‘No killer instinct’: Deila laments Atlanta United’s latest shutout loss

Atlanta United was shut out for the sixth time in 14 matches because it failed to convert on a couple of its big chances. Philadelphia took advantage of a poor decision by goalkeeper Brad Guzan that eventually resulted in a penalty kick to get the only goal it would need.

Atlanta United has scored one goal or fewer in its past eight matches. It has conceded 13 goals while scoring four in that span. Deila cannot figure out — or more precisely, doesn’t yet know how — to help the team.

“It is a terrible situation to be in, but there is nowhere to hide and I don’t hide from it,” he said. “For me, I’ve never been through this before in my career, but I feel that we are weak. All the time. I feel that something will happen and it does, and I don’t see reactions. I see many wants, but I don’t see power, personality, and that is what I want to see.

“When I see personality, that gives me something to attack with the players so we can do something about it. That is something we have to build, the belief. And this has to hurt, and I’m sure it does, but what does that then bring out of you? Does it bring out sadness or anger? That is two very different things, and for me, it is anger and frustration.”

That was just part of an almost four-minute answer Deila gave about how he and the team can work on how find that missing aggressiveness before next week’s match against Cincinnati.

“We need to be honest, we are soft in both boxes,” he said. “There is no killer instinct. I just feel that the longer the match goes, we get more and more passive. We come out with a good energy, we are all over them and then we get control, but you just see it drop and drop consistently until you wonder when the assassin is coming to stab you. Then, we get hit and have a little bit of a reaction, but the last eight to 10 minutes, I don’t see any anger. I see frustration.”

Deila has tried different systems, going from a back four that was leaking goals to a back five that’s had more success but, because the team isn’t scoring, it’s not winning. Playing the back five, the team has given up four goals in the past three matches. One came from a free kick. Another came from a penalty kick.

The move requires sacrificing a midfielder, which has made a struggling attack even less effective. The team has put just seven shots on goal in the past three matches. Opponents have 16.

Atlanta United had chances against Austin and Philadelphia to change the match with an early goal. Miguel Almiron was denied in a one-on-one early against Austin. Jamal Thiare, left open 6 yards from goal by Philadelphia, put a header wide.

“I had this situation before,” midfielder Alexey Miranchuk said. “When you don’t win, you just think about it too much. It’s tough situation. We are creating moments.”

Midfielder Jay Fortune said he doesn’t feel the tension that Delia referred to when he’s on the field. He does see that the results aren’t good enough.

“Everybody wants to win,” he said. “Everybody wants to try to find a way to get us back in the game. Maybe that’s what it is — maybe toward the end we try to do it in one pass when it could maybe be two or three. I think trusting in each other a little bit more is key, but maybe it’s just everybody wants to try and be the guy, and that doesn’t mean anything is wrong with that but I think maybe that’s a bit of it.”

Atlanta United has 20 matches remaining and trails Chicago by eight points for the ninth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

That’s a gap that can be overcome if the team can execute its attack better. The $40 million spent in transfer fees on Almiron, Miranchuk and Emmanuel Latte Lath has produced nine goals. There are individual players on other teams who have scored more this season.

“I am very tired of repeating myself and the feeling of deja vu,” Deila said. “I feel bad for everyone, but I believe. As I said, there are no hiding places, so the only way is to get up, go forward and deal with it. In the end, it is only football, but it matters a lot to us and to many others, and that is something that we want to fix.”

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