Atlanta United is very bullish on the fact that they can return to the MLS Cup Playoffs this year.
Whether you consider the play-in round “playoffs” or not, a top-nine spot in the conference standings means that you’ll be granted at least one more match after Decision Day ends on October 19. And, at the time of this writing, Atlanta is on 31 points, a single point behind D.C. United for ninth — albeit with a match in hand.
One wonders how many more points the club would have if they’d simply beaten the teams they should have beaten.
Case in point: August 4 against Liga MX side Santos Laguna in the Leagues Cup, with Santos entering Mercedes-Benz Stadium in dreadful form and not having won a match since Matchday 11 of the 2024 Clausura. (They’ve won just one match in the 2024 Apetura since then). Even with just one DP (Stian Gregersen) on the field for Atlanta, it’s a match they should have won…but didn’t. What’s even more maddening is that it was largely the same group that defeated the Columbus Crew a few weeks prior.
Fast forward to now, where Atlanta has three teams remaining on their schedule that are below them in the standings: Nashville SC, the Philadelphia Union, and CF Montreal. Philly, to their credit, is heating up. But Nashville is in the worst shape of the three teams, having lost ten matches in a row across all competitions. Montreal, losers of three straight, have had a pair of shocking defensive performances to put them further back in the playoff picture.
Nashville and Montreal are teams Atlanta should be beating with ease, especially with a player in Alexey Miranchuk that has been billed by the front office as a player that can elevate his teammates’ performances. The problem is they haven’t been. It’s happened time and time again this season, not only in MLS and Leagues Cup play, but in Open Cup against inferior opponents.
The frustrating part is that we know that this team is capable of strong performances against strong teams: the final result notwithstanding, they looked good against the LA Galaxy before the gulf in talent between the two sides became evident in the second half. They defeated Inter Miami (with Lionel Messi, no less) in Fort Lauderdale. And, of course, there was the win against the Columbus Crew at the Benz before Leagues Cup.
Atlanta needs to embrace consistent, confident performances during these last seven matches, or any hopes of a playoff appearance will vanish completely — and they’ll have no one but themselves to blame.
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I think this season’s expectations have been too high(at least after Thiago and Girgos left)
Looking back at our squad this season, it has looked decent at times. The attack was dynamic or productive to some extent, the defense was always solid or relativity solid, and Brad has been keeping consistent performances throughout the season. And then with the additions of Dax and Bartoz, you really would think that we had a complete team.
But for me, Bartoz hasn’t been the type of player we got him to be. Ever since 2019, we haven’t had that destroyer in midfield with experience. (Ibarra did this to some extent but wasn’t adequate on the ball and was inconsistent) And I really think that the 6 has proved to be the most consequential position for us in recent years, due to Pineda’s game style. In this style, you need a 6 who was good enough on the ball to help us build out of the back and keep possession, but also who was good in transition moments and could be that “police officer” in midfield. And in this system, countless times we would send so many up the field, waste possession, and get countered on and scored on. (I know that this isn’t a good example of this, but does any remember that time in 2022 when Mihailovic and someone else were 2v1 on goal against Brad. I questioned everything in my life at that moment)
Who knows, I’m just some random soccer guy who gets a few ideas every once in a while…
play the kids, play the fringe players, try some different combinations. create plenty of tape for the next manager to start evaluating the talent on the roster. that’s the most beneficial way to use these last matches.
I don’t think the team will settle down until we get a permanent head coach and a technical director
Yeah talking about the team needing to do anything on the field at this point seems like the cart before the horse. Just tread water until the offseason and hopefully Lagerwey makes a bunch of good moves. This team may ass-end its way into the playoff, but honestly at this point they are better off next year by missing it. Teams out of the playoffs get extra GAM. It’s not a ton, but it’ll do more for next year than getting shelled in the first round.
To an extent I agree, but I think individual players need to show consistency in their effort, discipline, and execution of basics to prove they’re a fit for the team going forward.
Silva, Muyumba, Thiare, Rios, and even Mosquera can earn their spots here in 2025 if they put several consistent performances together to end the season.
Fortune will be here regardless, but he needs to perform consistently to be counted on as a first choice depth piece.
Amador looks great, but needs to keep that up, otherwise we need another cheap WB to compete for minutes.
Williams and Gregersen need to develop chemistry now that they’re healthy.
Cohen needs some consistent minutes, but I doubt he gets them.
Cobb and Morales need to continue to take advantage of any minutes and develop. I’m excited to see them next season, but if we don’t give them any minutes, they’re going to lose all their momentum sitting on the bench.
Slisz needs to prove he’s worth the price tag.
If Slisz, Silva, Muyumba, Thiare, Rios, or Mosquera can’t be consistent contributors the rest of this season, we probably need someone else to get a chance in their spots instead.
I think a lot of the players will only continue to fit with the team depending on the new head coach. If we bring in a coach that runs the formation that we currently run, the growth can continue, but if the new coach runs a different formation, a lot of the players might lose playing time