No interesting lead for this one. No cool headline. Nothing. Just like the match, there’s nothing much to talk about after a very boring 0-0 draw at the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
The point drops Atlanta United to 9th in the East with 12 points and a 3-3-3 record. This extends the Five Stripes’ winless streak to four.
Gonzalo Pineda made three changes from the lineup that fell to FC Cincinnati last weekend. Efrain Morales got his first team debut in place of Noah Cobb at right center back. Cobb had been training throughout the week and seemed to be good to go, but was absent from the team sheet. Tyler Wolff was handed the start at left wing again after Xande Silva seems to have aggravated his adductor injury. Finally, the Greek god of goals Giorgos Giakoumakis returned to the starting XI in place of Daniel Rios.
Despite dominating in many attacking statistics, the Five Stripes weren’t able to make an impact in the first half. Atlanta United posted eight shots to Chicago’s four, but only one – a Saba Lobjanidze header that was saved by Chris Brady – was on target.
The Fire weren’t creating too much and allowed Atlanta more of the ball, but the Five Stripes weren’t taking advantage.
And yeah. That’s about it. Nothing else happened. Atlanta United had a few close calls that were somehow miraculously saved by Brady, but the team just couldn’t find the back of the net. It was an overall dull game that left much to be desired of a team with trophy aspirations.
The Five Stripes return to action on Saturday to face Minnesota United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
What did you think of the match? Let us know in the comments and fill out your player ratings below.
[…] Atlanta United plays to 0-0 draw at Chicago Fire […]
I decided to post only positive comments: we did not lose; we did not give up a goal in the first 15 minutes; defense played Ok; Morales was good and has size; slisch was very good; we created a ton of scoring chances; we only had one give away (I think); Rios is a definite aerial threat; no injuries; Pineda seemed more involved in on-game directives; we didn’t give up a stupid goal.
All very accurate comments
I won’t pretend to know the problem, but I think this team is underperforming. And really has been, for a few years.
I’m now resigned to just seeing out the year, probably getting whatever the last playoff spot is (I can’t keep track), and getting bounced in the first round. Then see whatever the next coach can do next year. Maybe we’ll find someone interesting (it will be a domestic hire, probably – I don’t see Garth spending big on a foreign name).
You guys have said everything that needs to be said . Nothing else for me to say but I will go to their next game.
This team is far from elite. This organization is far from elite.
On the bright side, I feel 10000% better about our organization than I did 3 years ago
[…] Atlanta United plays to 0-0 draw at Chicago Fire […]
Hello Darkness, my old friend.
This is such a good roster and I can’t help but feel we’re only half as good as we could be.
Same here. Based on Pinedas comments last week on “what else can I do, it’s on the players”, I think that’s says to me the next big move will be a coaching change. The roster while lacking some depth, is good. Far better than the results they are getting.
That’s the comment of a coach that has lost the locker room or does not know what to do to fix things. All basics and fundamentals. Sunday Rec teams don’t give up the goals we do.
Apathy setting in. Again.
Garth was at this game. I would truly love to know what he thought about what he witnessed.
What do I think of the match? We are in deep trouble… that’s what I think.
Pineda said after last match (something to the effect of), “Once the ball rolls, you guys give too much credit to what a coach can do”.
So, I’m curious – what was his strategy for this game? What did he change from last game? How did he prepare the team for the unique aspects of how Chicago plays? What movement and risk did he need the team to understand how to break down a team that will happy with a draw and bunkering the majority of the game? What did he change at half time? I’m at a loss.
At this point (and with several seasons now), I just haven’t seen anything that shows what he is ‘trying’ to do??? What is Pineda doing to coach our team to improve collectively? Learn from our mistakes? Improve year over year (especially with added talent this year)? What has he done to create opportunities to get a result, and defend it, with a total team movement in open field of play? Can anyone tell me, because I just don’t see it?
For this game (and several more previously), it seems like we’ll only win with an individual (or two) stroke of brilliance, lose due to the opposite or maybe draw if we are equally bad.
We shall see if a miraculous turn around can occur… but I have lost hope (and my patience). Unless something significantly changes, and I’m saying post haste, we are not making the playoffs this year.
So depressing.
This. He makes a fair point about the coach’s impact mid-game (although that’s up for debate for some probably), but if that is your philosophy, then your value as a coach is what you are doing the other 6 days of the week. The results are still the results. So… what are you doing the other 6 days of the week to make these games better?
We did everything but score
Unfortunately, scoring is necessary to win.
I am sad. So many poor technical setups (yes, plural, it’s ridiculous) and every team in the league has found out how to shut us down. Awful effort.
If they practiced using Almada off the ball, then maybe they might have a chance. By going through the new Barco, who thinks he’s the next coming of Messi, on every play, they diminish their chances greatly. He can make some great passes but more often than not, he losing the ball to 3 guys in a block.
Don’t think I agree here. When he drives forward near the box and loses the ball more often than not there is nobody to pass or combine with. Teammates don’t take advantage that he drags several defenders with him and make runs into the box. His only option is try to dribble through. Or he needs somebody near him which often is not there. What he doesn’t do, and I think he needs to do more of, is to make quick dashing runs into the box BUT there is nobody that can make penetrating passes to him…
If his teammates are not responding, then why? Surely these guys at this level know how to properly do that. So what’s stopping them? Is the coaching plan to keep the box open and therefore have more room to operate in? Are the players executing the game plan and are not able to adjust to those runs? I really thought we would win 2-0 or 3-1 and be arguing to not get too high because it was Fire. Instead here we are wondering why they can’t get on the same page.
Look at how Miami is using Messi. When he’s around the box he’ll slip a through ball to somebody making a run into the box OR he’ll dribble and combine with Suarez, Cremaschi, Busquets, Gomez, Gressel, Taylor and play a quick one touch give and go; many choices available and I’m sure they practice this a lot.
Oh I agree with you completely. You get someone like that or like Miggy and Josef used to do and it seems so simple. What I wonder is the players feel so restrained by Pinedas system that they don’t adjust to the current situation. Granted Fire looked like they just wanted to hang on and that can be hard to break. Pineda cant seem to find a balance of offensive vs defense or to make subs that impact a game regularly. We did loose our new cb to injury but injuries are dealt with by all clubs.
At times it seems our players are not having fun.
I doubt they are. Getting only a draw to Fire and blowing two leads in the previous games does not make a happy clubhouse. Getting a new coach ….
Have never been to a training session, so wonder if reporters have analyzed how we train. The crew’s Nancy is reporting as saying something like: lots of intense video review, tireless repetition of game situations, emphasis on maintaining structure and constant communication before and during game as being integral to his coaching.
can somebody confirm if we train that way? Just curious.
Maybe he’s just overthinking the situation and we have paralysis by analysis.