No, we aren’t moving forward in the CONCACAF Champions League, but tonight’s win was big in many ways. For one, it’s sure nice to win another game. 2019 hasn’t been too kind to our Five Stripes. The team has looked lost and completely out of sync. Given the chemistry of last year’s team and coach combination, we just haven’t really been ourselves lately.
Shea and Ambrose are having to fill Greg Garza’s shoes and Barco/Pity haven’t quite been the Miggy we all love. However one thing reigns true, our love for our team.
Atlanta United finish our 1st CONCACAF Champions league 2-2-0 with an aggregate of 6-6. Not too bad considering the Salary Cap differential between MLS and Liga MX. There’s no secret that if Atlanta United FC were able to shell out what it took to keep our championship team together we would’ve happily paid the price-tag.
However, we’re working diligently to maneuver the current MLS structure to create a perpetual contending championship franchise. De Boer is absolutely a long term hire for our squad. That’s ok…for now. He has a long term outlook and I’m willing to wait considering we celebrated our 1st championship in Atlanta history in what seems like the complete Millennial generation.
We deserve to enjoy it a little bit while our team continues to rebuild their chemistry. The season is long but our SCCL stay, short.
We’ll be back. With a clean slate.
Tonight’s win helps us get there. We were a different team tonight. From the start you could see the intensity in our players. Defensively we didn’t relinquish easy shots on goal, leaving Guzan one on one. Rarely, they got a chance to score and it’s hard to deny Larentowicz’s presence wasn’t a factor in that.
Our team has had ZERO chemistry. The Martinez’s are feeling each other out and quite can’t make the connection, though they’re trying. Josef has accounted for 57% of our goals(4 of 7) this year with Gressel accounting for 2 of the other 3. Speaking of Gressel, he’s our best All-Around Player, hands down. Last year, that guy was Miguel Almiron. When Gressel is on the field, he creates opportunities for others. We saw that tonight.
The 2nd half saw fans cheer loudly for Villalba’s presence accompanied with timing that was magical at times between our guys. We started looking like the Atlanta United we used to know.
So we lost out of the Champions League and things haven’t been looking great from the start? Watch the last 25 minutes and see that there is something to be proud of.
A new day is coming.
The promise of what’s to come. I can tell you our team is a long way from where it’ll be at season’s end. We don’t have to be #1 in the league right now. We are 0-1-1 in MLS play and 2-3-1 in all competitions. Sunday gives us a chance to even everything out. We can Unite around this W. It’s good to be happy about it. There’s a lot more left to see.
Go Atlanta! Unite And Conquer!!!
Once More.
-Jaracz
The Other Side Sports 