17 Comments
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machine_epsilon's avatar

If the "giving up on this season" approach means a new manager and 2-3 DPs that I can get excited about and they earn some results at the end of 2024 that make me think we're gonna win the whole thing in 2025.... yeah, I'd take that, and I've never even been #PinedaOut.

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Josh Bouland's avatar

The absolute whiplash from Sam's "you can't change anything, the underlying numbers are actually good" to Rob's "this isn't good enough, do something drastic"

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Rob Usry's avatar

Haha Sam and I have many different opinions. That’s what makes blogging fun.

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kevin s's avatar

The underlying numbers were good for RB last year and they barely made the playoffs. Fire the manager and make a few tweaks and top team in the east this year.

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Gilboy's avatar

Haha. Yeah I think last match the commentator said that too. All the stats look good and hoping ship will right itself. But I find soccer is more about decisions in micro-moments unique to themselves than aggregate stats. Like decided not to close down a player or passing backwards to the other team.

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kevin s's avatar

Do it Rob. Make the call.

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Sionnagh's avatar

We have been making “big moves” for years and it has just made things into a mess. What we need is consistency: consistent on-field leaders, consistent team composition, consistent performance.

That said, I don’t think flipping 2 DPs and a manager during the summer window is unprecedented or even a “big move” in the grand scheme of things. That is the period where most players and managers from non-MLS leagues are available. I will be interested to see what happens, though my guess is just the two players and Pineda getting the rest of the season.

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Derrell's avatar

Big clubs have the same problems so to me we are still a big club just going thru a period right now

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DFresh's avatar

Like both DPs, this team is real good on paper. Been wondering if a lack of strong leadership (on field and touch line) is a core issue.

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Gilboy's avatar

Yeah, that seems to be a big part. We always see good ‘on paper’ teams but it doesn’t come across on the field

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Kareen Malone's avatar

Exactly to Usry & probably so, Gilboy..fans elsewhere express their frustration while in the stands. 17s have been good enough, when will it spill over?

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alan s's avatar

Think we change the manager and then see what’s what

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Gilboy's avatar

Also, does anyone have any data on availability % of a typical MLS DP (played x out of Y possible minutes). I can’t tell if we are unique in our constant injury situations

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Gilboy's avatar

What changes are you proposing, specifically? Get rid of Pineda, Almada, and GG? Or something more drastic?

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Rob Usry's avatar

Yes. The drastic part would be doing it all at once.

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Gilboy's avatar

Yeah. Interesting theory. Another year down the shitter unfortunately. but I get your point. I honestly have no idea what the sinning formula is in this league anymore. I trust GL but am worried MLS is in a new era and GLs strategy was successful in the old one. But that is just a gut feeling

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chrisjonesatl's avatar

So, here's how I feel about our team.

My daughter's team often scrimmages another, older team one night a week, at the end of their practices. They usually beat them 4-0 to 8-0, depending on how hard they are playing.

One week the other team was short players, so our coach moved our four best players to the weaker, older team. They won 3-0.

Atlanta United need three pieces. Three pieces who are better than anyone else they line up against. Almada could be that guy, if he wanted to be. GG is great at scoring goals, but he is not the best striker in MLS. We have no third DP.

I know this sounds obvious. And trite. But having the three best players on the field would paper over pretty much any other mistakes. And, since I think the rest of this roster is more than serviceable, that would make us immediate contenders.

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