Furry friends took to the pitch Tuesday at the Training Ground. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta brought therapy dogs, three golden retrievers, as a part of AMBSE’s Mental Health Month initiatives. Players, staff, and even media got the chance to say hi to Queso, Reggie and Peppa, who were absolutely loving the sun, the grass and the friends.
Spirits were high around the training ground, a focus from last week that has carried over. Atlanta United is practicing positivity in a big way, and it’s even easier to do that when there’s three adorable dogs ready to greet you leaving the pitch.
“It helps brings the vibes up, calm everything down,” Jay Fortune said after training Tuesday. “I was tired walking off the field, and it helped bring a little bit of life to everything.”
Atlanta United’s weekend result was their first point in four matches, a needed improvement, but the result still felt unsatisfying after Nashville equalized in the second half. The 5-Stripes are in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and now will get an opportunity to level Chicago Fire on points with a win against the club Saturday, May 10.
Fortune favors the prepared
Jay Fortune has started in two of the last three matches, both times on the left side of Atlanta United’s attack. The natural midfielder was up to the task in both efforts, showing he can be a versatile option going forward.
His best trait might be his dribbling skill — he’s balanced and fluid on the ball. That suits him well wherever he is, but what makes the difference at left wing is how he pushes the ball forward. According to FBref.com, Fortune is in the 86th percentile for progressive carries and the 80th percentile for successful take-ons. Those stats come amongst midfielders in comparable competitions, similar leagues and competitions to MLS.
It's one thing to be composed on the ball in terms of possession — think Tristan Muyumba on the ball in the defensive midfield. It’s another thing, though, to be a true positive in moving it forward all by yourself. That’s what Fortune does so well, and it’s why the lifelong midfielder has gotten more opportunities on the left side this season.
“I’ve played in the midfield my entire footballing career … but growing up, my dad focused on trying to get me an education to play anywhere on the field,” Fortune said. “No matter where it is, I try to be as comfortable as possible.”
Part of the appeal of having Fortune on the wing is his ability to tuck in and let Pedro Amador join the attack up the left flank. Jay said they’re enjoying playing one-twos and combining often. Their chemistry has grown plenty, beginning last season when Fortune first played on the left for Atlanta United.
“Obviously, Pedro is a very big part of what we do going forward, especially down the left side,” Fortune said. “Last year against Philly there was a little 20 minutes spell where I went out wide, and we've always made jokes about it since then. When I found out I was playing there again against Philly [this year], he had a field day. I think we've always had a good connection over the past couple seasons.”
Fortune, an Atlanta United Homegrown, stayed after training for a while doing extra passing, delivering the ball first time to a coach and Will Reilly on either side of him.
His attention is always on what else he can do to get better. He mentioned his finishing as an area he wants to work on as he plays out wide more.
“I think it's just about the confidence that I have on the day, expressing myself and trying to just use all aspects of [my game], whether it's in the middle of the field or out wide,” Fortune said.
Making the right calls quickly
Short-field scrimmages have been a staple of Deila-era training sessions at Atlanta United, and Tuesday was no different. It feels like the field keeps getting smaller, too. One of the drills saw the goals no more than a third of a regulation pitch apart.
That condensed area forces players to make even faster decisions in everything they do. Fortune scored a goal during the runs, and Alexey Miranchuk had a couple of tidy finishes.
“It’s very important. Everything is short and sharp, not a lot of space to do too much,” Fortune said. “You’ve got to be very quick and decisive about what you do. Seeing the ball go in in those small-sided games is really helpful.”
Processing power is one of the most pivotal parts of what makes teams so successful. Head coach Ronny Deila has spoken at length about wanting his players to make the right decisions with the ball, and by speeding up and shrinking the game in training, he’s forcing instincts to take over. As to be expected, you see a lot of dispossessions in these drills, but the passages of play that string together naturally are a sight to behold.
“We’re just overcomplicating things,” Matt Edwards said after training. “We have a game plan, and I think the first half, the group was amazing, so we’re trying to mimic that for the second half from now on.”
The 5-Stripes made progress against Nashville, as they put together a convincing first half display they hadn’t seen in nearly a month. Getting that control for an entire match may be more of a mental battle than physical. That, among other reasons, is why Atlanta United welcomes anything to keep vibes high.
“It’s knowing that we're capable of doing certain things and staying positive through it all,” Edwards said. “[We need to] keep going with the things the manager says and really hammer down those simple ideas. Just keep going at that and then trying not to do too much ourselves.”
