Atlanta United vs. Charlotte FC preview: Three questions with TopBin90

Atlanta United need wins, plain and simple. Despite the excitement of late goals in back-to-back draws, it hasn’t really helped them in the standings: they’re in 13th on 20 points, 12 points behind ninth-place Charlotte FC with three teams in front of them.

Which brings us to Saturday against the aforementioned Charlotte, fresh off a 2-1 win over D.C. United and desperate for nothing more than to sweep the season series from their I-85 rival (and maybe snag a former Atlanta United striker for the stretch run, too). With 12 matches remaining, including this one, dropped points against The Crown pretty much puts any hope of a playoff bid out of reach.

I caught up with Jorge Gonzales, CEO of TopBin90, to get his thoughts on the state of Charlotte FC in the midst of a pretty big transition.

Obviously, the big news surrounding Charlotte is the sale of Patrick Agyemang to Derby County. What he’s meant to the club speaks for itself, but that opens up opportunities for other players. I’d imagine Pep Biel, Liel Abada, and Wilfried Zaha are near the top of that list, but who else could we see emerge for CLTFC?

One of the most exciting developments for Charlotte FC this season has been the emergence of young striker Idan Toklomati. After spending last season with MLS NEXT Pro side Crown Legacy, he earned a well-deserved promotion to the first team—and he’s been a revelation. Toklomati is a technically gifted striker with excellent awareness, strong pressing instincts, and an improving eye for goal. Based on what we’ve seen so far, his ceiling may very well be higher than that of Patrick Agyemang.

Speaking of Wilfried Zaha, he played a big part in Charlotte’s win over Atlanta at Bank of America Stadium in March. He’s on 5g/7a now, but what’s the sentiment around him with the final third of the season to go? Has he lived up to expectations, or have Charlotte fans been looking for more from him?

Wilfried Zaha has shown flashes of the quality that made him a standout in Europe. While his start at Charlotte FC hasn’t been spectacular, he’s been a serviceable contributor and it still feels like we haven’t seen the best of Zaha yet. He’s beginning to find his rhythm and is on track to become a key player for the club. If his trajectory continues, I could see him delivering in a much bigger way as the season progresses.

Charlotte’s weathered a tough stretch but look to be stringing results together, making it back-to-back wins and three in a row unbeaten after a 2-1 win over D.C. United on Wednesday. Obviously with this being a derby coming up, the stakes are that much higher (especially with Atlanta so desperate for a win to salvage any hopes of a playoff appearance). What are some of the things you’ve noted in the team that have been different over these last few matches?

Charlotte struggled through May and parts of June, largely due to a heavy stretch of away matches. The backline hasn’t looked as solid as it did last year, and the midfield has been leaving too much open space. However, the team’s home form has been a bright spot, earning 7 of 9 possible points in recent home fixtures. Pep Biel’s outstanding form (9 goals and 10 assists) has been central to the team’s attacking success. That said, defensive issues remain.