Atlanta United: 3 things we learned; 2 key players to watch

Atlanta United dropped the first leg in CCL Quarterfinals to Monterrey but host Cincinnati just a few days later. See what we learned and who to watch.

Atlanta United are currently very busy. This Sunday the team will host FC Cincinnati, marking their fourth match in just 10 days. Between CONCACAF Champions League and MLS league play, times are interesting in Atlanta. Add in the fact that the team has just one win and three losses so far under new coach Frank de Boer, and you get a recipe for unrest.

Despite the poor results and difficult match congestion, there are still a lot of events to dissect and storylines to look forward to. Atlanta will play its first match in Mercedes Benz Stadium this year on Sunday evening and look for its first MLS win.

Atlanta’s attempt for a win on Sunday follows a disappointing 3-0 loss in Mexico to Monterrey during the first leg of the CCL quarterfinal. Injuries are beginning to mount up and uncertainty about the team’s tactics is increasing following these poor results. It is still very early in de Boer’s tenure as head coach, but with the club winning MLS Cup just three months ago, the standards are high and are currently being unmet.

Here are three things learned from Atlanta’s loss to Monterrey and two players to watch during Sunday’s match against Cincinnati.

3. Continued lack of chemistry

Atlanta is still struggling to play in Frank de Boer’s new system. Based on Atlanta’s matches so far, it’s clear de Boer will play with three in the back no matter what. Beyond that, things tend to shift depending on whether the team has the ball or not.

At its base, the team runs a 5-4-1. Without the ball, the shape of the team becomes that 5-4-1, but with the ball, there is more of a 3-4-3 shape. The wingbacks push up the field and the wingers move slightly outside instead of playing tucked in.

These new tactics and shapes are a steep departure from how Atlanta played in its first two seasons. The club operated from a 4-2-3-1 for most of the time but occasionally shifted to a 3-5-2 depending on the personnel available. Those two formations are fundamentally very different from de Boer’s current formations. It begs the question as to whether or not Atlanta’s current personnel actually fit de Boer’s plans.

The team did not play poorly against Monterrey. In fact, other than an early penalty, Monterrey struggled to score until the final twenty minutes of the match. At that point, Atlanta looked tired and disjointed and Monterrey took full advantage. Atlanta’s lack of chemistry under de Boer is an issue right now but can become solved over time.