Head coach Ronny Deila and Sporting Director and Chief Soccer Officer Chris Henderson had a one-on-one conversation on the pitch before training Friday morning. They went back and forth for a few minutes before Deila had to get his squad started up on drills.
Of course, Deila wouldn't discuss what they were talking about.
"Formalities," he said with a grin.
As the Secondary Transfer Window fast approaches, Henderson and his scouting department are hard at work analyzing all available options for new signings. Deila's focus, however, is still primarily on his squad now and what they can do to shape up for a huge match tomorrow. The 5-Stripes host Charlotte FC in their second game back at home since their road trip. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday, July 19, and you can still get tickets to be a part of the madness here!
One returner for the weekend
Atlanta United's availability report Friday did not include one player who was listed on the previous iteration Tuesday: Derrick Williams. The center back suffered a foot injury against New York City FC June 12, and now he returns to the matchday squad after joining the rest of the squad in training for the last two weeks.
The remainder of the report from three days ago is the same, with Stian Gregersen still unavailable despite his involvement in contact drills in training. He's ramping up slowly from a quad injury he suffered almost three months ago.
Player | Injury | Status |
Josh Cohen | Arm | Out |
Jay Fortune | Foot | Out |
Stian Gregersen | Quadriceps | Out |
Mastering the art of counter-pressing
Wednesday night's match with Chicago Fire saw the 5-Stripes bringing some heat of their own. They pressed on a more consistent basis, particularly counter-pressing when they lost the ball in the attacking third. It worked well, and Bartosz Slisz was a big part of that success. His workrate was on full display, roving up the pitch to step in front of passes and punish poor touches.
"I talk and challenge him a lot, because I expect a lot from him," Deila said. "He's a very, very good football player. He has to be little [bit like] Roy Keane for me. You should be scared of not doing the job around him."
The legendary Irish midfielder Roy Keane was as no-nonsense as it gets, and you can see how Deila wants Slisz to reflect that in his attitude as well as his play.
As for the team as a whole, the emphasis on pressing is one way that Deila is looking to generate effective offense. He said he's seen good buildup from his team in established play and trusts their ability to create chances with the ball at their feet for longer spells. What's next is the transition moments, where Atlanta United has the runners to be truly lethal going forward and the ball winners to neutralize the opposition the other way.
"I've seen improvement in these [last] two games in energy and attitude," Deila said. "That's been really, really good. I think the pressing game we had in both games [was] really good."
Leaning into counter-pressing is a commitment of energy, but Deila justified the trade off.
"When we lose the ball there [higher up the pitch], if you run 5 meters, you don't need to run 100," Deila said.
The payoff was on full display against Chicago when Bartek won the ball back in the 57th minute from a recovery run as Fire were looking to break. That one sprint earned the ball back, but he didn't stop there, wandering forward down the left sideline and cutting in horizontally before dumping the ball off to Miguel Almirón, who got the assist on Alexey Miranchuk's longshot goal.
Winning those transition moments is Deila's next goal for his side, and something they'll need to do against Charlotte Saturday night. That requires a fortified collective mindset within the squad.
"When everybody thinks the same in every situation, then we are getting to be more proactive," Deila said.
Running back the rivalry
It was just the second match of Atlanta United's season when they faced Charlotte FC for the first time this season, all the way back on March 1. The first half of that match was something to build on, with the 5-Stripes on the front foot creating chances. The second half, though, will be one to study, as they conceded twice to fall 2-0.
Pedro Amador, who spoke to media after training Friday, missed that match with an early season hamstring injury. He could get his first crack at Atlanta United's rivals Saturday. One of his goals for the team ahead of Charlotte aligned with Deila's pressing.
"We're recovering a lot of balls in the final third, but I think what we're missing is just that precision in the final pass or in the finishing," Amador said in Spanish. "I think we just have to give that better final ball to be able to help our teammates to create those chances."
Another area that the 5-Stripes are leaning into is set pieces. They've been a sore spot for Atlanta United this season, and they've conceded twice from corner kicks in the last two matches. The squad spent a good portion of training Friday gameplanning those situations.
"We have to be more focused," Amador said. "We have to be more aggressive attacking our zones, because we know we've conceded a lot of goals this season from set pieces. It's something that we're working on, and we know we have to be able to be stronger."
The match should be ripe with opportunity for the 5-Stripes. Charlotte FC has conceded the third-most shots in MLS this season. As if anyone in the Atlanta United locker room needs any more motivation Saturday, Charlotte FC currently holds the last Wild Card spot in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. It's going to be fiery football, and the 17s will be holding it down in the stands for the full 90 in a special southern rivalry.
Deila encourages risk-taking, but he also preaches that as matches wear on, he doesn't want his players trying to skip the details. Ahead of what's sure to be a battle Saturday, it's timely advice.
"It's about understanding and communication, but it's also about a mindset, so that you still do the same things and not start to cheat or take chances or whatever we have to do," Deila said. "There's no shortcuts in life, and not in football either."
