Good morning! Sydney here with this edition of the Scarves and Spikes Daily newsletter. Follow me on X, BSky, IG, and Threads.
Atlanta United renew acquaintances with Charlotte FC tonight
Atlanta United’s return to the pitch on Friday led to a familiar result: a 1-0 loss to Nashville SC. Tonight brings another derby opponent and a quick opportunity to reset: a matchup with Charlotte FC, which Atlanta has beaten already (albeit a squad primarily comprised of backups in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16). It’s essentially three points or bust from here on out for the Five Stripes, who sit seven points from a playoff spot.
One thing to watch: Latte Lath on the wing?
We saw it during Atlanta’s friendly against Sporting Kansas City, and we may see it again against Charlotte: Emmanuel Latte Lath on the right wing. “That’s still a possibility,” Tata Martino said.
However…”The positioning of Manu has more to do with the opponent and where we think we can best use Alexey (Miranchuk) in his positioning. So if we feel that it’s best to have Alexey at the 9, we can play Manu as a winger, and if we feel it’s best to have Alexey on the wing, then Manu would play as a forward.”
In other words, wait and see. At least Latte Lath’s open to it.
Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. ET. We’re live on YouTube at 7 p.m. with our pre-match show. Right after the match, we’re taking your reaction on Spaces on X.
3 questions about Charlotte with Colin Cerniglia of Charlotte Footy
Here’s what Colin had to say about Pep Biel, who has 7g/6a in 15 matches this season:
“I don’t know if it’s just here, but Pep Biel might be the best player that doesn’t get the respect he deserves. … Despite a lingering injury last season that kept him out a chunk of games, Charlotte went on a heater and won 9 in a row outright. A lot of reporters — including myself — thought the opposite would happen when Biel went down. So then the media and fans thought, ‘Hey, do we really need this guy after all?’ The answer became glaringly obvious very quickly: YES.”
LIVE Tonight at 7pm ET: Scarves and Spikes Prematch Show
We’re live one hour ahead of the match with instant reaction to Atlanta’s starting XI against Charlotte FC, plus last-minute predictions. Click here →
Across MLS
- Columbus v NYCFC, 7:30 PM ET
- Cincinnati v Vancouver, 7:30 PM ET
- Miami v Chicago, 7:30 PM ET
- New England v Toronto, 7:30 PM ET
- Philadelphia v Red Bull NY, 7:30 PM ET
- Charlotte v Atlanta, 8:15 PM ET
- Houston v D.C. United, 8:30 PM ET
- Nashville v CF Montréal, 8:30 PM ET
- Kansas City v Minnesota, 8:30 PM ET
- Austin v Seattle, 9:30 PM ET
- Colorado v San Diego, 9:30 PM ET
- LA Galaxy v St. Louis, 10:30 PM ET
- LAFC v Salt Lake, 10:30 PM ET
- Portland v Dallas, 10:30 PM ET
- San Jose v Orlando, 10:30 PM ET
Help support independent Atlanta soccer coverage
Every week, Scarves and Spikes brings you original interviews, on-site coverage, live shows and podcasts, and the analysis you won’t find at the bigger national outlets. With 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
- Exclusive interviews, like our recent sit-down with ATL UTD 2 head coach Jose Silva
- 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
Membership starts at $5/month. New subscribers get a 7-day free trial.
That’s it for now. See you in the next one.