After Atlanta United’s first preseason match, new manager Ronny Deila said he became bored watching his players pass the ball backward so frequently.
Almost two months and eight matches later, the last being Saturday’s 0-0 draw with New York Red Bulls, Deila said the players needed to pass the ball backward more in order to eventually get into more goal-creating situations.
What gives? Why say it was bad to pass the ball toward your own goal then, but it’s needed now to help the team snap its two-match scoreless streak?
Deila explained that passing the ball backward to fullbacks, or to centerbacks, allows the rest of the team to get forward. Play can be switched from side to side. Then, the fullbacks can get down the field to create numerical advantages on either side. From there, crosses can either be put in or, if the defense stretches itself wide to attempt to defend those situations, there should be space in the middle to exploit. Deila said Atlanta United did the side-to-side very well in Saturday’s first 30 minutes, when it created the majority of its goal-scoring chances and seven shots on goal.
Then, for whatever reason, Atlanta United’s players stopped doing that, despite them talking about it a “hundred times” during the week. They started to play more vertical, low-percentage passes. Deila appeared to grow frustrated talking about it in his post-match news conference. The team got stretched and was forced to run more than it could. He said they stopped doing the simple things.
“I see what these players are capable of doing and that’s where we have to be honest with each other and with these fantastic supporters,” he said.
It was one of the more educational post-match news conferences in Atlanta United’s history. Deila described how he felt the panic in the second half that Red Bulls must have felt in the first half as his team pressed more and more for an opening goal. He talked about how the team needs on-field leadership to recognize what is happening and then to keep teammates from going into their “shells.”
“That’s where we are right now,” he said. “We want to be a team that we saw the first 30 minutes. That’s how we want to look, because then it’s just ... put the ball in the net.”
Miguel Almiron, one of the team’s three Designated Players, agreed that the team needs a calming presence on the field when they are pushing to make something happen.
“I think we try to do all of that but sometimes things happen during the games, one gets anxious to win the game,” he said. “Those are details that we have to improve, as the coach says.”
What Deila is describing isn’t new for Atlanta United. Previous managers, with different players, have had the same concerns. Some supporters described the tactics that Deila said the team was doing well as “Pineda ball,” referencing previous manager Gonzalo Pineda, whose firing last July created the opportunity for Deila to be hired. Those supporters didn’t like to see the passing backward. But, as Deila explained, it’s necessary.
“If you play forward, how can you get a fullback to overlap? No chance,” he said. “You have to get to one side, and you have to get to the opposite side. And then we did for half an hour, and then suddenly start to play through the center.”
The positive for Atlanta United is it was just the third match. The new players, Almiron and Emmanuel Latte Lath, are still learning their teammates’ tendencies and preferences. There are still 31 matches remaining, starting next week against Inter Miami at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I’ve only played two or three games with Ronny,” centerback Derrick Williams said. “Still trying to understand what he wants. So, I’m sure the attackers are thinking the same, Alexey (Miranchuk), Miggy and the best teams in this league that you see their players are playing with each other a lot and you get that chemistry. I do think that could be a factor.”
The team has shown it can learn.
After poor defensive performances in the second halves of its first two matches, Atlanta United held Red Bulls without a shot on goal for the entire match to post its first shutout this season. Matthew Edwards had his best match at right fullback, leading the team with four chances created. Most of those came when the team was playing well in the first 30 minutes. Pedro Amador made his first start at left fullback and Deila said played well. Stian Gregersen and Williams blocked several shots. Tristan Muyumba made his first start in midfield and was named player of the match.
So that’s good.
But the team was built to score goals. It’s gone more than 180 minutes since Edwin Mosquera’s winner in the 85th minute against Montreal.
Deila said he’s not worried about the goals. They will come if the tactics are executed.
“We have been working together for seven weeks,” he said. “You learn from experiences, and you notice how we can lift everybody ourselves in the group and in the club to put the standards that we need to do to be consistent in what we do and that’s the aim for me and for everybody because they put effort, it’s just about making the right decisions together as a team.”
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule
Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2
March 1 Charlotte 2, Atlanta United 0
March 8 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
March 16 vs. Miami, 7 p.m., Apple
March 22 at Cincinnati, 2:30 p.m., Apple
March 29 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 5 vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 12 vs. New England, 2:30 p.m., Apple, FOX
April 19 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 26 at Orlando, 7 p.m., Apple, FOX
May 3 vs. Nashville, 2:30 p.m., Apple, FOX
May 10 at Chicago, 2:30 p.m., Apple
May 14 at Austin, 8:30 p.m., Apple
May 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 25 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., Apple
May 28 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 31 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 12 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 30 vs. Necaxa, Leagues Cup
Aug. 2. vs. Pumas in Orlando, Leagues Cup
Aug. 6 vs. Atlas, Leagues Cup
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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