Atlanta United will continue its MLS season Thursday at Nashville. The game is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on Bally Sports network.
Scouting Nashville
Coach: Gary Smith.
Record: 4-1-6.
Home record: 4-0-4.
Atlanta United away record: 0-3-3.
Formation: 3-5-1-1.
Goals for/against: 14/11.
Atlanta United goals for/against: 11/13.
Expected goals per game for Nashville/opponent this season: 1.27/1.00.
Expected goals per game for Atlanta United/opponent this season: 1.00/1.18.
Key players (the club will be without Walker Zimmerman, Alistair Johnson and Anibal Godoy)
Hany Mukhtar, midfielder/forward, 3 goals, 1 assist
Randall Leal, forward, 2 goals, 3 assists
CJ Sapong, midfielder, 2 goals, 1 assist
Jhonder Cadiz, forward, 2 goals, 1 assist
Luke Haakenson, midfielder, 2 goals
Dax McCarty, midfielder, 85.6 percent passer, 30.1 percent pressures
Key thoughts for Atlanta United
They are as they have always been: Atlanta United must score first. If it doesn’t, it is 1-25-5 when the hosts score first.
To score first, Atlanta United must create chances, something it hasn’t done a lot of in its three-game scoreless streak.
To create chances, it needs to find a spark in its midfield from someone who can get the ball to Josef Martinez, assuming he plays.
To keep Nashville from scoring, it needs to either refine or abandon the man-marking system that is causing self-inflicted damage in the past few games. It also must play as a team, which is going to be difficult considering that three-fifths of its starters on defense aren’t available because of international call-ups.
When a team is struggling to score, set-pieces always are a good spark. The problem for the team is, while it is the most fouled in the league, it has yet to score from a non-penalty kick free-kick this season.
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Atlanta United’s 2021 MLS schedule
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
May 29 Atlanta United 2, Nashville 2
June 20 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2
June 23 NYCFC 1, Atlanta United 0
June 27 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
July 3 Chicago 3, Atlanta United 0
July 8 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 17 vs. New England, 5 p.m., ESPN
July 21 at Cincinnati, 8 p.m., FS1
July 24 vs. Columbus, 3:30 p.m., ABC
July 30 at Orlando, 8 p.m., ESPN
Aug. 4 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 7 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 15 vs. LAFC, 4 p.m. ESPN
Aug. 18 vs. Toronto, 7 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 21 at D.C. United, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 28 vs. Nashville, 3:30 p.m., Univision
Sept. 10 vs. Orlando, 7 p.m., FS1
Sept. 15 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 18 vs. D.C. United, 3:30 p.m., Univision
Sept. 25 at Philadelphia,3:30 p.m., Univision
Sept. 29 vs. Inter Miami, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 2 at Montreal, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 16 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 20 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 27 vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 30 vs. Toronto, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Nov. 3 at New York Red Bulls, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
Nov. 7 at Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
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