Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda kicked away the question asking if he will remain patient should his team not show urgency in the first 30 minutes of Wednesday’s game against Colorado at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“That won’t happen,” Pineda said.
“That won’t happen?” Pineda was asked again.
“That won’t happen,” Pineda repeated. “I’m very confident in my team.”
The question was asked because Atlanta United has lost four consecutive matches, during which it has scored four goals and allowed 10. Following the recent defeat, 3-1 to Charlotte on Saturday, Pineda and striker Giorgos Giakoumakis said the team is not playing with the necessary urgency compared with its opponents.
Pineda said the team spoke more about what is needed before Tuesday’s training session.
“Maybe, we were in third place, second place starting the season very good,” Pineda said. “And then there is complacency. And then the opponents, they come with everything. And it’s awesome. So it’s a little bit of that, and I think it’s fixable. We talk about that as a group. We showed clips that probably prove that, and I expect a very good response.”
Answering various questions for 15 minutes Tuesday, Pineda typically would come back to the idea that improving the team’s mentality should result in an improvement in results.
Pineda said the team will not change from its base formation, a 4-2-3-1. He said patience on offense will improve the scoring and that using three centerbacks instead of two wouldn’t have prevented any of the recent goals scored against the team.
There may be new faces in the lineup, though. He said that Ronald Hernandez or Aiden McFadden likely will start at left fullback in place of Caleb Wiley (with the U.S. Under-20s for the World Cup) and Andrew Gutman (red-card suspension).
Additionally, Giakoumakis, who is tied for the team lead with five goals, isn’t yet 90 minutes fit. Midfielder Amar Sejdic suffered a calf injury in the first half against Charlotte that will sideline him for several weeks, Pineda said Tuesday.
Goalkeeper Quentin Westberg put perhaps the most positive spin on team’s recent poor form, saying that the team’s reputation is resulting in opponents bringing their best games. He called it playing against an “army of 11.”
Atlanta United must match that intensity while also maintaining patience. Westberg said 0-0 after 30 minutes isn’t a bad result. Even being behind 1-0 isn’t insurmountable.
“Sometimes you struggle, and sometimes you just need to break down the opponents, and if your only clear chance is going to come in the 90th minute, it’s going to come because you’ve been so overwhelming and because you’ve been spreading them open, and as soon as one guy is tired and sick of running after the ball and he creates a little space, this is where you kill,” Westberg said.
“So it’s being very clinical and understanding the moments and not losing patience because, as I said, I think the idea that we are an overwhelming team is very much present. And that opponents adapted that now and they get ready for that. And now on our side it’s understanding that patience is key and sticking to our playing principles.”
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1
March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0
March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1
March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1
April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0
April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1
April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2
April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1
April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1
May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1
May 13 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 1
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7 p.m., FS1
June 7 or Sept. 13 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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