Three reasons why Atlanta United will win MLS Cup

In a league of parity like Major League Soccer, nearly every team has a legitimate shot to win MLS Cup thanks to the salary cap and playoff format. Atlanta United, despite some struggles this year, has a shot at making a playoff run.

But first things first for Atlanta United, they need to get into the playoffs.

All sports teams set goals and create both short term and long term plans for their organization. In MLS, clubs usually set goals to make the playoffs, or win the Supporters Shield, or win MLS Cup. Thanks to the league’s parity, making the playoffs, and even winning MLS Cup, is a fairly obtainable goal for nearly every team.

The league’s three week pseudo-international break is now over, meaning all sights are set on the remainder of the season with MLS Cup playoffs beginning in just a few months. All teams have at least seven games under their belt. But even with roughly two dozengames left for each team, we have a general understanding of where teams stand in regards to reaching the playoffs or contending for MLS Cup.

Atlanta United are always a hot pick to make the playoffs and win MLS Cup, especially after winning the cup in just their second year of existence back in 2018. This year is no different, despite the change in coach and considerate roster turnover. In fact, the Five Stripes are still a solid choice to win the cup despite blowing two goal leads in consecutive home games.

Here are three reasons why Atlanta United will win MLS Cup:

Gabriel Heinze

Atlanta may struggle to maintain multi-goal leads, but they look immediately improved from an abysmal 2020 season. Part of this can be contributed to the club’s considerable roster turnover in the offseason, but much of it stems from their new manager, Gabriel Heinze.

Following the team’s first league victory of the season, a 3-1 home win against the Chicago Fire, multiple players spoke of the team’s mentality and how last year’s team would’ve folded after conceding an equalizing goal just seconds into the second half. Instead, Heinze’s men battled back and delivered a first win in fairly dominant fashion.

Despite the roster turnover, many of Atlanta’s 2020 starters remain with the team. The club cannot get rid of their entire roster; player improvement must come from other areas, like the manager. Heinze’s influence has been felt all season long with clear tactical displays on the pitch, despite the desired results not yet coming. But the bigger effect thus far is the team’s mentality. A winning mentality is needed to win MLS Cup and advance through the playoffs. Atlanta are not quite there, but they are on their way thanks to Heinze.

Talent

The Five Stripes’ poor 2020 season can be heavily attributed to a few different reasons. Playing in a pandemic probably had the largest effect, but a midseason coaching change and inexplicable personnel decisions in the offseason on behalf of Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra didn’t help the situation either. Losing star striker Josef Martinez to an ACL injury also caused Atlanta to record their worst season to date.

With Martinez back to full health and significant player acquisitions in Santiago Sosa, Franco Ibarra, and Alan Franco, Atlanta is not short on talent. Those players, alongside holdovers Miles Robinson, Ezequiel Barco, Marcelino Moreno, and Erik Lopez, prove that Atlanta at least has the talent to win an MLS Cup.

This isn’t the same Atlanta United roster that brought a city its first significant silverware in over 20 years, but it’s not a squad completely devoid of talent, either. Martinez alone could likely will an MLS team to MLS Cup, although no one really wants that. No one knows if this team is good enough until they get to the playoffs, but it’s safe to say Atlanta has talent capable of winning.

Home field advantage

If there’s one thing Atlanta United still has after undergoing an unnecessary transformation, it’s their home field advantage. Mercedes Benz Stadium is always bumping, no matter who the opponent is or what the circumstances are. There could be 40,000 fans or 72,000. It doesn’t matter. One thing is certain: they will be loud and they will be raucous.

In their second home game of the season, against CF Montreal, Atlanta United struggled to create danger in front of goal. Montreal were compact and defensively disciplined. But with just seconds remaining, the crowd got loud and swelled in support of their players on the pitch. They were rewarded when Marcelino Moreno scored the game winning goal in the final seconds of the match.

Make no mistake about it, the fans were an integral part of that win. They will likely play a part in most Atlanta home wins. This is especially true in the playoffs, where playing at home is significant advantage for teams across the league. It Atlanta can make the playoffs and play a majority of their games in front of the home crowd, then they can win MLS Cup.