Atlanta United vs. Columbus Crew preview: Three questions with Massive Report

Atlanta United pulled off a surprising win on the road against Nashville SC a couple of weeks ago. With the international break in the rear view mirror, though, it’s back to the pitch for a match against the Columbus Crew on Saturday.

Unlike the Nashville win, though, Atlanta’s playoff fate is now out of its hands. Even if it beats the Crew (who are winless in their last four), a result by the Chicago Fire against New York City FC shuts the door officially. That said, there have at least been some positive signs: the play of Jayden Hibbert in goal, an improved defense, and Steven Alzate’s strong start.

Tyler Fisher (X, Bluesky) from Massive Report caught up with me as Atlanta United and the Crew prepare to meet at the Benz.

The Crew have gone loss-draw-loss-draw in their last four matches and now sit in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. What are some of the factors that have played into that?

I think the biggest factors that have played into the poor form for Columbus have been the lack of creativity in the final third. This was a team that scored six goals against Atlanta United in Nancy’s first season. However, so far this season, the Crew have consistently been lackadaisical when it comes to taking shots. They want to look for that final pass or attempt to get the easy goal if it’s on. Normally, we would see players shoot from long range, and in my opinion, that has not been the case in recent matches. Another is the No. 9 position. Columbus has had to rely on Diego Rossi, Jacen Russell-Rowe, and Daniel Gazdag to get goals, without a real threatening No. 9. Since the addition of Wessam Abou Ali, Columbus is trying to get him integrated into the system. It’s not easy, but I feel once he is settled, the goals will come. 

Max Arfsten is a name that’s been at the forefront of American soccer fans after getting the assist on an excellent goal from Alex Zendejas in the USMNT’s win over Japan on Tuesday. How do you foresee his prospects not just with the Crew, but with the USMNT, especially heading into 2026?

Max Arfsten is on the radar of a lot of European clubs. I feel that if he continues to perform well for Columbus and the USMNT, he will be a lock for the 2026 World Cup squad. Playing his natural position as a LWB for the USMNT, you can see the versatility he offers on both offense and defense. And if those performances go well, I would not be surprised if Columbus were to sell him next year, or the year after. 

What’s the ceiling for this Crew team in your eyes? They’ll likely still be in the postseason, but how do you forecast their chances at making a deep run and possibly getting back to the MLS Cup final?

Realistically, the ceiling for this Club is at least getting out of the first round. We saw last year that the Red Bulls absolutely had the Crew’s number, bouncing the 2023 MLS Cup champions in the first round. They’re definitely looking to avoid that, but it all goes back to my first response. They need creativity and grit in the final third. They need to produce goals, and the defense needs stability. If they can fix those problems, they can definitely win the MLS Cup, but I doubt it.