As Ronny Deila described his hope that Atlanta United’s players will start to perform as a team, thunder rippled overhead at the team’s training ground in Marietta.
“Agrees with me,” he interjected into the middle of his answer, pointing to the sky, to laughs.
It was a light moment in a season that has been a downpour of disappointment. The team is off to its worst start, with just nine points from 10 matches. It hasn’t scored in more than three matches. It will host Nashville on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“We have to start to come together,” Deila said. “Push always to get better. But in the end, I have to see smiles. I have to see people attacking the situation.”
The emotional state of the team dominated Friday’s interviews with Deila and captain Brad Guzan, as the weather went from sunny and beautiful to overcast with thunder and sprinkles of rain before the sun came back out again.
A meteorological analogy of Atlanta United’s season, for sure.
Turning clouds into sunshine starts with the team improving its effort defensively, according to Guzan. The team has surrendered 19 goals, including six in the past two matches.
“I think when you defend well, you get chances,” Guzan said. “You create chances. When we’re cohesive and together and solidified and we’re limiting spaces for the opposition to play in, that’s when we’re at our best going forward. With that being said, when we get in the attacking third and we get chances, we’ve got to punish teams.”
Deila hinted that he might use different personnel or a formation on Saturday. He referenced that Alexey Miranchuk and Miguel Almiron continue to occupy the same spaces.
“It’s more about what is the best setup to get the best out of everybody and how they fulfill each other inside the pitch,” Deila said.
The weather wasn’t the only analogy discussed on Friday. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Guzan is one of several Atlanta athletes who participated in commercial for Ad Council. The athletes talk about rituals and resilience.
Guzan said he learned how to process the negative feelings that he would sometimes bring home training sessions and matches after he and his wife started having children.
“I know it’s not great in terms of on-the-field results, but when you put it into perspective in life, my kids are healthy, my wife is healthy, I’m healthy, my family members are healthy, and my friends. It’s that type of outlook that changes than how you deal with situations on the field.”
Guzan knows that his teammates have their own ways to handle the difficulties Atlanta United is experiencing.
“This isn’t going to last forever, and we’re going to come out of this stronger as a group and as individuals, and it’ll be OK,” Guzan said. “And so our job now as a group and as a team is to now go into tomorrow and make tomorrow the start of that ability to come out of this difficult period.”
Injuries. Centerback Stian Gregersen (quadriceps) and midfielder Tristan Muyumba (adductor) are out of Saturday’s match. Gregersen has eight starts this season. Muyumba has six starts as part of seven appearances.
Referees. Sergii Boiko will referee, with assistants Jose Da Silva and Meghan Mullen, fourth official Sergii Demianchuk, VAR Carol Anne Chenard and AVAR Mike Kampmeinert.
Rankings. Alexey Miranchuk is tied third in expected assists (3.3) with Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar and San Diego’s Anders Dreyer. They trail San Jose’s Cristian Espinoza (3.6) and Colorado’s Djordje Mihailovic (5.0). Miranchuk doesn’t have an assist. … Atlanta United is second in dribble success rate (51.9%), trailing Houston (52.3%). Atlanta United has been dispossessed while dribbling 56 times, the fewest in MLS … Atlanta United is sixth in crosses (198), trailing first-place Philadelphia by 35. … Atlanta United’s 85.4% passing accuracy is eighth in MLS.
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule
Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2
March 1 Charlotte 2, Atlanta United 0
March 8 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
March 16 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1
March 22 Atlanta United 2, Cincinnati 2
March 29 Atlanta United 4, NYCFC 3
April 5 Atlanta United 1, Dallas 1
April 12 New England 1, Atlanta United 0
April 19 Philadelphia 3, Atlanta United 0
April 26 Orlando 3, Atlanta United 0
May 3 vs. Nashville, 2:30 p.m., Apple, FOX
May 10 at Chicago, 2:30 p.m., Apple
May 14 at Austin, 8:30 p.m., Apple
May 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 25 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., Apple
May 28 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 31 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 12 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 30 vs. Necaxa, Leagues Cup
Aug. 2. vs. Pumas in Orlando, Leagues Cup
Aug. 6 vs. Atlas, Leagues Cup
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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