Atlanta United’s season will be a success if:
1. It makes the playoffs. Club President Garth Lagerwey said the goal is to host a playoff game. That may seem lofty considering the team hasn’t made the playoffs in two of the past three seasons and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2019.
2. The younger players continue to improve. There’s not only Thiago Almada to consider, but the team has several younger players that it’s hoping continue to improve and perhaps become coveted assets. That group includes Santiago Sosa and Franco Ibarra, and Homegrowns Caleb Wiley, Machop Chol and Tyler Wolff, among others.
3. The DPs produce. Atlanta United got 19 goals and 22 assists from its three Designated Players last season. That’s not enough in either category. It needs Almada, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Luiz Araujo, the three DPs on the roster after the buyout of Josef Martinez, to combine for at least 30 goals and 30 assists this season for the team to improve its chances of making the playoffs.
Atlanta United’s season will be a failure if:
1. The injuries continue to pile up. Last season was derailed by the more than 20 injuries that kept players out of at least two consecutive games. Several of those players, notably centerback Miles Robinson and goalkeeper Brad Guzan, have returned from serious injuries and are full participants in exhibition matches.
2. The team’s shooting woes go on. Despite leading the league in shots (537) and finishing second in shots on goal (180), it finished fifth in expected goals (55.8) and tied for 11th in goals (48). Its goals per shots on target was 0.26, tied for worst in MLS.
3. The midfield fails to contribute. The team must get some sort of offensive output from its central and defensive midfielders. Amar Sejdic, Matheus Rossetto, Sosa and Ibarra combined for one goal and four assists. That’s not enough for the almost $2 million in salary paid.
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7:30 p.m.
March 4 vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
March 11 at Charlotte FC, noon, Fox
March 18 vs. Portland Timbers, 7:30 p.m.
March 25 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
April 1 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
April 8 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 15 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 23 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 4:30 p.m., FS1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
May 6 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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