Battery flat as Charleston suffer another damaging defeat
Charleston Battery may be one of the oldest and most famous soccer clubs in the United States with a rich history of success, but there has been very little for followers of Holy City to cheer this season. Charleston is toiling in the Atlantic Division and looks a shadow of the side that finished fifth in the Eastern Conference and made the playoffs Conference semi-finals last year.
The 2012 USL Championship winners are stuck on a winless streak, and traders at the leading betting apps are predicting it will rumble on. Even the most die-hard Battery fans benefiting from the best sportsbook bonus are unlikely to want to risk it on Charleston, and that comes as no great surprise given their woeful form.
Playing for their futures
It’s a run that could end up costing head coach Mike Anhaeuser his job. If that does prove to be the case, many of his current crop of underachieving players shouldn’t be too far behind him, heading for the Patriots Point Soccer Complex at Mount Pleasant with their careers uncertain.
That’s something all with a connection to Battery want to avoid at all costs, but this is a results-driven business. The only sure-fire way to turn around the club’s fortunes and safeguard the future of its employees is to start winning soccer games again.
Pressure is now on the players to step up to the plate and deliver, showing they have the stomach for a fight and the character to bounce back. Those with dreams of playing Major League Soccer any time soon must show they are good enough at this level. Will that upturn in the club’s fortunes happen anytime soon? Is success in the post? Recent results don’t do much to inspire confidence in the fightback.
Miles off the pace
Battery has been miles off the pace this season, both in matches and in the league table. Tampa Bay Rowdies lead the Atlantic Division at present and are fully deserving of their position thanks to an eye-catching winning streak. They have won 19 and lost six, collecting a total of 58 points after 26 games. That tally leaves them ten ahead of the Miami FC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds, with Charlotte Independence rounding up the top four prize places with a haul of 46 points.
Now let’s compare those efforts to that of Battery and their eight wins from 25 games. A shocking effort and a source of embarrassment for fans. It certainly should be a shameful return in the eyes of players who have let the club down on the field. Things have been bad for Battery for weeks now, but it appears, somehow, like they could be getting worse. It looks like the team may slip further down the ladder, which is much more likely than seeing them climb, closing the distance on Charlotte.
Charleston hasn’t won a game in longer than supporters care to remember. In their last five outings, they have drawn three and lost two. When comparing that snippet of the season to the other teams in the Atlantic Division, we note they have the same record as New York Red Bulls II, who is second from the bottom of the pool. In the five most recent league matches, a single draw is the difference between Battery and bottom club Loudoun United FC.
Damaged defence causing problems
Battery suffered yet another painful reverse when opening the month of October with a 1-2 against Tampa Bay Rowdies. They also lost to lowly New York Red Bulls II by a 2-3 score to ensure Charleston has lost two of their last three, drawing the spare match 3-3 with Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
The fixture schedule seems to have no sympathy for this battered and bruised Charleston, with some testing matches on the horizon this fall. Battery has road trips scheduled to Charlotte, Pittsburgh and Hartford before the season is out. It is crucial the visitors take points from as many of those away games as possible if they are to stand any chance of salvaging any shred of respect from what has been a horror campaign.
Regardless of results between now and the season’s finish line, it already looks likely there will be an off-season clear out at the South Carolina club.
