It hasn’t been the start to the 2025 season that Atlanta United expected. They’ve picked up nine points from eight matches and are 11th in the Eastern Conference. The locker room was near silent after the loss to New England, an outcome that players and coaches know is not enough.
At Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground Tuesday, the frustration with recent results was evident. Players were showing with their play that they’re not ready to lay down and accept what’s going on. That, to Bartosz Slisz, is a healthy feeling.
“If you lose and you don't [get frustrated], I think something is wrong with you,” Slisz said after training Tuesday. “For sure, it's not me, because I want to win every game.
“Right now, the training session is very competitive. I know everyone wants to win. That's why, in training, everyone wants to win, and we have to show it in the game. We have to be more aggressive.”
Still, looking up above them in the table, a Wild Card playoff spot is just three points away — New York Red Bulls sits in ninth place with 12 points. From there, last year’s squad proved anything can happen.
Everything is still in front of Atlanta United. The club’s stated goal of a top-four spot in the conference is now looking a tougher ask, but it’s by no means out of reach. The MLS regular season is a marathon, not a sprint. The 5-Stripes have to dust themselves off and get back to running.
“It's just the process, and the results will come,” Slisz said. “We have to believe it.”
No more being nice
No one around the training ground is mistaken. Atlanta United is looking for much, much more than what they’ve found on the pitch this season.
The good news is, head coach Ronny Deila has an abundance of options. It’s just about finding the right combination.
Is Miguel Almirón at No. 10 and Alexey Miranchuk at No. 8 the answer? The second half explosion against NYCFC supports that.
The five-at-the-back experiment didn’t yield a goal, but Atlanta ruled the second half. The 5-Stripes outshot New England 12-2 in the second 45 but couldn’t capitalize. Perhaps that continues to be an option for Deila if he feels his squad is better equipped to take its chances with more training.
Above anything tactical, players and coaches want to see a mentality shift in the squad. That’s what was primarily on display as the team went throughout drills Tuesday.
Slisz was one of many players taking that shift to heart, bringing even more competition to training.
“For me, it's healthy and sometimes you need it,” Slisz said. “You need it even in the training, because I think it's going to help the team. We are too nice. We have to be more aggressive and show on the pitch that [if] they’re going to come to our stadium, our home, they will not win on this day.”
The defensive midfield pivot’s success on the day has often dictated the result for the 5-Stripes. Slisz and Tristan Muyumba know that, and they’re paying extra attention to how they combine in the days that lead up to the match.
“We have to be the unit in the game and take it from the training to the games,” Slisz said. “Now, we'll be together on the pitch and show them who is better.”
Doing more with the ball
There’s a lot of change to be considered, but building on good habits is equally important. Staying after training for extra reps is one of those, and it’s something nearly the whole squad is doing at this point in the season.
As for the drills in the schedule, Deila and his staff aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel: rondos, scrimmages, pass sequencing. One drill was a little different Tuesday, though — a mini goal short side game where teams were required to complete a certain number of passes before shooting.
Deila is doubling down on stringing together passes to create chances. The 5-Stripes have made a leap in their last two matches on the possession front, earning more than a 55-percent share of the ball in both the Dallas and New England battles. Those were the second and third times this season that Atlanta United won the possession battle, with the only other time being against Charlotte March 1.
The first goal of Deila’s system is to thrive with the ball. So far this season Atlanta United has been dangerous sitting back and countering, but that’s not their end goal. They want to control and dominate matches like they know they can.
Deila said he was encouraged by the control of the ball but knows it doesn’t mean much without the three points to show for it. So that’s what his team worked on in training Tuesday: doing something with it.
“Every week speak about our style of play, and we analyze the games, and it doesn't look bad,” Slisz said. “But it’s the same situation, the opponents score more goals, and they're in the better situation, even in the table. I think we have to just focus on the next game.”
They may get some more help on the personnel front soon. Edwin Mosquera is back in training and looking sharp as ever. He scored with an outside-footed strike on a mini goal and also found the back of the net during scrimmages. His smart positioning allowed him to win the ball and immediately fire a shot into the back of the net.
The ankle injury he suffered in the final minutes of the Inter Miami match looks all but healed. We’ll see on Friday if he gets listed on the club’s Availability Report.
The future is now
After a lengthy home stretch, it’s time for Atlanta United to hit the highway. The 5-Stripes play two straight road matches and four of their next five away from home. They’ve only played twice on the road, picking up one point. It’s time for a turn of fortune.
It’ll be Philadelphia Union this Saturday, April 19, then Atlanta United faces a heated rival in Orlando City SC April 26. That one is not only a feisty fixture but a rematch of the Eastern Conference Semifinal match from last season.
“Philadelphia will be tough game, and we have to just focus on it,” Slisz said. “The future is the most important. Maybe not even the future, it’s right now.”
