Same Ole Atlanta United 2018

[JayBirdHawk]

Record  setting by Jose!!  Scored on 3 guys, none could stop him.

Miggy finally got one, that set up was nice!

[lethalweapon3]

It’s Wivalwy Reekend! Always a weal tongue-trister, to be sure, but no MLS club has weeked as roefully as Orlando City SC, who bitterly hosts their wegional wival Atlanta United tonight (8 PM Eastern, ESPN, 92.9 FM in ATL). Down in the Tragic Kingdom, there has been no need for their fans to lob out any more trash than there already has been out on the pitch.

When Atlanta last visited O-Town without red-carded keeper Brad Guzan, Orlando City had gone without a loss in April and was looking to overtake Atlanta in the MLS standings. Well, so much for that. The Lions went on a toothless 1-13-1 stretch in that time, starting with that 2-1 loss on May 13. They got blown out 4-0 at the Benz back on June 30, just weeks after dumping head coach Jason Kreis.

Interim coach Bobby Murphy endured that defeat, and new coach James O’Connor took over shortly thereafter, but the winless string was interrupted only by a 2-1 home victory over Toronto FC last month. Orlando (7-15-2, last in MLS East; MLS-worst minus-20 goal differential) gave up on the Justin Meram experiment, sending him back to Columbus a couple weeks ago, but they still have should-be stars, in forward Dom Dwyer and midfielders Sacha Kljestan and Cristian Higuita, at their disposal.

The scoring has picked up a touch, with at least two goals tallied in four of their past five matches (including a favorable “own goal” in each of their past three games). But the 3-3 draw versus New England on August 4 was the first time they scored more than twice at home since beating Real Salt Lake back on May 6. The crushing defeats, meanwhile, are still coming.

Orlando could not withstand the Wrath of Zlatan, blowing 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 leads on the road versus the LA Galaxy while allowing Ibrahimovic a second-half hat trick on July 29. On a breakaway borne by poor defensive positioning from host DC United on August 12, midfielder Will Johnson somehow found himself dispossessed by the ageless Wayne Rooney, who turned upfield and set up Luciano Acosta’s miraculous header for a hat trick and the winning goal in stoppage time.

Orlando was on the verge of picking up consecutive points for the first time since May 6, but it was not to be. It was instead a reversal of fortune from their prior match, where Scott Sutter plunked in a rebound of Yoshimar Yotun’s stoppage time free kick to salvage a draw versus the Revolution.

Forget winning, even mediocrity seems to go too far to Yotun’s head, as his postgame antics against New England drew not only a red card, keeping him out of the DC game, but the ire of the league’s Disciplinary Committee. DISCO handed down an extra suspension that shelves Yotun (team-high 9 assists) from this game as well. Nice work, Yo-Yo. Higuita (red-card vs. DC) is also suspended, too.

The notorious hot-headedness of this club (or its fans, for that matter) has never served Orlando City well. It will be their aim that, if they can’t play spoiler by winning the game outright, the Lions will try to goad the Five Stripes into penalties that could imperil Atlanta’s chase for the Supporters’ Shield.

Composure will once again be key for ATLUTD (249 fouls committed, T-2^nd-lowest in MLS), as will creating plenty of chances for Miguel Almiron and Tito Villalba while Orlando’s porous defense (MLS-high 2.38 goals allowed/game) tries to thwart MLS history for Josef Martinez before a national audience.

Rill Orlando wuin the chance for a victory? If so, for whom?

 

Let’s Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

...oh, and he's NOT done! Josef is So-So Def!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

"Who's Your Daddy?"

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

"Who's Your Daddy?"

~lw3

Damn, lololololol.

Love it!!!

[lethalweapon3]

Atlanta United has had great practice putting MLS Playoff hopefuls away in the back half of this season. Not only can they do the same versus the suddenly backsliding DC United tonight (7:30 PM Eastern, FS1, 92.9 FM in ATL), the Five Stripes can also be the first MLS club to cross the playoff-clinching threshold this season.

Merci beaucoup! ATLUTD got some assistance from the Impact, as they tamed the Red Bulls 3-0 in Montreal last night. Columbus also did their part by outlasting NYCFC 2-1 at home, too. Those defeats for the New York teams tightens the grip on the Supporters' Shield (and, as importantly in my opinion, an opening-round bye) for Atlanta (16-4-6 W-L-T; 8-2-2 on the road). They now need only a draw to ensure themselves of a playoff spot. At this point, it's more a matter of earning it themselves than needing any help from the rest of the field.

Josef "Father MC" Martinez (MLS-record 28 goals) still might not be through shattering records. He's tied for the all-time record with the Timbers' Diego Valeri with a goal in nine consecutive contests. I'm not sure what the league record for game-winning goals is, but Josef (9 GWGs) might be closing in on that as well, if he doesn't already have it.

If Brad Guzan and the Five Stripes' defense is on his game, a goal or two from Martinez might be all that's needed. DC (7-11-6) used the bounce from the arrival of Wayne Rooney new confines at Audi Field to surge toward a playoff spot. But now they've dropped a 1-0 decision to the Red Bulls and, back home, lost 2-0 to Philadelphia, and need to figure things out quick to maintain an outside shot for the final playoff spots.

Atlanta knows keeping Rooney from finding clear angles, and possession control to keep the ball away from our old friend Yamil Asad, will go a long way toward prospering tonight. With no games for nearly the next two weeks, and international play coming up this month, checking off the playoff box early would be very helpful.

 

Let's Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

ICYMI as a result of last night's DC United-NYCFC draw... We In There!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

The reinforcements are coming! A rested Atlanta United remains on top of the points-per-game leaderboard as they get back on the road this afternoon in mile-high Denver to face the Colorado Rapids (3:30 PM Eastern, Univision). As they head out to tackle the lowest-scoring team in MLS, it looks like the Five Stripes will have Darlington Nagbe and Franco Escobar back at their disposal.

Escobar will help Coach Tata gameplan with deeper options along the back line, perhaps allowing him to give defensive midfielder Jeff Larentowicz (who was on Colorado's 2010 championship team) some well-deserved respite. Nagbe's return, coupled with his mid-season replacement in Eric Remedi, allows Atlanta time to return to the days where, when they weren't threatening to score, they were sucking the life out of opponent's chances to possess the ball.

Picking up points here at Colorado (MLS-low 31 goals in 27 matches), and in a few days in basement-dwelling San Jose, will be essential for nailing down a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference. Sneaking shots past the venerable Tim Howard in goal (95 saves, 4th in MLS) is never easy. A flood of chances created by Julian Gressel, Ezequiel Barco and/or Tito Villalba upfront should be sufficient to have the Rapids playing from behind for most of this match.

Speaking of floods, hearts out to our Squawkfam living in the Carolinas. We're pulling for y'all this weekend!

 

Let's Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Whoops, almost forgot, we've got a MatchNight TONIGHT! Way out in San Jose, versus the coach-fired, turmoil-roiling, Earthquakes...

TONIGHT, as in... 11:00 PM Eastern time (UniMas, 92.9 FM in ATL)! The last MLS club to have as many as The Five Stripes' 9 road wins (currently) in a season? Why, San Jose, back in 2012 when they earned the Supporters' Shield that ATLUTD is now gunning for. Nobody since then has grabbed more than 8, including Toronto FC with 7 during their magical championship season last year.

Atlanta can become the first club to notch double-digit road victories in an MLS season since DC United back in 1999. Hopefully, coach Tata Martino knows the way...

 

Let's Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Defense! Defense! Atlanta United fans will be breaking out the “D” and the “Fence” signs at Mercedes Benz Stadium, in hopes their club can grab some more points in the standings and inch ever closer to the top-overall seed, as Atlanta takes on Real Salt Lake (7 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL).

Topping RSL would make the titanic match that follows, on the road next weekend at Red Bull Arena, not as essential for Atlanta’s aim to claim the coveted Supporters’ Shield. It’s theirs, at least, if The Five Stripes (18-5-6 W-L-T) can avoid taking two L’s in these final five regular season matches. But they’ll have to put up a stronger defensive front than they presented during much of the last-minute, 4-3 victory at San Jose, a match that was equal parts exhilarating and unnerving.

After losing at home to the Red Bulls (17-7-5 W-L-T, MLS-high 11 home wins) back on May 20, Atlanta went through August having allowed three goals just once in – namely, the Independence Day disaster flick in Dallas – over a stretch of 14 MLS contests. Yet, in two of their past three matches this month, at DC United and at San Jose, the ball snuck past goalkeeper Brad Guzan thrice. It’s not all, or even primarily, Guz’s fault, though.

Atlanta’s holding midfielders and defensive backs have been slipping lately, with lackadaisical approaches to thwarting opponents’ abilities to find lanes of attack and passing opportunities. Team captain Michael Parkhurst’s diminishing quickness is becoming apparent, while Franco Escobar and Chris McCann struggled mightily to contain defensive assignments versus the Quakes, prompting breakdowns on both sides of Guzan’s net.

Chances are high that coach Tata Martino will opt to re-insert Darlington Nagbe (DNP vs. SJ, rehabilitative recovery) alongside Eric Remedi to help keep possessions largely in Atlanta’s favor this evening. But ATLUTD needs dispossessions by defenders (more than from just Leandro Gonzalez-Pirez) and clean transitions to make their strategies work.

Making a strong playoff push, Salt Lake (13-10-6, 6^th in MLS West w/ 1.55 PPG) has been coming alive on offense. RSL was just 1-9-2 away from home, but have since won their past two road matches, winning 2-1 at slip-sliding Houston and 6-0 at woeful Colorado to close out the month of August. The 3-0-1 stretch for RSL extended into this month, with a resounding 6-2 win at home over the LA Galaxy, and a lackluster 1-1 draw with Minnesota United.

Acquired by Salt Lake in the offseason with Targeted Allocation Money, Croatian midfielder Damir Kreilach has been deployed in multiple roles around the pitch by coach Mike Petke, leading the club with 11 goals (one more than star midfielder Albert Rusnak). While scoring three goals in a match seems like old hat to fans of Atlanta’s Josef Martinez (MLS-record 30 goals), Kreilach’s hat trick versus the Galaxy was the first by an RSL player since 2014.

Kreilach’s surge has helped fortify an offensive attack with Rusnak, and passing-minded forwards Jefferson Savarino and Joao Plata, leaving opponents uncertain from where the strikes are coming. Only Atlanta has fired off more shots on goal (180) than Salt Lake (175).

Martinez and his re-enlivened scoring partner, Miguel Almiron (4 goal scores in past 5 matches), intend to be a headache for Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva and the RSL defenders to contend with for 90-plus minutes. But unlike the scene during the final whistle at last-place San Jose, a wild-and-woolly shootout tonight at The Benz likely favors the visitors tonight. Can Atlanta make things easier on themselves, with a better focus on impenetrable defense?

 

Let’s Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

First Round? Bye!

Around this time of year when I was 16, I was picking all the cherries out of the fruit cocktails in the school lunchroom.

 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

That big matchup next Sunday at Red Bull Arena just got a bit less complicated.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Statement Game! The second most successful MLS road team of all-time (best since the No-Draws era ended in 2001), Atlanta United can further solidify their standing on the MLS table if they can stiff-arm the second-place New York Red Bulls in their house this afternoon (1 PM Eastern, ESPN, 94.1 FM in ATL since the Falcons have 92.9 today). But the Red Bulls hope they can make a statement of their own, without their own MLS superstar on the pitch.

Bradley Wright-Phillips (19 Goals, 3rd in MLS)  drew an unfortunately-timed yellow card, and the accumulation of rectangles has him boxed out of today's big matchup. BWP's pair of goals helped New York top Atlanta by a 3-1 score back on May 20 at The Benz, and his scoring threat will be missed today.

But RBNY proudly holds the league's best home record, as they can still tie 1998's D.C. United by winning out and notching 14 home victories. Further, they're the best passing team MLS has to offer (league-best 67 assists on their 55 goals), led by midfielder Kaku (14 assists). Second-ranked in assists per game this season is D.C. United, the team that last defeated The Five Stripes back on September 2. Strong discipline by Atlanta's defenders and wingers will be essential for keeping coach Jesse Marsch's group from feasting off of corner kicks and set pieces.

The May match did not even feature the Red Bulls keeper Luis Robles (1.07 goals-against average, best in MLS East), who was out due to injury at the time. Atlanta will need their midfielders to sustain possessions, and Tito Villalba and Julian Gressel to continue aggressively seeking out scoring chances. RBNY All-Star defenders Michael Amir Murillo and Aaron Long lead a stout backline that's up to the task of thwarting Atlanta's biggest scoring threats.

With the team as healthy and stacked as they'll be before international play in October, ATLUTD will want to keep this potential Conference Finals opponent from gaining hope of overtaking the Supporters' Shield race, and especially home-field advantage.

 

Let's Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

It’s Closing Time! Atlanta United is back in the Benz, they’ve still got the Supporters’ Shield in their sights, and they’ve got an opponent in the New England Revolution (3:30 PM Eastern, Univision, 92.9 FM in ATL), that’s simply eager to be put out of their misery.

Don’t remind the Revs about their last visit to Northside Drive. Last September, The Five Stripes had Robert Kraft’s club rolling and reeling, going down two men and looking up at a 7-0 loss by the time the referee mercifully blew the final whistle. That squash job, extending New England’s winless road record through 15 games and spoiling fading playoff hopes, cost coach Jay Heaps his jerb.

Heaps’ replacement, former USMNT U-19 coach Brad Friedel, took the re-tooled roster and had them in playoff-contender shape right up through June. Then they hit the wall. The devolution for the Revolution (8-11-11 W-L-T) includes a solitary win (1-6-5) over the course of their past 14 games. They’ve averaged exactly one goal over those last 14 matches, so anything more than two scores past Guzan in goal today, would not only be disappointing for Atlanta, but also a bit shocking to the folks donning red and blue.

Ecuadorian midfielder Cristian Penilla, linemates Diego Fagundez (team-high 8 assists) and All-Star Wilfried Zahibo, and forward Teal Bunbury (tied with Penilla with a team-high 11 goals) will do what they can to ensure New England doesn’t get blanked again. After a late foul-in-the-box by Kevin Kratz, Bunbury (team-best 5 game-winners) buried a penalty kick in minute #87 to salvage a 1-1 tie versus Atlanta in Foxboro back in May.

The Revolution could only manage that single score against coach Tata Martino’s remodeled defense (LGP yellow-card suspension, Greg Garza lost to injury, Franco Escobar and Chris McCann each returning from injuries). Defensive midfielder Luis Caicedo will do what he can to pry possessions away from ATLUTD, but he gets excessively aggressive (60 fouls, 3^rd in MLS, tied for 1^st with 10 yellow cards). Caicedo can help the Revs’ cause by simply being around for extra time. “Leading” MLS with 444 fouls committed and a +90 foul call differential, New England cannot afford to again fall behind with the number of men they have on the pitch.

Atlanta hasn’t forgotten the many missed opportunities to score in Foxboro, making goalkeeper Matt Turner look like the second coming of, well, Guzan (1.17 goals against average, worsened only by last weekend’s 2-0 loss at the Red Bulls).

Josef Martinez gets a chance to put some more polish on his forthcoming Golden Boot award. His 50 shots-on-goal is bested in MLS only by his bestie, Miguel Almiron (51 SOGs; #1 on Audi Player Index Rankings). If the Peachtree Press can turn Matt’s first name to Head (Turner) for 90-plus minutes, the Five Stripes can win this home game going away.

 

Let’s Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

The Bello. The Ball!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Can't hate on the pending loss of Tata (after the playoffs)... sure sounds like a LOT of pesos!

Plenty of time to find a replacement. Good luck to him with El Tri!

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

Bummer.

[lethalweapon3]

Gameday at The Benz! Atlanta United won't have Miggy Almiron (hamstring) or Tito Villalba (thigh, injured working out with Paraguay) to key their attack versus the Chicago Fire today (3:00 PM, ESPN, 92.9 FM in ATL). But we still have Coach Tata, for now, and the future Mexico NT head honcho should have a crafty gameplan in place to put their feet to the Fire.

While Julian Gressel and Ezequiel Barco will have a lot on their plate, trying to slip the ball around and past defenders, the ability for Atlanta to fend off the Red Bulls for the Supporters' Shield will depend heavily on their backline, which is getting healthier right on time for the forthcoming MLS Playoffs. Former starter Greg Garza is nearing a return, having trained for the first time with the squad last week. For now, George Bello will help firm up the wing and keep 2017's Golden Boot award winner, Nemanja Nikolic (team-high 15 goals, down from an MLS-high 24 in 2017) from having a field day.

Chicago already spoiled Atlanta's dreams in this building once this season, Nikola's second-half score helping end United's US Open Cup run by a 1-0 score back in June. The problem for coach Veljko Paunovic's crew has been in regular-season MLS action. Since pulling off a draw at Seattle on June 23, the Fire have been doused in away games, going 0-8-1 away from Toyota Park and logging more than a single road goal just once since mid-July.

A low-volume of chances for the Fire (MLS-low 323 shots this season) is not going to cut it even opposite a shorthanded Five Stripes frontline, not against the guy to whom Nikolic is handing over the Golden Boot. Probable league MVP Josef Martinez is about due after not logging a goal in five of his past six appearances. While he draws lots of attention up the middle, there will be plenty of angles for Gressel and Barco to set up teammates, and each other from the wings.

Simultaneous with this contest, the Red Bulls have their final tough matchup this season on the road, against emerging Philadelphia. To stay on top in the East and in the race for the Shield, Atlanta will want to do all they can to secure three points today. With the Red Bulls potentially able to gain a goal-differential advantage as a tiebreaker, now isn't the time for ATLUTD to get lazy on defense, sloppy with transition, or stingy on the attack.

 

Let's Go United!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Decision Day in the MLS! One final dress rehearsal for 22 MLS teams, all playing at the same time. Both Atlanta United and their hosts, reigning MLS Cup winner Toronto FC (4:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL) want to conclude their regular season slate with a win. The burning question for both clubs is, how desperately do they want this victory?

Toronto (9-18-6 W-L-T) is wrapping up the year, still with the afterglow of what was the greatest season in league history in 2017. They waded through CONCACAF Champions League and Canadian Cup play, and the Campeones Cup match with Liga MX champ Tigres UANL. The intervening matches seemed to wear down Greg Vanney’s club as the MLS schedule wore on.

Since escaping Mercedes Benz Stadium with a 2-2 draw back on August 4, Toronto has been successful only insomuch as playing spoiler. A 3-7-1 record since the Atlanta game includes a current three game losing streak, The Big Red having been shut out in their last two games on the road.

But, one should note that their three wins had a role in eliminating New England (their last win, here at BMO Field on September 29) and, depending on what happens today, having the runs for the LA Galaxy and Montreal end just short of the playoff line.

Toronto (20-5-9 in 2017) would love to keep Atlanta (21-6-6) from having the greatest-ever MLS regular season all to themselves. But I would doubt that, given the choice, they would prefer those pesky New York Red Bulls, winners of two of the past five Supporters’ Shields, overtaking ATLUTD on the final day to claim their third.

The Red Bulls are likely to run roughshod over visiting Orlando City (2-14-0 on the road, 0-9 on goals in last four road games, last road win on April 29) today. So Atlanta knows they must win to secure home pitch advantage in the MLS playoffs, to say nothing of momentum heading into the postseason.

If they lose, and the Red Bulls only manage to tie, the Five Stripes would have to ensure they don’t lose by more than a goal (currently +1 for the goal differential tiebreaker) to maintain the tiebreaking edge due to total goals scored (currently +8).

Miguel Almiron (hamstring) will remain sidelined, but outgoing coach Tata Martino will have Tito Villalba back for Atlanta. It will be a brisk, wet day, the moisture perhaps recalling the struggles the Five Stripes had in a much warmer Montreal (a 2-1 victory over the Impact) back in July.

Setting up a final statement goal for the scoring-starved Josef Martinez (MLS-record 30 goals), shut out in six of his last seven starts, would avert any shenanigans for the league’s MVP voters. But quality chances may be hard to come by if the outdoor field conditions are slippery.

If the need to shore up the defense becomes essential in this contest, Coach Tata will have Greg Garza (shoulder) back and available as a possible substitution. Ideally, Atlanta will be able to rely on Michael Parkhurst, LGP and the Atlanta backline in minimizing shot angles, notably for league-leading shot-producer Sebastian Giovinco (162 shots, 30 more than Almiron; 48 on goal, most in MLS behind Martinez and Almiron).

If goalkeeper Brad Guzan (two shutouts in last 13 appearances) can snag a clean sheet, chances are very high that the Supporters’ Shield will get shipped to the ATL. The club’s first competitive hardware, in just their second season of existence, would stand on the shelf as a proud remembrance of the coach that guided this organization to such resounding early success. They’ve worked hard enough all season such that, on MLS Decision Day, they only need to take care of their own business, and not keep an eye on anyone else’s.

 

Let's Go United!

~lw3