There is no magic that will fix Atlanta United’s issue of scoring in MLS games, manager Gonzalo Pineda said Thursday as part of his team’s preparations for Saturday’s game at Montreal.
The team has scored two goals in its past four games.
“I think that happens to many, many teams, and I’ve seen this, whether I was a player, whether I was an assistant,” he said. “Any given day, you get those goals, and then no one speaks about it anymore. And then you’re free and then becomes normal scoring goals again.”
Pineda said the team has rotated finishing drills this week, using some exercises used in previous weeks, to try to help the players improve their concentration in front of goal.
The team has taken 43 shots, put 13 on target, and created 31 chances in its past two games. It hasn’t scored more than two goals in a game since scoring three in a draw with Montreal on March 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“It’s just that final ball,” fullback Brooks Lennon said. “And that finish, I think, you know, that’s the last piece, the hardest part of soccer is putting the ball in the back of the net. So we just need to continue to work on it. And I think it’ll come and the results will follow.”
The offense should be helped against Montreal by the return of Luiz Araujo. The team has started at least two Designated Players in only two of its eight games. Araujo on Thursday said he feels he is ready to play 90 minutes if selected by Pineda. Thiago Almada, another DP, has started the past four games and is assumed to start Saturday.
A midfield of Marcelino Moreno, a former DP, on the left, Almada in the middle and Araujo on the left is one filled with skill and possible highlights on offense. But each of the three like to have the ball, and like to take on defenders one on one, which at times has slowed the offense and stalled tactics. Pineda said he’s not concerned about them playing together on offense. He said he is “blessed” to have such players.
Pineda did mention that on defense they must be responsible, particularly against Montreal’s very strong midfield, led by Djordje Mihailovic. It caused Atlanta United numerous problems in the first half of their previous meeting this season.
“Sometimes, the moments of the game when we are a little bit open once we start to attack because we commit a lot of numbers upfront is where at times we were a bit broken, and then our recovery into our defensive shape is not as fast as sometimes we want,” Pineda said.
Pineda said he isn’t worried about the team’s confidence being affected by its lack of scoring.
“There are certain games where you’re going to score the goals, then move on,” he said. “And the next game is going to be different.”
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Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule
Feb. 27 Atlanta United 3, Sporting KC 1
March 5 Colorado 3, Atlanta United 0
March 13 Atlanta United 2, Charlotte 1
March 19 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 3
April 2 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
April 10 Charlotte 1, Atlanta United 0
April 16 Atlanta United 0, Cincinnati 0
April 24 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1
April 30 at Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 7 vs. Chicago, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 15 vs. New England, 1:30 p.m., ESPN
May 21 at Nashville, 7:30 p.m. FOX
May 28 vs. Columbus Crew, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 19 vs Miami, 3 p.m., ESPN2
June 25 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 30 at New York Red Bulls, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 3 at NYCFC, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 9 vs. Austin, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 13 vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 17 vs. Orlando, 3 p.m., ABC
July 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 9:30 p.m., FS1
July 30 at Chicago, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
August 6 vs. Seattle, 3 p.m., ABC
August 13 at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
August 17 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
August 21 at Columbus, 6 p.m., FS1
August 28 vs. D.C. United, 4 p.m., UNIV
August 31 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Portland, 5:30 p.m., FOX
Sept. 10 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 14 at Orlando, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept 17 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 1 at New England, 1 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 9 vs. NYCFC, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
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