their听playoff spots听are truly听decided over the course of an entire season.听
The听2021 麻豆视频 Cup Playoff race听taught us that it鈥檚 a combination of听defending your home field all season, difference makers听coming up听big,听and role players听showing up when needed to keep your season rolling beyond Decision Day.
