After a longer offseason than usual because of the combination of failing to make the playoffs and the World Cup break, Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda had a long time to think about how he can better manage his MLS team.
First, don’t expect too many changes to strategy. Pineda still wants his team to control the ball. He still wants the players to be aggressive.
But he understands the team needs more goals and needs to take much better shots. Despite leading the league in shots (537) and finishing second in shots on goal (180), it finished fifth in expected goals (55.8) and tied for 11th in goals (48). LAFC led in shots on goal (189) and expected goals (62.2), and Philadelphia led in goals (70).
“I think the stats show, in fact, we did some things well, more goals, more devoted possessions, more goals in the final third, the quality of our shots was not great,” Pineda said. “We need to improve that by more shots inside the box in dangerous areas.”
Some of the preseason will be spent working on different types of movements and combinations to try to create more dangerous shots. Also, there may be different players trying to execute those ideas. Pineda said last week that the team is hoping to bring in three players at different positions to strengthen the squad. The team is expected to buy out the contract of striker Josef Martinez. It has loaned out Marcelino Moreno. It didn’t purchase Ronaldo Cisneros, and Dom Dwyer was waived. They combined to score 22 goals last season.
“So, a lot of things to improve on that end, but happy with also many things,” Pineda said. “The good thing is we did a few good things, and we need to build on that. And I’m very positive that we will achieve that after this process.”
Other things that Pineda said the team will work on are defensive transition and its defensive middle block. Opponents scored 54 goals, tied for eighth most allowed, on 421 shots, of which 119 were on goal. To illustrate the difference in Atlanta United’s shots compared with its opponents, it allowed a league-high 0.40 goals per shots on target. Its goals per shots on target was 0.26, tied for worst in MLS.
Improving in these areas in the next few weeks would be helped by the team staying injury free. Last year’s training camp was affected by injuries to several players, including Santiago Sosa, Emerson Hyndman, Franco Ibarra and Machop Chol. Last season’s preseason camp was also affected by Miles Robinson, Brooks Lennon, Martinez and Ronald Hernandez spending a lot of time with their national teams in their camps. Lennon then sustained an injury. Thiago Almada was a late arrival after his transfer. Moreno suffered an injury in the first week of camp that kept him out of all of the friendlies.
So, Pineda’s No. 1 goal for this camp is to escape injury free. If the same groups of players can work together, it should build chemistry and confidence.
“I want the same idea of having more of the ball,” Pineda said. “But how we use the ball better in the final third, that’s kind of my main target. After that, defend a bit better, be more solid defensively, that comes also with personnel but also with some principles that we can put across.”
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7:30 p.m.
March 4 vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
March 11 at Charlotte FC, noon, Fox
March 18 vs. Portland Timbers, 7:30 p.m.
March 25 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
April 1 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
April 8 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 15 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 23 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 4:30 p.m., FS1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
May 6 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
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
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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