Atlanta United actually looked better without their stars
Atlanta United got more than a road point on Thursday night. They found something that had been missing since the start of this season.
What Atlanta United found was character and fight. They also may have found a winning blueprint for getting results.
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A 2-2 draw at Nashville United was especially key for Atlanta United, not only given their struggles this year but also the current state of their roster. Injuries and international call-ups have decimated head coach Gabriel Heinze’s selection, meaning that over half the Starting XI on Thursday night were depth players or those from the USL squad.
These circumstances forced Heinze away from his usual star-studded lineup and towards a grittier group that may not have been as talented but put in far more effort than the regular Starting XI.
“They showed me that they put their heads down. They were not afraid to play with or without the ball. Even when we were losing, they kept trying and fighting.”
At the end of the day, it was a solid road point for Atlanta United against a Nashville SC side that made the playoffs a season ago.
Perhaps this current state of the roster is in fact a positive for Heinze and Atlanta United. One of the priciest starting lineups in all of MLS, Atlanta United has struggled this year and remained mired below the red playoff line in the Eastern Conference.
The star players weren’t contributing and Atlanta United has a nasty collection of blown leads this season on their resume. Far more is expected from a team as expensive and experienced as this group.
Now with several starters gone for the better part of the next month, Heinze might have found a core that can churn out some results. Atlanta United, known for their beautiful possession soccer, big switches and one-touch football with fluid movement into space, may have found a bit of cynicism to help balance a squad that sometimes is a bit too pretty for MLS.
“We are in a bad moment with everything that happened to us. The result is something that right now we can’t analyze,” Heinze said.
“What my players showed me today is something I’ve been asking them since we started. I would tell you the same even if we lost the game because of what they put on the field today.”
The draw keeps Atlanta United below the playoff line. Their record now stands at 2-3-7 (13 points).
Follow Kristian Dyer of ‘MLS Multiplex’ on Twitter @KristianRDyer