In Rob Valentino’s first interim head coaching appearance for Atlanta United since his stint in 2021, he led the side to a 2-2 home draw with the Houston Dynamo. While the performance wan’t perfect collectively, there are some positives the team can build on as they attempt to turn their season around, especially from individual players. Those players are rated below first by staff and then the community.
GK: Brad Guzan – 6
Guzan misplayed the first goal, allowing the ball to float over his head into the far side netting (tough to tell if he could’ve got to the ball nonetheless), but he did make some big saves to keep Atlanta United in the game, especially in the second half where a dive to his right saved a sure-fire headed goal. The save was similar to his famous stop vs. the Portland Timbers in the 2018 MLS Cup. It wasn’t a perfect return to form by any means, but it wasn’t horrible.
LB: Caleb Wiley – 5
Wiley struggled defensively against the pace of Houston’s Amine Bassi and Griffin Dorsey down the right flank as they constantly created scoring opportunities for the opposition. He couldn’t link up much with Xande Silva, in the attack, but his passing forward was precise, especially when switching play.
CB: Derrick Williams – 8 (Man of the Match)
Williams put in a superb showing and was the most consistent player on the field for Atlanta. He single-handedly shut down some Houston attacks, kept his shape well, and as always built out of the back with consistency and precision.
CB: Noah Cobb – 6
Cobb didn’t do anything noticeable this game, but he didn’t make game-changing mistakes. He kept his shape well, communicated consistently with Williams, and did well building out of the back.
RB: Brooks Lennon – 7
Lennon was a bit reserved in the first half, but he got into great positions in the attacking third in the first half and whipped in some great crosses. His defending was solid, as well, with his tracking back saving Houston taking an early lead when they tried to play a ball across the face of goal in the first 5 minutes.
CM: Dax McCarty – 7
McCarty won the ball often, drawed fouls, kept a tight and successful defensive shape sitting outside the 18 yard box, and combined well with Muyumba. Some may have not noticed his play as much as others, but he was very good.
CM: Tristan Muyumba – 7
Muyumba was a little more noticeable than McCarty, being more involved in the attack and aggressive when defending, but his performance was about the same as his midfield partner’s. He filled the role of the box-to-box 8 that Valentino wanted for the match.
CAM: Thiago Almada – 5
Almada was nonexistent in this game, but it’s to no real fault of his own. Rob Valentino had the team playing around Almada for most of the match, preferring to attack out wide while skipping out the midfield and then cross into the box. Why did Valentino do this? Unclear, and while his tactic partially worked and got the team a point, the team’s overall quality of play was lacking because they wouldn’t get Almada the ball. Let’s hope Almada, who is by far the team’s best player after Giakoumakis’ sale to Cruz Azul was recently finalized, makes a greater impact this Wednesday in D.C.
LW: Xande Silva – 7
Silva’s goal, an incredibly-difficult curling effort into the top-right corner from a tight angle on the left side of the box, was his main impact. He was nonexistent in the first half, but grew into the game in the second and kept up his recent scoring form.
RW: Edwin Mosquera – N/A (Injury within first 20 minutes of the match)
ST: Daniel Rios – 7
It may not be an exaggeration to say that Rios’ only touch in the match was his goal, a simple finish off a Houston save into the bottom-left corner. It was a shame he wasn’t more involved, but that’s efficiency at its finest.
RW: Luke Brennan (SUB) – 7
It’s surprising to say that Luke Brennan was the defining factor of this match, the good and the bad, but he was! When he subbed on, the 19-year old couldn’t take a bad touch, beating multiple Houston defenders and putting in the cross that led to the first goal. He was the spark the team desperately needed to get into the match.
As the match went on, Brennan continued to play well and got chippy with the Houston defenders, which was amusing. However, he didn’t fully track back to mark Latif Blessing on Houston’s second goal, instead standing a bit too far behind him as he ran in behind Lennon and scored the late equalizer.
Even worse for Brennan, he had an incredible opportunity in the last minute to win the match for Atlanta when the ball fell to him inside the 6-yard box, but he couldn’t keep his footing under pressure and skied his attempt over the bar.
Brennan was by nowhere near perfect and his inexperience did cost Atlanta, but the attacking clarity he brought to the side means he’ll deservingly get a chance with the squad while Mosquera is out hurt.
CM: Jay Fortune (SUB) – No Noticeable Impact
ST: Jamal Thiare (SUB) – No Noticeable Impact
Atlanta United community player ratings
Brad Guzan: 5.83
Caleb Wiley: 4.77
Noah Cobb: 5.33
Derrick Williams: 6.17
Brooks Lennon: 5
Tristan Muyumba: 5.1
Dax McCarty: 6.03
Thiago Almada: 4.71
Edwin Mosquera: 2.5
Xande Silva: 6.83
Daniel Rios: 6.1
Luke Brennan (SUB): 7.81 (Man of the Match)
Jamal Thiare (SUB): 4.9
Jay Fortune: (SUB): 4.64
Rob Valentino: 5.23
Hard to put their second goal on Brennan. That was a frequently used attacking pattern from Houston all game. Our defense wasn’t set right for it at all. We had a lot of players around the ball, but Houston had 4 runners on the left side of the box ready to pounce on the cross that was inevitably coming.
Yeah this is frankly the most Ive disagreed with the staff ratings all year. While the match wasnt a total disaster relative to increasingly lower expectations, the reality is that we got outplayed at home by a mediocre Houston. The average staff rating was a 6.54, with 6 out of 11 ranked players earning a 7. I think most everyone was about a point high.
With the exception of Brennan. I find it extremely nit picky to blame a winger for not tracking a runner into the pk spot area.
Brennan was the only player who brought any offensive spark (yes Silva’s finish was nice but hard to classify pouncing on a Houston defender attempting a backheel at the worst possible time as “offensive spark” imo). He literally changed the game and should easily be given MOTM.
Sidebar: I also dont think we can just assume that RV’s tactics are why Almada wasnt more present on the ball. I was really irked when Rios got his goal and was clearly ecstatic, and Almada just kinda trots back.