Look, it’s an Atlanta United opinion piece at the beginning of another MLS season, I can either scream at the top of my lungs that the vibes are high or sulk in a desolate corner whispering to myself, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Personally, I choose to bask in the undeniable goodwill surrounding this version of the Five Stripes, not because I desire to be a “homer” but because what Atlanta United was able to pull off in 2018 was damn magical…almost addicting…and this 2025 version feels similar.
I understand the trepidation, though, so queue up the word montage. In 2020 the pandemic struck and Josef Martinez tore his ACL, the latter of which was the worst thing to happen to Atlanta sports since Tom Brady. Then fans were able to return to the Benz in 2021 and we watched that packed house go bananas when Jake Mulraney sent in that cross to Marcelino Moreno at the death of the game against Montreal (foreshadowing, anyone?). Moreno finally beat Clement Diop to give the 17’s something to celebrate after a year and a half of weirdness. Then Gabriel Heinze was fired for a variety of reasons, paving the way for a smorgasbord of “high quality h2O” memes before the famous “arroz con pollo there was chicken and rice everywhere” incident out in Portland. Couple that with the Looney Toons-esque injury plagued season of 2022, the pure mediocrity of 2023, and the roller-coaster ride that was 2024 and yeah…I kinda do get the trepidation.
But 2024…what was that glimmer of sunshine that appeared right at the end of the season? Maybe some hope, some cautious optimism as we so often say? Atlanta United’s playoff run was so epic that MLS’s Onside documentary had to pivot their entire episode on the Five Stripes from one of dejected interviews with Gonzalo Pineda and Carlos Bocanegra to spoiler alert one that was pretty freakin’ joyful. But we’ve been fooled by that before and, to be fair, all sports fans coddle the same feelings when their team shows some razzle dazzle. You learn to trust that sentiment about as much as you’d trust gas station sushi or an email from a Nigerian prince. I mean, they beat Lionel Messi in the dreamiest upset in MLS history, and folks were still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Then Garth Lagerwey and the current regime spun up a hacked version of Football Manager they apparently found somewhere deep in the recesses of the Seattle Sounders’ basement and said “What if…?” So let’s quickly recap what Garth Lagerwey did with his powers.
- Went to D.C. United and apparently made them question their existence and relevance to the point they just gave Atlanta United Mateusz Klich for basically a couple of leftover French fries and a used roll of Flex Tape, all while making them keep Klich’s Designated Player designation.
- Re-signed some players on more beneficial and cost-effective contracts.
- Brought his best bud Chris Henderson back as Sporting Director from Miami, where he’d made a pit stop after leaving Seattle. Pretty sure it was Chris Henderson’s copy of Football Manager.
- Made some pretty good decisions in the Superdraft.
- Hired proven MLS winner and Norwegian national treasure Ronny Deila as head coach.
- Hired the guy who basically wrote the book on sports science, David Tenney.
- Went to war with apparently half of Europe to sign record-breaking transfer target Emmanuel Latte Lath.
- BROUGHT MIGUEL ALMIRON BACK FROM NEWCASTLE!
I’ve spoken with Garth many times over the past couple of months, and two things remain constant. One, the man has a method to his madness, and to be fair, he warned the fans they may get impatient. Two, his decisions reflect the identity for the club he laid out from the beginning.
He wants players who want to build a life in Atlanta, not those who just pop in for a cup of coffee and a pay raise. He wants guys who have that internal drive to be better every day, so they can naturally motivate others (hello Miggy). If you look back at the past two years, every decision has been nuanced, if not sometimes painful, and Garth himself has said multiple times that he had a lot of salary “unpacking” (I was gonna use another word here but…nah) to wade through after he arrived.
So where’s that glimmer of hope from the end of 2024 now? Brighter than Miggy’s smile, that’s for damn sure. Sitting here on the eve of MLS’s opening day, I’m not about to let the cynicism of yesterday rob me of joy today. 2017 through 2019 were some magical years in Atlanta United lore, and it feels like we’ve been chasing the high ever since. If you think there’s much more the club could’ve done to try and recapture that lightning in a bottle this offseason, I don’t know what to tell you.
I personally went into this preseason wanting to view a few specific aspects about Ronny Deila’s version of this team: discipline, progression, and chemistry. Having now followed the Five Stripes up I-75 to Chattanooga, out west to Birmingham, and down to the beach in Florida, I can definitively say this team has exceeded all of my expectations. Each match has exhibited Deila’s fingerprint more and more; the players aren’t making the same mistakes, they’re being held accountable, they’re trusting each other, and they’re playing with a purpose.
In talking with players at various junctions of the preseason or on our show, or witnessing them going through the preseason motions, they seem more at peace, yet more confident. There’s a genuine feeling of pure optimism, not cautious optimism, from folks in and around the club. Couple that with the vibes from the fans, and the energy is palpable.
As for that energy and the atmosphere, well, that’s the addicting part. We all have our stories over the years. 2017 Bobby Dodd Miggy hat-trick, 2018 MLS Cup (or pick any game, really), 2019 vs Red Bulls coupled with the USWNT winning the World Cup, Thiago Almada with the banger on opening day 2023, or Xande Silva with the game winner vs Lionel Messi in the playoffs in 2024…when this group of fans erupts, it’s pure pandemonium. And if you’re a new Atlanta fan – and I know a few of you are – and this may be your first time experiencing the Benz Bonanza, don’t just take my word for it.
Garth Lagerwey described his experience at 2023’s Premier League Summer Series inside the Benz as “shocking.” Not because it was a handful of Prem teams playing friendlies at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but because at one point a particular player got on the ball in the attack and the fans quickly rose to their feet, and when he scored from that run, the noise was quite literally deafening (I can attest to it, I was there). That guy was Miguel Almiron playing for Newcastle, and it was his first time back inside the Benz since he won MLS Cup in 2018. The fans hadn’t forgotten, but Garth said it took him by complete surprise. Fast forward two years and Miggy will be stepping back inside the building wearing another Five Stripes kit.
So yeah, it’s okay to feel like it’s 2018 again. Drive (slowly) through the connector and take a bit of pride in seeing those Atlanta United billboards. And when you arrive at the Benz tomorrow, or you flip on your TV, take it all in. Scream like a psychopath if Atlanta scores and make it a proper introduction for all the newcomers. If my ears aren’t bleeding up in the press box and Montreal’s collective teeth aren’t rattling, you’re doing it wrong.
But no matter what happens, just enjoy it, y’all. In my very humble opinion, 2025’s Atlanta United is set up for legitimate success going forward. I don’t say that as a hot take or a clickbait-y phrase, I truly feel that way. The front office has a plan to build this group for the long-term, the team is assembled to elevate each player’s individual strengths, and Ronny Deila has them all dedicated and motivated. Couple that with a fan favorite back in town, what more can you really ask for?
| Get Atlanta United training ground updates, audio and video content you won’t see anywhere else, Discord access, and more. Support us on Patreon and help support independent soccer coverage here in Atlanta! Click here to start a 7-day free trial. |
I mean, I appreciate the optimism. Not sure this team is of the same caliber as the 2018 squad, but it’s still a solid roster top to bottom. I see at top 4 finish… and if we get hot, we could go a lonnnng way in the Playoffs.
I’d say more like 2017. A lot of talent playing for the first time.
For fun, let’s do an unfair comparison between our 2018 lineup and the 2025 lineup (using the 2025 assumed formation).
GK: Brad ‘18 v Brad ‘25 – starting off hard. I think metrics might say ‘24 was better than ‘18, but fitness and age play a huge role. I’ll toss this up as equal.
RB: Escobar v Hernandez/Lennon – I think H/L fit RD’s scheme better. But Franco holds a special place in my heart. Escobar.
CB 1: Parky v Gregerson – I think Gregerson is the “better” CB. But Parky’s leadership was unmatched. Taking Parkhurst!
CB 2: LGP v Williams – Loved LGP, but Williams is way less of a liability. Williams.
LB: Amador v Garza – Garza has done so much for this club. But if Amador can match half the numbers he put up last year he’s an MLS allstar. Amador.
CDM: Jeff/Remedie v Klich – taking Klich here (I think). But I fully expect to be told I’m wrong here.
CM : Nagbe v Slisz – I would LOVE to for these two to be in the same convo. At the current stage? Nagbe.
CAM: ‘18 Almiron v Alex – Almiron. I mean cmon.
RW: Gressel/Tito V Saba – don’t come at me about Gressel’s best position or where he played. Working out of RD’s current formation, it’s either Gressel or Tito from ‘18. Either way: it’s Saba time.
LW: Barco v ‘25 Almiron – again, ‘18 formations don’t always have Barco playing here. But I feel this is most likely who would fit now. But it’s not a contest so I digress. ‘25 Almiron
ST: Martinez v LL – maybe by the end of this season this will be bigger contention. Currently though, I can’t go against the king. #BuildTheStatue
That’s 5-5 with GK being a toss up.
How wrong am I? How big of a pink cloud do I have going into this season?
FWIW it’s hard to argue with any of that. Secondly, this somehow validates my opinion article, at least in my head 🤣 5-5 between then and now is fair
I like the idea, but I would compare Parky to Williams, and LGP to Gregersen. I personally think that’s more of a like for like. I think there’s also an argument that it might be more Jeff/Remedi to Slisz, and Nagbe to Klich, though that’s a little more debatable which is the right comparison.
Even with the swaps though, it basically still evens out. I would take Parky over Williams, but probably Gregersen over LGP. I’d take Nagbe over Klich, and for the other pivot, I’d take Slisz over Remedi, but probably Jeff over Slisz.
Fair enough! I based CB’s on who I remember playing Left and Right. I may be misremember how Greg/Will set up last year though.
I think you’ve got it right. I was basing it off of who’s the smart leader cb and who’s the athletic stopper cb. I suspect Williams plays more of the leader organizer role like Parky
I think comparing Sliz to Jeff/Remedi will be better than comparing him to Nagbe. Either way, it stays pretty much the same. If it’s even 5-5, comparing the benches/depth of both squads would be quite interesting to separate the two teams.
That would be interested. Feels like it may be hard since ‘18 was back before the increase in bench size.
But For what it’s worth, our subs for the final were:
McCain
Tito
Barco
Vazquez
Kahn
Kratz
Robinson
Quick thought is that I may prefer our current depth.
Tito Kahn and Robinson are the only three that jump off the screen as preferable (basing on ‘18 form, not future)
We have a much deeper bench this year with better young players who can contribute early and often.
2025 reserves (not counting Torres and Gordon):
CB — Cobb, Abram, Morales
FB — Matthews
GK — Cohen/Hibbert
6/8 — Fortune, Muyumba, Reilly
W — Mosquera, Brennan, Silva
F — Thiare, Togashi
Head-to-head comparison:
GK — Alec Kann vs Josh Cohen
CB — Miles Robinson vs Cobb/Abram
FB — McCann/Ambrose/Bello vs Hernandez/Matthews
6/8 — Kratz/Remedi vs Fortune/Muyumba
W — Barco/Tito vs Mosquera/Brennan/Tito
F — Vazquez/Romario Williams vs Thiare/Togashi
The only reserve position group that I think is objectively better in 2018 is our wing depth.
Just looking at the quality of HGPs on the roster, we are much stronger now:
2018 — George Bello, Andrew Carleton, Chris Goslin, Lagos Kunga
2025 — Fortune, Cobb, Morales, Matthews, Brennan, Reilly, Torres, Gordon (with Chong Qui on the way like Bello’s late-season arrival)
Something I feel like a lot of media has forgotten (not necessarily you, you actually were more nuanced than most, I’m just waving in general to all the AUFC media) is that we’ve looked very good and exciting for short stints over the past few years.
Beginning of 2024, we were exciting and generally winning games, and then we had the string of injuries particularly to our backline and strikers, and we fell into a pit we couldn’t get out of.
2023 started out ok, went bad, then we were on fire for a few weeks after we brought in Muyumba, Silva, Saba. We ended 2023 pretty promising (leading to 2024).
I think given the various times of genuine promise we saw, It’s part of why I still have some trepidation. That said, this year seems to have the most promise since those early years, so I’m still sharing in everyone’s optimism and excitement for the upcoming year. If there’s anything I’d be worried about, it’s the health of our backline, since that was a huge portion of our problems last year and doesn’t seem to be much better this year yet. But again, We truly have a renewed attack, on field leadership, midfield, coaching, front office. That has to count for a lot.
And of course, great article!
Oh for sure, I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say I’m guilty of having a bit too much hope over the past few years 🤣 This feels different, though, it feels familiar. And yeah, it’s soccer, nobody knows what’s going to happen this season, but I don’t think the team could realistically be set up much better than it is going into this year.
Another “great work” comment for the pile. I think the need to lean towards pessimism and doubt says more about some fans’ need to emotionally prepare for the potential disappointment any sporting club can eventually bring, more so than a rational accounting of the offseason and roster building of the last two windows.
Could we not win hardware this year? Sure. OF COURSE. Other teams are bringing in very talented players as well, and it’s MLS. But we should be excited and joyful at the start. This has been the best offseason since the first team build, and is the first time in years I am saying “unless something goes wrong” rather than “if these things break our way.”
Preach it, that’s how I feel. Weird crap happens but the group seems set up to succeed even when things don’t always go to plan.
Great article! Beautifully written, nuanced; a joy to read. Thank you!
Thank you so much! 🙏
Great article! Gives me optimism for this season and excitement for tomorrow!
Thanks! At this point the prep work is all done, it’s time to just sit back and watch it all play out and enjoy the game, hopefully lots of great memories made tomorrow!
Nice pep talk! Now… LFG!
Thanks! We’re so close!