Atlanta United vs. Columbus Crew SC ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Tues., July 21 – 8:00 PM ET ESPN AJC.com United home page here. MLSsoccer.com preview here. ATLUTD.com home page here. Crew FC preview here. ... So far the MiB tourney has been little short of disastrous for Atlanta. Shy of picking up new injuries the team has simply been a shell of the desired model. True, they controlled stretches against RB:NY and had a few strong opportunities in that match against a solid opponent. Against FCC they managed most of the game with only 10 men and again controlled for long stretches. Against both, however, Atlanta couldn't muster enough attacking verve to pose a major threat, let alone appear ready to take the game by the throat. This paragraph from the Crew FC preview sums it all up: "This season, Atlanta is tied for 19th overall in shots on target (13) with a shot conversion rate that sits in the League's bottom eight (13.33 percent) in addition to the second-fewest touches in the opponent's box in MLS (56)." If the other 10 men on the pitch not named Josef Martinez are to be considered worthy of trophy contention when the talismanic striker is on the pitch then they absolutely should be doing at least better than this without him. IF they are to be considered that good. Hyndman hasn't shown in Orlando the same sharpness and potential on the ball that he did in the first two matches of the season, Meza has struggled playing as part of this back three, Lennon and Escobar appear in need of more time to build their partnership, and without a focal point at striker Barco and Pity have lacked consistent strategies for creating real scoring opportunities. Atlanta went through these struggles early last season and there've been glimpses to suggest they can right the ship, but in the contracted schedule of 2020 time is running out if they wish to make anything of this season. It's time for players to step up for more than parts of a match, and preferably more than 1-2 players at a time. Tuesday's opponent not only won't be making it easy they'll be looking to put Atlanta to the sword. Crew FC have been one of the revelations of the tournament, with Lucas Zelarayan appearing the type of aggressive midfield dynamo Atlanta had in Almiron. What makes him appear better than Pity, however, may be less his style or ability and more the idea that he has Darlington Nagbe behind him and Gyasi Zardes in front of him. This has given the Crew strength up and down their spine and the poise on the ball to compete with better teams, waiting to take chances, avoiding panic, and present options in attack. Couple this with several established players like Harrison Afful and Johnathan Mensah and a MLC Cup winning coach in Caleb Porter and Columbus should be a contender in the eastern conference. (The parallels with this side and many of Porter's consistently powerful Timbers are obvious.) So how can Atlanta win? For starters state the obvious - No early cheap fouls or card trouble handcuffing the team from executing Plan A. Atlanta needs to play within themselves and recognize that while potent Columbus is offensively a team of opportunity. Zardes is good for as many or more misses than he is goals, while his outside players are not likely to be MLS Best XI candidates. So keep the defending honest but don't get carried away. Second, be patient. Atlanta needs the win and they need to build some confidence but they are a team that can control the play (AUFC preview mentions being 3rd in the league in passing accuracy) and provided they don't end up over-committing on shifts or chasing the play they should bide their time and let the match flow to their liking. Columbus will want to win but especially late they're less likely to push hard since they already know they're advancing. Third, get a striker involved early and often. Whether it's Jahn or someone else Atlanta needs to establish a scoring threat that will get the attention of the Crew defense. Even if that person only serves as a decoy to improve the chances for Barco, Pity, et al. Find ways to get this person the ball while they're in the box, get the Crew midfield into thinking they'll need to come back more often, and build opportunities for other players like Bello and Escobar to come forward on a compressed pitch. I'm not even bothering to call a score because the tournament setting has proven too bizarre. If Atlanta wins it likely won't be by much and will be reliant on a stout defensive performance. To that end I have this last point: USMNT coach Greg Berhalter will be in attendance to watch his son play for Columbus. Bello, Guzan, and Miles Robinson could go a long way to making impressions on him with standout performances Tuesday night.
I'll be happy if we score, whether we win or not. A goal would be like getting out of the blocks for what might be the rest of the season, should that happen. In any case, 2W, 3L isn't going to kill us longterm if we end up playing a full schedule or none at all. It could play a role, tho, if the season is simply shortened.
For me, as always, form is important. If the team plays well and loses through some fluke then I won't feel too bad. Advancement through this tourney was never my aim.
I am going to predict NYRB and WKRP FC play to a prearranged 0-0 draw a la Germany vs Austria WC 1982. Of course none of that matters we can't score a goal and get the W and we will probably need more than one since Columbus are the top scoring team in the tournament.
Well, FWIW Atlanta appears to be playing the temporary A lineup: Jahn up front, Hyndman as the holding mid, Bello and Lennon on the wings and Adams as the D-mid. We can argue about Remedi being the optimal D-mid but that's not the key role tonight if everyone else does their job. If Jahn is the striker then Atlanta needs to feed him. Play in crosses and keep Crew honest.
9' and Crew have a breakaway but put it into the side netting. Breakaway came off Pity's second ill-advised trick pass cum turnover.
18' Crew strike first. Shot inside the box deflects off Robinson and reaches beyond Guzan. Atlanta had a bad 5 mins before and are really slow on marks.
28' and Atlanta gets their second free kick just outside the box. This one warrants a save, but Atlanta still way too slow on the ball.
32' and the kids break for orange slices. Meza hobbling from a rough landing on the last corner. Bello and Barco struggling to manage the left side, as Crew have had 3 clear breaks down that side.
Jeez, this team looks awful. There's no fight at all. No pressure for the ball, no desire to press when we have the ball, no runs off the ball, nothing. My kid's U12 team plays with more fire.
We are in the 45th minute, and I have counted ZERO pass attempts to Jahn in the box. And he's been open a few times, too. What is actually supposed to be happening in the attack? I can't even tell what the plan is to try to score goals.
46th minute, a cross attempt to Jahn! Directly to the feet of a yellow defender, but still, an attempt!
HT: 1-0 Atlanta played more like what the fans expected for the last 5 mins of regulation time, with quick, vertical passes in the middle and more movement around the box. Result was a couple of shots and other threatening attacks. Now can they do that for the whole of the next 45 mins?
Watching the highlights I'm laying the blame for the goal on Escobar for coming in and abandoning his mark when other players were inside, and on the midfielders that allowed the play to develop so easily and quickly.
51' and Bello has had a header and shot from just outside the 6 yd box. Both had the finishing skill of, well, me.
2nd half has been better, much of it down to greater hustle and improved pressure on the Crew defenders when they have the ball. 63'
Against Columbus: zero goals. Against Cincinnati: zero goals. Against Red Bulls: zero goals. Against America: zero goals. This is not a personnel problem. This is a systemic problem. We have plenty of talent. US National Team goalkeeper, former South American player of the year, and a score of players who would start anywhere in the league. It's time for the FO to have a come-to-Jesus with FdB. Either he figures something out, or we've got to move on. Thankfully, this period is coming when the crowds weren't going to be at the Benz anyway, because this run of poor form would definitely result in some low attendance numbers (and low revenue) at the gate.
Since we now have weeks (months?) to go before another match I'm not even gonna bother with my post-mortem tonight. My mind isn't clear enough to do it justice. Later this week. Hope Columbus wins the event. Something for their fans to celebrate and a big ol' F U to Anthony Precourt. Hang in there 17's.