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Atlanta United: 3 things we learned from away tour

By Alex Miller

HARRISON, NJ - MAY 19: Josef Martinez #7 of Atlanta United looks dejected after missing a shot on goal while Luis Robles #31 of New York Red Bulls holds the ball during the MLS match between Atlanta United FC and New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on May 19 2019 in Harrison, NJ, USA. The New York Red Bulls won the match with a score of 1 to 0. (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images)
HARRISON, NJ - MAY 19: Josef Martinez #7 of Atlanta United looks dejected after missing a shot on goal while Luis Robles #31 of New York Red Bulls holds the ball during the MLS match between Atlanta United FC and New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on May 19 2019 in Harrison, NJ, USA. The New York Red Bulls won the match with a score of 1 to 0. (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 17: Brad Guzan #1 of Atlanta United heads off the field from warm-ups prior to the game between Atlanta United and Philadelphia Union at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 17, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 17: Brad Guzan #1 of Atlanta United heads off the field from warm-ups prior to the game between Atlanta United and Philadelphia Union at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 17, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

2. Brad Guzan not what he once was

Goalkeepers are known to play longer careers than traditional outfield players, and at the tender age of 34, Brad Guzan still has a couple of seasons of quality shot-stopping in him. However, these three games on the road have been a challenge for Guzan.

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In both the match against the Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake, Guzan struggled to get his feet set and move quickly. His performances in Atlanta’s last two games have been a shadow of some of the performances we saw last season.

Even in that stretch of five wins in which Atlanta didn’t concede a goal, Guzan rarely had to deal with much. Orlando had the highest number of shots on target with four, while in the match against Toronto, Guzan had zero shots on target against him, and in the 1-0 loss to the Red Bulls, New York only clocked two shots on target, one of which made it past Guzan.

When Atlanta’s had defensive success this season it’s come from quality individual performances in the back-four, namely from Miles Robinson, LGP or Michael Parkhurst, and statistics back this up too with Guzan’s save percentage being 69.2% or, to put that into context, only about 3% better than Orlando’s Brian Rowe, and only 6% better than, 11th in the West, Kansas City’s Tim Melia.

It’s tough to say if this is just a run of bad form or an actual fall from grace, but either way, it might be Alec Kann’s time to shine if Guzan doesn’t turn it around.

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