It hasnāt been the start to the 2025 season that Atlanta United expected. Theyāve picked up nine points from eight matches and are 11th in the Eastern Conference. The locker room was near silent after the loss to New England, an outcome that players and coaches know is not enough.
At Childrenās Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground Tuesday, the frustration with recent results was evident. Players were showing with their play that theyāre not ready to lay down and accept whatās going on. That, to Bartosz Slisz, is a healthy feeling.
āIf you lose and you don't [get frustrated], I think something is wrong with you,ā Slisz said after training Tuesday. āFor sure, it's not me, because I want to win every game.
āRight now, the training session is very competitive. I know everyone wants to win. That's why, in training, everyone wants to win, and we have to show it in the game. We have to be more aggressive.ā
Still, looking up above them in the table, a Wild Card playoff spot is just three points away ā New York Red Bulls sits in ninth place with 12 points. From there, last yearās squad proved anything can happen.
Everything is still in front of Atlanta United. The clubās stated goal of a top-four spot in the conference is now looking a tougher ask, but itās by no means out of reach. The MLS regular season is a marathon, not a sprint. The 5-Stripes have to dust themselves off and get back to running.
āIt's just the process, and the results will come,ā Slisz said. āWe have to believe it.ā
No more being nice
No one around the training ground is mistaken. Atlanta United is looking for much, much more than what theyāve found on the pitch this season.
The good news is, head coach Ronny Deila has an abundance of options. Itās just about finding the right combination.

Is Miguel Almirón at No. 10 and Alexey Miranchuk at No. 8 the answer? The second half explosion against NYCFC supports that.
The five-at-the-back experiment didnāt yield a goal, but Atlanta ruled the second half. The 5-Stripes outshot New England 12-2 in the second 45 but couldnāt capitalize. Perhaps that continues to be an option for Deila if he feels his squad is better equipped to take its chances with more training.
Above anything tactical, players and coaches want to see a mentality shift in the squad. Thatās what was primarily on display as the team went throughout drills Tuesday.
Slisz was one of many players taking that shift to heart, bringing even more competition to training.
āFor me, it's healthy and sometimes you need it,ā Slisz said. āYou need it even in the training, because I think it's going to help the team. We are too nice. We have to be more aggressive and show on the pitch that [if] theyāre going to come to our stadium, our home, they will not win on this day.ā
The defensive midfield pivotās success on the day has often dictated the result for the 5-Stripes. Slisz and Tristan Muyumba know that, and theyāre paying extra attention to how they combine in the days that lead up to the match.
āWe have to be the unit in the game and take it from the training to the games,ā Slisz said. āNow, we'll be together on the pitch and show them who is better.ā

Doing more with the ball
Thereās a lot of change to be considered, but building on good habits is equally important. Staying after training for extra reps is one of those, and itās something nearly the whole squad is doing at this point in the season.
As for the drills in the schedule, Deila and his staff arenāt trying to reinvent the wheel: rondos, scrimmages, pass sequencing. One drill was a little different Tuesday, though ā a mini goal short side game where teams were required to complete a certain number of passes before shooting.
Deila is doubling down on stringing together passes to create chances. The 5-Stripes have made a leap in their last two matches on the possession front, earning more than a 55-percent share of the ball in both the Dallas and New England battles. Those were the second and third times this season that Atlanta United won the possession battle, with the only other time being against Charlotte March 1.

The first goal of Deilaās system is to thrive with the ball. So far this season Atlanta United has been dangerous sitting back and countering, but thatās not their end goal. They want to control and dominate matches like they know they can.
Deila said he was encouraged by the control of the ball but knows it doesnāt mean much without the three points to show for it. So thatās what his team worked on in training Tuesday: doing something with it.
āEvery week speak about our style of play, and we analyze the games, and it doesn't look bad,ā Slisz said. āBut itās the same situation, the opponents score more goals, and they're in the better situation, even in the table. I think we have to just focus on the next game.ā
They may get some more help on the personnel front soon. Edwin Mosquera is back in training and looking sharp as ever. He scored with an outside-footed strike on a mini goal and also found the back of the net during scrimmages. His smart positioning allowed him to win the ball and immediately fire a shot into the back of the net.
The ankle injury he suffered in the final minutes of the Inter Miami match looks all but healed. Weāll see on Friday if he gets listed on the clubās Availability Report.

The future is now
After a lengthy home stretch, itās time for Atlanta United to hit the highway. The 5-Stripes play two straight road matches and four of their next five away from home. Theyāve only played twice on the road, picking up one point. Itās time for a turn of fortune.
Itāll be Philadelphia Union this Saturday, April 19, then Atlanta United faces a heated rival in Orlando City SC April 26. That one is not only a feisty fixture but a rematch of the Eastern Conference Semifinal match from last season.
āPhiladelphia will be tough game, and we have to just focus on it,ā Slisz said. āThe future is the most important. Maybe not even the future, itās right now.ā
