Atlanta United vs. Nashville SC preview: Three questions with SixOneFive Soccer

Atlanta United’s fate could be officially sealed on Saturday against Nashville SC as the two sides meet for another edition of the Southeastern derby. One team could be on the cusp of winning a domestic treble, and the other, well, isn’t.

Simply put, a loss or draw against Nashville SC coupled with a New York Red Bulls win over the Crew eliminates the Five Stripes from playoff contention. And while a win would be good, it might simply be prolonging the inevitable.

Our good friend Ben Wright (X, Bluesky) from SixOneFive Soccer and Backheeled (and a host of other outlets) was kind enough to chat with us as Atlanta and Nashville square off at Geodis Park on Saturday.

Obviously, these are two sides on vastly opposite sides of the table. What has B.J. Callaghan been able to do to reestablish a winning culture for Nashville and get them playing probably better soccer than they’ve played in some time? I imagine after Gary Smith’s leadership since the team’s USL days, having a new voice in the locker room was quite an adjustment.

Callaghan has been a breath of fresh air in many ways. He’s come in and maintained the defensive floor Gary Smith established, got key players like Hany Mukhtar, Dan Lovitz, Walker Zimmerman and others back to their best, and then added in a much more clinical product in the final third. Nashville aren’t reactive any more, but press high and look dangerous from possession, something they always struggled with before. It’s honestly remarkable how quickly things have taken off under Callaghan.

Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar have powered this team all season. How has the on-field relationship between the two of them blossomed, especially as Nashville looks to win the Shield and possibly MLS Cup?

To be fair, they’ve typically had a good relationship. There are certainly moments where they’ll be visibly frustrated if the wrong choice is made in front of goal, but I don’t think that’s a unique problem to Nashville. Even last year, Surridge was really solid in an anemic attack and scored 12 goals. Mukhtar picked up at the end of the year. I don’t think it should be a surprise that they’ve continued that trajectory with a better team around them.

Nashville has yet to win a trophy as an MLS club, but it has a very legitimate shot at a treble in 2025. What’s your feeling about how far this team can go, especially as it pertains to the Shield and how far they can progress in the playoffs?

I’m optimistic. The US Open Cup feels like the biggest opportunity, obviously with just two wins between Nashville and the first trophy won by any Tennessee professional team in any sport. That would be a huge deal. They’re four points off the Supporters’ Shield and one of the favorites for MLS Cup, so they’ll certainly get other chances, but the Open Cup feels like a really special opportunity. Beating Philadelphia will be really tough, but I think they’ll like their odds against whichever Western bracket team makes it.