Just shy of an hour after Atlanta United’s 4-1 loss to the New England Revolution, Miguel Almirón sat in a room at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough for the club’s postmatch media availability, no doubt reflecting on the night’s events. On Wednesday, he and his teammates walked off the pitch with a 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC despite falling behind 2-0 in the first half.
On Saturday, they fell behind 2-0 once more. Only this time, there would be no comeback. Far from it.
“Everything started poorly,” Almirón said through an interpreter. “We gave away goals too early, and we weren’t able to react and know how to handle the game.”
By the time Peyton Miller found the net in the 56th minute — his second of the season against Atlanta United — it was clear that this one would belong to the Revs. Atlanta eventually would face a 4-0 deficit for the second time this season, matching its 4-1 loss to Orlando City in May’s U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal.
That said, it looked as if Atlanta could find a way back for a few fleeting moments. Before his consolation goal in the 85th minute, Almirón had opportunities to halve the New England lead, instead hitting the right post and later seeing his long-range effort parried away by Matt Turner.
Outside of that? Nothing to show for it in the attack. Again. Preventable mistakes in defense. Again.
“It’s frustrating, because we think that we have a good team,” Almirón said. “We have good players, good teammates, and now we’ve added some new faces to the group who are gonna help. It’s frustrating, but we know that we just have to keep working. That’s the only way that we can get ourselves out of this. We have to work twice as hard. …
“It affects me a lot because I love the club. That’s why I came back because I wanted to and I wanted to help the club in this situation.”
So why isn’t this team breaking through? Many of the same issues plaguing the team in 2026 are the same ones that hurt it in 2025. Júnior Alonso’s arrival doesn’t seem to have helped much as of yet.
With respect to what this team needs badly, specifically a striker (being addressed), a winger (long needed), and a No. 6 (long needed), the players here, with a few exceptions, haven’t been able to deliver.
“It’s hard for me to accept as well,” Almirón said. “I do feel like we have good players, we have a good coach, good coaching staff. So we can’t control the results, but we can control how hard we work. And like in the last match (against Charlotte), the attitude and the ambition that we showed, that’s what helps us.”
Atlanta United’s loss, coupled with a second consecutive win by the Philadelphia Union, dropped them to dead last in the Supporters’ Shield standings. They’ve scored 17 goals, the fewest in MLS. Saturday’s loss moved their record away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium to 1-6-2. (Not that their home record of 2-5-1 is much better.)
Out of Atlanta’s three total wins this season, one is against the Union, their opponent on August 1. Any hope of this team even getting a sniff of the playoffs looks less and less likely by the day.
Almirón, though, isn’t giving up.
“I think everyone has to just look at themselves and be able to handle the responsibility, starting with myself, of course,” he said. “We all have to look at ourselves and assume this responsibility to be able to get ourselves out of the situation.”
Not to be that guy, but why is Almiron still using an interpreter after 10 years on professional teams in English speaking countries? C’mon, that’s just being lazy. Even Ronald Acuna has invested the time and effort to learning enough to do interviews in English.
Alonso has not impressed me at all. I think he has great passing abilities, but his defense leaves alot to be desired. Hoyos has to leave.
Still not sure why Tata insists on putting the same people out on the pitch thinking things will change. And running the 4-3-3 seems odd when our midfielders are CM/DM’s who struggle to play through balls or get into the attack. So we have 4 natural defenders, 3 natural defending midfielders, then 3 in the attack. They can’t attack without midfield support.
Really disappointed in Tata this season. Sure the roster is crap. Sure the FO sucks. But, I expect more from such a successful coach. Since he will be leaving next year anyway, can the process be sped up?
Yeah, depressing. Wholly not unexpected. We desperately need a striker, etc. But honestly, 3 road games in 10 days will be brutal for every team in the league. NEs first 2 goals were extremely fortunate. A golazo and a ridiculous chip in. If not for an incredible save and horribly unlucky roller off the post, this game would’ve been close. Just saying this club has played WAY worse.
It’s a good point. It’s weird how I thought during the watch that we were the much better team in long stretches, and then boom. Goalazo from NE. And then again and again. It wore us down. I can’t say what we need anymore than anyone else, but a competent striker seems to be the obvious start.
Ever since going to Atlanta Chiefs games with my father I have made soccer my favorite pastime and sport to watch. After multiple years of season tickets with United it breaks my heart to see the supporters, the city, and Mr. Blank going through the abysmal seasons we have endured. It comes down to poor judgement by the officers of the team with wasted acquisitions. Mr. Blank spends well. His subordinates let him and us down. Clean house starting from the top down. I will continue to support them but with far less enthusiasm.
It’s okay, I’m sure once they raise season ticket prices again that will solve everything 😐
let’s go wooden spoon!
Had to turn it off after the second goal. Unbelievably depressing to watch…
He should have gone elsewhere to earn his “bag”. But I doubt any other club would have given him such a huge (very bad for the club) deal.
He is tarnishing his image now. Hopefully, some how, the club can get rid of him, ELL, Alzte and basically everyone else and simply start over because this ain’t working.