Atlanta United will get a chance to win its second consecutive game under interim manager Stephen Glass when it plays at Miami for the first time Wednesday.
Atlanta United (3-3-0) is coming off a 2-0 win against Nashville in its first game after a disastrous 0-for-3 showing in the MLS tournament in July. Miami (1-5-0) won its first game of the season in its first meeting with Florida-rival Orlando, 3-2.
There are many threads that connect Atlanta United and Miami: Paul McDonough one of the architects of Atlanta United’s roster in 2017 and ’18, is the president of Miami, and he continued the Atlanta United model of buying young Central and South American talent around which to build the roster, with signings such as Rodolfo Pizarro, Julian Carranza and Matias Pellegrini. The team also features three former Atlanta United players: Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Mikey Ambrose and Brek Shea.
Here are five things to watch:
The starting lineup. Franco Escobar, who started as a fullback in the previous game, can’t play because he was suspended one game by the league Monday. It’s unclear if centerback Fernando Meza, who started at centerback in the previous game but left at halftime with an injury, is healthy enough to play. It’s also unclear if Ezequiel Barco, who missed the game after sustaining an undisclosed injury the day before the game, is healthy enough to play. Glass wouldn’t reveal any details during an interview Monday, saying he didn’t think it was important to the “outside world.” The team isn’t deep at right fullback or wingback. It’s possible that Brooks Lennon could move from right winger to right fullback, or that Jake Mulraney, who typically starts on the left, could play the position. If Lennon plays fullback, Manuel Castro or Barco seem the likely starters at right midfielder. The wild card would be Jurgen Damm. He wasn’t deemed healthy enough to even make the bench against Nashville. But with five subs at his disposal, Glass could try Damm and let him play as long as he can.
Striker will be another position to watch. Adam Jahn started against Nashville and played 80 minutes. He had 14 touches and no shots. A tall striker, he rarely received any service. Erick Torres played the final 10 minutes. With Nashville pressing for the tying goal, Torres had more room with which to work. He had one shot from his 12 touches and created one chance.
Creating chances. Atlanta United scored two goals against Nashville. Both were scored by Pity Martinez. The first snapped a scoreless streak of more than 430 minutes. Other than those two moments of brilliance, Atlanta United didn’t create many scoring chances. It finished with six shots, four on target, and four chances created. It’s en efficiency to be admired, but not one that can be counted on to continue producing three points from every match. It’s also one that under former manager Frank de Boer would have been described as “DeBoering” by some Atlanta United supporters.
Lennon described Atlanta United’s play as patient.
“We know we are are going to have a lot of possession in games we play,” he said. “Trying to move the ball as quickly as possible, but not giving it away as cheaply as possible and allowing teams to create chances.”
Stifling opposing chances. Glass and Lennon said they were pleased with how compactly the defense played. Nashville, which had scored only two goals in its previous four games, considered itself unlucky not to take advantage of any of the 11 chances it created or the five shots it put on goal. Just as in the tournament in Orlando, Atlanta United’s back line had some nervy moments when an opposing player was left unmarked or there was a lack of communication.
A difference between Nashville and Miami is the quality of its finishers. Miami’s, featuring Carranza (two goals) and midfielder Pizarro (team-leading three goals), are better and can punish the Five Stripes if they makes mistakes in the back.
Each of Miami’s three goals against Orlando were partially the result of the Lions’ not more aggressively marking Carranza, Pizzaro or Ben Sweat.
Miami’s press. Atlanta United was able to play through Nashville’s press. Atlanta United’s players showed a calmness on the ball and in decision making that were a product of the time spent working its passing sequences in training.
“Everyone is pretty-well versed how to play through pressure, around pressure,” Glass said.
Miami likely will press Atlanta United because it’s a tactic frequently used by manager Diego Alonso.
“They can break very quickly and have quality to finish,” centerback Anton Walkes said.
Glass said Atlanta United wasn’t as efficient as it could have been against Nashville, believing part of the reason for that to be rust after a layoff of more than a month. He said as the players accumulate more time they will become fitter, stronger and able to control matches for longer periods.
Travel. This will be Atlanta United’s first trip under the MLS-mandated travel rules that require teams to take chartered flights in the day of the game and fly out after the game. Atlanta United has reserved space in a hotel so that the players may stretch and work out whatever travel kinks occur during the trip.
“New for us to fly in the same day as the game,” Lennon said. “Not something I’ve ever done before. It’s about taking care of your body and staying hydrated.”
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