Things to watch in Atlanta United vs. Columbus in MLS playoffs

Atlanta United, without Thiago Almada, success on the road or a recent history of winning high-stakes matches, will attempt to overcome all three impediments when it plays at Columbus on Wednesday in the first game of a best-of-three MLS playoff series.

“I feel like we’re the most prepared we’ve been for a game this season,” fullback Brooks Lennon said.

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It should be a series filled with goals.

Columbus, with its flexible formations and well-honed tactics, tied a franchise record and led MLS in goals (67) goals. It also led the league in assists (72). Atlanta United, a team that plays similarly to the Crew, finished second in MLS in goals (66).

Here are things to watch:

Replacing Almada. Pineda wouldn’t tip his hand about how he is going to replace Almada, one of the finalists for MLS MVP after scoring 11 goals and posting a league-best 19 assists. Almada received two yellow cards in the regular-season finale against Cincinnati.

Atlanta United’s offense was built around Almada.

“It’s really hard to replicate exactly the quality that Thiago has,” Pineda said. “So we have to rely more on the team and playing as a team. And well, we normally do that, but specifically for that area of the field where Thiago just takes care of that area and is creative and understands the movement in the space. But yeah, we’ll come up with a good plan.”

Pineda acknowledged that Saba Lobjanidze, normally a winger, might be a candidate to replace Almada.

Or, Pineda could choose to play without a true “No. 10,” and go with two attacking midfielders who play underneath striker Giorgos Giakoumakis. It’s a formation the team used in a few matches earlier this season with mixed success. If that is the choice, Saba Lobjanidze and Xande Silva would play as the attacking midfielders, with the team using three centerbacks and two wingbacks. The formation would enable the team clog the middle of the pitch, which is where Columbus likes to work.

“He’s a great player, but Thiago is not Atlanta United,” centerback Luis Abram said. “We have 11 players, so that’s what we’ll try to do.”

ExploreMLS playoffs Game 1 info to know: Atlanta United at Columbus

Overcoming history. Atlanta United has won one game of immediate importance since the playoffs in the 2019 season.

That one game was when it defeated Cincinnati on Decision Day in 2021 to clinch a playoff spot. It then was knocked out of the postseason by NYCFC.

Looking back, it was beaten by Toronto in the 2019 Eastern Conference finals.

In 2020, it lost all three matches and failed to score in the MLS is Back tournament in Orlando, Florida. It failed to qualify for the playoffs because it lost to Columbus on Decision Day.

In 2021, it was beaten by Philadelphia in the Champions League, 4-1 on aggregate.

In 2022, it was beaten by Nashville in the U.S. Open Cup. It failed to qualify for the playoffs when it lost at New England in the second-to-last match of the season. It drew Philadelphia 0-0 in the 32nd match.

In 2023, Atlanta United lost its opening game in the U.S. Open Cup to Memphis. It lost both matches in the Leagues Cup. It didn’t defeat Philadelphia or Columbus in two of its final three matches when doing so would have helped it clinch a spot in the top four of the Eastern Conference. The team closed the season by drawing Cincinnati, the Supporters’ Shield winners.

Teams can’t win every match, but the Five Stripes are on a negative streak.

“I think the last game against Cincinnati, 11 v 11, we were better,” Pineda said. “We had better moments than the best team in the league. That gives us confidence. I think the players can feel it, can feel the power they have when they’re good with the ball and when they start to combine and the actions in the final third, then we start to create chance after chance after chance.

“I think that they get motivated and they know that we can be a dangerous team to play against, a tough team that is tough to beat because we have a lot of ties when we play on the road. And I think that’s also important that we were a team throughout the season that were tough to beat. That’s important for us. So that gives us confidence.”

Atlanta United went 3-6-8 on the road. Overall, it posted one win, home or away, against the top five teams in the East.

Columbus’ tactics. The Crew, led by manager Wilfried Nancy, play some of the prettiest and, most important, effective soccer in MLS.

Not only did the Crew lead the league in goals, they led in possession (57.1%) and ranked second in passing percentage (85.9%), third in total shots (503) and fourth in shots on target (179).

So, not only does Columbus like to keep the ball, it knows what to do with it. In two games against Atlanta United, the Crew averaged 3.5 goals, 18.5 shots and six shots on goals. Atlanta United averaged one goal, six shots and 2.5 shots on goal in those games.

Atlanta United has had more than a week to prepare for whatever tweaks Nancy makes to the formation and tactics. In the recent meeting, Columbus pushed its left fullback up and into the midfield, which affected Atlanta United’s defensive marking responsibilities.

“Who’s going to want it more, who really wants to succeed?” Pineda said. “And at times, it’s about that in these type of games, where probably you neutralize each other with the tactics. Of course, there’s always room for tactics, you know, be better than the other. But I would say at times, when that happens, it’s up to the players.”

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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 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1

May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1