Columbus Crew SC vs Atlanta United FC MAPFRE Stadium, Columbus, Ohio Saturday, March 30, 7:30 PM EST Fox SportSouth MLSsoccer.com preview here. AJC.com page here. - So, after a sugar rush worth of games within 3 weeks Atlanta finally had the chance to crash for a spell and give their bodies a chance to recoup. Hopefully their minds and spirits are also refreshed, so provided those not named Pity* return from national team duty intact the squad should at the least be positioned to give this game their full attention and output. This is especially true given they have another full 2 weeks before their next game after this one. For the Crew (v3.0) they played a match this past weekend and fell 3-0 on the road at Philadelphia, but have otherwise played well so far this season with wins over Dallas and the Revs plus a home draw vs RBNY. They return most of the key players from their playoff team from last season, including Zardes, Higuain, and (til the summer) keeper Zach Steffen. And while coach Caleb Porter is new to the team he's a seasoned MLS pro with a trophy to his name and has played well to the team's strengths. Columbus is a gritty and comprehensive side that likes to pressure beginning near the middle of the field, and will at times aggressively bring the defense up high. They like to play wide and give Higuain room to steer the attack, often using Zardes as a point-forward while players like Santos and Afful spring runs into the box. For Atlanta the early script on 2019 is now established - They've yet to get their offense on track. Theories as to why abound - players, fatigue, system - but the bottom line is they need to produce more shots, more shots on target, and ultimately more goals. Surrendering 4 goals in 3 games isn't all that bad, especially considering one of those was at DC, but only netting 2 goals in that span, with 2 of those games at home, is a dismal return compared to last season. More importantly, that won't win games. Josef Martinez seems fine if you account for the limited service he's received this season, and Julian Gressel has chipped in for his part. What's seemingly missing is the supporting threat from the supporting offensive players. Barco, to his credit, chipped in with the vital goal last game out. If he can build on that it would help Atlanta immensely by given opposing defenses another player to watch. Tito Villalba could also provide a spark, though last time out he seemed somewhat off. With Pity Martinez likely out for the match due to an injury sustained while playing for Argentina Tito should get another start Saturday. When the full account of international duty wear and tear is made known I may come back and amend this but for now I'm counting on a better performance but an equally good showing from C-bus. 2-2
Not going to make a call here other than to say I think they'll score. I don't know what we're gonna do- no idea what FDB has in mind this time. Is Pity still injured?
As I said in another thread somewhere, I'll happily take a draw on the road at a very good Columbus team right now. If, on the other hand, we find a way to get all three points, I'll be ecstatic. A loss would be very bad for morale, among both the players and the fans. Gotta get at least a point out of this one. This will be our first opportunity to watch a fully-rested Atlanta United where all the players on the field should be match fit and have practiced together. I'm excited about it.
No confirmation either way that I've seen but Pity didn't practice with Argentina the remainder of the international break. If it's anything close to serious I'd rather not risk it, personally.
Pity is out. Apparently Bello too. The good news is Escobar is back baby! Perhaps with Franco's return we can go 4 at the back and everyone can chill about the formation.
Why not? Pity won't be available so Tito gets the start, Franco is healthy, and Gres is welll…. Gresselmania! If you haven't checked out Gressel's blog do yourself a favor... he has to be the most fan friendly guy on the team. http://gresselmania.com/
Well, that sucked. Pathetic conditions for soccer, but sometimes that happens. Odd thing is tonight I thought the team played well, all things considered. Had 2 (3?) shots cleared off the line by a very in-form Steffen tonight, and generally controlled the match save for 4-5 defensive lapses. Atlanta's problem is that when they have those lapses they pay dearly: Through four games Atlanta's defense is averaging 1.5 goals surrendered on just 2.1 shots on target per game! Couple that with Josef getting less service and help compared to last year and teams that score before Atlanta can then more effectively bunker. Atlanta has given up the first goal in 3 of 4 MLS matches this season, and IIRC that only happened 10 times last season. Tonight both goals against came on errors from right back Franco Escobar who played his first game this season after coming back from injury. Call it fitness, call it a mental lapse, but dude switched off twice and allowed guys free space in the box. That was all C-bus needed. Credit to the Crew for getting the job done in crappy weather. Steffen had Atlanta's number AGAIN, so color us happy he'll be leaving for England soon.
So after the end of March, Atlanta is in last place in the Eastern conference. To those afraid Atlanta would pull a Toronto, congrats. You were right. Except Toronto had crippling injury problems and actually had some success in the CCL, and Atlanta well....didn't. You have to consider the conditions, but Columbus played on the same field, and they scored two goals just fine. Quite easily, in fact. The radio guys were trying to argue that two mistakes don't make the game, they were impressed with the team tonight, but this isn't basketball. Two mistakes is all it takes. How the hell does Zardes get basically a tap in with 4 defenders around him? FdB isn't going anywhere, there's too much money invested in him. But every other team has to be aware of Atlanta's MO at this point. They can't score. They give up easy goals. All you have to do is bunker in and Atlanta will give you a gimme at some point. I've seen no improvement at all in a month. I have to think it'll click at some point, and we'll start to see improvement, but how long will it be?
Ultimately, I think we need to sell Barco. He’s been a bust. In his place, we need a creative midfielder like Almiron.
You wouldn't get near the money you paid for him. I honestly think he's been one of our better players so far. And we got the creative midfielder to replace Almiron. Whether it works out or not, we're riding the Pity train this year (though I do think Barco is better in the middle, and Pity is better out wide). Looking at the upcoming schedule, I think I've found where my patience with FdB will start to wear out. We've got NE away (a conference opponent on the road, and with the way we're playing I think the best you can "expect" is a draw), Dallas at home (they're good, so I wouldn't be surprised to lose that one), and then the key for me, Colorado at home. Colorado is bad. I fully expect them to play like Cincy, and bunker like crazy. But Kamara is good enough to get a goal if you give him a chance, like Adi. If Atlanta doesn't win that game, I think FdB will start to feel the hot seat. Out of Cincinnati (expansion team), Phily (mediocre at best) and Colorado (pretty damn bad) you can't get one win at home? That might be when the front office will really start evaluating if a change is needed.
I see the problem more with FdB not Barco. Barco is good just not good enough for what was paid for him.
Wasn't FdB supposed to be a direct fit as to how Martino likes to play? He came in and changed formations and tactics. I just don't agree that Almiron was the difference maker in this team. The team played well when Almiron was injured so it can't be him. I have no clue as to how much FdB is being paid and if that is a factor in keeping him longer but if not, get rid of him while we can. Maybe bring in a South American coach in the summer. Gallardo will be nice! Or go for broke and bring in Bielsa.
Bielsa has Leeds on the brink of returning to the Prem. Are you basing our ability to lure him stateside solely on his alleged penchant for never staying in one place too long? Because, despite that reputation, if he does get Leeds promoted, I see him staying to give the Prem a try. Leeds is historically a big club, they have a rabid supporters base, and they'll spend a bit (not a lot) if they get promoted. He'd probably view it as a great challenge.
I've been keeping one eye on that run and hoping to see Leeds reach relevance again. I kinda feel like they belong in the top flight.
My best friend is a Lids supporter (yeah, I know who can account for taste) and he's hopeful. But part of him is sure they'll slip into third and then lose in the finals of promotion playoffs. He and I traveled to England back in November. I dragged him to the Emirates for two matches and we also traveled to the Hawthorns to see Leeds get smashed, unfortunately, by West Brom. Regardless, he loves Bielsa and that seems to be the consensus amongst Leeds supporters.
With Escobar's return FdB went with the 4-3-3 everyone is clamoring for... and now I read Franco might hurt again. Yo vey... we can't catch a break. Personally I think the discussion of formation is overrated, this isn't FIFA 2019, it is our tactics we need to improve. Too many break downs in the back, not enough creativity in the front.