Atlanta United (5-1-3) will play at Nashville (3-3-3) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at GEODIS Park. The game will be broadcast on the MLS channel on Fox and on AppleTV. You can sync the radio broadcast from 92.9 FM through the app. You can follow the coverage of Doug Roberson, who has covered the franchise since 2014, on Twitter @DougRobersonAJC.
Here is a scouting report for the game:
Nashville manager: Gary Smith
Nashville at home: 2-1-2
Atlanta United on road: 1-1-2
Nashville goals for/against: 8/5
Nashville expected goals for/against: 8.1/8.9
Atlanta United goals for/against: 18/13
Atlanta United expected goals for/against: 11.9/9.4
Nashville key players
Hany Mukhtar: Three goals, three assists
Jacob Shaffelburg: Two goals
Fafa Picault: One goal, one assist
Atlanta United key players
Thiago Almada: Four goals, six assists
Giorgos Giakoumakis: Five goals
Caleb Wiley: Three goals, two assists
Talking points
1. Who will start at striker? Miguel Berry got the start Wednesday against Memphis in place of Giakoumakis and recorded one shot that wasn’t on target. Berry makes good runs, but strikers are supposed to get into goal-scoring situations, which Berry has acknowledged. It may be time to try Machop Chol and see if his speed can cause Nashville’s centerbacks issues.
2. Will Atlanta United’s wingers produce? Luiz Araujo and Derrick Etienne are struggling, with only two goals and four assists in 17 appearances, including 13 starts. With Giakoumakis unlikely to play, one or both of the wingers must contribute something substantial to the offense.
3. Staying focused. The team admittedly wasn’t as focused as it would have preferred in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Memphis in the U.S. Open Cup. It was outplayed, outshot and outcoached. That must be much improved against a very good Nashville team.
Injury reports
Atlanta United
Questionable: Almada (lower leg) and Quentin Westberg (knee).
Out: Ozzie Alonso (recovery from torn ACL), Erik Lopez (ankle) Gioukamakis (hamstring) and Brad Guzan (MCL).
Nashville
Out: Nick DePuy (lower body)
Questionable: Randal Leall (lower body)
What was said
“We couldn’t really progress the ball as much as we want. That was, for me, the main deficit we had, it was on the ball. Like, not really finding the ideas that we normally try to find, the pockets of space, the aggression, creating better chances ... same as probably the first five games in the season like, I felt, that we were really there. We haven’t found that. So as a team, we need to correct that.” – Pineda on Wednesday’s loss to Memphis
“I felt like today the player’s response was pretty good, energetic, ready for tomorrow. And I hope tomorrow we can have a much better game.” – Pineda
“So, they have good players, they have a good system. Whatever they play, we know it’s going to be a competitive team that knows how to manage moments of the game, when maybe to be a bit more pragmatic, when to go for transition, when to be more expansive in their buildup.” – Pineda regarding Nashville
Officiating crew
Referee: Joe Dickerson
Assistants: Lyes Arfa, Jeffrey Swartzel
Fourth official: Rubiel Vazquez
VAR: Younes Marrakchi
AVAR: Gjovalin Bori
Atlanta United’s predicted 11
Goalkeeper Clement Diop
Centerback Miles Robinson
Centerback JuanJo Purata
Right fullback Brooks Lennon
Left fullback Andrew Gutman
Defensive midfielder Santiago Sosa
Midfielder Matheus Rossetto
Attacking midfielder Thiago Almada
Right wing Luiz Araujo
Left wing Derrick Etienne Jr.
Striker Machop Chol
For more content about Atlanta United
Follow me on Twitter @DougRobersonAJC
On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now
On Instagram at DouglasDavidRoberson
Atlanta United coverage on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Southern Fried Soccer podcast can be found
Apple - https://apple.co/3ISD6Ve
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3L8TN0C
Google podcasts - https://bit.ly/32KlZW3
If you are listening to us for the first time, please follow us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast ... and if you like what you hear, please give us a good rating so we can grow the show. If you have questions about the MLS team, you can email Doug Roberson at droberson@ajc.com, DM him on Twitter @dougrobersonajc or call 770-810-5297.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a special offer for Atlanta United supporters and listeners to this podcast. If you subscribe today, you will not only get unlimited digital access to the AJC and the Sunday paper for $2.30 a week but we are also throwing in a special limited-edition Atlanta United and Atlanta Journal-Constitution scarf. So sign up now at subscribe.ajc.com/utdscarf.
Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1
March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0
March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1
March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1
April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0
April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1
April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2
April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1
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
About the Author
