The most important thing that Atlanta United can do to score more goals is to keep putting itself in good situations, manager Gabriel Heinze said Friday.
“By doing this we will have more chances to score,” he said.
Atlanta United, which will play at Miami on Sunday, has scored seven goals in seven games this season, including four in three MLS games. It ranks tied for fourth in the league in goals scored.
However, in its past three games, two against Philadelphia in the Champions League and one against New England in league play, Atlanta United has scored only two goals. While the team looked very threatening in the first leg against Philadelphia at home, it was held scoreless and hasn’t looked nearly as sharp on offense in the past two games since.
Atlanta United scored one goal at New England from a penalty kick. It scored one at Philadelphia. That came on the team’s first shot on goal, which didn’t happen until the 47th minute. It was trailing in the two-legged series by three goals.
“I think we are creating a lot of goal-scoring chances, we just haven’t been able to finish them,” winger Erik Lopez said. “The only thing we can do is to keep working. We want to score goals. Players are trying to finish and score goals. Once we get over this bad streak, the team is capable of scoring a lot of goals.”
Within MLS games, Atlanta United has taken 40 shots, putting 13 on goal. Its percentage of 32.5% puts it in the bottom third of the league. Strangely, despite being in the upper third in key passes (29), none of the team’s goals have been credited with an assist.
“We are creating chances, getting into dangerous positions, it’s just that final ball or taking a risk and shooting on goal,” winger Brooks Lennon said. “Gabriel has been preaching believe in your shot and believe you will score when you get into the box instead of hesitating.”
Now finished with the glut of games that comes with competing in the Champions League and MLS, Atlanta United’s schedule will thin. The team will play four games the rest of the month after logging seven the previous month. The extra time to train should benefit the team as it hones it tactics, according to Lennon.
Scoring against Miami will be challenging. The team features former Atlanta United player Leandro Gonzalez Pirez and longtime Premier League defender Ryan Shawcross as its centerbacks. It also features World Cup-winner Blaise Matuidi as a defensive midfielder. Miami has allowed four goals on only 11 shots against it. It has allowed one goal in the past two games. The shutout of Nashville came when Shawcross became a starter.
Lennon said knowing that Gonzalez Pirez and Shawcross may be in the middle of the penalty box likely will alter the types of crosses he will try to hit. Instead of putting one high, which would force Josef Martinez, who is 5-foot-8, to try to win an aerial duel against the 6-foot Pirez or 6-3 Shawcross, Lennon said he may try to put more crosses along the ground.
“We are practicing it more and more,” Lennon said. “Hopefully I can get more assists and he can start off by scoring his first goal on Sunday.”
xx
For more content about Atlanta United
Follow me on Twitter @DougRobersonAJC
On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now
Atlanta United coverage on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
-
Atlanta United’s 2021 MLS schedule
April 17 Atlanta United 0, Orlando 0
April 24 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 1
May 1 New England 2, Atlanta United 1
May 9 at Inter Miami, 1 p.m., ABC
May 15 vs. Montreal, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 23 at Seattle, 4:30 p.m., Fox
May 29 vs. Nashville, 3:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 20 vs. Philadelphia, 2 p.m., ESPN
June 23 at NYCFC (at Red Bull Arena), TBD, BSSO/BSSE
June 27 vs. New York Red Bulls, 3:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 3 at Chicago, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 8 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 17 vs. New England, 5 p.m., ESPN
July 21 at Cincinnati, 7 p.m., FS1
July 24 vs. Columbus, 3:30 p.m., ABC
July 30 at Orlando, 8 p.m., ESPN
Aug. 4 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 7 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 15 vs. LAFC, 4 p.m. ESPN
Aug. 18 vs. Toronto, 7 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 21 at D.C. United, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 28 vs. Nashville, 3:30 p.m., Univision
Sept. 10 vs. Orlando, 7 p.m., FS1
Sept. 15 vs. Cincinnati, B7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 18 vs. D.C. United, 3:30 p.m., Univision
Sept. 25 at Philadelphia,3:30 p.m., Univision
Sept. 29 vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Oct. 2 at Montreal, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 16 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 20 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 27 vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 30 vs. Toronto, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Nov. 3 at New York Red Bulls, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
Nov. 7 at Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
About the Author
