Fitting together pieces of the lineup in a hurry is the mandate as Atlanta United and host Charlotte FC prepare to square off on Saturday night.
It’s crucial for both clubs as they jockey for playoff positioning, particularly Atlanta (7-12-7, 28 points).
Atlanta had a rough July by going 1-3-1 in MLS play and then returned to action after the layoff with last week’s 2-0 loss at the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Charlotte (10-8-8, 38 points) finished with a 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls last Saturday, unable to generate enough pressure as multiple misplays led to repeated breakdowns.
“You can’t make that many unforced errors in the final third and expect to win the game, and that’s on us,” coach Dean Smith said.
Charlotte is hoping newcomers Pep Biel and Jamie Paterson can get up to speed in a hurry. Biel made his debut last week and Paterson is dealing with visa issues.
“They’ve got to hit the ground running,” Smith said. “They know that, and with the qualities that they bring, I know they can do that.”
Atlanta interim coach Rob Valentino has plenty to figure out as well.
Atlanta remains without Thiago Almada, who scored in a 3-2 loss to Charlotte earlier this season, as they’ve been on loan. Perhaps they’ve added a difference maker in midfielder Alexey Miranchuk, who played his first MLS match last Saturday.
“He’s a guy who likes to make good passes in behind and I think he’s going to help the team in the future,” teammate Xande Silva said.
Liel Abada had two goals in Charlotte’s previous victory over Atlanta. He has scored only one goal in eight matches since then.
Charlotte lost forward Karol Swiderski, who scored the team’s only goal last week on a penalty kick, to an assignment for Poland’s national team for a Nations League game.
Even with the moving parts, there might be positives. A bonus for Charlotte could involve conditioning, according to its coach.
“Fitness wise, it’s a really strong group,” Smith said.
The Atlanta-Charlotte matchups are considered a rivalry, with fans from the respective teams traveling well for road matches.
–Field Level Media
