The worst attacking performance in Atlanta United history

which of Atlanta's three shots was your favorite?

via Atlanta United

---

Last night, Atlanta United turned in the worst attacking performance in club history.

That’s not vibes-based—those were atrocious too, though, don’t worry—it’s a statistical take. FBref has MLS xG data going back to the 2018 season. I grabbed the xG of every Atlanta United game since then, threw it into a handy spreadsheet, and couldn’t even pretend to be surprised at the outcome.

Last night, Atlanta United generated 0.03 xG with their first shot (blocked), 0.02 xG with their next (saved), and 0.02 xG with their final shot (blocked). 0.07 xG is the lowest single-game xG for Atlanta United in FBref’s database. The only comparable game is a 2023 playoff game against Columbus that featured one (1) 0.07 xG shot and nothing else. You could (and should) absolutely argue that’s worse than last night, but last night’s game is the undisputed regular-season champ.

LAFC are a great team, Atlanta United are not. LAFC played at home, Atlanta United traveled across the country. LAFC are fighting for a playoff spot, Atlanta United are not. I get that the effort level isn’t going to be outstanding and that allowing a counter-attacking team like LAFC asks them to step out of their comfort zone and use the ball. But, man, there’s been absolutely no progress in attack for this team over the course of the season. They look just as unsure and unsettled now as they did at the start of the year. And, with absolutely nothing to play for, they’re setting up to try and grind out a point.

They nearly got away with it, too, thanks in large part to Jayden Hibbert, who has to be written in pen as Atlanta’s No. 1 next year. In general, the defense has been improved lately (other than the 5-4 against Columbus). But one of the most expensive attacks in MLS history has repeatedly been shockingly, appalingly, comically bad this year. They’re somehow actively getting worse. This is the bleakest shot chart I’ve seen in a long time.

What makes it particularly disappointing but not surprising is the fact that Atlanta’s total lack of ideas and total lack of understanding of whatever it is they’re being asked to do went on full display last night.

To recap: Atlanta wins ball back —> Clear transition opportunity —> Ball moves too slowly —> Ball goes backward —> Ball goes wide —> Everyone off the ball plays “The Box is Lava” —> Long shot into a body —> Decent spell of possession with Atlanta afraid to enter the penalty area because they might explode if they do (??) —> No real movement off the ball —> Screw it, might as well play a cross —> LAFC ball

That might have been Atlanta’s best spell of possession last night and it only served as a frustrating reminder that they simply don’t understand where quality chances come from and how to generate them. The end result: 0.07 xG and the worst regular-season attacking performance we’ve watched in nine seasons of Atlanta United.

Anyway, here’s a quote from Ronny Deila on the match. (Emphasis mine.)

“I’m proud of the boys today. We talked last time about being soft and all those different things that we didn’t have the team spirit and discipline we wanted. Tonight, we really put everything on the pitch. We kept the game even. We need to get a little bit more out of the things we have around the box. We should have more crosses in the box and more players inside the box when we have those opportunities. Defensively, we were very solid, very organized with short distances between us. There was a mistake in the end that cost us. That’s sad because I think we should get something out of the game. But as I said to the players, if you are going to get points away frome home, this is what needs to be at the bottom. Being organized, hard working and disciplined. And then with more confidence and belief after all the things we have been through, then we will see more quality in the next phase.”

And one more. (Emphasis still mine.)

“We talked about in the halftime break that when we go around the sides, we have to get runs in the box and more crosses in there. I don’t think we managed to do that well enough. That’s why we didn’t create more than we did. We had some good opportunities to create more in and around the box. I don’t know if it’s that they are protecting more towards the defense and think they have to be in a position to be balanced. That wasn’t what we talked about before. We have to let go there more. More crosses, more situations inside the box to get something out of some really good switch up play. We have 1-v-1 situations on the sides, but then we end up playing backwards instead of getting balls inside the box. We want to improve in that area.”