Maddie’s Version: Steps Forward and Steps Backward in Atlanta United’s Loss

I’m not sure exactly how to feel about this one.

Atlanta United falls 3–2 to Real Salt Lake, and for me the reaction is a little… indifferent. There were moments where it felt like the team took a step forward, and then there were moments where it felt like they took a couple steps backward.

Overall, it just has to be better.

Signs of Progress in the Buildup

One of the positives I did see tonight was the buildup. I thought it was better than what we saw in the first two matches of the season.

There were stretches where Atlanta moved the ball well and looked more comfortable building the game. Those moments were encouraging, and you could see how the team wants to play starting to come together.

But even with that improvement, there’s still a lot that needs to be cleaned up.

Transition Moments Cost Atlanta

The biggest issue for me in this match was the transition defending.

Matias Galarza made his Atlanta debut in the second half (photo: Vanessa Angel for the SDH Network)

Every goal Real Salt Lake scored came from a transition moment. When Atlanta lost the ball and RSL broke forward quickly, Atlanta struggled to stop it from developing.

When you play as high as this team wants to play, those moments are going to happen. You’re going to get caught in transition sometimes. The question is how you respond when it happens.

How quickly do you get back?

How do you slow down the break?

How do you stop the play before it becomes a clear chance?

Sometimes that means doing the ugly work. Sometimes you have to take the foul. Sometimes you have to take the yellow card. You can’t allow those transition moments to develop the way they did tonight.

The Response Wasn’t Good Enough

Another thing that stood out to me was the response.

Atlanta went down 2–0, and I didn’t love the reaction in that moment. You want to see more personality, more urgency, more fight when the game starts to slip away.

Yes, Atlanta pulled one back later and made it interesting, but the response early on just wasn’t where it needs to be.

And honestly, we can talk about tactics all we want, but to me a lot of this comes down to mentality. It comes down to attitude. It comes down to that fight and that belief that you’re not going to give up no matter what happens.

I didn’t see enough of that tonight.

Miranchuk Was a Bright Spot

Miranchuk's return to the starting lineup was sorely needed (photo: Vanessa Angel for the SDH Network)

One player who really stood out to me tonight was Alexey Miranchuk.

I thought he was one of the best players on the field. His presence makes a big difference in the buildup and in finding those moments going forward.

He’s such a key part of how Atlanta can create chances, and I think people have been a little too critical of him at times. I don’t think those criticisms are warranted.

He’s a weapon in the attack, and I think Atlanta needs to lean into that more. They should be playing through him more often, especially if they want to get players like Latte Lath, Almirón, and the rest of the attack more involved.

Still Early, But Progress Has to Come

At the end of the day, I’m still not totally sure how to feel about this performance.

There were things I liked. There were things I really didn’t like. And there’s clearly still a lot of work to do.

It’s early in the season, and that matters. But at some point you need to start seeing real steps forward.

Next week against Philadelphia is going to be a huge test. We know how Philadelphia plays. They’re intense, they’re physical, and they’re not going to make anything easy.

If there’s a match where Atlanta needs to bring attitude, fight, and that “we’re not backing down” mentality, it’s that one.

Because Philadelphia will bring it.

Atlanta has to match it.

(𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓮'𝓼 𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷)