Five Takes On The Five Stripes

1: We’ve been much better defensively these past two matches. Like, night and couches better. We’re blocking shots and cutting off crosses and key passes before they can tune into real chances. Moreover we look comfortable and more aware and switched on. It’s been nice to see less last ditch emergency defending.    2: Berry is the most peculiar player. I don’t think he’s completely incapable. Trul...

1: Well that was a very organized, one might even say, authentic performance. For me this is our best showing this season. When you take into account, the clean sheet, the quality of the opponent and losing Georgios, this was pretty damn complete. So why now and not against NYRB? I don’t really know. Yes home field plays a role, but we largely played how we like to play, albeit with some different...

1: Tyler Wolff’s goal to salary ratio is getting more and more impressive. He’s got a goal scorers instinct. Tonight he did show other areas of his game that need developing and that’s completely ok. Things he needs to learn can be taught, things he already has cannot.    2: Good quick response to going down early. Not something we’ve done a lot of actually lately. Usually takes us a while to get...

1: Another lack luster performance. We just can’t seem to put together a full performance on offense and defense. It’s one or the other. Tonight the defense was there and the offense was not. Clearly build up and playing through the midfield was not happening so short of making subs, we have to recognize that we need to adapt and then execute. We have the ability and the talent up top to go direct...

1: The overwhelming majority of takes prior to the start of the match we’re in regards to the lineup selection. Not starting Miles or Sosa and starting Berry again had people feeling a certain way. I had questions as well but I also understand that playing 3 games in 7 days necessitates changes and well the team looked pretty good to me. We took more shots and better quality shots before GG took t...

1: When we have a total of 4 shots 1 on target in the first half, it’s not nearly good enough. Any time we showed any semblance of a threat it came down the right via Brooks’ excellent service or, surprisingly enough, a bit of brilliance from Luiz. To be fair, game state does matter and once Charlotte got their goal it changed everything. They set up in their mid-low block, were compact and discip...

1: Josef Martinez scored 2 tonight. Good for him. I’m genuinely happy for him. Moving him on was still the right decision for Atlanta. Miami had both their goal scorers out there tonight and what happened? They won. They’ve got 6 losses because Campana hasn’t been there and this other guy Josef hasn’t been scoring. What have we been missing in our losses? We struggle without a true 9, as so many t...

1: Sucks to give up a goal. Sucks even more to give up a goal to an unmarked man on a set piece when you’re largely in control of the match. They really did not have much in terms of chances from open play in the first 45 and you never got the feeling that it was coming so to concede like that really hurts because it affords the opponent the opportunity to sit back and protect that cheap lead.   ...

  1: Ok I dunno 😆. There’s a couple ways you could look at this match. One view says we gotta start closing out games confidently. It’s concerning how we shoot our selves in the foot at the end. It’s really unfortunate that it almost came from a player who’s been among the very best for this team. The other view is that we did manage to break that narrative and get a W when we clearly were nowher...

1: We dropped two points. There’s plenty of good things to take away from this match, but first and foremost, we missed out on a statement win. Actually one of the positive things that I take away is that the whole team is looking at it that way too. That’s the the mentality I want. A draw isn’t good enough. Especially when the win is right there. We expect more. Two road draws is by no means a po...

1: This team is good y’all. Both of the “New York” teams are arguably our toughest matches because of the unique challenges each opponent offers. And TBH every team struggles with them. Red Bulls because of the ugly style of play. NYCFC because of the postage stamp they play on. We played some pretty good football against both. And tonight we managed to get the first goal whilst down a man. I’m re...

1: As much as a person is capable of hating something, I hate the Red Bulls. They have no interest in playing soccer and are the antithesis of Atlanta United. Probably why, after 7 seasons, we hadn’t beat them in the regular season. I was very nervous in the opening minutes because we seemed to be playing right into their hands. But fortunately we got the early goal which, is always important, but...

1: We can lose, but we cannot lose like that. Tonight was unacceptable. Full stop. At least we dirtied their clean sheet but, good grief. This cannot happen.    2: He’s a 10 but he’s not there. With missing a player like Almada we knew coming in that we might be lacking a little in the creative playmaking department. So the plan had to be force turnovers and errant passes early and often. We faile...

1: In addition to the chemistry we’re seeing on display and the great attacking soccer, we’ve also got something we didn’t have last year, luck. I’m honestly a little surprised VAR called the screen on Portland’s goal. It’s a Goalazo and I don’t think Brad is getting there no matter what. But to win titles you need a little good fortune and we’re finally getting some.    2: Caleb out here trying t...

1: Well that was quick. We haven’t seen that kind of fast and decisive attacking movements in the attacking third, with final product, in some time. We came out flying and caught Charlotte off guard. We have of course started fast before, but the difference this time is we put the ball into the net. Charlotte finally responded after the 2nd with some intensity of their own and a couple half chance...

1: Caleb Wiley impressed me the most in the first half. There are some takes and narratives out there that this club doesn’t develop young players well. While it’s impossible for every young player who comes here to have success, we have been pretty damn consistent in young player development and Caleb is just another example of that. His runs both on and off the ball are dynamic and threatening....

1: Scoring, it better be Greek to us. The new Luiz looked like the old Luiz. His touches were poor. His decision making was bad and the penalty was embarrassing. He got the keeper to go, all he had to do was roll it in and instead he hit it well wide. Dunno what size goals he’s practicing on. He also had his customary # of shots into the stands. Truthfully the shot he had from outside the box was...

1: Luiz showed and has shown a lot so far. He looks like a more sure footed, confident version of himself. We’ve all known he has the technical skill but too often he hasn’t made the best decisions or trusted his abilities. That seems to have been corrected. The runs he’s made off the ball thus far, his control with the ball at his feet and the finishes he’s had, it’s all been at a level and quali...

A discussion, big picture, about the state of the USMNT. 

1: Fits and starts. I can not and have not been able to make heads or tails of this team this year and the quality of some of our performances. In our waking states we look ok, even pretty good at times. But we have not been able to maintain any sort of consistency for any extended period of time.  Sometimes it works with this formation and that formation and this group of players and that group o...

1: Really poor goal keeping from Gudino on the first goal. It was clumsy to give away the penalty and then really poor on the penalty kick itself. It’s usually always 50/50 on PK’s but he was already well off his line and diving right before the ball was even struck. It was gifted.    2: Almada was doing everything he could to win this game for Atlanta. Anytime we posed a threat it was generally o...

1: First half was very much the story of the season. The first half of the season anyhow. We were in complete control of the match. Quality chances created. Couldn’t find a goal. Even with a PK chance. The team did look better and more cohesive with Dwyer up top and Araujo more out wide. Luiz even looked better tonight, even with missing the PK. Why is that? Does it have something to do with Josef...

1: We went up against the worst team statistically and aesthetically in MLS and we couldn’t net a goal in the first half. It’s not good enough. I figured DC would come out with a little more after getting embarrassed by Philly again, but nonetheless, we should’ve scored in the first half.    2: It’s cool to keep the opponent guessing in how we are going to score, but so often it looks like we are...

1: It is the hope that kills you. The first half, in particular the first 25 minutes was hands down the best attacking soccer we’ve seen all season. You gotta make hay while the sun is shinning and we just didn’t make quite enough in that time. It’s great that we came from behind yet again to dig out a result and that’s something we probably don’t do a few weeks ago. But if we just didn’t always h...

1: We are still not pressuring enough and turning the ball over in dangerous spots. Furthermore, when we do, we don’t transition into attack quickly enough. In stark contrast, we are getting turned over more than pancakes at Waffle House. It’s a major part of our game that is and has been lacking. It was a better in the 2nd half.    2: Injury FC returns. Did we really think our no injury luck woul...