Atlanta United vs Red Bull: New York Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta Saturday, Oct. 5, 7:30 PM Apple TV MLSsoccer.com preview here. AJC.com United coverage AUFC home page Jersey Bulls home page Player Availability Reports here. Past Results Atlanta (8-10-14) ATL 1-2 Josef PHI 1-1 ATL RBNY 2-2 ATL Harrison (11-14-7) TFC 1-4 RBNY RBNY 1-5 CFGNY RBNY 2-2 ATL ~ I'm not saying squat about the opponent this time cause every time I do it seems to jinx us. Maybe I should say Red Bull is gonna clobber us and leave it at that, then? All I ask is a more spirited and united display by the team, and that the fans show up and try to care, cause Wednesday might well have been my least favorite moment at the Benz. I get it, the side stinks, but for so many season ticket holders to crap out instead of actually trying to help spur the boys on I find a little grating. But whatever. Playoff chances are down to a complex variety of "If this" and "If that" scenarios, and even that would require Atlanta still winning out. So, let's see who wants to play here next season.
For a variety of reasons my group decided to end our season ticket run after this season. Founding member, been going every year, but after this it's time to move on. I've kind of had to force myself to go to the games several times this season just because I've already paid for it, and it's not lost on me that we could have been going to games for much cheaper if we'd have gotten tickets from the secondary market this year. I've seen tickets for under $10, and club seats for $40, so I'm not alone there. I do wonder what the retention rates are going into next season. We've gotten a couple of messages from the club letting us know that if we'd changed our minds we could still get season tickets for next year, keeping our founder's status, if not our original seats. The club has bragged about their waiting list before, and they stated after they announced their increased prices for next year that they were projecting 90% retention of season tickets holders. These messages make me wonder if that number was much less, and they've already gone through their list. I'll still go to a few games next year, and I'll certainly support them from home. But I don't think we're alone in having enough. The supporters section keeps looking smaller. The crowd don't even stand any more. The entire experience is just not the same. For 30 minutes at the end of the Miami game it looked and felt like the first few seasons, but that's a very rare occurrence these days. Hopefully the club will be able to get some of that back next year, and start making the games something to look forward to again. Thanks again for doing the previews this season. Appreciate your hard work.
The loss of hype was entirely preventable, too. You don't need to win every year to maintain a fan base. You just have to look like you're trying. The front office for Atlanta United doesn't look like it's trying right now. We put a couple trophies in the case, and now Uncle Arthur may have moved us into the "tax writeoff" column on his accounting books (see, e.g., New England Revolution).
Much-needed victory! I had to watch the second half on delay, but it looked like Mosquera has finally been consistently useful. Wolff looks like a really good USL player; he's been good most of the times he's on the pitch this season, but I don't know how much upside he really has. Miranchuk looks like a top-half MLS midfielder. We need to get some pieces around him, though. One more game, away, against Orlando.
Atlanta keeps their hopes alive. Still need a win against Orlando, and would also need other results to go their way, but with a win, along with DC and Montreal losing, and Philly not winning, Atlanta would actually host the play-in game.
Sorry didn't chime in during the match, but I wasn't with my usual mate at the match and didn't want to spend extra time not being social. The match was decidedly better than the previous midweek affair, both from the team and from the fans, so that was good. Even though they still were not clinical in attack, they were more positive and creative. Still far too many times where no one is moving, or if they are they aren't in sync with the ballhandler, so hopefully the new coach and a new player or two will change that dynamic. Can definitely see moments where Alexy and Saba were trying to link up, as if communicating on a different wavelength than others, but it wasn't always clicking. Made me wonder, given Lagerway's preference for experienced players from Europe vs Youth from Latin America, are there aspects to those players' gameplay that is intrinsic to them but not so much to the others? Would hate to think so at this level, but what do I know. Defense was meh. I think the improved work rate made the difference on that end but still several times where Derrick or Stian had to clean up someone else's mess. If they weren't making an error of their own. Amador made some great tackles, especially in open field one-on-ones, but he also would neglect to track back and at least once tried to "hand off" marking a man to Derrick, but mainly cause he got caught out. Ronald was in for the card-restricted Lennon and actually did okay in defense, possibly even better, but was not a major factor in attack. Slisz looked the one trying to find his place, though how much of that is the team's problem in trying to fit Muyumba and Alexy into less-than-preferred roles I can't say, but Bartosz was all over the place and looking disjointed when trying to aid transition. Covering too much ground? Unsure of his role the system? Game definitely could've turned another way cause Atlanta twice lucked out with their goal line scrambles to keep Red Bull off the board. Great hustle to do so, but regrettable that such scrambles were necessary. But a win is a win, and for now the team remains alive. At least one more to play, and a week+ to rest and prepare. Playoffs or not, would be sweet to end with a point at Orlando.