Atlanta United finally returned to the pitch after a four month layoff last Saturday. And predictably, the Five Stripes looked rusty in 1-0 loss to New York Red Bulls (NYRB), as both teams opened up their MLS is Back Tournament fixtures.
In all, Atlanta did show some flashes of what we’ve come to expect, especially behind the brilliant play of Pity Martinez, and by exploiting wide areas behind Frank de Boer’s extremely aggressive attacking shape. But we also saw the team struggle for balance in FdB’s attack-minded system, leaving themselves too exposed on the counter and struggling to communicate and execute defensively when placed in these positions.