Odds on AFC signing him to replace Smith, decreasing by the minute!!
I'd say the odds of Charlotte giving him an extension are decreasing by each game. He's their lucky charm at the moment.
Niche Cache
Bill Tuiloma continues to start games for Charlotte, who continue to get good results with him in the team. CFC played twice this week and Tuiloma remained at right-back in each of them. First was a 2-1 win against DC United with Pep Biel scoring a double, then came a 3-2 win away against Atlanta FC in which Charlotte scored three times from four shots on target to take the points. Tuiloma played 70 minutes and 73 minutes so he’s building back up again – and while he hasn’t scored again like he did in that first appearance, Charlotte have taken 10 points from his four games following immediately after a run of nine defeats from 11 in which Tuiloma wasn’t involved.
He’s still not fully comfortable on the right edge but they’ve got him playing like a third centre-back a lot of the time and he’s improving with each passing game. Can’t be surprised at a bit of rust considering he’d not played a second of MLS footy all year prior to that. Supposing he’s able to hold down this position, the next step will be to add more attacking output since he’s only even attempted two crosses in three games at right-back and hasn’t been getting very far forward. But what he has done is he’s been very good with his passing and in these past two games we’ve begun to see him really get the hang of his defensive duties.
And also perhaps a lesson about arranging plans to suit players strengths, rather than asking them to do something they can’t do well and then slagging them off.
What Billy T is being picked to do now at Charlotte (RB or RCB) may not be that different to what Bazeley asked of him against Ivory Coast. Just that the AWs had probably 1-2 training sessions before that game, and BT was coming in off virtually zero football (a single US Open Cup game from memory).
But now he's slowly building off 4 consecutive MLS starts plus obviously he's been at the club 2 years now, training day in day out with the playing group, ie hours & hours together to work on tactics, formation etc. Cheese & chalk.
Anyway hopefully his club coach keeps picking him. Still a chance of making the WC yet, especially if Tommy Smith is retiring from playing serious football, and/or squads are expanded to 25 players.
I never got the Tuiloma hate. His AW RB performance was largely due to little recent game time plus short prep time for AWs Hes a very experianced performer who I would take as a Nix CB in a heart beat. Actually it was coach Bielsa who first moved Tuiloma from DM back into defense when they were both a Olympic Marseille
Watching the highlights Tuiloma crumples to the ground with no one around him. Hopefully nothing serious, but it didn't look good.
Edit - post match press conference, Charlotte coach thinks it may have been a full body cramp that basically toppled BT over! Worse case a hammy injury, but as the medicos were stretching his leg he thinks just a case of him cramping up badly.
Aka Mark Richardson in an Indian cricket test back in the day, playing the sweep then dropping to the ground like he'd been shot!
Watching the highlights Tuiloma crumples to the ground with no one around him. Hopefully nothing serious, but it didn't look good.
Edit - post match press conference, Charlotte coach thinks it may have been a full body cramp that basically toppled BT over! Worse case a hammy injury, but as the medicos were stretching his leg he thinks just a case of him cramping up badly.
Aka Mark Richardson in an Indian cricket test back in the day, playing the sweep then dropping to the ground like he'd been shot!
Niche Cache. Surman's Portland have also strengthened their squad the last 1-2 weeks as they chase a MLS playoff run.
Charlotte FC has done something similar by signing former Nottingham Forest fullback Harry Toffolo. That might not be very portentous for Bill Tuiloma so soon after as he finally found a spot in the CFC team as a fullback... granted, Tui’s been playing on the right whereas Toffolo is a lefty. We’ll see how it goes.
Charlotte lost 4-1 to Juarez in Leagues Cup game one. Tuiloma started on the bench following on from his “full body cramps” of last week but still got half an hour in place of Nathan Byrne at RB. That duo then swapped over as Tuiloma started and did 72 mins of the 2-2 draw against Guadalajara with Byrne replacing him for the end. CFC lost the penalty shootout for the bonus point meaning they’re already out of contention ahead of the third fixture.
For a bloke who was looking more and more on the outer after the early part of the season passed by, this guy is doing everything he can to earn an extension over there.
Hats off to him for hanging in there and being persistent after a very lean few years in Charlotte up to this point.
BT off at 71 mins (2-0) in a 2-0 win over Monterrey. So he may have been at RB again.
Baze's RB & CB picks for the September window are going to be interesting. That's if all 3 MLS CBs are available, and with Tommy now down in English 5th tier football.
BT off at 71 mins (2-0) in a 2-0 win over Monterrey. So he may have been at RB again.
Baze's RB & CB picks for the September window are going to be interesting. That's if all 3 MLS CBs are available, and with Tommy now down in English 5th tier football.
he's getting more goals than kiwi strikers......might have a squad place up front
Or we play 3 RBs all with a free role…Piper, Payne and Billy T! I mean Bill is Piper plus some amazing passes and free kicks. Both seem to know where the net is.
For a bloke who was looking more and more on the outer after the early part of the season passed by, this guy is doing everything he can to earn an extension over there.
Hats off to him for hanging in there and being persistent after a very lean few years in Charlotte up to this point.
It’s weird. They played him and he’s been smashing it like he was never away. And the team winning has to help. Coaches/managers love those winning runs…
Another RB start for BT, who has just come off at 52 mins (0-0). Can he keep his perfect record of starting MLS games this season and Charlotte being unbeaten.
Edit - Tuiloma remains Charlotte's lucky charm. Wilfred Zaha the late 85th min goal for a 1-0 win. Helped that Cincinnati went down to 10 men at 70 mins. Charlotte on a roll and must be a good chance of making the playoffs now.
Charlotte then went and beat FC Cincinnati 1-0 thanks to a Wilfried Zaha stunner in the 85th minute. Tuiloma was back on the right edge of defence for this one yet he only lasted 52 minutes before being subbed with what sounds like a hamstring injury. Hopefully nothing major – we’ve seen him replaced with cramps in a couple of games although this was earlier than those salt demons usually strike.
In six MLS starts this year, Tuiloma has played 84 mins (CB), 55 (RB), 70 (RB), 73 (RB), 72 (RB), and 52 (RB). In those games, Charlotte FC have taken 16 points from a possible 18 to launch themselves right back into the playoff hunt.
As foretold by Niche Cache, BT has a hamstring niggle so out of today's game. His rabbits foot status running off still hopefully. Charlotte lead 1-0 late on.
Charlotte win 1-0, and go 6th in the East. A real playoff surge from them of late. Top 9 in each Conference into the playoffs.
Tuiloma’s hammy injury sidelines him Archie Goodwin on the bench for Charlotte
Edit - 76 mins and in form Charlotte are 1-0 up. They will sit 4th in the East if they win.
Edit 2 - Charlotte win 1-0. Goodwin gets on to debut in the 91st minute. Be interesting to see how he goes in the MLS. A lot of the young Aussies who go there from the ALM struggle to get mins, like Brook & Bovalina (Vancouver).
Charlotte now has 8 straight wins in the MLS regular season and are undefeated in 9 games. The longest winning streak for any MLS team this season. Starting about the time BT came into the side.
All 3 MLS teams with Kiwi defenders look like being in the playoffs.
BT embracing Toklomati as Charlotte get their 2nd, winning goal. Next after the FIFA break a visit from the GOAT and his Inter Miami team.
