Atlanta United hosts NYCFC tonight at Merecedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for 7:39 p.m. ET. Here's what to keep an eye on as Atlanta looks to overcome a thin roster and NYCFC just tries to right the ship.
Is anybody out there?
Atlanta won't be at their best here. An international break and the Gold Cup both come at a frustrating time for a team that seemed to figure out what might be their best XI in their last game. Miles Robinson and Derrick Etienne Jr. are off to the Gold Cup, and Thiago Almada will be a bench player at best after returning today from international duty. Throw in Giorgos Giakoumakis' yellow-card suspension, Santiago Sosa's ankle injury (so we're told), and Luis Abram also missing time due to international duty and this is as depleted a roster as we've seen for Atlanta since ... the Columbus game. You know, the worst loss in team history?
In general, it's a big stretch for a few folks. Homegrown Noah Cobb will likely get another shot at center back tonight and Abram will have a chance to prove himself over the course of Robinson's absence over what will likely be the next six games. Cobb still has plenty of time to develop of course, but Abram was brought in to be a starter. That obviously hasn't happened yet and his previous appearances haven't been encouraging. It's time for him to step up.
Etienne's absence (and Luiz Araujo's departure) provides a chance for Tyler Wolff to potentially capitalize on a good run of form. He's been effective off the bench lately but we've yet to see him in a starting role this year. It also might provide minutes for Ronald Hernandez if Gonzalo Pineda opts to move Brooks Lennon up to the right wing and continue bringing Wolff off the bench.
No matter what choices are made, Atlanta's depth is about to be tested in a major way. That's not ideal for a team still rebuilding and reworking their roster. Or, you know, any team in MLS.
NYCFC rides the struggle subway
The good news for Atlanta is that NYCFC will also have a few key absences. Center backs Thiago Martins and Maxime Chanot are out, while midfielder and sometimes center back James Sands is also unavailable. They might be just as thin at center back as Atlanta tonight.
That being said, defense hasn't been the problem for NYCFC lately. Their attack has been putrid, scoring less than a goal a game over their current nine-game winless streak. Yep, a nine-game winless streak. Since their last win, NYCFC have collected just four points out of a possible 27. Over that stretch, they're creating just 0.97 xG per game, the fifth-worst mark in MLS. This team has been outright terrible.
Maybe that means they're due, though? They certainly have the talent to put up big numbers in attack. But nothing is clicking right now. They feel as incohesive as, well, some Atlanta United teams.
Play the kids
Luke Brennan and Nicholas Firmino have signed short-term loans for this one and Saturday's trip to Red Bull Arena. Firmino in particular has put on a show in MLS NEXT Pro, scoring eight times on the year and sometimes hauling off and doing something like this.
AN ABSOLUTE ROCKET FROM FIRMINO 🚀🤯 pic.twitter.com/1suyolBIDl
— ATL UTD 2 (@atlutd2) June 16, 2023
Even if Brennan and Firmino don't get in, it's a big night for the kids. Cobb, Wolff, Jay Fortune, Machop Chol and Caleb Wiley could all play key roles. Seven years in, it feels like the Atlanta academy is starting to pay dividends.