Welcome to October, y’all! Jackson with you on a Thursday morning mid-international break.
There’s no Atlanta United match to look ahead to this weekend, which gives the perfect time to reflect on the season so far with just seven matches remaining. The first, pre-World Cup half of the year was… pretty garbage, to put it simply. Post World-Cup, though? Atlanta has benefited from a fresh batch of signings, including a new centerback duo and a big name striker in Breel Embolo, which has turned the team from chaos dumpster fire into… less of a chaos dumpster fire?
The team is still not great, or even good, but not every team can turn things around on a dime à la the Philadelphia Union. Instead, Atlanta United is aiming for longer-term success into the future by raising the baseline now, incremental step by incremental step. There’s surely more to come, but some slight amount of solace can at least be found in the fact that the team is trending in the right direction, and hopefully can catch up to the rest of the league faster than the average quality of the league improves as a whole.
Sydney dives into the topic further with a post for the site, which you can check out below, as do the guys in last night’s Scarves and Spikes Podcast, along with reactions to the hot off the presses Atlanta City FC branding.
Top Story
Believe it or not, Atlanta United are actually getting better
Atlanta United isn’t a good team. But the underlying numbers show that they’re at least less bad than they used to be.
Games to Watch
MLS
- Seattle v Kansas City, 9:30 PM ET
ICYMI: Scarves and Spikes Podcast
The guys get into Atlanta United’s latest run, the playoff math down the stretch, and what has to happen for a postseason push. Plus, reactions to the Atlanta City FC name, phoenix crest, and branding.
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 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
- 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 your rundown for today. See you at the next one!