Miami has Atlanta United’s full focus

Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda and some of his players said Tuesday that they have flushed the poor performance against Philadelphia and are ready to start a new win streak Wednesday against Miami at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The team had won seven of its previous eight games before losing 1-0 to Philadelphia on Saturday because of an uninspiring effort. The loss, combined with the results of other teams around them in the Eastern Conference standings, dropped Atlanta United from sixth to eighth, one point out of the playoffs, with eight games remaining. The team trails third-place NYCFC by three points.

“I think the players, they are ready to perform, they look like they want to perform well,” Pineda said. “They’ve reflected on their own performances. We talked and we discussed things, and I think the team is in a better place now.”

The problems against Philadelphia were a lack of intensity, sloppiness on the ball, and a lack of movement, which are three things it did very well during its successful run of games before last weekend.

Pineda said he critiqued his coaching after the loss and thinks he didn’t make it clear that the team needed to do all of the “little things” all the time and that winning is more than just playing “Joga Bonito” or “Tiki Taka.”

“We need to put the effort in because there are teams like Philadelphia that they go all in, they go with full intensity, they press all the time, and they are willing to take any mistake you make,” Pineda said. “In those moments, we need to be tougher, we need to put the effort in, we need to change, we need to press, but also we need to play, and it seems like the other day we forgot about just playing and enjoying the game.”

The team should benefit from the return of striker Josef Martinez, who didn’t travel to Philadelphia because Pineda wanted him to rest his right knee. Miami is coming into the game having lost its past two by a combined score of 9-1. Miami is five points from seventh and needs a result Wednesday to remain in the chase for a playoff spot.

Despite its overall record and recent poor form, Miami has a roster full of talented players, such as Rodolfo Pizarro, Gonzalo and Federico Higuain, Blaise Matuidi, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez and Julian Carranza. Atlanta United has yet to defeat Miami in five previous meetings.

“We have to take this game very seriously,” Pineda said. ”They are fighting for the last spot. We are doing the same, and I think the players know that, too. So I think it’s going to be a good game and entertaining.”

Fullback George Bello said he is glad the team has a quick turnaround.

“It’s always good to have a game so close so we can bounce back even quicker and get back to the way we were playing before because everyone knows that we didn’t play well in Philly,” he said. “We learned from those mistakes, and we will just try to be better tomorrow.”

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April 17 Atlanta United 0, Orlando 0

April 24 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 1

May 1 New England 2, Atlanta United 1

May 9 Atlanta United 1, Inter Miami 1,

May 15 Atlanta United 1, Montreal 0

May 23 Atlanta United 1, Seattle 1