Atlanta United fans returned to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday for the first time since July hoping to see their team get a result against southern rival Nashville SC. They left disappointed after a lifeless Atlanta United was bested 2-0.
The loss puts the Five Stripes in an even tougher position in the Eastern Conference as it is two points behind 9th place D.C. United and five points behind 8th place Toronto FC in the two play-in spots. The remaining fixtures don’t get much easier for Atlanta.
Rob Valentino made just one change to the starting lineup that grabbed a 1-0 win in Charlotte last time out: Daniel Ríos, former Nashville SC player, started the game in place of Jamal Thiaré at striker. Also, Alexey Miranchuk was given his second start for the Five Stripes and his home debut.
In a game with significant playoff implications, Atlanta United came out disappointingly flat. There was a palpable lack of energy that Nashville took advantage of to get ahead early after Alex Muyl found the opening goal after just five minutes.
There wasn’t any real improvement during the first half as Nashville continued to dominate all around. The visitors outshot the Five Stripes 7-3 and put two shots on target to Atlanta’s one.
Although Atlanta United began to make some more happen in the final third, the team was lacking the end product as chance after chance kept going to waste. Nashville, on the other hand, was more clinical with its chances and extended its lead in the 76th minute after Hany Mukhtar received a very creative pass from Teal Bunbury and calmly finished past Guzan.
And that was the end of a disappointing night for Atlanta United who really needs to start getting results for any chance – however small – of being involved in the playoffs. The most worrying thing from this match has to be the overall lack of energy from the players particularly in front of its home crowd. There was an alarming lack of movement and just no ideas in the final third.
The Five Stripes will go again on Wednesday as they host Supporters’ Shield-leading Inter Miami at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
What did you think of the match? Let us know in the comments and fill out your player ratings below.
I was really trying hard to keep a positive mindset for the remainder of the season.. watching results, keeping an eye on the playoff line, etc. This game was the final nail in the coffin.
Losing at home to the worst team in the east is inexcusable, especially in the manner it happened. Giving up an uncontested goal in the first five minutes, then doing fuck all for the rest of the match. The last time Nashville scored multiple goals was 3 months ago! For me, it’s enough to get even an interim coach fired.
And side note.. Mukhtar has been added to the list of my least favorite players in MLS. Borderline unprofessional the way he dives as soon as he’s in sniffing distance of the box.
He’s always been one of the worst. Would have loved to see a yellow thrown at him for some of his dives but alas.
I have never seen people getting up and leaving in the 75min , half my row emptied out. it was that bad.
I know Valentino was able to stick around after the first time being the interim for the team, but with continued results like this, I don’t think he will be able to stick on the new staff whenever we hire the new head coach
I’ll say it…i’m still not convinced alexey is our #10. I’m sure he has the skills, but when will he display them?
And I can’t remember the last time I got upset watching Brooks cross the ball. He’s usually much more clinical with them but the amount of overcooked crosses was astonishing. Just a huge disconnect across the entire squad.
He didn’t really stand out, but it seemed like any time he or Saba got the ball in opposing end of the field, Nashville would send 2-4 guys at them. There was no one else out there really capable of making them pay. Mosquera is dreadful. He has no feel for the game and no real technical ability. I am optimistic he will look like an impact player with a real coach and improved roster. Just need to see those things fall into place…
There’s only so much a coach will do though. There are many times it’s like these players are playing with 2 left feet and can’t move the ball. We did well moving it in Charlotte, then forgot at home?
The team lacked total leadership, no one was calling each other out and picking each other up
Back to knocking the ball around the backline with no real plan or idea for how to open up their defense (I.e., Pineda ball). The hopeful crosses into the box (mostly overcooked or to nobody in particular) was a crap strategy with Zimmerman always waiting. When we would try to take it into the box we would typically try some quick one-two in the middle of three or four defenders who would poke it away, or we would give it away. What happened to the counterattack approach that seemed to be working better recently? Really poor performance starting with RV.
My Take: this whole team gets 0.
No defensive mids help..not attacking mids..no strikers, goalie is way to old..defense still has Lennon and left wingback..cannot handle as he gets no mids trying to slow down the attack. I like Valentino..I think if he had better player he will be a decent HC. But he got shit players so he gets 1. But I take it back because he got Guzan starting. We are not going to improve, unless the mids actually start tackling and pressuring not just shadowing. The defense need to stop ball watching and start picking up attacking players. We high is a basic fundamental part of the game. It should be clear to everyone ..this team needs rebuilding.
I didn’t watch the second half so I didn’t see Amador’s injury. If he misses the next match against Miami on Wednesday, the only healthy fullbacks on the roster will be Matthew Edwards and Brooks Lennon. To make the depth issues worse, we don’t have healthy fullbacks with the 2s who aren’t still unsigned academy players.
Put Cobb and morales back there, and have them play defense only FB. It can’t be any worse than what we’re already getting, seeing as this past game our corners were getting carved up and they didn’t help at all on attack (arguably made it worse with the constant overcooked crosses and no imagination to push inside the box). It might actually work better, since basically all of our CMs other than McCarty are really more 8s or half 10s anyway. So you take some defensive load off their shoulders and give it to the FBs, and let them influence the attack more.
The thing that has struck me about this team stretching back a couple years now is that there is often no thought past one pass. On offense or defense. New players coming in seem to think about it, but stop thinking about it at some point because no one else is. I feel like the times we’ve done well, it’s either because they’re miraculously thinking about it (when Giakoumakis was on the pitch, he actually thought about the next pass because he was supposed to be that next pass), or more likely because the other team is giving us so much space to run into that we don’t have to think past one pass.
What strikes me is the continued lack of leadership on the field. There is absolutely no one out there holding folks accountable
The ONLY positive from this game is that AB was there and had to watch the crap product he put on the field along with the lifeless crowd. He may not care and probably left before the half, but he saw with his own eyes how far AUFC has fallen.
He looked kinda pissed also was listening to something on his phone.
Culture of losing.
Sorry, forgot that we “are back, baby”!
Lifeless not only described the players, but also the stadium. This season simply needs to end.
I was there. It was a sad stadium. Such an awful team and season.
Have never seen fans stream or of a match like they did after Nashville’s 2nd goal tonight.
There’s no venom in our offense.
Mr. Bean, Benny Hill and Inspector Clouseau could score more goals
Hey, But it was a “sell out”….(my row had 8 people)
I didn’t go, but my first thought when I saw sellout before the game was that I wondered if they did the first level only, and closed the second level as well as the third.
The second level has never been closed for a match.
I would estimate, at most, the actual attendance was 27k.
I know it hasn’t, but that was my thought when they announced on social media that it was sold out, I think even a day or two before the game. It was the only way I could think of they could possibly truthfully sell out the stadium in the teams current state.
Since that’s obviously not what happened, I wonder what other counting shenanigans they did to “sell out”
There are ~20k season ticket holders so that’s half “sold.” I assume they only count the remaining tix that AU actually sells and doesn’t account for ones that are on the secondary market, including Ticketmaster resells.