This is one in a series of team previews preparing fans for the 2023 MLS season. Check out the full list; teams will be revealed in predicted order of finish from Feb. 10-24.
What Atlanta United did last year
Not many good things! Atlanta dealt with one of the single-worst injury streaks in sports history and coupled that with a generally replacement-level roster at key positions and rode the wave of sadness and badness to a shocking 11th-place finish. Frankly, we’re talking about the least enjoyable non-COVID season in Atlanta United’s brief history.
That being said, there were a few things to build on. Atlanta’s underlying numbers suggested that, all things equal, they should have been a playoff team. But a lack of attacking cohesion, a tendency to allow hilariously soft goals that led to the team chasing goals, and near historically terrible goal-keeping created a great recipe for severely underperforming the team’s expected goals numbers.
Key additions
Defender Luis Abram (transfer from Granada), forward Derrick Etienne Jr. (free agent), forward Giorgos Giakoumakis (transfered from Celtic), goalkeeper Quentin Westberg (signing after contract expired at Toronto FC)
Key departures
Defender George Campbell (trade to Montréal), midfielder Emerson Hyndman (mutual contract termination), defender Alan Franco (transfer to São Paulo), forward Josef Martínez (buyout, moved to Inter Miami), midfielder Marcelino Moreno (loan to Coritiba), goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo (loan expired)
Making the case for Atlanta United
Man, this attack.
It might be one of the best in the league and that could be an understatement. New winger Derrick Etienne Jr. and new DP forward Giorgos Giakoumakis have a critical ingredient to their game that Atlanta’s attack has been severely missing: off-ball movement. We don’t know if and when it will all click, but if it does, Atlanta’s front four of Etienne, Giakoumakas, Luiz Araujo and Thiago Almada should feast. For the first time in a long time, all of the pieces of Atlanta’s attacking puzzle seem to fit together.
They just might be good enough to make up for a midfield and defense that has a lot of question marks. Miles Robinson and Brad Guzan have returned from Achilles tears and it’s unclear just how healthy they’ll actually be. Matheus Rossetto has returned to play central midfield and it’s pretty clear just how average he’s been so far in Atlanta. We know little about how new center back Luis Abram will adapt to his new team. Santiago Sosa has limitations when it comes to his defensive ability. And Brooks Lennon and Andrew Gutman are excellent attacking threats at fullback but maybe not outstanding defensive rocks at the back.
It might be the scoresiest Atlanta United team yet on both ends of the pitch. In the end, the defensive issues could be mostly a non-factor and Atlanta could be just fine. But if they want to be among the league’s best this season, it all comes down to whether the midfield can take a leap forward. Considering their current personnel, it feels likely that will have to happen via new signing. That signing should be coming. But when?
Players to watch
Luiz Araujo might be entering the most make-or-break season of this MLS season. If he doesn’t look like a DP-caliber player by midseason, it’s probably time to wrap things up for his time in Atlanta … if they can get anyone to take him.
He’s shown flashes of tremendous ability but his approach to the game has been severely lacking. The hope is that a more cohesive attack will work wonders (and keep him from taking quite so many shots from outside the box).
A nerdy tidbit
Atlanta United tied for the league lead in shots last season, but their average shot quality checked in at 0.10 xG per shot, an uninspiring 22nd in MLS. The team they tied with, LAFC, finished second in the league in average shot quality. LAFC were much better at soccer last season.
A fun tidbit
The “A” in Atlanta United’s logo stands for “Atlanta,” the city the team plays in.
Projected finish
8th in the East
The ceiling is much, much higher than this. But until we see proof of concept, there’s no reason to assume Atlanta will sort out the issues that plagued them last season. We could either be looking at home playoff team or a team that realizes quickly just how much more work is left to do with this roster.