Because Atlanta United will play its sixth match in 18 days when it hosts Columbus on Saturday, the team hasn’t had a lot of time to train tactics. To save leg strength but still try to learn, the players spend time talking and watching video.
One of the talking points after Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with NYCFC, a result that saw Atlanta United blow a two-goal lead, is the need to stay emotionally level during matches.
Interim manager Rob Valentino said he thought that message was understood at halftime of Wednesday’s match. Instead, the Five Stripes came out and no longer played “brave,” to borrow a word used by Brad Guzan after the match.
“Even when players make mistakes, I’ve said it from Day One, like, I’m not bothered about the mistake, I just want to see your reaction,” Valentino said.
Valentino on Friday used Jay Fortune and Bartosz Slisz as examples. Fortune’s pass put Brooks Lennon in a difficult spot, and Lennon was whistled for a penalty kick that NYCFC converted to tie the score. Valentino liked that Fortune didn’t hang his head. He immediately marked his NYCFC player. The penalty kick wasn’t his fault. The goal wasn’t his fault.
Slisz’s mistake, a heavy touch and turnover, contributed to NYCFC’s first goal. Valentino said he and others could see Slisz despondency. Tristan Muyumba can be seen trying to get him to bounce back. Slisz was having a very good game before the error, and did so after he refocused.
“It’s difficult when you go in moments like this, where results aren’t going your way, and it’s hard to get out of those moments,” Valentino said. “But I encourage them always to be tried to be as even-keeled as they can and not have an ebb and flow. But if that becomes difficult, and I think hopefully we can have more positive moments that they can ... that maybe I’m reining them in from walking out with their shoulders popped out a little bit.”
Columbus will be a test for focus.
The Crew, the defending MLS champs, play differently than most MLS teams. Players pop up in unorthodox places and create numerical advantages in non-traditional spots on the field.
Columbus defeated Atlanta United 1-0 in the season-opening game. The winning is one that Valentino said the team has carried with it this season. The Crew scored in the 27th minute when several Atlanta United players got caught watching the ball.
“The error that came with something that we thought was fixable, but also it’s a way that they score goals all the time,” Valentino said. “And it’s a pattern they play. So it’s something that we’re well aware of. But their team is different, our team is different. Their team will be slightly different in terms of where they are at emotionally and team-wise in the season.”
Atlanta United bounced back and had chances to tie the score because it stayed even-keeled emotionally and maintained its focus.
It will need to do that for 90 minutes Saturday.
“We are focused on ourselves as a team, fixing small details, because obviously we are not getting the results that we want,” fullback Ronald Hernandez said. “Columbus, we know they play very differently, play good football. We need to stick together to the plan that the coach says.”
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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 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1
June 2 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 2
June 15 Atlanta United 2, Houston 2
June 19 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
June 22 Atlanta United 1, St. Louis 1
June 29 Atlanta United 2, Toronto 1
July 3 New England 2, Atlanta United 1
July 6 Real Salt Lake 5, Atlanta United 2
July 9 vs. Indy Eleven 2, Atlanta United 1
July 13 Montreal 1, Atlanta United 0
July 17 Atlanta United 2, NYCFC 2
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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