Atlanta United Vs New York Red Bulls: 3 things we learned – High press works wonders
By Josh Bouland
2. Players need to build chemistry
If you’ve watched even just one MLS is Back match, you will have seen the obvious rust that has plagued the players. Misplaced passes, poor dribbles, and an overall lack of organization have featured in all the group stage matches thus far.
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But for Atlanta United on Saturday night, this lack of playing time, allied with the inclusion of new signings Matheus Rossetto and Manuel Castro led to a major lack of chemistry and sharpness in their play. Rossetto and Castro made little noise throughout their time on the field. Even when Castro came off for Ezequiel Barco, the team looked disjointed.
The apparent lack of chemistry isn’t a surprise. Some players saw their first start of the season on Saturday night. There is only be so much a team can build together in the 450 minutes of prior game time. Sadly for Atlanta United, though, time is not on their side.
Due to the structure of the competition, they now have only two games to secure their place in the knockout stages. They play FC Cincinnati next and will be expected to win. After that, however, they face the Columbus Crew, a formidable opponent who dispatched Cincinnati with four goals. Atlanta will need to be better if they stand a chance of moving on to the knockout round.