Atlanta United started off a two-match road trip with a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire. After an own goal pulled the match level, Atlanta quickly conceded what turned out to be the match winner. What else is new?
That’s now six winless results in a row. Here are the final whistle thoughts from yet another defeat, Atlanta’s fourth in five matches.
Every week, Scarves and Spikes brings you original interviews, on-site coverage, live shows/podcasts, and the analysis you won’t find at the bigger national outlets. With 2026 being a World Cup year, Atlanta United facing yet another important transfer window, the U.S. Soccer National Training Center setting up shop in the Atlanta area, and NWSL Atlanta kicking off in 2028, your support helps us do even more.
What you get on Patreon:
- Atlanta United training ground updates
- Discord access — talk Atlanta soccer with the SnS team and other supporters
- Patreon-only mailbags
- Grey Gowder’s analytical deep-dives on roster construction, the academy, ATL UTD 2, and more
Start your free trial
More of the same
It’s hard to discuss the same things over and over again with this team. It’s akin to watching “Groundhog Day”. Again, Atlanta find a crack of light before a costly mistake comes back to bite them. Again, the Atlanta attack does barely anything to challenge their opponent. The Fire had eight shots on goal to Atlanta’s two.
You’d have thought that the insertion of Saba Lobjanidze and others would have sparked the team but, outside of the own goal, it didn’t. Instead, it’s another loss to add to what’s been a dreadful season.
What now?
It’s a quick turnaround for Atlanta as they get ready to face another struggling team in Austin FC on Wednesday. Austin, who needed a late-match comeback to win their Open Cup match against the El Paso Locomotive midweek, play FC Cincinnati on Saturday.
I really don’t know what to make of Wednesday’s match. The team can barely muster a competent attack. They can’t defend under pressure. They continue to sink further and further back in the standings with no end to their struggles in sight.
After Austin, Atlanta returns to the Benz to face Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Orlando City before playing six matches in a row away from home during the Club World Cup. In all seriousness, looking at the next four matches, which one can you legitimately say that they have a fair shot of winning? Could Atlanta be completely out of the playoff picture by late May?
Let us know what you think in the comments.
reports are that Delia will make changes for the Austin match – hopefully the changes will also include meaningful formational changes AND personnel changes.
Just feel sad. The team is so much worse than the sum of its parts. That’s coaching. That’s a dysfunctional clubhouse.
I have and will continue to love my team, but I am afraid I will not make 2025 matches appointment television until something changes. Plain ugly futbol.
Dear Atlantistas: I can´t understand your F.O.
Atlanta UTD stink
Atlanta Falcons stink
Fire Arthur Blank
We need a new owner
I was afraid, when I saw the lineup and formation, that the game was lost already. Why did Delia decide to go with dual #10s yesterday? Last week against Nashville, we at least looked good for part of the game with Miranchuk playing as a 6/8. This week he puts Miggy and Miranchuk in the same space, and we’ve seen over and over again how poorly that works out.
#2, why is Saba being scapegoated? He typically works his ass off when he plays, which is a lot more than many other players seem to be doing.
I would like to see the following lineup:
Guz (not good but the best we have apparently)
Back 4 of Amador (when healthy) or Hernandez, Abram, Williams, and Lennon
Defensive midfield of Muyumba and Slisz with Miggy as the 10
Front 3 of Fortune, Latte Lath and Saba (L to R)
I also would not mind replacing Abram with Cobb (until Gregerson returns) and Lennon with Edwards for a few games. I don’t really think wither of them are a major part of the problem, but things have to be shaken up some imo.
Saba has been aweful this year, “trying hard” doesn’t count. Slisz has been worst, in a much less forgiving position, this year. Neither should start.
Deila does seem to be penciling in all DPs, I loved the fact that Tata benched Barco because he didn’t fit. And we effectively won with Miggy and Josef. We should try something similar, building a system that plays to the strengths of (2025) Miggy and Lath.
Do you think, based on the last several lineups, that Deila will do that? He saw the NY match just like we all did, but keeps AM at the 10 for some reason…
There is a lingering question that a number of fans are continually asking (myself included) – why do players seem to play progressively worse for us when they are here and when traded or sold, play much better for a different club? It has happened a LOT and the only thing I can point to is club culture- coaching being a primary contributing factor, but not the only one.
Why in the F does this keep happening?
Yeah , I don’t know if he will. My working theory is (like many others) that it is system selection over building tactics to the players strengths. I truly believe that is what Tata did so well and all other managers have failed at here. He built around Miggy (17-18) and Josef. But, what I am I trying to imagine is what is the thought process of Deila. I don’t think Miranchuk fits the style of play that works for (25) Miggy and Lath, as individual players, but I do believe he is trying to make something work with variations (unlike Pineda). Because counter to many other fans, I actually think Miranchuk is a very good player, just very different with a subtle skillset that doesn’t match the other players on this team, nor the system being rolled out.
Maybe like when DeBoer kept playing pity in a way that didn’t suit the team, or more like when Moreno and Barco were paired to play in midfield together because the FO thought just buying good midfielders is all you needed to do. Miggy, ELL, alexy, and even klich all have specific skillsets, but it’s not like they were working together before Deila got here, so thinking they would just be able to plug in a new coach with a system is a bit naive.
Deila does seem to be trying different things to make the system work, IMO. Moving Lennon to right wing, having fortune out left a couole times. Saba on either side, having dropped Miranchuk to the 8 a few times, having started multiple combinations of klick, Slisz, Muyumba, and fortune in the CDM role, finally benching Saba due to poor performance… he is actually being flexible in formations and selection, just not in his system or tactics that fit their current strengths. These players just don’t compliment each other, and I feel that is more on the FO than him, at the moment. Giving benefit of doubt.
My feeling is that he should be able to build a team around (this version of) Miggy, if he implemented tactics that hide his weaknesses and compliment his strengths.
But coaches and teams seem adverse at building around a single player or two. I understand the counter argument but a system first mentality is not working.
Didn’t get a chance to watch the match yesterday…so coffee and misery this Mothers Day morning…
These are just thoughts as I’m watching…sorry so long…
10 minutes in and it seems the players just do NOT want to be there – there is absolutely no joy or extra effort from anyone.
Still so many giveaways – no support for each other…no checking…no movement..booting it up the field….just sort of standing around and watching the match from the pitch.
This lackadaisical effort has to be primarily influenced by Deila – he seems to have lost the locker room by all accounts. Maybe he just doesn’t have the expertise to dig this team out of the gutter, or maybe he is just a d*ck…cant tell which…would love to hear some thoughts on this.
Also, Miranchuk is hot trash again this match – not just for the idiotic handball…his first real pass to ELL on the initial breakaway was SO bad, and he just is not moving.
We’ve got ~$50M invested in MA, ELL and AM, and we are a third of the way through the season and they have yet to gel…that is on Deila. If he can’t figure out how to run the match through those three (considering we have IMHO a better supporting cast than most MLS clubs out there – Saba, Lennon, Muyumba, etc), then he really doesn’t need to be coaching this particular team – not a good match.
This isn’t a rant…just observations. I’m not even angry any longer…just disappointed, and if I’m being honest, a little heartbroken. I had high hopes this season, and we are squandering the talent we do have.
And I fell terrible for Miggy and ELL…Garth doesn’t get this shite turned around quick, it will get uglier and players will want to jump off this sinking ship.
15 mjns into 2nd half…its a little better, but only slightly.
I’m embarrassed and want to throw up.
Garth came by the supporters section today before the game and greeted all the fans. We chatted with him for a bit, and told him we went to all the other games. He responded by apologizing for the lack of good performances and said it needed to be better. (Genuinely seemed like he meant it and could see the frustration/shame in saying that).
All I am going to say regarding Garth is that when it comes time to renew for those of us season ticket holders who are going to renew (I understand those who aren’t) despite the miserable season(s) we have been subjected to will see whether (or) not he truly means it based on season ticket renewal prices because it feels to me like we are having a repeat of sorts of last season for starters with a different cast & coach because we went basically 2 months without winning last season until Pineda changed things up and we snapped the winless streak for a game where Saba scored 2 goals against Messi & Co in Miami at the end of May in 2024. In addition, saying you are sorry for creating a mess that you built from scratch is not good enough because the insult to injury was the increase that was done to season ticket prices without any real justification for doing so and there has been no relief of sorts for lack of/a better word(s) taking a loyal fanbase for granted. It is almost like when you have a problem with your car and you are told by the mechanic that you need to replace every part in your car and all fluids as well to solve the problem and even after doing all that the problem still exists and you are no better off now, then you were before putting all the $ into your car. In fact, you are actually worse off now because you are at a financial loss when your hopes and intentions starting out were hopeful and positive.
This is on Garth. He is wasting time, not getting a manager in place over last summer was a grave mistake. If Deila didn’t like Silva, we wouldn’t have had him at the beginning of the year (wasting time), if Saba and Slisz didn’t fit this style, we could’ve targeted an acquisition to fit in the transfer window (waste of time). If we needed a different profile 6 cdm, he could have helped identify a player to complement Miranchuk (wasted time).
Point is, waiting until 12.20.24 to hire a new coach on a season that was dead on 6.3.24 is incompetent at best, egotistically arrogant at worst. Garth NEEDS to apologize, and not just his word salad way of doing “on behalf of the team”… but specifically how poor judgment and bad choices HE has made, has gotten us here.
I agree, Season ticket price increases should reflect the performances / entertainment provided. Garth owns the business side of his position here, so If ticket price increases are as drastic as last year, it will be a second backhand to the fanbase, and I will start the #garthout train.
For someone so full of himself, his leadership here has been shit, and his results even worst. The only thing to wish for now, is an infamous Sounders second half season run.
I hate this team. Never thought I would say that and I’m frustrated but I don’t get it. Since we won MLS cup how many great players did we sign? There was the South American player of the year, Almada, Arujio, Miranchuk, Latte, etc… what do you think this tells us?
Fire the manager, no creativity no sense of urgency Miranchuk and Klitch are hot piles of garbage. Miranchuk literally handled the ball in the box when we didn’t need to!
He can’t keep saying they haven’t had time to gel. Every other team has had time. It’s not the players it’s the manager. This Atlanta team is so uninspiring to watch. We have two very good players and we keep loosing.
I was ridiculed for saying fire the manager, the players don’t want to play for him!
FIRE HIM
I’m not sure how Klich was given a DP contract by DC. At least I now understand why they are paying us to take him.
We are…really, really bad.
Time to sit some DPs and play the guys who play like dogs – as in running hard after balls.
We are poopy
The last three games instead of watching I have gone to the gym and walked on the treadmill and lifted weights and listened to the game. Now after any craptastic performance by United I still feel great as I didn’t waste those two hours watching.
This club is insane if they think I will pay money to buy tickets and spend my time driving downtown to watch this in person.
Is this what being “back, BABY”! Looks like?
Are there any interviews with Garth lately? Has anyone asked him point blank what is going on?
Apparently, he comes on the pre-game show. But, I haven’t been able to find that posted anywhere. Ealles and later, Bica, used to find in weekly in 92.9. Not Garth. Nothing from him or Henderson. Spineless. Bad leadership.
Where in the world is Garth?
There isn’t one single thing to point to as the source of the issue, but I can confidently say one of them that may or may not have already been creeping in before today anyway: the players do not want to play under Deila. They’re uninspired. And when even your subs come out and half ass it, you’ve really lost the locker room.
I hate to say this, but we are the worst team in the league. Our club has lost all of the good will and hope it had with the fans at the beginning of this season and seems incapable of finding solutions that work. Just infuriating and inexcusable to see this this end result product
If the team showed improvement or the ability to be consistent in a unified effort, it would at least be something… but we got nothing to even be optimistic about. I feel so bad for Latte Lath being on this team.
Let’s just be honest, I have seen high school teams that play better than these so called “professionals”. The play is sooo slow, and the way we try to play out of back as if we are Barcelona is downright embarrassing. We need to play direct and play a more physical game. I do blame the coach for not recognizing what kind of players/team he has, but also the players are just not working off each other.
I really don’t know where to go at this point. If you fire the coach, who wants to come into this mess? But the team is spiraling and getting worse.
We have to shake up the lineup.
I agree… I say they need to have the testicular fortitude to bench some of the ‘starters’ and put in some of the youth that wants to prove themselves. I’ve seen way too much walking and little effort from the midfield. That’s the ‘shake-up’ they need right now.
Point not secured.