The Charlotte Independence come in to the 2018 season with renewed hope and energy following a disappointing end to the 2017 campaign. Historically, the club has gotten off to slow starts, been very strong in the middle part of the season and slowly faded at the end of the year. I believe they will break that pattern in 2018 and be a bit more consistent.

In order to accomplish this, they will have to adjust to life without back-to-back USL MVP finalist, Enzo Martinez. Enzo will be missed, but the front office has done a good job of strengthening the rest of the squad to help make up for his absence.

Offseason signings suggest Charlotte will be a lot stronger at the back and through the middle of the field to help cope with the potential offensive drop-off. It’s been a quiet offseason for the Independence compared to a lot of the Eastern Conference, but don’t count the Jacks out.

Three key games

April 14: Charlotte vs. North Carolina FC

The first regular season meeting between the clubs will be circled by both teams and fanbases. Points are finally on the line — should be a fun one.

July 11: Charlotte vs. Nashville SC

This is Nashville’s first visit to the Queen City in what could be its lone season in USL, with reports that the team could join MLS as early as 2019. I believe all three Nashville fixtures will be crucial to the playoff race for the Jacks.

Sept. 29: Charlotte vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds

A late-season matchup against Bob Lilley’s team — sound familiar? This will likely be another game with big playoff implications.

A late-season home match against Pittsburgh will likely have playoff implications. (Photo Credit: Chris Cowger/Pittsburgh Riverhounds)

Starting XI Prediction

A few caveats here:

First, I expect Charlotte to announce the signing of Haitian international center back Mechack Jérôme in the coming days, but until they make it official, I won’t include him.

in the coming days, but until they make it official, I won’t include him. Second, the Independence have four very good central midfielders; so I won’t be surprised if there is more rotation there throughout the season.

My prediction for the starting XI, a 4–2–3–1:

Goalkeeper: Brandon Miller

Brandon Miller Defenders: Donnie Smith, Jung-Soo Lee, Bilal Duckett and Joel Johnson

Donnie Smith, Jung-Soo Lee, Bilal Duckett and Joel Johnson Midfielders: Kay Voser, Kevan George, Alex Martinez, Jorge Herrera and Cordell Cato

Kay Voser, Kevan George, Alex Martinez, Jorge Herrera and Cordell Cato Forward: Caleb Calvert

Strengths

1. Fullbacks

Charlotte has the best outside back pairing in the entire league, in my opinion. Johnson and Smith are strong technically with great engines, which fits well in coach Mike Jeffries’ system that requires a lot from the fullback position.

2. Central midfield

Central midfield was a strength last season, anchored by Jun Marques Davidson and a rotating cast around him. The faces and names have changed a lot, but I think the Jacks are stronger and deeper in this area than last season. Kevan George, Kay Voser, Greg Jordan and Yann Ekra are all quality players and will push each other to be better each week. I’m excited to see what each one brings to the center of the field for Charlotte.

Weaknesses

1. Goal scoring depth

Charlotte might struggle to score goals this year more than in years past. The Independence won’t return 66 percent of their 2017 goal-scoring production in 2018. They’ll be counting on Caleb Calvert and Jorge Herrera to carry a larger load in the final third and hope that someone like Alex Martinez can become more of a threat in front of goal. I think guys will step up, but I think the total number of goals will drop this year.

The Independence need someone like Alex Martinez to step up offensively since the team won’t return 66 percent of its scoring — and Enzo — from last year. (Photo Credit: Alex Warren)

2. Squad Size

At time of writing, the Independence have just 20 players on the roster. I’m a little bit concerned about that low number, especially when four of those players could be recalled to Colorado and one is on an amateur contract and will likely leave the club near the end of July to report to the University of Virginia.

I’m fairly confident that the team will look to add three to five players at the front-end of the season. If they don’t address this, we could see the Jacks really struggle with their fitness.

Prediction

If this Independence team were facing the 2017 Eastern Conference, I think they would finish in the top four and host a playoff game. Unfortunately, nothing happens in a vacuum and the Eastern Conference in 2018 has strengthened far more than could have been predicted due to the instability with the NASL.

That being said, I believe Charlotte will finish somewhere between fourth and seventh place and compete in the playoffs for the third season in a row. If things break their way, they could make a nice playoff run.

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I can’t wait to get this year started. Come on you Jacks!

Departures

Ashani Fairclough — unsigned

— unsigned Austin Yearwood — Richmond Kickers

— Richmond Kickers Callum Ross — OKC Energy

— OKC Energy Casey Townsend — end of loan

— end of loan Cody Mizell — Tampa Bay Rowdies

Tampa Bay Rowdies David Estrada — Seattle Sounders 2

— Seattle Sounders 2 David Spies — unsigned

— unsigned Denis Castillo — end of loan

— end of loan Enzo Martinez — Colorado Rapids

— Colorado Rapids Henry Kalungi — unsigned

— unsigned Jacob Bender — retired

— retired Jaime Siaj — OKC Energy

— OKC Energy Jared Odenbeck — unsigned

— unsigned Jun Marques Davidson — retired

— retired Kyle Renfro — retired

— retired Lewis Hilton — St. Louis FC

— St. Louis FC Luke Waechter — retired

— retired Zev Taublieb — Varbergs BoIS FC

Arrivals