NEW YORK — Four minutes in the second half of Thursday’s 4-0 loss at NYCFC could either correct or finally break an Atlanta United season that’s inching closer to awful than striding toward excellent.
After dominating the first half until gifting NYCFC a goal with an almost predictable mistake, Atlanta United started the second half by giving up three goals in four minutes. For the record, they came in the 55th, 57th and 59th minutes.
The first-half error and subsequent implosion would seem to have left manager Ronny Deila apoplectic, but he calmly said he’s seen it before with his team. Atlanta United has given up 14 goals in the first 15 minutes of the second halves of matches. It has scored one.
Deila is tired of the losing. The team is 8 points below the playoff line. Deila seems more frustrated with the way the team loses, such as giving up three goals in four minutes.
He said they surrendered.
“I don’t see enough belief that we can do this,” he said. “I don’t see it. I talk all week, all year about togetherness, desire to win. I don’t see that. So that, I have to look at myself. I have to take responsibility for it. I don’t know what to say about it. It’s really embarrassing, and it has nothing to do with New York City.”
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Deila had no answers after Thursday’s debacle. It was the eighth time Atlanta United was shut out. It left the team winless on the road in eight matches and staring at a stretch of four consecutive road matches approaching.
Most concerning was the lack of grit. The team was called for just six fouls, a sign there was a lack of aggressiveness. It didn’t receive a card. When NYCFC took its two-goal lead, instead of the Five Stripes buckling down and trying to regain some control, it got split wide-open with two more goals. Neither was complicated. Neither should be a “Goal of the Week” contender.
“That is not a team that stands together and fights for each other,” Deila said. “That’s difficult, very difficult. I have to say that. You need to play 95 minutes.”
Though the coaches and players were in the locker room a long time after Thursday’s loss, Deila said it mostly was quiet. He guessed the players were tired.
Atlanta United doesn’t play again for almost two weeks. The coaches and players will be off most of next week, though Deila said he doesn’t feel like they deserve the break.
Deila said he had no idea if the players should think about the team or take a few days away from soccer during their time off.
What Deila hopes to see and hear when the players return is more praise for each other, more criticism, too. More tackles. Something. Anything. There can be no more passengers, he said.
“It’s a big task now,” he said. “I’m a fighter. The question is, are we believing in this? Do we want this? Are we coming together? Are we getting better? That is a big answer.”
It is a fascinating situation. Atlanta United had 10 first-team players called up national teams in the just-completed window. It has quality. It’s missing a field player who will demand and lead.
Midfielder Will Reilly said he thinks more players are speaking up and being leaders. The team posted a two-match winning streak at home that ended with a loss at the Red Bulls in the match before Thursday’s loss.
“We’ve fallen off in these past two games but keep doing those things in training, and they’re bound to show up more often than not in the games,” he said.
Deila has tried different formations. He’s tried different combinations of players, most of the time because of injuries or unavailability during or just after international breaks. Three usual starters were on the bench against NYCFC because they had just returned from international duty Wednesday.
Knowing he has the backing of job security after president Garth Lagerwey said he’s safe, the only thing left to try that’s different would be to sit the typical starters and use the less-experienced players. Anything to ignite something, whether it turns into a winning streak or an implosion.
“This is not a guy that surrenders,” Deila said. “This is a guy that wants answers. Honesty for me is the most important thing. Just tell it as it is. Come together. Want it. I want it, but if I do something wrong then it has to be told. If we are doing something wrong. Apparently, we are a better team at home than we are away. So OK, how are going to change this? How are we going to improve? Who will want to invest in that? That is the big question.”
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule and results
Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2
March 1 Charlotte 2, Atlanta United 0
March 8 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
March 16 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1
March 22 Atlanta United 2, Cincinnati 2
March 29 Atlanta United 4, NYCFC 3
April 5 Atlanta United 1, Dallas 1
April 12 New England 1, Atlanta United 0
April 19 Philadelphia 3, Atlanta United 0
April 26 Orlando 3, Atlanta United 0
May 3 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 10 Chicago 2, Atlanta United 1
May 14 Atlanta United 1, Austin 1
May 17 Philadelphia 1, Atlanta United 0
May 25 Atlanta United 4, Cincinnati 2
May 28 Atlanta United 3, Orlando 2
May 31 Red Bulls 2, Atlanta United 0
June 12 NYCFC 4, Atlanta United 0
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 30 vs. Necaxa, Leagues Cup
Aug. 2. vs. Pumas in Orlando, Leagues Cup
Aug. 6 vs. Atlas, Leagues Cup
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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