Tonight, Atlanta United kicks off their fourth match of the season on the West Coast against the reigning 2016 MLS Cup Champions, Seattle Sounders. Atlanta is searching for a third straight victory, back-to-back clean sheets and a place at the top of the Eastern Conference table. Follow the action as kickoff is set for 10 p.m. ET and will be nationally broadcasted on FS1. Ahead of tonight’s matchup in the Emerald City, we broke down the Tools to the Match presented by Home Depot.
1) Stick With What You Know
In its first three MLS matches, Tata Martino’s side has already established an identity as a possession oriented, high pressing, fast-paced team and it’s proven effective thus far with two dominant victories and bagging 11 goals already. Even without their leading scorer in Josef Martinez (ruled out due to quad injury), there’s no reason Atlanta should stray away from their original game plan and their acknowledged playing style. Sure, no one offers exactly what Martinez can, but this team was built around depth, and Yamil Asad, Miguel Almirón, Tito Villalba and Jacob Peterson have demonstrated they can also be major threats in the attacking third.
2) Contain Nicolas Lodeiro
Seattle’s number 10 was arguably the most crucial piece in reviving their 2016 campaign and capturing last season’s MLS Cup title by connecting the play, providing a creative outlet and bringing an it-factor to the final third. Atlanta will need to make sure to keep tabs on Nicolas Lodeiro through the span of the 90 and stay compact defensively because he will expose any holes or gaps left open by the expansion side. The Uruguayan magician has proven that he’s both dangerous in setting his team up as well as putting it in the back of the net himself, so you can expect the Sounders to consistently attempt to find his feet when in possession.
3) Avoid Set Pieces
Atlanta’s roster has been formed to play their game on the ground, and in doing so, they lack a little more height than many other squads. Players with an aerial presence pose serious threats to ATL UTD’s back line, so tonight it will be key for Atlanta to avoid yielding set pieces around their own penalty area, especially with the likes of Jordan Morris, Chad Marshall and Roman Torres crashing in the box for Seattle. In addition, direct free kicks will be just as dangerous if Clint Dempsey is on the ball, a notoriously deadly free kick taker who notched a beauty last week to complete a hat-trick for U.S. Soccer in their World Cup Qualifier.
