There is pressure, and there is the kettle-cracking pressure that Atlanta United is facing.
The team is winless in its past nine. It has produced in one goal in the past 434 minutes. On Wednesday, it is facing Miami, featuring the world’s best player, and which leads MLS in goals scored by a wide margin.
Manager Gonzalo Pineda and goalkeeper Josh Cohen, who likely will start in place of Brad Guzan on Wednesday, explained Tuesday how they are dealing with the pressure.
“The pressure is always there, when it goes well, there’s pressure to keep going, there’s pressure to be better, there’s always pressure, I will say times there’s a bit more,” Pineda said.
Pineda said he feels supported by the front office. He said he and Vice President Carlos Bocanegra talk almost every day. Pineda said he isn’t reading what is on social media, but he presumes what’s being said because criticism is expected when results aren’t positive. He said he pops in his ear buds, listens to classical music or opera (Pavarotti is on his playlist) and works. He watches videos of his team. He watches videos of the team’s opponents.
“I’m trying to do it (the job) as good as I can,” he said.
Pineda said he has been working to try to help the players find the sweet spot between taking the pressure they are feeling and turning it into a positive. He said at times it can make the players think too much or try too hard, which may explain the team’s inability to score. It has been shut out five times this season, including three times in the past four matches.
Pineda said he has had conversations with team mental health coach Ben Freakley about how to better deliver that message. He said he hasn’t spoken, nor have the players spoken, to Freakley more than normal.
“I want us to be a good balance between big desire, big ambition to win, to get out of the situation, but at the same time, we have to be clear of mind, we have to be in control of our emotions as well,” he said. “So that’s what we were trying to do trying to be balanced in that sense. But of course, there’s urgency, there’s desire to get out of the situation.”
Cohen, who likely will start Wednesday because Guzan received a red card, which comes with a one-game suspension, Saturday against LAFC, said the messaging from the coaches has been consistent.
“There’s always pressure, definitely now a little bit more than other times, in terms of managing the pressure, everyone has their own little routine for how they deal with it,” he said. “And I think it starts with just having a little bit of confidence, giving each other confidence, and then knowing like, OK, I’m gonna go out there and do my job and trust that everyone else is going to do their job, and then that’s the baseline. Then you try and give a little bit extra working upwards from there. And those little pieces come together.”
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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule
Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0
March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1
March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0
March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0
March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0
April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1
April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2
April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1
April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1
May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1
May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup
May 11 D.C. United 3, Atlanta United 2
May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0
May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in U.S. Open Cup
May 25 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0
May 29 at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
June 2 vs Charlotte, 4:30 p.m.
June 15 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m.
June 19 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 22 at St. Louis, 8:30 p.m.
June 29 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
July 3 at New England, 7:30 p.m.
July 6 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.
July 13 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 17 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m.
July 20 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m.
July 26 vs. D.C. United in Leagues Cup, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 4 vs. Santos Laguna in Leagues Cup, 4 p.m.
Aug. 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 31 at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
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