Atlanta United will have at least 13 goals and six assists and possibly as many as 20 goals and 15 assists missing from its lineup when it hosts NYCFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday night.
Missing will be Giorgos Giakoumakis, who leads the team with 10 goals and has one assist, because of yellow-card accumulation. The team allowed Luiz Araujo (three goals, two assists) to leave two games earlier than expected ahead of his move to Flamengo in Brazil. Derrick Etienne, who has two assists, left to join Haiti ahead of the pending Gold Cup. Also out are centerback Miles Robinson (one assist), who will be joining the U.S. for the Gold Cup, centerback Luis Abram, who was competing with Peru in Korea, midfielder Santiago Sosa (ankle) and striker Erik Lopez (ankle).
Manager Gonzalo Pineda said that attacking midfielder Thiago Almada, who has seven goals and a team-leading nine assists, was en route Tuesday to Atlanta from Jakarta, where he was competing for Argentina, and will be evaluated Wednesday to see if he can make the bench.
None of those players trained with the team Tuesday.
Pineda said the team will come up with a plan to try to cover the likely absence of Almada.
“Try to have the same result with a different process, maybe,” he said. “And that’s what we’re planning to do, but full confidence in everyone that is going to be (available) tomorrow.”
The team will sign midfielders Luke Brennan and Nic Firmino from Atlanta United 2 to short-term agreements to cover Wednesday’s match, as well as Saturday’s at the Red Bulls. Firmino has eight goals and three assists in 14 appearances. Brennan has one goal and two assists in 14 appearances.
Atlanta United was thumped by Columbus 6-1 on March 25, the last time it was missing many players because of a combination of international duty and injuries. Pineda said Tuesday that he’s confident the team learned an important lesson from that defeat, which he has said affected the team’s momentum.
“We all have to be ready to compete,” Pineda said. “And competing is doing everything possible to win, to succeed in every action. And that’s I think what I’ve seen this week. It has been amazing in terms of competition, and good level, good training sessions. So I’m very excited to see the kids respond tomorrow. And I think we took the lesson, and I hope we will apply it better this time.”
Pineda wouldn’t reveal if he will field a starting lineup composed of less-experienced players. Noah Cobb, a Homegrown signee who started at centerback against Columbus, likely will receive his second start. Homegrown Caleb Wiley (three goals, two assists) seems likely to start at left wing. Homegrowns Tyler Wolff (three goals) and Machop Chol (one goal) could be in the mix to start at attacking midfielder or right wing.
“Kudos to the academies as well because I feel very comfortable playing any of the kids we have, any of the Homegrowns have very, very high ceilings,” Pineda said. “We’re very happy with their development. So I’m very excited to see some of them playing tomorrow.”
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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 Atlanta United 4, Colorado 0
May 20 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 3
May 27 Atlanta United 1, Orlando 1
May 31 Atlanta United 3, New England 3
June 7 Atlanta United 0, LAFC 0
June 10 Atlanta United 3, D.C. United 1
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
July 25 at Miami in Leagues Cup, 7:30 p.m.
July 29 vs. Cruz Azul in Leagues Cup, 8 p.m.
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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