Head coach Ronny Deila's white shirt isn't dry yet, but he assured it would be ready for Saturday. The classic look is anything but for the Atlanta United manager, who started the season donning an all-black look. That was, until the FC Cincinnati match last Sunday, when Deila took the sideline in a plain white t-shirt. A 4-2 win later, and he told media after the match that it would be here to stay.
"I'm willing to do everything," he said after the Cincinnati match May 25. "I'm superstitious in that way."
He wore one again against Orlando, and while we can't confirm whether his fashion choice was solely responsible for Atlanta United's 3-2 comeback win, the numbers speak for themselves.
"It's in the suitcase [for New York], so that's good," he said.
Deila's looking for anything to keep the momentum rolling. He and Jamal Thiaré spoke after training Friday on what the team needs to achieve physically and mentally to win away at New York Red Bulls — something Atlanta United has never done.
Availability report for the weekend
No, the white shirt isn't listed on Atlanta United's availability report Friday, so we can safely assume it's eligible for selection in Deila's wardrobe Saturday. There are still a few players who are nursing injuries. Stian Gregersen and Tristan Muyumba are unavailable, still dealing with quad and knee injuries, respectively. Josh Cohen will also miss his second straight match.
Player | Injury | Status |
Josh Cohen | Adductor | Out |
Stian Gregersen | Quadriceps | Out |
Tristan Muyumba | Knee | Out |
Working on becoming road warriors
Atlanta United has yet to win a match on the road this season, and their only draws have come at FC Cincinnati and Austin FC. A win Saturday would make it three in a row for the 5-Stripes and would cap off a triple matchweek that very well could change the course of the 2025 season.
They'll most definitely need to establish some sort of rhythm away from home as they begin a six-match road trip. It's the longest of the season and will be a massive chance to find the right recipe for success in opposing environments.
Deila pondered why Atlanta United hasn't ever won on the road against Red Bulls. While he said he can't speak to Atlanta United's earlier history, he's seen plenty of New York from his time managing their rivals NYCFC.
"They have always been a very aggressive team, and it's not so easy to play against them," Deila said. "They just destroy you, and then they [catch] you on any mistakes. But this team is a little different from the others [in the past]."
He's right about that last point. This is a New York side that just made the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Final and now sits seventh in the Eastern Conference. They weren't even able to manage a shot on target against the 5-Stripes last time out March 8.
But New York can absolutely still be explosive. They put seven goals past LA Galaxy May 10 and just hung four on Charlotte FC Wednesday night. Forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has nine goals in 16 appearances this season, and their crafty attacking midfielder Emil Forsberg has five goals and five assists.
Choupo-Moting has been a big goalscoring presence, but he's also been too eager at times. He leads MLS in offsides calls this season with 19. That should be something Atlanta United can exploit as they look to impose their high defensive line on the match.
"We have to break the record in a way," Deila said. "There are barriers all the time, and so far, we haven't won away. That would be massive to do that. We [would get] a different belief in that to get three wins in a row, that would be unbelievably big."
Thiaré's time to shine
Our own Sandy McAfee wrote about Jamal Thiaré just before he got his first chance to start against Orlando City SC April 26. He didn't get one that night, but he's now scored three goals in his last three appearances as a substitute. His clutch contributions have shut the door on the last two matches and rescued a point at Austin.
"It's so amazing," Thiaré said. "I believe in myself and the team believes in me ... I'm here to score the goals, it's my job."
The goal against Orlando City Wednesday night was the most dramatic, and it was all thanks to his keen positioning. He's built a reputation for sneaking in behind defenses and finding little pockets of space to exploit opposing defense. Thiaré understands he may only see one or two great looks at goal in his time on the pitch, and he has to take them.
"I waited," he said. "If I have one opportunity, I can score it. I say in my mind, 'Yeah, maybe you're going to have just one, and if you have it, just score.'"
He's been in rare form, but his mentality has always been team first. Whether he starts or comes off the bench behind Emmanuel Latte Lath, he'll always put in a shift for the badge. That personality is invaluable for a squad with high aspirations and a need for quality depth.
"Of course, he's doing really well," Deila said. "Him and [Latte Lath] have a very good relationship off the pitch as well. I think they can help each other to fill that position."
Balancing fitness and form
Atlanta United's training was short Friday, as Deila and his staff don't want to put too much on the players' legs amidst a triple matchweek. Deila said it's challenging to find the sweet spot, and he doesn't want to interrupt a string of good play by rotating players for fitness reasons.
"There's always a thin line with these things, especially now when we are doing things a little bit different than we have done in the beginning [with the] system," he said. "It's about consistency up against freshness, and that's a difficult thing all the time. The positive is that we have a strong squad."
One drill that has become commonplace at Atlanta United training sessions is Over the River, a possession drills where two teams pass between each other while one defends in the center of the rectangular playing area.
They've played a lot of football recently, but the players are still staying after training for extra reps. Brooks Lennon whipped in corners, Latte Lath worked on long switches and others got some shots on goal.
Atlanta United are building something, and they've finally found some momentum. Knocking off three straight Eastern Conference teams would be a huge boost to their playoff hopes.
"I think just continue to play our football," Thiaré said. "Now we are on the good way, the right direction, and I think just continue to do what we did last week."
