Back on July 3 — head coach Ronny Deila's first media availability after the club announced the signing of Enea Mihaj — the head coach praised the Albanian International defender's mentality at this stage of his career.
"[He's] a leader, a fighter, very good defensively, trustworthy," Deila said last Thursday. "He's done really well in a good club in Portugal. [He's] in prime age, 26 years old. That's when you're hungry, and he has ambitions to improve and to do something with us, and that's what we're looking for."
That was Deila's first hunger mention, and this Thursday after training, he brought it up again. Hunger is what he wants to see against Toronto FC Saturday, what he wants from potential new signings, what he wants to establish as a club identity.
"I think we can be more aggressive in wanting to achieve something and to put demands around [ourselves]," Deila said. "That is something clear we really need to do better."
Deila has been asking more of his team with each game this season. He spoke about "enjoying suffering" in matches and wants to see more drive from his squad no matter the match condition. The team has been able to get fired up for home matches against conference rivals, but away matches haven't showcased that same intensity.
Tristan Muyumba said he could tell there were times during the D.C. match where the team didn't make enough forwards runs and didn't play enough forward passes to pay off the runs they did make.
"It's about the timing of the passes, the timing of the runs," Muyumba said after training. "We have to find the right moment and to make the choice to give the ball and to make the run behind. Having a small run can create a difference."
That kind of hunger is something they worked on in training this week, with attacking players running buildup drills that saw them make darting runs in behind a mannequin defensive line. Every rep is an intense run in behind, conditioning the muscles but also the minds to be more aggressive in the right ways.
It also necessitates, as Muyumba pointed out, more communication.
"Everyone has to step up and take the responsibility on the field, even the young guys, even the less vocal [guys]," Muyumba said. "Everyone [has to] try to [make] himself uncomfortable, to do the extra work like talking defensively and offensively."
Thursday's training was nearly identical to Tuesday's, apart from scrimmages that were closed to media taking place today as the 5-Stripes gear up for the final match of their five-game road trip.
Toronto FC present an unpredictable threat: They just offloaded two of their designated player signings in Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, and Deila complimented their team's group mentality.
Without those two DPs, who had combined for 12 goal contributions so far this season, Toronto may be a new side tactically and more difficult to scout. They've only played one match since the moves, a 3-1 loss to New York City July 3.
"There are no superstars that think they're bigger than the team, and that is always dangerous to meet," Deila said. "They are a team with a big T."
Last year's away day at Toronto was, according to Muyumba, the coldest match he's ever played in. Temperatures were near freezing after snowfall earlier in the day. This time around, it's expected to be around the mid-to-high 70s when the match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday night in the 6.
Statistically, the match this year might be Atlanta United's best chance to pick up points on the road this season. In terms of expected goals, the 5-Stripes (34.1) . It's a staggering lack of forecasted production from the Canadian side who sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference, one point behind Atlanta United.
Coming off of a clean sheet for just the second time this season, the 5-Stripes must like their chances defending on Saturday. As was the case earlier in the week though, the squad is more focused on being better going forward — at creating chances and dispatching them.
Deila and the rest of the club have transfer targets in mind for a crucial Secondary Transfer Window, but the manager is insistent there is a combination of players currently in the squad and tactics that will yield results.
"I have a clear picture in my mind, but at the same time, you have to adapt to the players you have and the strength of the players," Deila said. "That is what we try to find, the right mix."
Still, Deila's mission of implementing a hungry culture and his preferred tactics is a goal which, as he recognizes, may be quicker accomplished with new signings.
"In and ideal world, we want a physical team," Deila said. "[We] want a team that has hard legs. We [should be] very pressing very active in everything and drive up the tempo in the game. We are not there now, we have to think a little differently now that we don't have a long way [until the season ends]. That [comes] through developing players and, of course, also adding the right players to make that look even more clear."
