Same Ole Atlanta United

[lethalweapon3]

Back to Bobby Dodd! It's been more than a minute, but Atlanta United is back in their interim building for some MLS action versus D.C. United (3:00 PM Eastern, FS1, Fox Sports Deportes if Alexi Lalas grates on your nerves).

Can speedy midfielder Miguel Almiron keep ATLUTD's offensive attack grooving versus D.C.'s slower but experienced defenders? If they can string together more than a couple goals today, Atlanta (3-2-2, conference-high 17 goals scored) can probably pick up three points versus a D.C. team (2-3-2, 0-2-1 on the road) that has managed just six goals (lowest in the conference) over the course of seven games.

~lw3

[High5]

Finally catch a game and they get smashed after looking unstoppable to start. Gave up 3 goals to a team averaging less than 1 per game.

[lethalweapon3]

How do you get to Yankee Stadium? Practice, practice, practice! Or something like that! After a disappointing home return, the Five Stripes are back on the road in Gotham for a mid-day bout with the New York City Football Club, or simply, NYCFC (4:00 PM Eastern, Univision and Univision Deportes, 92.9 FM in ATL). NYCFC is led on the pitch by star striker David Villa. Dirty South Soccer sets up this match succinctly:

http://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/2017/5/7/15570708/atlanta-united-at-nycfc-live-stream-time-tv-schedule-and-lineups

Quote

In what has been dubbed ‘MLS’ most important game’ by one publication, this match has the makings of a true slugfest. In one corner, the high-spending glamour farm team of a Premier League club. In the other, the new kids on the block trying to create something special from scratch.

 

~lw3

[Dnice]

Never did think about switching to English on Univision till I saw united was on today.

[lethalweapon3]

It won't be the Mother of All MLS Games, but Atlanta United hopes to get back on the good foot in Portland this afternoon, versus the Timbers (4:00 PM Eastern).

After suffering the wrath of NYCFC star David Villa last week, United may catch a break if Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe (hamstring). He and Diego Valeri (hip flexor) missed last week's 3-0 shutout at the hands of the San Jose Earthquakes, and while Valeri is likely to return, Nagbe remains questionable.

ATLUTD remains shorthanded without top scorer Josef Martinez, but winger Yamil Asad will return from his one-game suspension to help Atlanta wake up its dormant offense.

Happy Mother's Day! Let's Go United!

~lw3

[Thomas]

A sport that has a game end in a 1-1 tie and is a common occurrence makes it a tad difficult to watch whole matches for me after growing up watching and being use to roundball and football lighting up the scoreboard. Still trying but haven't made it through an entire match as of yet. 

[macdaddy]

42 minutes ago, Thomas said:

A sport that has a game end in a 1-1 tie and is a common occurrence makes it a tad difficult to watch whole matches for me after growing up watching and being use to roundball and football lighting up the scoreboard. Still trying but haven't made it through an entire match as of yet. 

you need more beer

 

[Thomas]

30 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

you need more beer

 

Always good to have a serious talent like that.

[lethalweapon3]

Atlanta United owes its fans at Bobby Dodd a good performance after floundering three weeks ago versus D.C. United. They'll get that chance tonight against the Houston Dynamo (7 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast).

The Dynamo are playing their third match in the space of eight days, but have their eye on Sporting KC in the top spot of the Western Conference, just three points in front Houston (6-4-1 W-L-T). It will be a huge homecoming for Atlanta native and longtime midfielder Ricardo Clark. He's been playing in MLS since 2003, with intermittent stops in Germany and Norway, and was on Team USA from 2005-2012.

Houston's Erick "Cubo" Torres is breaking back into stardom after two lackluster MLS seasons, and the striker ranks second in the league with 8 goals scored. New Dynamo manager Wilmer Cabrera helped spark Cubo's breakout with MLS side Chivas USA back in 2014, and appears to have the magic elixir again.

All four of the Dynamo's defeats this season have come away from H-Town, including a 2-0 shutout just three days ago in Philadelphia. Some bursts of speed from attacking midfielder Miguel Almiron and some swift passing around the offensive box ought to help ATLUTD keep the Dynamo on their heels.

Mike WiLL Made It fans will be pleased to know he's heading Memorial Day Weekend's MLS inaugural Summer Beat concert series. Just announced yesterday, his concert will be next Friday (United ticketholders get first dibs) at the famous Center Stage in Midtown, two days ahead of ATLUTD's Sunday rematch versus NYCFC.

Let's Go United!

~lw3

[bird_dirt]

I'm telling you, if they can keep Tata and their young DPs together (and healthy), they'll bring ATL it's first championship since 1995 within 2 years.

[lethalweapon3]

It's time to kick some Pigeon Tail! (figuratively, of course!)

Coming off a resounding home win against Houston last weekend, the Five Stripes are aiming to make amends for their worst MLS effort of the season a few weeks ago. This time, they've got NYCFC in their temporary house (5 PM Eastern, ESPN, 92.9 FM in ATL), and not on some gawdforsaken baseball diamond.

They'll go into this one without manager Tata Martino on the sideline. Tata booted a wayward pass into the air midway through last week's game, and got booted himself. Assistant manager Jorge Theiler will run the show in Tata's absence.

ATLUTD defenders found David Villa (1 goal, 1 assist vs. ATL) too hot to handle during the 3-1 defeat at Yankee Stadium back on May 7. The forward comes into today's action red-hot again, MLS' third-leading scorer fresh off two goals in NYCFC's 3-0 win last Sunday at Orlando SC. United defensemen have to avoid the mistakes that keep Alec Kann busy fielding Villa's shots on goal.

Relying on its active midfielders, United will work to starve NYCFC of possessions, and set up team goal-leader Miguel Almiron, the reigning MLS Player of the Week who got Miggy With It against Houston with a hat trick.

Plus... wait a minute... is that... ohmagawd, that's Josef Martinez's music!

Martinez may be subbed in at some point during the game, but whenever he returns he'll be the big Andouille sausage that's been missing for months from Atlanta's offensive gumbo.

Let's Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

So nice, Miggy's done it twice!

Back-to-back honors after his two goals versus NYCFC made it five in the course of two games.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

In related news, Alec Kann has been doing just fine, at times wonderfully, in goal, but we'll have to wait a little longer this summer to see any of Brad Guzan. The US Men's National Team did call up the hard-luck keeper, and he'll be on the USMNT roster for qualifiers against T-n-T and Mexico in the coming weeks. According to United, he'll officially join Atlanta's roster once the league's secondary transfer window opens up in early July.

And I am, at once, horrified for Josef, yet oddly eager to find out how to get a ride on this here Gyro thingy.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Atlanta United had a tough time defending corner kick attempts in last week’s 3-1 road loss in Vancouver. They’ll have a chance to regroup today in the Windy City, but this is a different Chicago Fire team (4:00 PM Eastern, UniMas) than the opponent Atlanta dusted 4-0 for their first home victory, and clean sheet, back in March.

Shortly after that loss, the Fire brought in designated player Bastian “I before E, except after W” Schweinstieger (newly retired tennis star Ana Ivanovic’s hubby). The German formed a formidable midfielder pairing with Dax McCarty, and Chicago has gone 6-3-2 (W-D-L) since that time, moving up to a tie for second in MLS overall standings.

The former Red Bulls legend McCarty is unavailable today, having been called up by Team USA for their upcoming match against Trinidad & Tobago. Without Dax, the Fire couldn’t find the back of the net last weekend in Orlando City, settling for a 0-0 draw even while their opponents played shorthanded through much of the contest.

The Fire has been fiyah at Toyota Park (6-1-0), so while Chicago is seeking to make amends back home, the Five Stripes have their work cut out for them if they’re going to pick up points.

Lead scorer Miguel Almiron is just returning from international duty for Paraguay. Kenwyne Jones remains out to help out T-n-T, who lost 2-0 to McCarty’s USA team two days ago, in one more match next week against Costa Rica. Rocking newly-dyed blue hair, because he can, Atlanta's former scoring leader Josef Martinez may finally be available for at least limited minutes in this contest.

While also fixing their defensive tactics on corner kicks, Atlanta United manager Tata Martino will have to figure out an attacking midfielder replacement for Almiron (assuming he won’t play today) that can rekindle Atlanta’s offensive potency.

 

ATLUTD will be back home soon, but there will be very little rest for them. Wednesday evening, they’ll play in their first-ever U.S. Open Cup match, and it’s against their United Soccer League affiliate, the Charleston Battery. The pitch will be at Kennesaw State University’s Fifth Third Bank Stadium.

The Battery stakes its claim as the oldest continuously-operating American soccer outfit, and they have a proud Open Cup history, pushing MLS side D.C. United to the brink in the Open Cup final back in 2008, still the last non-MLS team to get there.

In Atlanta’s final preseason match at the Carolina Challenge Cup, host Charleston nearly came away with a 1-1 draw, but late substitute Tito Villalba’s goal before the final whistle helped United escape with the victory.

Let’s Go United!

~lw3

[Guest]

Go United! (I haven't played organized soccer since 1992 but get World Cup fever...)

 

GO ATL!!!!! #futbolrulez

[Guest]

Going to see Atlanta United game today in Chicago.  First time seeing them. Bringing my son who I coached in soccer for ten years.  Moved up here from Atlanta a few years ago.  Should be fun to be an Atlanta fan at the game today!

[Guest]

We're here!  Lots of Atlanta fans including a busload or two from Atlanta!!

[lethalweapon3]

2 hours ago, LongTimeFan said:

We're here!  Lots of Atlanta fans including a busload or two from Atlanta!!

Beautiful view! Tough loss but the important thing is you all had a great time cheering them on! Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Here's hoping for some Capital Punishment from Atlanta United, as they've headed up to RFK Stadium to face D.C. United this evening (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports South in ATL, NewsChannel8 in DC).

Josef "Marge"-tinez and his blue hair should be back among the starting XI lineup for Atlanta (6-6-3 W-L-T, 2-4-3 on the road), but they'll have to compensate for the absence of Carlos Carmona, who sits out a game with a yellow-card suspension. The likely play is to grant German midfielder Kevin Kratz his second start of the season.

Seated last-place in MLS (4-8-3 for 15 points) DCU has been Doin' Tha Butt offensively all season long: 10 goals scored in 15 contests. Thirty percent of that offensive haul came in Atlanta's disappointing 3-1 homecoming loss back on April 30, and even one of those scores was an "own goal" deflection off Atlanta center-back and team captain Michael Parkhurst.

The two straight-up goals D.C. scored in Atlanta were the last open-play goals the opponents have managed (i.e., not counting penalty kicks or set pieces), and we're nearing two months since then. To try enlivening the offense, D.C. traded with Houston to acquire Jamaican forward DeShorn Brown, the 2013 runner-up for MLS Rookie of the Year. But there's no telling What Brown Can Do For Them today.

In that April loss, Atlanta outshot D.C. 26-9 and plans to ensure more of that barrage of shots reach the back of the net, despite the best efforts of the very busy D.C. goalie Bill Hamid (MLS-high 66 saves and 89 shots faced). Atlanta's Peachtree Press offense can be counted on to attack in waves, led in part by DJ Khaled's probable favorite MLS player. Left winger Yamil Asad ("ASAD!") is tied for the MLS lead with eight assists, including his dime to Tito Villalba in ATLUTD's 3-1 win over Columbus last Saturday, and his dish to the injured Kenwyne Jones in Atlanta's sole goal versus D.C. in April.

The defense, meanwhile, simply can't afford the kinds of lapses they made in the April game, and must avoid the kinds of penalty mistakes that could have D.C. feeling like they've somehow grasped some air with extra chances. Jeff Larentowicz did not play in the April contest, and will help Kratz (or Julian Gressel) hold things down in the middle of the pitch.

Let's Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

One more hour 'til Atlanta United kicks off against goalie Tim Howard and the Colorado Rapids at Bobby Dodd (7:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast, maybe a brief delay if there are storms hovering around kickoff time).

The Rapids (5-9-1 W-L-T) are tied for last in MLS points. But while Howard is not what he used to be, don't blame him for their performance, as he has to virtually stand on his head at times to fend off opposing shots. The Rapids, who have center-back Axel Sjoberg back in the fold after missing time to injury, are also still seeking their first road points, after starting out this season 0-6-0.

Atlanta had a similar situation against D.C. United on the road earlier this week but came up empty with a 3-1 defeat. Hopefully they can get a fuller effort from Josef Martinez today, and fewer defensive lapses!

Side note: MLS All-Star Voting is open! The game is in Chicago on August 2. You can go here if you know who you're voting for, although aside from Miggy and Tito I have no clue yet who to pick: https://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/2017/vote .

Let's Go United!

~lw3