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MLS Week 1: First impressions of all 24 teams

By Christopher Dodson

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: Los Angeles FC's head coach Bob Bradley prior to Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: Los Angeles FC's head coach Bob Bradley prior to Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 03: D.C. United forward Wayne Rooney (9) smiles as he picks up the ball that had slipped under Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan (1) for the second United goal by midfielder Luciano Acosta (10) during a MLS match between D.C. United and Atlanta United FC, on March 3, 2019, at Audi Field, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 03: D.C. United forward Wayne Rooney (9) smiles as he picks up the ball that had slipped under Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan (1) for the second United goal by midfielder Luciano Acosta (10) during a MLS match between D.C. United and Atlanta United FC, on March 3, 2019, at Audi Field, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Atlanta United

Atlanta United may be defending champions, but the heart and soul of last year’s team in long gone. Tata Martino and Miguel Almiron were always going to leave. That was the plan all along. But replacing them, at least at this early stage, has proven challenging.

Frank de Boer has a different style and Pity Martinez brings different qualities to the team. This is not the Atlanta of 2018, even if many of the same players still remain. The crux of the club has changed, and the early prognosis is that it might not be for the better. It will take time to find the best approach to mesh with Josef Martinez.

And make no bones about it, this is Josef’s team now, as much as de Boer wishes he were the fans’ most respected voice from the locker room. If de Boer’s stricter methods around the club start to irritate Martinez and other Cup-winning stars, will he have the flexibility to change? The 3-0 loss to Monterrey showed a stubborn de Boer coaching a team now shut out twice in two games.

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